Weight loss stalled after upping calories to BMR
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I put on weight when I upped my calories to 1600 for a month. I am down to 1500 cals a day now and seem to be maintaining, though I am under calories most days.0
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depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
Eating at BMR isn't maintenance unless you're in a coma. Eating at TDEE is maintenance.0 -
If you're in a health degree you also will have learnt that BMI is a notoriously bad measure of how healthy someone is - it is AT BEST a rough, rough guide able to be used in research. Too many things can influence it for it to be generalisable to everyone, it is only based on statistics and averages. Despite that, check out the thread in the food and nutrition board of the site with about 19 or 20 pages of posts about upping calories. It links to a great website which lets you input your current weight, goal weight etc etc and comes up with a healthy figure of what you should be eating each day to achieve your goal weight. ( http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ )
To the OP! Keep hope! Depending on how long you've been eating like this and your individual body, you may need a little bit more time to adjust and stop your body from thinking that it needs to conserve energy to feed your every day body needs. I've been trying this and, despite an initial gain, I am almost back at my pre-upipng level, feeling much healthier and more energetic with the prospects of losing the weight i want to lose looking better and better!
Thank you for the link to that website, it shows that I am eating enough for my activity level 0 -
depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
This is incorrect. Eating at BMR is eating in a deficit and you will lose. I am assuming the person who posted this is thinking about TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). If you eat at your TDEE you will maintain. If you eat at your BMR you will lose.0 -
Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.
The thing is MFP will put this person, and pretty much every person I have seen below their BMR for calories. If they eat at least their BMR it is far better than if they eat below it. Look at her numbers, MFP has her eating 1264, well below her BMR. Eating at BMR would be far preferable and go a long way to maintain muscle mass.0 -
This is all very confusing. I've been eating about 1400 calories/day (400 less than my BMR) and I've felt a little hungry, but much better than I did when I was eating junk all the time. I don't feel like I'm about to faint like everyone says you should if you are eating below BMR.
But, I also want to do this the healthy way, so I have set my goal to eat above 1850 calories (my BMR). And of course I would lose eating 1400 calories or less than that, but I don't want it to be unhealthy for me. I've done the starvation thing before. It worked great. It's not like it didn't--but I'm at a point in my life where the results aren't all the matter.
I'm just gonna trust in people who say I should eat at least my BMR. It seems crazy, scary, stupid, and totally illogical, but then again, I don't know a bit about nutritional science. We'll see.0 -
Also, to get to the weight I am now, wouldn't I have had to be eating WAY above my BMR before anyway? It seems kind of hard to believe because I didn't eat as frequently as I do now, but I guess it has to be true. Right?0
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~ I'm going to give you a different approach ... Please note that calories are not just calories consumed. Weightloss is significantly determined by what you eat. Try eating more " One Ingredient " foods ... reduce your sugar intake. People will say you can lose weight eating anything you want as long as your under that " magic " number. And in the beginning if you have a lot to lose this is true .. because your body was so accustomed to eating 3,000+ calories every day ... that a reduction intake at any number will result in loss. If you have a lot of weight to lose ... you can reduce your diet to a 1200 - 1400 cal a day and not worry about losing any muscle ... at this point the body fat certainly out weighs any muscle you do have and will be lost first.
BUT ... as you get closer to your goal ... it will be time to take things much more seriously and educate yourself on what your body needs to excel. Learn the power foods, do your research, exercise daily ( changing it up with cardio / strength ). You will begin to define your muscles and fuel your body as needed.
Don't get caught up in all the BMR drama in the beginning ... there will be plenty of time for that later on. I don't mean to discount any advice people are giving in any way, shape or form. I just know from personal experience that after you drop the majority of the weight, you will most likely hit a plateau ... what you do from that point forward will determine your success. In any case ... do NOT starve yourself and NEVER give up. The best advice available is " Change " ... whatever isn't working for you ... change it up ... just keep tweaking it until you find what works best.
Always remember this :
3500 calories burned = 1 pound lost ( in order to lose 1 pound a week you must have a 500 cal deficit daily ... so in order to lose more ... you must exercise more ) 7 x 500 = 3500
Although that formula sounds so simple ... it can easily be sabotaged by grossly under estimated calories consumed and or exaggerated calories burned by exercise. If you don't have an HRM .. I suggest you get one, get as close to the real numbers as possible. Log every single thing ... the best tool is knowledge !
I wish you the very best and look forward to reading your next forum about how you were able to achieve your goals !
