Is it really not possible to raise your RMR?

kg6blue

Wanting to hear input from knowledgable people... is it really not possible to raise your RMR?

I've had mine tested a couple times over the years (at a big box gym/lifetime) with the breathing mask etc... and it is pretty low (give my age/height/weight) I am also hypothroid so that may be playing a part too...

But... the real question is... is there anything I can do to raise it? Or am I doomed to be one of those "have to eat less" to weigh less!!!
Frankly its hard and I don't want to be there...

Thanks for the time!!!
Karla

auddii

Interested in the replies.

Chief_Rocka

Generally speaking, larger people have higher RMRs. So the most sure fire way to raise it is to gain weight.

Dieting will depress your RMR, and there is evidence to suggest that it never fully rebounds after you lose a significant amount of weight, but it will rebound some when you resume eating at maintenece.

As far as raising your RMR while you're in a calorie deficit, that's just not going to happen. If you're at a point where your RMR has slowed to the point where you hit a plateau, your options are to 1) eat less or 2) move more. For some people, their calories are so low and their activity level is so high that there's not a lot of room there to reestablish a calorie deficit. Those people need to spend a significant amount of time slowly raising their calories to get their RMR back up, so they can later drop back down and be in a deficit again ("eating more," by itself rarely makes you lose weight, unless the calories are overridden by increased activity).

Thyroid issues weren't covered by my broscience degree, so I can't help you there.

likitisplit

I don't have a broscience degree yet, but I'm in my second year.

Adding muscle will increase your metabolism (RMR). To do this, you would need to eat at least maintenance calories and lift (Strong lifts 5X5 or New Rules For Lifting are popular) for some time.

Be warned that you don't gain actual new muscle fibers for 6-8 weeks, so you'd be looking at a 12 week program, minimally.

kg6blue

To give more detail...
I'm 5"7" female
Currently 183lbs
Age 41 (about to be 42)
For the last few years I've hovered around the 160's Eating around 1400-1600 cals. Last March 2012 I jumped around 170-175... then last summer I did the eat more to weigh less (ate about 2000-2200 cals for 4 months to "reset" and now jumping around 180-185lbs... haven't lost any of the "gain" on the reset.

MY RMR test came back at 1216 cals... and was told I "never went into fat burning mode" during that whole test time. 2 reasons that would be, I was either overtraining or undereating. At the time I was eating about 1400-1600 cals and exercising 5x a week. Cardio 3x (running and kickboxing) and weight lifting 2x.
So... I backed off the exercise, stuck to the eating 1400-1600 and keep jumping around the same 5lbs.

Based on this... should I be of the mindset I need to coninue to workout more? Or do I need to eat less?
It is a challenge to only eat about 1200 cals... I'm not a fan, nor is it sustainable! I can for a few days, then I get hangry... and "overeat" and the scale goes back to where it started!

I did whole30 for the month of April... again, not really any scale movement, but lost a couple inches. So maybe its not the cals it's what type of cals i'm eating? I'm still eating fairly Paleo style most of the time... and still jumping around same 3 lbs.!

I've been at this plateau since last November! So frustrated... don't know what to change up!

Thanks!
Karla

kg6blue

I don't have a broscience degree yet, but I'm in my second year.

Adding muscle will increase your metabolism (RMR). To do this, you would need to eat at least maintenance calories and lift (Strong lifts 5X5 or New Rules For Lifting are popular) for some time.

Be warned that you don't gain actual new muscle fibers for 6-8 weeks, so you'd be looking at a 12 week program, minimally.

I did New rules for Women through stage 6 (no scale movement) and no inces lost... felt like I was getting stronger yet, without scale movement, the fat was hiding any improvements I was making (or thought I was making). That was Nov-March of this year... now I'm just doing 1 upper body and 1 lower body a week.

I would've thought something would've improved after 5 months of heavy lifting... I did improve as far as weights I lifted... but no visual improvements!

