Bruised, Battered and Starving!

Carol_L

Good Lord you are starving yourself.

Based on what you've stated about yourself (and assuming that you're working out 3-5 x week):

1. Your RMR should be coming in around 1800 calories/day. RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) measures the number of calories your body requires to maintain itself at rest. These calories are expended on bodily functions such as breathing and heartbeat, as well as the maintenance of existing muscle tissue. It will vary with age and body composition, so I've used a rough calculation.

A human body doesn't require any energy to store fat, but it does for muscle. Abrupt reduction in calorie intake leads to muscle and fat realignment. Put it to you another way - the body has a remarkable capacity for sustaining itself under adverse conditions. When it doesn't have enough calories from intake, it will get the materials and energy it needs from whatever it can find, as well as becoming more efficient in those scarce resources. You might be losing weight for a while, but it will come from both muscle and fat. Then you will probably plateau, because there are limits to the body's efficiency. Push it further, and you will really start hurting yourself. You should never consume less than your RMR, unless you are doing so under medical supervision for a very limited time. It doesn't sound like this is your situation.

2. Your TDEE is around 2800 calories. Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) quantifies the number of calories you burn in a day. TDEE is critical in tailoring your nutrition plan to desired fitness goals. For weight loss, you need to be in caloric deficit to your TDEE, not your RMR. Optimally, eating 80-85% of your TDEE should provide sufficient caloric deficit and allow you to nourish your body properly.

3. Macro balance. Fat, Protein and Carbohydrates are what we call Macaronutrients, or Macros for short. Different schools of thought on how they should be balanced. Personally, I'm more in the higher protein and fat, lower carb camp because that works well for me. You should take a look at how your calories are distributed amongst them, and consider upping your protein consumption and lower the carbs. Protein and fats generally provide greater satiaty, so they won't leave you feeling starved during the day.

You should be aware that your weight will rebound somewhat when you increase your intake, because your body has become more efficient and is now burning fewer calories to sustain itself. The good news is that you can fix this. It will take time, and a bit of patience as your body readjusts to a state where no longer needs to catabolise your muscle tissue to sustain itself.

In any case, find a good trainer to work with, to help you set your goals, develop an exercise program that works for you, and can mentor you through this process. Its worth the investment. I know mine is worth his weight in gold.

wiltl

Nope, so not supposed to be like this. We have some similar stats - I'm also 5'8", 38 and CW is 215, I sit at a desk for 9-10 hours a day and my goal is also about 160-150. I was set by MFP at the same amount of cals you are currently, and was not doing well at all. I finally followed the advice given by helloitsdan in his post "in place of a roadmap 2.0". I then upped my calories to 1691/day, knowing I could go as high as 1900 and still be below my TDEE each day. This puts me above my BMR and I don't want to curl up in a ball and cry or do bodily harm to someone. It freaked me out at first to up my calories, but I've continued to lose and feel so much better. Take a look at the thread and give it a try. I also eat a greek yogurt with some bran cereal in the morning, to help combat the hunger with the protein and fiber.

If you're this sore after lifting, and its more than just muscle aches, like joint pain and bruising it could be signs of other issues. A visit to the doctor and maybe a Physical Therapist could help, especially since you already have arthritis issues? Then, a few sessions with a trainer to check your form could be good, too.

Carol_L

Good Lord you are starving yourself.

Based on what you've stated about yourself (and assuming that you're working out 3-5 x week):

1. Your RMR should be coming in around 1800 calories/day.

2. Your TDEE is around 2800 calories.

Realized my calculations were off and I couldn't edit the post since it was more than an hour ago.

Your RMR is around 1600 and TDEE is around 2500.

TheRealParisLove

My question is, is it supposed to be like this? Am I supposed to be this hungry?

No, and no. Take a look at my food diary. I do get DOMS but I'm rarely hungry. I don't spend hours in the kitchen either. My breakfasts are usually take only about 5 minutes to prepare. If you take a look, you'll see that I repeat my favorite meals over and over.

1. Eat at least 85 grams of protein a day (aim for 150 or more), and try to get at least 30 grams at breakfast.

2. Eat at least 30 grams of fiber a day (try to stay under 50 grams to prevent gas and bloating).

3. Sleep 8 hours a night.

4. Think about switching out your desk chair for a swiss ball. I did this after a back injury, and feel so much better now.