Have a GREAT day ! :flowerforyou:0 -
I know this is all very confusing, and what works for other people may not work for you. There are lots of helpful things people have posted so you just have to take away a little from each and make it work for you. I perused your food diary. To me it seems you need to balance your meals out better. ALWAYS eat breakfast. Lots of protein, good carbs and good fats. If you don't like to eat breakfast you can use a protein shake (although I do this sometimes, I don't really condone not eating your calories). Add in more fruits and veggies....low in calories but good protein and fiber and will help keep you full. Step away from things like chips or fries, things that are breaded or fried. If you slip up, don't stress, just get back to it with the next meal.So far this has worked for me. Keep you chin up and try not to get overwhelmed. If you are going to weigh, only weigh once a week on the same day in the morning before you eat, exercise, or even drink water. Take measurements! Good luck!
PS and lots of water!
HT 5'4"
SW 218
CW 187
GW 170 (for now)
Ultimate GW 150
I work out cardio/weights 5 days a week.0 -
laney540
~ I'm going to give you a different approach ... Please note that calories are not just calories consumed. Weightloss is significantly determined by what you eat. Try eating more " One Ingredient " foods ... reduce your sugar intake. People will say you can lose weight eating anything you want as long as your under that " magic " number. And in the beginning if you have a lot to lose this is true .. because your body was so accustomed to eating 3,000+ calories every day ... that a reduction intake at any number will result in loss. If you have a lot of weight to lose ... you can reduce your diet to a 1200 - 1400 cal a day and not worry about losing any muscle ... at this point the body fat certainly out weighs any muscle you do have and will be lost first.
BUT ... as you get closer to your goal ... it will be time to take things much more seriously and educate yourself on what your body needs to excel. Learn the power foods, do your research, exercise daily ( changing it up with cardio / strength ). You will begin to define your muscles and fuel your body as needed.
Don't get caught up in all the BMR drama in the beginning ... there will be plenty of time for that later on. I don't mean to discount any advice people are giving in any way, shape or form. I just know from personal experience that after you drop the majority of the weight, you will most likely hit a plateau ... what you do from that point forward will determine your success. In any case ... do NOT starve yourself and NEVER give up. The best advice available is " Change " ... whatever isn't working for you ... change it up ... just keep tweaking it until you find what works best.
Always remember this :
3500 calories burned = 1 pound lost ( in order to lose 1 pound a week you must have a 500 cal deficit daily ... so in order to lose more ... you must exercise more ) 7 x 500 = 3500
Although that formula sounds so simple ... it can easily be sabotaged by grossly under estimated calories consumed and or exaggerated calories burned by exercise. If you don't have an HRM .. I suggest you get one, get as close to the real numbers as possible. Log every single thing ... the best tool is knowledge !
I wish you the very best and look forward to reading your next forum about how you were able to achieve your goals !
Have a GREAT day ! :flowerforyou:
This^^
Exactly how it should be done0 -
Confused about the BMR thing. How does that incorporate into losing weight?0
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Hi Becca,
From what I"m reading about this subject, you will probably have a gain for a couple of weeks before you start losing again. I recently just upped mine and today is day that I weigh in. I've been listening to http://hadakishop.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=35_170&product_id=267 where they explain the concept of Eat more to lose more. I would try it for a good month before deciding it doesn't work.
Good luck,
Danielle0 -
depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
When do you incude exercise calories?0 -
depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
Eating under your BMR is the worst thing you can do. I'm really getting tired of this advice it is BAD advice and you are hurting a lot of people if they follow it.0 -
depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
I am trying to loss,
It is really starting to annoy me that everyone is saying completely different things to me :grumble: :grumble: :explode:
I know what you mean, I think what works for some people may not work for others...0 -
~ I'm going to give you a different approach ... Please note that calories are not just calories consumed. Weightloss is significantly determined by what you eat. Try eating more " One Ingredient " foods ... reduce your sugar intake. People will say you can lose weight eating anything you want as long as your under that " magic " number.
Actually, there was a recent study on this published recently in one of the medical journals. The overall premise was to look at the theory of "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie." Dr. Zorba Paster from NPR has been a long proponent of this (and not an Atkins Diet supporter by any measure) and just came back and said he is "taking it back based on results." They took a group of people, controlled them in a loss (and controlled their activities to level the study playing field). Then after the group lost they added back 1000 excess calories - one group got more carb and the other got higher protein with controlled carbs.
What the study found was that the group getting more carbs actually gained less weight overall than the higher protein group BUT the protein group gained more muscle lbs whereas the carb group saw a bigger increase in body fat %.
Here is the article Dr Zorba published - I am guessing you can find the study online somewhere -
I'm sure that most of you are thinking the same thing that your neighbors are — "I've got to lose that holiday weight." Or maybe you call it the "New Year's" weight, the "potluck weight", the "I can't stand the stress weight."
It's all the same. Weight is weight.
So which diet should you follow? How do you evaluate it?