Chief_Rocka

Adding muscle will increase your metabolism (RMR).

Yeah, about 6 cals per pound of muscle. Given the rate at which people gain muscle, it's hardly something to start wang-waving about.

Chief_Rocka

To give more detail...
I'm 5"7" female
Currently 183lbs
Age 41 (about to be 42)
For the last few years I've hovered around the 160's Eating around 1400-1600 cals. Last March 2012 I jumped around 170-175... then last summer I did the eat more to weigh less (ate about 2000-2200 cals for 4 months to "reset" and now jumping around 180-185lbs... haven't lost any of the "gain" on the reset.

MY RMR test came back at 1216 cals... and was told I "never went into fat burning mode" during that whole test time. 2 reasons that would be, I was either overtraining or undereating. At the time I was eating about 1400-1600 cals and exercising 5x a week. Cardio 3x (running and kickboxing) and weight lifting 2x.
So... I backed off the exercise, stuck to the eating 1400-1600 and keep jumping around the same 5lbs.

Based on this... should I be of the mindset I need to coninue to workout more? Or do I need to eat less?
It is a challenge to only eat about 1200 cals... I'm not a fan, nor is it sustainable! I can for a few days, then I get hangry... and "overeat" and the scale goes back to where it started!

I did whole30 for the month of April... again, not really any scale movement, but lost a couple inches. So maybe its not the cals it's what type of cals i'm eating? I'm still eating fairly Paleo style most of the time... and still jumping around same 3 lbs.!

I've been at this plateau since last November! So frustrated... don't know what to change up!

Thanks!
Karla

I would suggest that you do a full intake question thread and let Sara and Sidesteel sprinkle their pixie dust upon you.

kg6blue

To give more detail...
I'm 5"7" female
Currently 183lbs
Age 41 (about to be 42)
For the last few years I've hovered around the 160's Eating around 1400-1600 cals. Last March 2012 I jumped around 170-175... then last summer I did the eat more to weigh less (ate about 2000-2200 cals for 4 months to "reset" and now jumping around 180-185lbs... haven't lost any of the "gain" on the reset.

MY RMR test came back at 1216 cals... and was told I "never went into fat burning mode" during that whole test time. 2 reasons that would be, I was either overtraining or undereating. At the time I was eating about 1400-1600 cals and exercising 5x a week. Cardio 3x (running and kickboxing) and weight lifting 2x.
So... I backed off the exercise, stuck to the eating 1400-1600 and keep jumping around the same 5lbs.

Based on this... should I be of the mindset I need to coninue to workout more? Or do I need to eat less?
It is a challenge to only eat about 1200 cals... I'm not a fan, nor is it sustainable! I can for a few days, then I get hangry... and "overeat" and the scale goes back to where it started!

I did whole30 for the month of April... again, not really any scale movement, but lost a couple inches. So maybe its not the cals it's what type of cals i'm eating? I'm still eating fairly Paleo style most of the time... and still jumping around same 3 lbs.!

I've been at this plateau since last November! So frustrated... don't know what to change up!

Thanks!
Karla

I would suggest that you do a full intake question thread and let Sara and Sidesteel sprinkle their pixie dust upon you.

Maybe a little pixie dust is just what I need... thanks!

likitisplit

Yeah, about 6 cals per pound of muscle. Given the rate at which people gain muscle, it's hardly something to start wang-waving about.

Seriously? Are you saying that my two cups of coffee have more of an effect than my weeks of working out?

Sarauk2sf

I don't have a broscience degree yet, but I'm in my second year.

Adding muscle will increase your metabolism (RMR). To do this, you would need to eat at least maintenance calories and lift (Strong lifts 5X5 or New Rules For Lifting are popular) for some time.

Be warned that you don't gain actual new muscle fibers for 6-8 weeks, so you'd be looking at a 12 week program, minimally.

There are a couple of things not exactly right here.

