Met with a nutritionist
Mistymath
Posts: 146 Member
She used a special scale to check out my body fat % and gave me some numbers that were slightly different from what I have calculated. My BMR, according to her, is actually higher than what I calculated (she said it was around 1887), but my TDEE is lower. With a TDEE around 2600, she suggests that I eat (not net, but simply eat) between 1600 and 1800 per day.
I've been netting 1850 per day and have averaged about a pound lost per week since May. I'm really concerned about this, but I feel like she's a professional, so I should listen to what she said. I DO have a significant amount of weight to lose, but I'm completely fine with losing it slowly. But she recommends eating a base amount BELOW my BMR, and this doesn't make sense to me.
Does anyone have any thoughts? And, yes, she is accredited, a "for-real" dietitian.
I've been netting 1850 per day and have averaged about a pound lost per week since May. I'm really concerned about this, but I feel like she's a professional, so I should listen to what she said. I DO have a significant amount of weight to lose, but I'm completely fine with losing it slowly. But she recommends eating a base amount BELOW my BMR, and this doesn't make sense to me.
Does anyone have any thoughts? And, yes, she is accredited, a "for-real" dietitian.
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I always wonder about the accuracy of those body fat scales. Especially compared to the hydrostatic and caliper tests. I would trust your gut and stick with what is working for you.0
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Why fix something that is not broken? I would put this info on the ''interesting to know'' file but not change anything0
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i think you should keep doing what you're doing honestly!!! When you plateau, you may have to go down.
someone like me who is having the worst time losing, may take her advice. but you? you're doing fine!0 -
She has an education for it.
Why don't you try her way and do the compare.
When a person has more weight to lose he/she can eat lower calorie than
a person who has to lose 20% of their body weight since the body will handle the calorie deficit differently.0 -
A nutritionist is hardly a professional. Most are quackery slinging idiots.0
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Dietitian and nutritionist are different? Not sure how.0
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Why change something, that's working just fine?
Netting below your BMR? I'd think twice before I did that.
The best way to lose weight is to do it the way you are going. At the end of the day this is the way, to enjoy life and lose weight. And the best part about it, you don't have to suffer, feel hungry etc.
I would not change it if I were you. But that's just my two cent.0 -
I agree with everyone else! If it ain't broke, don't fix it! You are losing slowly and more importantly healthy! I say stick with what you are doing. Just sayin....
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I agree with the others. :-)0
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Dietitian and nutritionist are different? Not sure how.
Dietitians are degreed (and Registered). it's quite difficult to become a Registered Dietitian. On the other hand, anybody can refer to themselves as a Nutritionist...as it's not a regulated field.0 -
If you are losing weight by your calculations, why change it? I'm with everybody else. If it aint broke dont fix it. Leave it be, tell her thanks but no thanks. Now, if you want real information go to a registered diatician. They cost more, but why bother. You're losing it the way you are doing it. It is obviously working. So leave it be.0
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Don't listen to her or you may do more harm than good. You're doing fine already and dieting in a safe way right?0
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She used a special scale to check out my body fat % and gave me some numbers that were slightly different from what I have calculated. My BMR, according to her, is actually higher than what I calculated (she said it was around 1887), but my TDEE is lower. With a TDEE around 2600, she suggests that I eat (not net, but simply eat) between 1600 and 1800 per day.
I've been netting 1850 per day and have averaged about a pound lost per week since May. I'm really concerned about this, but I feel like she's a professional, so I should listen to what she said. I DO have a significant amount of weight to lose, but I'm completely fine with losing it slowly. But she recommends eating a base amount BELOW my BMR, and this doesn't make sense to me.
Does anyone have any thoughts? And, yes, she is accredited, a "for-real" dietitian.
I'll bet the estimate was given out for RMR, not BMR, based on bodyfat%.
But didn't you get a BF% estimate anyway for figuring out your BMR?
If you didn't, get the measurements in for a couple of methods, and then avg with what she came up with, and try to nail the TDEE based on best estimate of BMR, which relies on best estimate of BF%.
If your BMR was based on age, weight, height stats only, that BMR is inflated when overweight.
So forget what the BMR figure is she told you or the TDEE (did she ask details about your life and exercise schedule?) or the daily goal, and just use the BF% estimate.
