Could I have the lowest BMR here? >.<

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Gee_24
Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone! Well still on my October holiday. Using my fibit and, on a sedentary day I burn 1150-1250 calories. Yes, its very...very depressing. This even includes cleaning the house each day which takes around 40 minutes.

To combat this, I have been walking roughly an hour a day, or jogging for half an hour OR swimming. These things are giving me about 200 extra calories. I've managed to afford about 1400 each day on maintenance mode. Yes...maintenance, not even on a deficit. And that is WITH mild exercise daily. Sure I could up that but Im having trouble finding the motivation on my holiday so I'll deal.

Anyway, so my BMR is actually 1020. Does ANYONE else here have a BMR that low? It's just awful to think that if I am in bed all day because I have been injured and still have a healthy appetite...I can only eat 1000 to MAINTAIN? TO MAINTAAAIN?!?!

Sorry. Feeling sorry for myself tonight. Like I say, exercising mildly each day and able to eat 1200-1400 to maintain. But damn, this may be the first time in my life that I really resent being so short.

/pity party.

Replies

  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    BMR should be the rate you would need if you were in a coma, bedridden. TDEE should be what you should eat to maintain...
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    how did you determine your BMR and is there a medical reason that it is that low?
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
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    Maybe find another calculator? They're all just guesses anyway, as person is different

    For some reason I misread your post first time around lol
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    What's your height/weight?

    That seems awfully low. Most BMR calculators won't even go that low.

    You may find that your BMR is actually a good bit higher than that.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Not sure how you calculated your BMR but using your numbers from previous posts I get in the 1250 range. If it makes you feel any better mine is 1194 but by virtue of the fact that I don't lay in a coma all day I can eat about 1500 to maintain.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    I have heard (please correct me if I am wrong) that a bodpod analysis is a very good way of getting an accurate measurement, certainly more accurate then the calculators. The calculators only deal with averages, so for people with a history of eating disorders or various diseases that affect (suppress) the metabolism, calculators are not particularly accurate at all, because they will give a higher BMR, which is why I was interested in how the BMR was determined.
  • 141by2016
    141by2016 Posts: 179
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    If this is real please see a doctor. Your metabolism may need some rehabbing and getting a good doc/certified dietary counselor on your side might really help. Good luck!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    My guess is you need to either put a new batter in your heart rate monitor or get a new one. Your BMR would not be that low unless you are about 4ft 8in and 100 pounds, in which case you should not be trying to lose weight.

    Here's a website to calculate your BMR and TDEE. http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    Also, MFP generally gives women 1,200 calories at the lowest when set to lose 2 pounds a week. You are supposed to eat any exercise calories back to properly fuel your body.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Are you sure you set your Fitbit up correctly?
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    According to some calculators, my BMR is 1050. I'm 5'1", 102 pounds and 58 years old. I guess when I'm 59 in two months, it will be even lower.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    in the largest study into BMR, the lowest BMR recorded was 1050.

    so it is possible your BMR is that low.

    I think the FitBit BMR is based on harris benedict, so it is based on a good calculator.


    ADVICE:

    Go to a Dietitian or Nutritionist office that will let you use their fancy scale / body composition machine. That is as accurate as u can get really.


    FiNAL NOTE:

    Its all estimates in the end, but yes you could have a BMR that low.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    Anyway, so my BMR is actually 1020. Does ANYONE else here have a BMR that low? It's just awful to think that if I am in bed all day because I have been injured and still have a healthy appetite...I can only eat 1000 to MAINTAIN? TO MAINTAAAIN?!?!

    NO no no no, no.

    Your BMR is what your body needs to function effectively.

    Your TDEE is your daily intake for maintenance.

    your BMR x 1.2 = sedentary TDEE

    so

    1020 x 1.2 = 1224cals

    really thats 1200-1300. probably 1300 maintenance would be ok.

    BMR is not what you should eat. its your caloric needs before exercise.

    so! 1300 x .85 = 1105cals is a healthy deficit before exercise.

    increase your deficit with exercise.

    also your fitbit may be set up wrong to sync with MFP.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Anyway, so my BMR is actually 1020. Does ANYONE else here have a BMR that low? It's just awful to think that if I am in bed all day because I have been injured and still have a healthy appetite...I can only eat 1000 to MAINTAIN? TO MAINTAAAIN?!?!

    NO no no no, no.

    Your BMR is what your body needs to function effectively.

    Your TDEE is your daily intake for maintenance.

    your BMR x 1.2 = sedentary TDEE

    so

    1020 x 1.2 = 1224cals

    really thats 1200-1300. probably 1300 maintenance would be ok.

    BMR is not what you should eat. its your caloric needs before exercise.

    so! 1300 x .85 = 1105cals is a healthy deficit before exercise.

    increase your deficit with exercise.

    also your fitbit may be set up wrong to sync with MFP.