As Rock mentions, muscle does not really increase your metabolism that much.

You can gain some muscle on a caloric deficit assuming that you are new to lifting and/or overweight. The amount will be finite and will depend on your training regimen, age, genetics, gender, diet, size of deficit etc. In women, they are hard pretty to come by (in a deficit or surplus).

You do not actually grow new muscle fibers when you make gains.

Where are you getting the 8 - 8 week information from? As far as I am aware, there is no delay.

Sarauk2sf

To give more detail...
I'm 5"7" female
Currently 183lbs
Age 41 (about to be 42)
For the last few years I've hovered around the 160's Eating around 1400-1600 cals. Last March 2012 I jumped around 170-175... then last summer I did the eat more to weigh less (ate about 2000-2200 cals for 4 months to "reset" and now jumping around 180-185lbs... haven't lost any of the "gain" on the reset.

MY RMR test came back at 1216 cals... and was told I "never went into fat burning mode" during that whole test time. 2 reasons that would be, I was either overtraining or undereating. At the time I was eating about 1400-1600 cals and exercising 5x a week. Cardio 3x (running and kickboxing) and weight lifting 2x.
So... I backed off the exercise, stuck to the eating 1400-1600 and keep jumping around the same 5lbs.

Based on this... should I be of the mindset I need to coninue to workout more? Or do I need to eat less?
It is a challenge to only eat about 1200 cals... I'm not a fan, nor is it sustainable! I can for a few days, then I get hangry... and "overeat" and the scale goes back to where it started!

I did whole30 for the month of April... again, not really any scale movement, but lost a couple inches. So maybe its not the cals it's what type of cals i'm eating? I'm still eating fairly Paleo style most of the time... and still jumping around same 3 lbs.!

I've been at this plateau since last November! So frustrated... don't know what to change up!

Thanks!
Karla

I would suggest that you do a full intake question thread and let Sara and Sidesteel sprinkle their pixie dust upon you.

I have the pixie dust, SideSteel has the faerie dust.

Sarauk2sf

Yeah, about 6 cals per pound of muscle. Given the rate at which people gain muscle, it's hardly something to start wang-waving about.

Seriously? Are you saying that my two cups of coffee have more of an effect than my weeks of working out?

From a long term metabolic impact, and assuming that you drink two cups of coffee every day, probably.

Martucha123

my RMR (calculated) is about 1500 and I eat 2000 to lose weight. You do not need to eat 1200 kcal in order to lose weight. Move more.My TDEE is about 2400 and it's because I move a lot, I walk >1h per day, I also go to gym 3 times per week. Even with RMR of 1200 you can burn 2000 kcal per day with some extra walking, and some cardio and you can eat 1400-1600 kcal.

kg6blue

my RMR (calculated) is about 1500 and I eat 2000 to lose weight. You do not need to eat 1200 kcal in order to lose weight. Move more.My TDEE is about 2400 and it's because I move a lot, I walk >1h per day, I also go to gym 3 times per week. Even with RMR of 1200 you can burn 2000 kcal per day with some extra walking, and some cardio and you can eat 1400-1600 kcal.

This IS what I'm doing... thus the request for pixie dust or fairy dust ... LOL
I am eating about 1400-1600 and I workout at least 5 days a week (cardio and weights) and the scale isn't moving.
It's what to do from here... go down and lose? I tried going up and I gained... and I did that for 4 months! UGH!

kg6blue

bump-48 hrs... waiting for pixie dust

Sarauk2sf

Could you complete the questions from here in this thread:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/910257-the-new-and-improved-asking-questions-about-your-intake

Thanks

SideSteel

I bumped her other thread. She actually filled out the form but bumped the wrong thread.

Sarauk2sf

I bumped her other thread. She actually filled out the form but bumped the wrong thread.

lol - just noticed that. I need more coffee..or maybe more pop tarts!

kg6blue

sorry about that... I guess I should've given the "correct" one a new title ...