Also, why are you eating back exercise calories if you are using this method? Which is based on TDEE that includes exercise already, and then a deficit. So with this method, you aren't supposed to eat back exercise calories either.
That may be the reason for the slow loss, doing it wrong, unless you are tweaking the method because your exercise is real iffy or irregular or something.
So you have been losing a lb a week on your current workout schedule and eating habits, that implies you have a 500 cal deficit.
You look at the last 3 weeks, if you did indeed lose a lb a week, and what was your avg eating each day? Not net goal, what did you really eat on avg each day for the last 3 weeks if you still lost 1 lb each week?
And what is your Katch BMR using weight and BF% estimate?
We are about to find your real TDEE for your current routine. Then you can take a 20-25% deficit. How much left to lose?0 -
My nutrition professor says things like
"Noone can EVER grow properly on a vegetarian diet. I was at work and this mom ALREADY had her 3 year old as a vegetarian!!"
and
"Noone should EVER drink whole milk. It's just not healthy"
and
"You really should eliminate about 95% of fat from your diet. It should makeup no more than about 5% of your total intake. Fat just isn't good for you no matter the form."
She has a Master's degree in nutrition and besides teacher, she holds a job as a nutritionist..
SO... being a professional doesn't mean jack squat. Do what works for you!0 -
My nutrition professor says things like
"Noone can EVER grow properly on a vegetarian diet. I was at work and this mom ALREADY had her 3 year old as a vegetarian!!"
and
"Noone should EVER drink whole milk. It's just not healthy"
and
"You really should eliminate about 95% of fat from your diet. It should makeup no more than about 5% of your total intake. Fat just isn't good for you no matter the form."
She has a Master's degree in nutrition and besides teacher, she holds a job as a nutritionist..
SO... being a professional doesn't mean jack squat. Do what works for you!
Exactly, and how well have they kept up with current studies and the knowledge gained from them, and the practical application of what is discovered.0 -
I'll bet the estimate was given out for RMR, not BMR, based on bodyfat%.
But didn't you get a BF% estimate anyway for figuring out your BMR?
If you didn't, get the measurements in for a couple of methods, and then avg with what she came up with, and try to nail the TDEE based on best estimate of BMR, which relies on best estimate of BF%.
If your BMR was based on age, weight, height stats only, that BMR is inflated when overweight.
So forget what the BMR figure is she told you or the TDEE (did she ask details about your life and exercise schedule?) or the daily goal, and just use the BF% estimate.
Also, why are you eating back exercise calories if you are using this method? Which is based on TDEE that includes exercise already, and then a deficit. So with this method, you aren't supposed to eat back exercise calories either.
That may be the reason for the slow loss, doing it wrong, unless you are tweaking the method because your exercise is real iffy or irregular or something.
So you have been losing a lb a week on your current workout schedule and eating habits, that implies you have a 500 cal deficit.
You look at the last 3 weeks, if you did indeed lose a lb a week, and what was your avg eating each day? Not net goal, what did you really eat on avg each day for the last 3 weeks if you still lost 1 lb each week?
And what is your Katch BMR using weight and BF% estimate?
We are about to find your real TDEE for your current routine. Then you can take a 20-25% deficit. How much left to lose?
OK, based on the body fat percentage, it looks like my BMR is around 1739 with TDEE at 2696. On days I exercise, I typically burn anywhere from 300-600 calories, depending on the day, so realistically I should be eating 2039-2339 calories on those days in order to continue netting above my BMR, right? According to the calculator I'm using (I am not using Scooby for this since I don't see anywhere to input body fat %), my daily calorie intake for weight loss is 2196 ... so a 500 calorie deficit, which is between 15-20%.
These numbers are much more in line with what I've BEEN doing. Pretty much no matter what I've been netting right at (what I thought was) my BMR every single day. That's just been the easiest way to keep up with it for me. But what the dietitian (I checked, and she is a dietitian, not a nutritionist) recommends is grossing between 1600 and 1800 calories per day ... meaning on days when I exercise and burn 600 calories, I could net as little as 1000 or 1200 calories on that day.
Basically what this has done to me mentally has been making me not want to exercise and making me want to eat crazily just because I feel restricted. I feel like there's just no winning with this dietitian ... I liked the way she explained how to get the right portions of things at various meals, but I really don't understand how eating that far below my BMR can be healthy.