A brand new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association might give you a clue. Let's get to the bottom line first (Yes, I know, that's like skipping to the end of a good book.) Trumpet, please: Calories count but protein is critical.
Now I know that nearly 99 percent of you have been on a diet of one type or another. Some of you want to lose weight while others want to gain muscle mass for your sport. In the end, it all boils down to protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber and the assortment of vitamins and minerals we all need to keep us fit. All diets are basically variations of this.
Researchers wondered what role protein played in the mix. So they took 25 healthy men and women and housed them in their lab so that they could control what they ate and how much they exercised.
The first two weeks were the stabilization period: participants ate their normal diet and exercised if it was part of their usual routine. Then for two months researchers overfed these guys. That's right. They gave them more food than they normally ate, an extra 1,000 calories a day. But, not all of the participants were overfed the same type of calories.
There were three groups; A low protein group (5 percent of the calories from protein), a normal protein group (15 percent of the calories from protein) and a high protein group (a whopping 40 percent of the calories from protein). By the way, most Wisconsites get about 15 percent of their calories from protein.
Everybody gained weight (who wouldn't eating 1,000 extra calories a day?) Although there wasn't a difference between men and women there was a major difference between the protein groups.
The low protein group gained the least weight, only 7 pounds, while the normal and high protein group gained about 14 pounds.
So your first conclusion (or at least this would be my first conclusion) would be that you'll gain less weight eating less protein. Sounds logical to me. But bear with me now.
Researchers went one step further, and here's the exciting news, they looked at how much lean body mass (muscle mass) everyone gained vs. how much fat mass (the ugly kind) they gained.
The low protein group, while gaining 7 pounds, actually lost 1.5 pounds of muscle. That means, all that extra weight was fat. The normal and high protein groups gained 14 pounds but 7 pounds of that was muscle. Interesting.
My spin: First things first. Eat too many calories and you will gain weight. So cut the calories. (Yes, I know. You knew that.) But when you pick which calories to cut make sure it's not the protein calories. Keep your protein intake above 15 grams per day. That way you'll retain muscle mass. Concentrate on lean animal or vegetable protein. Next week, we'll talk about my favorite diet. Stay well.
Read more: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/ask/dr-paster/dr-zorba-paster-you-need-protein-calories/article_3a4b11e2-37d0-11e1-a42e-001871e3ce6c.html#ixzz1qQ6yl5Kj0 -
Keep your protein intake above 15g/day? Wow, I'm eating like...100g/day.0
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Ya- I thought that was an interestingly low number too - not sure if he meant 15% higher or what?0
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I bet it does. Cause, wow. WOW.0
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depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
This is incorrect. Eating at BMR is eating in a deficit and you will lose. I am assuming the person who posted this is thinking about TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). If you eat at your TDEE you will maintain. If you eat at your BMR you will lose.
What about the bodies natural hormonal response to switch off fat burning to retain energy in a VLCD and in turn producing cortisol to catabolize lean mass.
Yes you lose weight but the wrong kind.
What ever happened to eating healthy FIRST?
Then working out to create a deficit.
MFP has it *kitten* backwards!
1200 cals is not enough for most people to even fulfill the Basal needs!
Thats not even taking into account that as soon as you get up in the morning to pee, youll need to have even more calories.
then you go to work and have other stressors and then you want to work out???
I tell you what!
I'll give you a 20 year old car with 1/8th tank of gas and little oil.
Now drive it 200 miles!
Thats what you are doing to your body.
At some point it breaks down!0 -
depends on your goals, if you still trying to lose id cut the cals a tiny but under bmr, if you want to maintain just eat at bmr just be careful not to binge on weekends as it will put you over for the week.
I am trying to loss,
It is really starting to annoy me that everyone is saying completely different things to me :grumble: :grumble: :explode:
I know what you mean, I think what works for some people may not work for others...
It can be frustrating, if weight loss were easy, there would be no obesity epidemic!
I will try to give you some advice from my (unfortunately) very high experience level with losing weight. I lost 80lbs over 10 years ago, kept it off for 4 years, then high stress, put on 40, lost that and began working for weight watchers. Was a leader for 4 years, started struggling went through an EXTREMELY stressful 2 years in 08/09, and put back on almost all of the original 80. I've now lost 58 since August. (not through WW. Hard to go from being a Leader to a member) And it is true, what works for some people may or may not work for others, and there are many different theories about the best, most safe way to lose weight. But these are some things that I KNOW to be true:
1. If you deprive yourself constantly, it will be very difficult for you to stick to your plan and stay with it to the end
2. If you are able to stick it out, you will be very confused at how to maintain at that level
3. The more lean muscle you have the more you are able to eat, and the better you will look
4. The biggest mistake people make is "all or nothing" thinking. Your either on program, and being perfect, or you say what the hell, and eat like your going to the electric chair the next day. Not good.
