Resetting your metabolism

lynn9

Since starting with MFP I've been steadily gaining weight. My MFP calculated calories were set at 1246/day. I varied between 1,100 - 1,400. Not counting exercise calories. We had our physicals at work and you meet with a dietitian after and I took a printout of my diary and explained that I just keep gaining (chalking it up to menopause) - she took one look and said I'm not eating enough! That I need to eat according to my BMR. Since the review with her was very limited time wise (5 mins), I came back to my desk and Googled BMR and lo and behold I'm supposed to be eating 1,500 just to lay in bed all day! I've been in STARVATION mode this whole time - grrr!!!! I do BFL (body for life) workouts and was not eating back my exercise calories. Based on BMR calcs my BMR + Exercise = 2,398 calories a day. I'm so worried that I'm totally screwed. I found an article by Jillian Michaels on resetting your metabolism and based on her calculations, I should be eating 2,100 calories a day for a month or two until it resets.

Has anyone tried resetting their metabolism this way? I went in and reset my MFP daily calories. I've been trying this since last Friday (9.16.11) and just for fun weighed myself on Monday and had lost 1lb already - yay!! Although, I have to admit its hard getting used to eating this much (healthfully). I'm so used to eating how I've been eating its hard to change the mental mindset.

I thought of going back to WW but I was always hungry and counting points was a drag. So, I ordered the Food Lovers System and am patiently waiting for it to arrive.

BMcH

I'd love to hear how this goes for you. I have never tried that - but I am curious about the outcome. I've been struggling with metabolism changes myself - so - if you find it to be successful, please share!
Thanks

sineadangele1

I've been having trouble losing anything and i think its because of the same issue. I was losing at first, but the last fifteen lbs won't come off and i feel like I'm starving myself. I'm eating 1,400 a day....could you possibly share the websites you found with the BMR and the Jillian article? I'd like to see what i SHOULD be eating and see if doing so makes a difference.

lenwie

could you possibly share the websites you found with the BMR and the Jillian article? I'd like to see what i SHOULD be eating and see if doing so makes a difference.

I'd like to see these too if possible :happy:

iAMaPhoenix

bumpity bump...interested in this also.

graysmom2005

Bump

christinairun

hello,
just start eating more often throughout the day. Think of your body as a machine that needs fuel...you don't want to run low. Also try drinking a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning. I wouldn't start eating a ton more calories a day than your body is used to , just don't eat the same amount every day. Make one day closer to 2,000 and than 300 less the next....keep your body guessing.

dlphncole

Would love to see the article too!!

Stormyyy

Plz send us the article too, think this could relate to me also. Thanks.

Acg67

you don't eat or set your diet according to your BMR, you eat at deficits the same or a surplus to your TDEE.

if you want to "reset" your metabolism so to speak you can bump up cals to maintenance and eat there for a few days/weeks. Leigh peele has a good book called the metabolic repair manual that goes into stuff like that

fitby2012

I had the same issue. I was eating what I was told was maintenance and burning calories from there. I lost a little, and then gained. Now I am losing again, but only after finding out my lean body mass number. Now my adjusted sedentary BMR, or TDEE, is 1,916 calories. MFP originally calculated it to be 2,580 calories. Since my weight is more fat than muscle, at a TDEE of 2,580 I was "feeding the fat".

So now, I am eating 1,600 or less on days I don't workout and about 1,800 calories on the days I do workout. I also watch carbs (40% or less), eat 5-6 meals per day, and I am not eating back my exercise calories. That is really helping my weight loss.

If you have a lot to lose, try taking a look at your body fat percentage and lean body mass. It really helped me and I hope it helps you.

bentobee

I highly recommend you listen to the fat2fitradio podcasts. They discuss this issue often. Great information!

You will most likely see a small increase at first when you increase your calories - and don't just start eating at the higher level right off the bat, wean yourself up to it. 100-200 calories more a day until you are there. After your body realizes it's getting the fuel it needs and has been missing you will start to see your weight dropping again.

Good luck!

lynn9

@Acg67 "...you don't eat or set your diet according to your BMR, you eat at deficits the same or a surplus to your TDEE." Could you explain the TDEE concept?

@bentobee - good info - thanks!. Fortunately, I've naturally been increasing a bit a day out of fear of what you stated and just trying to get over the mental mindset of what I've been doing for so long. Its funny to log my food for the day and find out I still have 300-500 calories left over - weird!! And now I can feel 'bad' about it so to speak - lol.

WebMD has a new food & fitness tool similar to this site. You can go through their calculator without creating an account to find out your caloric intake. They ask how you want to do it via four options. Eating less/workout more; eating less; working out more etc. I based my MFP calories from that output eating less and losing 1lbs/wk. They said I had to REDUCE my calories to 1854!!! I busted up laughing cause for me that means INCREASING by 600 some calories and then the whole debate on eating back exercise calories which if I did that - on my cardio days add 300-400.

gwenmf

bump

shakybabe

I find it confusing.. one site and also my body fat scales gives BMR in 1400's.... another site said 1670, this one gives me 1200.

When I tried to eat more though like 1600-1700 I put weight on so I dropped it right back again.

Acg67

@Acg67 "...you don't eat or set your diet according to your BMR, you eat at deficits the same or a surplus to your TDEE." Could you explain the TDEE concept?

@bentobee - good info - thanks!. Fortunately, I've naturally been increasing a bit a day out of fear of what you stated and just trying to get over the mental mindset of what I've been doing for so long. Its funny to log my food for the day and find out I still have 300-500 calories left over - weird!! And now I can feel 'bad' about it so to speak - lol.

WebMD has a new food & fitness tool similar to this site. You can go through their calculator without creating an account to find out your caloric intake. They ask how you want to do it via four options. Eating less/workout more; eating less; working out more etc. I based my MFP calories from that output eating less and losing 1lbs/wk. They said I had to REDUCE my calories to 1854!!! I busted up laughing cause for me that means INCREASING by 600 some calories and then the whole debate on eating back exercise calories which if I did that - on my cardio days add 300-400.

TDEE is total daily energy expenditure and is basically your maintenance, BMR is just a part of your TDEE

lynn9

According to this website's (http://www.free-workout-routines.net/tdee.html) formula for calculating TDEE mine = 2,096. They say to lose weight consume 200 - 300 calories less than your TDEE per day. So, do I set my MFP calories at 200 - 300 less?

koutroulakis

I've tracked calories and WW points and wasn't losing weight, I finally invested in a bodymedia fit and it has helped me to see how many calories I was burning all day long including exercise calories. I looked back on past food logs and calculated that I was in a 1700 calorie deficit...which is WAAAy to little calories for my body to function...I looked at the WW points and saw that it was not enough for the level of activity I had each day.

I would take your BMR and add any exercise calories to that each day...so if your BMR is 1500 and you workout burning 500 , eat about 2000.

After a week evaluate your food log and how your body reacted to the extra calories.

CharlieBarleyMom

Try reading this entry and see if this helps you:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

nikkit321

great thread

Acg67

According to this website's (http://www.free-workout-routines.net/tdee.html) formula for calculating TDEE mine = 2,096. They say to lose weight consume 200 - 300 calories less than your TDEE per day. So, do I set my MFP calories at 200 - 300 less?

i think you can start eating at around 10-20% less then your TDEE, so 200-400 cal deficit, stick with that for a week or two and evaluate how things are going.