    Read the quote again. "If I am in bed all day.... I can only eat 1000 to maintain?"

    I think you missed the "in bed all day" part.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    My guess is you need to either put a new batter in your heart rate monitor or get a new one. Your BMR would not be that low unless you are about 4ft 8in and 100 pounds, in which case you should not be trying to lose weight.

    haha! Spot on. I am 4ft 8in and 88 pounds. Not trying to lose weight at this stage, just trying to maintain. I still have chubby legs so Im just swimming and walking to combat tightening them up.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Oh and thank you for your replies everyone. I have tried several different calculators inculding MFP and Fitbits own. ( And Scooby ) they all give me something around the 1000 mark.

    But I DO realise that this is only relative if I am in a coma or bed ridden.

    But it explains very well what happened in January! I had my wisdom teeth removed and it was a rough ride due to an abscess. I was in bed for about 6 days and I didn't eat as much as I do when I'm up and about and working....and managed to put on 6lbs. I was totally gobsmacked. I realised I was in bed or sitting down for 1 week, but I was always hungry as I couldnt eat as much as I wanted to due to the pain. So I thought it would counter balance the lack of exercise

    That explains it. On working days I burn an average of 2300 calories. So thank god for my fitbit and MFP, as I now understand my body so much better. The reality of my burn rate is rather depressing, however.

    I also was out of work for 8 months in 2011. Had hardly any money and lived off of beans and toast, the usual cheap foods. Went from 7 stone to 9 stone in that year. Despite eating as I had been my entire adult life up until then.

    Exercise and work, it seems, are of the upmost important for me just to maintain. Never mind losing! I thank God for the job that I do. I love it, and its very physical.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    My guess is you need to either put a new batter in your heart rate monitor or get a new one. Your BMR would not be that low unless you are about 4ft 8in and 100 pounds, in which case you should not be trying to lose weight.

    haha! Spot on. I am 4ft 8in and 88 pounds. Not trying to lose weight at this stage, just trying to maintain. I still have chubby legs so Im just swimming and walking to combat tightening them up.

    You are tiny! Glad to hear you are trying to maintain and not lose weight. :bigsmile:

    Even though you are tiny, isn't your TDEE high enough to where you aren't starving yourself? Plus, you exercise so shouldn't you eat those calories back?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Even in bed all day TDEE would be higher than BMR. Even in a coma, it would be slightly higher. BMR does not include all body functions. Digestion, for example, is not included, which is why BMR is measured after fasting.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    Anyway, so my BMR is actually 1020. Does ANYONE else here have a BMR that low? It's just awful to think that if I am in bed all day because I have been injured and still have a healthy appetite...I can only eat 1000 to MAINTAIN? TO MAINTAAAIN?!?!

    NO no no no, no.

    Your BMR is what your body needs to function effectively.

    Your TDEE is your daily intake for maintenance.

    your BMR x 1.2 = sedentary TDEE

    so

    1020 x 1.2 = 1224cals

    really thats 1200-1300. probably 1300 maintenance would be ok.

    BMR is not what you should eat. its your caloric needs before exercise.

    so! 1300 x .85 = 1105cals is a healthy deficit before exercise.

    increase your deficit with exercise.

    also your fitbit may be set up wrong to sync with MFP.

    Read the quote again. "If I am in bed all day.... I can only eat 1000 to maintain?"

    I think you missed the "in bed all day" part.

    even if you where in bed all day, you could eat a similar TDEE and maintain your weight.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Well. Ive been eating at about 1200 to 1400 a day for 11 days now and have only gained 2lbs. I figure that's because I'm eating at maintenance.

    And before I am asked: Yes I log religiously. hahah I weigh everything and I never lie to myself about what I'm eating. I've been doing this for 120 days now, so Im pretty clued up on logging.


    Side note!! I now realise 100% what people mean when they talk about gaining after new workout regimes. Oh God...I went for a jog. My first proper jog of my life. And I only ran 6 laps round a football pitch for 20 minutes. The next morning my leg muscles were in so much pain I could hardly move. I've read so much about people panicking over gaining when they hit the gym for the first time, so I stepped on the scales with anticipation: I had put on 3lbs ( + the other 2 from eating at maintenance ) from water retention due to my muscle workout!

    Oh WOW! Yesterday I drank a lot of fluids and hey presto, back to my original 2lb gain. Its nice putting the science to the test!!

    Thanks everyone.

    PS: Its a nice psychological effect from working out. I actually think my legs look firmer from ONE jog. Like a total noob. haha It reminds me of a post recently where a girl said she done ab crunches for one week years ago and her " killer " abs are still here today. lmao At least I realise what a silly goose I am.

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