ETA: Also, the amount of calories the dietitian recommended would be between a 31-39% cut from my TDEE. She said she typically recommends cutting between 800-1000 calories for weight loss. No mention of percentages.0 -
(I am not using Scooby for this since I don't see anywhere to input body fat %),
Haybales is the expert on these things, but I can offer one helpful tip Here's the link for the Scooby Calculator that uses bodyfat.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/0 -
OK, based on the body fat percentage, it looks like my BMR is around 1739 with TDEE at 2696. On days I exercise, I typically burn anywhere from 300-600 calories, depending on the day, so realistically I should be eating 2039-2339 calories on those days in order to continue netting above my BMR, right? According to the calculator I'm using (I am not using Scooby for this since I don't see anywhere to input body fat %), my daily calorie intake for weight loss is 2196 ... so a 500 calorie deficit, which is between 15-20%.
These numbers are much more in line with what I've BEEN doing. Pretty much no matter what I've been netting right at (what I thought was) my BMR every single day. That's just been the easiest way to keep up with it for me. But what the dietitian (I checked, and she is a dietitian, not a nutritionist) recommends is grossing between 1600 and 1800 calories per day ... meaning on days when I exercise and burn 600 calories, I could net as little as 1000 or 1200 calories on that day.
Basically what this has done to me mentally has been making me not want to exercise and making me want to eat crazily just because I feel restricted. I feel like there's just no winning with this dietitian ... I liked the way she explained how to get the right portions of things at various meals, but I really don't understand how eating that far below my BMR can be healthy.
ETA: Also, the amount of calories the dietitian recommended would be between a 31-39% cut from my TDEE. She said she typically recommends cutting between 800-1000 calories for weight loss. No mention of percentages.
So you sure that BMR calc said Katch?
So selecting Moderately active, 3-5 hrs a week. Is that true? And even that doesn't take into account there is obviously a difference between walking 3 mph 5 hrs a week, and 3 hrs of weight lifting and 2 hrs of running total a week.
BMR - 1739
TDEE - 2696
Daily goal 20% deficit - 2157
How are you measuring calorie burn? And what are the activities your are measuring?
Because you got a 418 cal spread before you hit BMR. And frankly, just as your energy needs don't stop magically at midnight, excess taken in one day still benefits you the next day, and excess the next day can benefit the previous day. I'd at least examine 2 day combos before worrying about going below BMR on a single day.
Especially if you have a lot to lose, there is much more wiggle room. As you get closer to goal weight, that goes away.
Hopefully that doesn't feel restrictive.0 -
So you sure that BMR calc said Katch?
So selecting Moderately active, 3-5 hrs a week. Is that true? And even that doesn't take into account there is obviously a difference between walking 3 mph 5 hrs a week, and 3 hrs of weight lifting and 2 hrs of running total a week.
BMR - 1739
TDEE - 2696
Daily goal 20% deficit - 2157
How are you measuring calorie burn? And what are the activities your are measuring?
Because you got a 418 cal spread before you hit BMR. And frankly, just as your energy needs don't stop magically at midnight, excess taken in one day still benefits you the next day, and excess the next day can benefit the previous day. I'd at least examine 2 day combos before worrying about going below BMR on a single day.
Especially if you have a lot to lose, there is much more wiggle room. As you get closer to goal weight, that goes away.
Hopefully that doesn't feel restrictive.
I just double-checked using the Scooby calculator linked above on the Katch-McCardle, and the numbers I previously posted were correct.
The past few weeks have been atypical for me, as I mentioned before, but an average week will look something like this:
Monday: Weight lift + cardio warmup/cooldown, 60 minutes
Tuesday: Cardio (elliptical + bike/treadmill in some combo, usually), 45-60 minutes
Wednesday: Same as Monday
Thursday: Same as Tuesday
Friday: Same as Monday/Wednesday
Saturday/Sunday: I have not really kept track because my activity level is MUCH higher on the weekends than at my desk job M-F. I just try to watch my portions and enjoy my weekends with my family.
So all total, I am doing about 3 hours of lifting (counting the warmup and cooldown times) and about 1.5-2 hours of straight cardio. I DO sometimes go for walks on the weekends, and I will often track those with Endomondo just to get an idea of mileage and how many calories I'm burning.
