Frusterating

mystasia

So I have been on here 2 weeks, but my dieting has been for a lot longer. I work with a nutritionist which I meet with every other Sunday, for weigh ins and discussions on food. When I first started going 2 years ago I was a lot heavier, and we measured my BMR with a machine I had to breathe into. It reported that I had a BMR of 1510 calories, which was greatly different than all of the online calculators which reported me at 1740 calories for my height/weight at the time.

I have been eating well the last two weeks along with walking and going to the gym almost daily. I had calculated my calorie deficit over the last 2 weeks to be 8050 calories, which would be just over 2lbs loss. Though when she weighed me today I had not lost a pound.

After months of being frusterated because I can't seem to budge the scale despite increase exercise or calorie deficits. I paid again today to have my BMR retested, and it came back at a shockingly low 1250 calories. Which when I do the calculators online it shows 1540 calories.

Also I had printed out my food and excercise diary for her to see, and she also thinks that on days that I have almost 2 hours of excercise that my net is close to 0 calories. She's reccomending on those days I eat up to 1500-1600 calories.. Which I have such a hard time with that idea...especially now knowing my BMR is only 1250 calories.

I am going to start tomorrow with the increase in calories because it is a 2 hour of exercise day, but I am so nervous. I really hope this finally starts my weight loss again.

rogers8702

just wanted to say, be patient and continue doing what your doing it will come off. this site is great and there are many people here who can help. :flowerforyou:

BrendaLee

Your BMR (base metabolic rate) is basically the number of calories you would burn lying still all day. The number that tells you how many calories you should consume would be your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) which takes into account your activity. MFP uses your base TDEE + any calories you burn from exercise. Someone correct me if I got that wrong.

mystasia

Ya I realize what my BMR is, and under tool section on here is a calculator for it, it was just very dissappointing to be off about 300 calories... So then I don't really feel I can trust the number they tell me based on activity included, which says 1900 calories per day, which is way too high I think....

I read a bit in JM's Master Your Metabolism, and I'm going to take a few principles and see if that can help boost my metabolism. I'd like my BMR to be back at around 1500 calories. I think in a few months I will pay again to have it tested.

Any other suggestions on boosting or fixing metabolism would be greatly appreciated!

stormieweather

Well you can't net to zero calories (as your nutritionist told you) and still lose weight long term. Note that I said long term, because you may lose some at first, until your body adapts to receiving nothing to run on. Your body requires calories (ie: energy) to function. Anything that moves/runs/operates requires some form of energy to power it, and for our bodies, it is the food we eat. If you aren't giving your body any, it isn't going to use up any of it's highly valuable fat stores until absolutely necessary. First, it's going to slow your organs down - including brain function - and use up less vital forms of energy, such as muscle.

The various BMR calulators use information you input. There are a couple of different formulas, but they should be within a couple hundred of each other. The TDEE (the 1900 you referred to) is your BMR (1510 maybe?) PLUS what you burn during your daily activities.

For me, my BMR is 1427 and my TDEE is 1962. I found that eating below my BMR (ie: at 1200 or 1300) did not allow for me to lose weight at all. I'm eating at 1900 (maintenance) right now, trying to reset my metabolism. I have not gained a single pound eating at 1,900, rather, I've lost a half a pound, which tells me this is NOT too high. It may take a few weeks for my body to send out signals that I'm no longer depriving it of food, at which time, I can drop a few hundred calories and start working on weight loss again.

Good luck!

Good luck!

mystasia

Thanks for the info. I did today try to eat more, I am at about 1600, but that was pretty hard for me as I felt full after about 1200, which is 200 more than I was eating for a long time... But my exercise is still high, today I did 1 hour walk, an hour long Zumba class and about 20 minutes of cardio machines and 20 mintues of strength training.

Stormieweather, when you are eating 1900, are you also doing exercise too?

I read a bit on zig zag calories and wonder if I should try that.
Do 2 days of 1900 calories and 5 days of my BMR 1250 calories...

Has anyone tried zig zag method?

stormieweather

I've been attempting to break a plateau and reset my metabolism, so I went 10 days without exercising and eating at maintenence (1900). I'm still eating at 1900 but have started going to the gym again. Don't want to lose the muscles I have!

Keep in mind that I work a desk job (and am older) and don't really consider myself as very active. But, eating too little was not working, my metabolism had slowed down to adapt to my intake, and even furious workouts wasn't helping.

Soon, I'll drop a few hundred calories, but probably won't ramp up my cardio too much - normal routine is 20 mins (or so) of HIIT or 40 minutes heavy duty cardio three times a week.

I tried zig zag for a couple of weeks, didn't help.

mystasia

Ya I am in the same boat I guess, trying to break this plateau. I too work a desk job, so while I am at work, except for my hour worth of breaks, which I walk on, I am at a desk typing and doing paperwork.

I'd love to hear how your progress goes as you continue, its helpful to hear what others experiences are with this, especially for me since I feel I'm in the same boat.

So would you recommend that I I should take some time off from the gym? Or eat more?
It is so frustrating when you watch what you eat and exercise a lot!

stormieweather

It's too soon for me to recommend anything . I'll be sure to let you know if this works, however! (Or doesn't :sad: )