BMR

petunia

bumping to read later, since banks is my hero and I need to reread the BMR stuff...

:drinker:

hiddensecant

7) Metabolic depression can happen, people who have been eating too little for a long time develop a stunted metabolism, it can take months to return it to normal, and during that time you can and probably WILL see weight gain, despite your best efforts. Don't be fooled into thinking that just because you aren't loosing right away, it's because you are eating too much. that's very rarely the case if you follow the MFP guidelines. More often your body is trying to adjust to the new calorie levels and exercise routine. Give it time people, let your body get back to where it should be, then watch the weight fall off like water!

This one needs to be plastered all over this forum! So many people assume that they're just different because they tried to eat the calories and didn't lose or ended up gaining ... then get stuck having to undereat just to keep the weight off :brokenheart:.

I think I am finally understanding what was confusing to me all this time with this thread. I for one am a firm believer in MFP. 20 pounds in 3 months isnat as fast as I wanted but its a healty loss and I will keep at it till I am where I want to be. THen will still be around to help myself keep on target and helps others.

You're doing great! And I bet you're looking and feeling better too :happy:.

pannellkat

Hi Everyone. New to the site and so far I love it!
QUESTION:
Okay so I totally get what BMR is = calories burned just laying on your butt, picking your nose, checking the mail, watching Judge Judy, etc.
I also understand that if my BMR at sedentary allows me to consume 1800 calories per day, that if I eat 500 less calories a day for a full 7 days, ideally, I should be losing a pound a week. That is all based on the assumption that eating 500 less calories a day for 7 days = 3500 calories I did not consume and 3500 calories = 1 pound.
So...now in the equation my goal is to lose a pound 1/2 per week. So what I do is I go to the gym 5 days a week to burn 350 calories minimum doing cardio. Burning 350 calories in exercise per gym visit will burn 1750 calories per week and thats how I assume I will lose another 1/2 lb. along with my calorie consumption deficit.
I keep seeing that if I burn these 350 calories in exercise that I should eat that back in consumption of more food or at least half of that. But why? I want to lose a pound 1/2 a week so if I stick to my regimen then I should at least be close to my weekly goal. If I consume those calories burned, mathematically I do not see how I can continue to lose 1 1/2 lbs a week. Can someone confirm this? Want to know why it is necessary to consume those extra calories burned. Seems like a lot of experts on here so I am looking forward to a response. Thanks!

MyAngelAndMe2

7) Metabolic depression can happen, people who have been eating too little for a long time develop a stunted metabolism, it can take months to return it to normal, and during that time you can and probably WILL see weight gain, despite your best efforts. Don't be fooled into thinking that just because you aren't loosing right away, it's because you are eating too much. that's very rarely the case if you follow the MFP guidelines. More often your body is trying to adjust to the new calorie levels and exercise routine. Give it time people, let your body get back to where it should be, then watch the weight fall off like water!

I GET IT!!!! I GET IT!!!
I love it when that little lightbulb in my head goes off. It reminds me that the gray matter DOES work :bigsmile:

hiddensecant

... Want to know why it is necessary to consume those extra calories burned. Seems like a lot of experts on here so I am looking forward to a response. Thanks!

It looks like you were thinking ahead of MFP when you were setting up your profile, hehe. Change your goal to 1.5 lbs per week if that is what you want to go for. It will give you a lower daily allowance and then exercise calories will get added as you do it.

pannellkat

Thanks. I'm on the right track.

becbec71

I for one am worried about matabolism. I am 37 and have dieted all my life and know mine is slow. I judt font want to put myself into starvation mode. I think that is what most of us questioning this are concerned about.

I think people worry too much about starvation mode. If you are eating 1200 - 1700 calories a day, 1200 for those close to ideal body weight and 1700 for those with quite a bit still to lose, then I don't feel starvation mode is a concern. PS. How do you know your metabolism is slow? Did you have it tested?

I read an article recently that did a study on this very thing on people who thought their metabolism was slow...it wasn't. If you think it is maybe you shold get it checked. I too thought my metabolism was slow because I was exercising about 4 days a week and wasn't losing any weight. Then I started counting calories here on MFP and found out I was just eating too much! I've dropped 20 pounds in a little over 3 months.

I am borderline hypothyroid. I am also insulin resistant. I havent had any bloodwork done in a couple of years so I went this am and the work up done. I get my results Friday when I have my pysical, which I havent had done in probably 10 years. So I will know for sure Friday. My history and dieting yo-yo's drop 100 pounds gain 50 ect leads me to make a self educated guess that my body is pretty off kilter. I also have PCOS which makes it very easy for my hormones to go out of wack making it even harder to lose. I know I am losing at a good rate per my dr but I want to make sure I doing everything I can to senisbly loose weight the healthy way and keep this life style change for the rest of my life.

before you make any changes, IMHO I would go and get your T3 and T4 levels checked. That's the only way to tell if your thyroid is working properly. Go to a specialist, forget your GP, GP is good for certain things, but they are a generalist and probably haven't done the research and training needed to know what your levels should be at. You should have them checked every year if you are borderline, sometimes the thyroid (after eating right and exercise) can make a comeback, and sometimes they degenerate over time, without knowing for sure, you are going to have a difficult time.

They are running those too.

becbec71

SHBoss1673 #7 exactly. I think we have all fallen into the conditioning that if you want to lose weight you eat less. I have been guilty of not eating to lose weight. Off and on since High School. It is hard to get all the right concepts on how to do it through our hard heads, mine anyways. Enough years of doing that and you can pretty much assume you metabolisim is stunted. I have lived for years eating no breakfast, a small lunch and dinner and thinking that was the right way to do it. I have never been a big eater. I shoudl really be a size 2 they way I would eat. But due to medical conditions I couldnt take the weight off. That is what is great about this site and everyones trial and errors and expierance that is shared here freely.

I think I am finally understanding what was confusing to me all this time with this thread. I for one am a firm believer in MFP. 20 pounds in 3 months isnat as fast as I wanted but its a healty loss and I will keep at it till I am where I want to be. THen will still be around to help myself keep on target and helps others.

I'm glad you are "seeing the light" lady. Hey 7 lbs a month is a speedy and really good weight loss level. I don't know why you would want more then that. That's just shy of 2 lbs a week average, which is about as fast as most people's bodys can handle without doing some pretty drastic body chemistry shuffling (which tends to cause people to plateau). I say stick with what you are doing, 20 lbs in 3 months is good. If you keep at that level, by the Winter you will be at your goal (although, the last 20 or so are harder, so I wouldn't put too much pressure on yourself to do that). And that is great! remember, do this stuff to fast, and you tend to re-gain the weight, do it slowly, forming good habits and repeatable actions, and you develop a lifestyle, which is way better then just "dieting". Yuck, that's such a dirty word!

It is and I cant wait till my appt Friday to get the full picture!! I highly recomend getting the full work up if you are really serious about this lifestyle change.

astridfeline

bump for later reading....thanks Banks