To count my lifting calories, I go by what MFP says. For my cardio, I set my weight on the machine and go by what the machine says. MFP's numbers are always less for elliptical and significantly more for bicycle/treadmill.
Thanks for taking time to think through this with me. I've been really pleased with my results so far, and I am really in this for the long run. I don't have a set goal weight (my ticker is set for 145, I think, but since I am lifting, I am more than OK with ending up heavier than that), and I suspect I will lose anywhere from 60-80 more pounds ultimately. So I do have a good bit left to lose.
I try not to net below my BMR on any day, but if I'm not hungry, I don't force feed myself to hit it. At the same time, if I'm starving at the end of a lifting day, I will net a few hundred calories over BMR with no issue. I think I do best when I don't make myself feel guilty about my eating habits, knowing this is a lifelong venture, not a diet.0 -
The past few weeks have been atypical for me, as I mentioned before, but an average week will look something like this:
Monday: Weight lift + cardio warmup/cooldown, 60 minutes
Tuesday: Cardio (elliptical + bike/treadmill in some combo, usually), 45-60 minutes
Wednesday: Same as Monday
Thursday: Same as Tuesday
Friday: Same as Monday/Wednesday
Saturday/Sunday: I have not really kept track because my activity level is MUCH higher on the weekends than at my desk job M-F. I just try to watch my portions and enjoy my weekends with my family.
So all total, I am doing about 3 hours of lifting (counting the warmup and cooldown times) and about 1.5-2 hours of straight cardio. I DO sometimes go for walks on the weekends, and I will often track those with Endomondo just to get an idea of mileage and how many calories I'm burning.
To count my lifting calories, I go by what MFP says. For my cardio, I set my weight on the machine and go by what the machine says. MFP's numbers are always less for elliptical and significantly more for bicycle/treadmill.
Thanks for taking time to think through this with me. I've been really pleased with my results so far, and I am really in this for the long run. I don't have a set goal weight (my ticker is set for 145, I think, but since I am lifting, I am more than OK with ending up heavier than that), and I suspect I will lose anywhere from 60-80 more pounds ultimately. So I do have a good bit left to lose.
I try not to net below my BMR on any day, but if I'm not hungry, I don't force feed myself to hit it. At the same time, if I'm starving at the end of a lifting day, I will net a few hundred calories over BMR with no issue. I think I do best when I don't make myself feel guilty about my eating habits, knowing this is a lifelong venture, not a diet.
Very good, that is moderate then.
To benefit fully from the lifting, meaning your body really gets to repair and recover, do you keep that cardio in the fat-burning zone - which is more correctly called the Active Recovery zone when used wisely?
Good job on the calorie counts then. I've found MFP to be nice and low on strength training which is correct.
And the treadmill and bike will be as accurate as you can get too with weight entered (enter your total weight with clothes and shoes).
Elliptical is very iffy, as there are no good studies or formula's for that kind of burn. You might notice what your HR is on the treadmill/bike (in the Recovery HR zone now!), and if you make it match on the elliptical, it's the same amount of burn, no matter what the machine tells you.
Is the lifting you do until failure, you can't complete the last rep of the last set with good form? (don't do it with bad form of course).
With the cardio being lighter, you should see improvement to strength in the lifting.
Since the weekend is iffy and not counted in the TDEE, if you do anything big enough, eat a snack associated with it.
Just like you mentioned, learning how to eat for your level of activity.
And I think those numbers are good then. If you keep the cardio calm, I'd round down the goal to even 2100.0 -
If you are losing a pound per week that is BANG ON for what you should be losing...actually, maybe even a little high. I am losing about .5-.7 lbs per week on average.0
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Thanks to everyone for the thoughts. I think I'm going to take the dietitian's advice with a grain of salt and stick with the higher calorie count. She offered some good advice about varying my meals and getting the right amount of servings of things, so I think it wasn't a total waste, but I just feel like EM2WL is what is working for me.
Thanks especially to heybales for helping me get set with a more accurate BMR and cut total. I'm getting back in the swing of things with the slightly different numbers today and feeling much better mentally. Ready to go lift some heavy weights this afternoon!0