5. Eating too little (i.e. under your BMR or even slightly above it) will eventually slow your weight loss, and cause you to gain the weight back very quickly
As a WW leader, I saw over and over and over, people who made their goal by sticking very strictly to the plan, however found that last 10-15 lbs extremely difficult to take off despite staying in their points range, and never eating their exercise calories. (which would be the same as eating at your BMR) Only to find when they did make goal, and we upped their points allowance for maintenance....... surprise!!! You guessed it, they dropped even more weight, very quickly.
Be sure to take your measurements, so you are noticing changes other than that stupid number on the scale. That number does not define you, or tell you if you had a successful week or not. Especially for us women. Our water weight can fluctuate greatly through our hormonal changes during the month. Continue reading and trying to figure out what will be best for you, take some of this advice, and ignore others. But most importantly, Keep it up! Consistency is the key!!!!:flowerforyou:0 -
Eating at bmr is a bad idea period. BMR is defined as basal metabolic rate so basically what the body burns when totally at rest, this has nothing to do with losing fat in a healthy manner as the moment you get up, move, eat, workout you are burning way more than BMR. The cals in cals out formula is flawed, eating at bmr will cause muscle loss once you are leaner if you are obese then fine. Losing muscle=slower metabolic rate so you are making yourself more unhealthy and worse of than when you started. Here is an example to clear thing up:
My BMR is 1800 cals/day
My total daily expenditure or TDEE (this is where you determine the deficit needed btw) is 2540-3000 (active lifestyle)
so to shed 1 lb/wk (500 cal/day deficit) I eat 2040 which is way above my bmr and I eat back all the exercise cals at that goal. When you joined mfp, put in your data and goal they already determined the calories needed to meet that goal WITHOUT any exercise this is why you get to eat back the exercise calories and still lose that weight. Eat woman, stop scale obsessing and learn to go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. The true measure of health is not a scale nor is it your BMI, these are 2 totally useless measures of health. Learn instead to focus on bodyfat %, measurements and then you will find a healthier, happier, slimmer you.
^^THIS0 -
I am following the BMR and TDEE method. I calculated my BMR and used the Harris Benedict equation to get my calories needed to lose weight based on this information.
Harris Benedict Formula
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
•If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
•If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
•If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
•If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
•If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9
I subtracted 1000 calories from my final number in order to lose 2lbs a week. At first I did gain but now I am losing and I am not hungry.0 -
Bump0
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I'm also struggling. Since upping the calories I've gained 6 lbs in 3 weeks. I know I haven't eaten that many calories. I keep thinking pretty soon my body is going to realize I'm not starving it any more and will allow me to lose more weight. It is really frustrating and disheartening in the meantime.
This week, I'm focusing on making healthy choices. Watching my sugar intake and making sure to drink atleast 6 cups of water before I do a crystal light or something else.0 -
It takes time for your body to get used to getting more calories. I was eating 1200 for over year and a half so when my body finally stalled out and stopped dropping the weight I found out why. It has taken my body over 6 weeks to realize that it would be getting enough food to finally let go. I upped my calories to 1500 and am eating my exercise calories back now too which I never did before. It doesn't just happen overnight like many would like it to.
The best way I heard to up your calories is to slowly add 100 each week instead of doing it all at once. I went from 1200 to 1380 and then a few weeks later got up to 1500. I still gained 4 lbs right away but it has now come back off. I eat anywhere from 1500-1700 depending on my TDEE which is usually 2100-2500 depending on exercise.0 -
It takes time for your body to get used to getting more calories. I was eating 1200 for over year and a half so when my body finally stalled out and stopped dropping the weight I found out why. It has taken my body over 6 weeks to realize that it would be getting enough food to finally let go. I upped my calories to 1500 and am eating my exercise calories back now too which I never did before. It doesn't just happen overnight like many would like it to.
The best way I heard to up your calories is to slowly add 100 each week instead of doing it all at once. I went from 1200 to 1380 and then a few weeks later got up to 1500. I still gained 4 lbs right away but it has now come back off. I eat anywhere from 1500-1700 depending on my TDEE which is usually 2100-2500 depending on exercise.
Thanks for the tips. I did it all in one fell swoop but now that I've done it for 3 weeks I could go back to 1500 and then up it again. I'm glad to hear at some point my body will realize I'm not starving it. My focus this week is to eat 90% of the calories to be really healthy. Maybe allow a cheat snack instead of a cheat day which I had been doing. Mt TDEE is usually 2100-2800 depending on exercise or today is my rest day and it will be about 2000.
I appreciate the feedback and support immensely. It's been hard watching my hard work creep a little.0
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