My metabolic rate

Hey guys! Just letting you know, I am 5'2 tall, and weigh 97 lbs or (44.3 kgs). I had talked and read books and articles to written by professional trainers and I am aware that building muscles will increase metabolic rates. So this past two weeks, i have been lifting and running in an adequate amount.
However, what startled me was my calculated metabolic rate by a machine. Yesterday I checked my body and it says I have 19.2% fat with a metabolic rate of 1192 calories!!! I controlled my eating and did not starve myself or anything. I planned to eat 1300 calories per day, but after finding out about my BMR, i was shocked. If one day i do not work out and eat 1300 calories per day, then i will gain weight right? Why is my BMR so less?!! Help please! If i eat more, will my BMR increase too? Note that the past three months I kinda eat less than 1100 calories because I didnt know any better about the starvation mode!
What should I do?!

Replies

  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Uh huh. How old are you, ma'am?
  • You are 2 pounds away from being clinically classified as anorexic at your height. I'd recommend you go see a Dietitian and speak to him/her about a plan to keep you from becoming so.
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    You are 2 pounds away from being clinically classified as anorexic at your height. I'd recommend you go see a Dietitian and speak to him/her about a plan to keep you from becoming so.

    All of this, and I suspect you are not old enough to be on this site.
  • dcnemesis
    dcnemesis Posts: 31
    Its low because you are on the shorter side AND you are very thin...the taller and bigger you are the bigger the BMR will be.

    when you are small/thin, the body doesn't have to work hard to maintain itself therefore lower rate.
  • sak20011
    sak20011 Posts: 94 Member
    First of all, yes, you are very very thin, so probably should be more concerned with gaining than losing weight.

    Secondly, I imagine the metabolic rate tested is your Resting Metabolic Rate--eg, what you would burn if you laid perfectly still in bed all day. This is going to be lower than what you actually burn by a significant amount--not just exercise but how active you are in daily life. Even if you lead a 'sedentary" lifestyle, you would be burning several hundred calories more than that per day.

    See a couple calculators here.
    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php


    Note, too, that if you are underrating (which you would be at 1100 or 1300 calories) then you will not build muscle.
  • queenierz
    queenierz Posts: 210 Member
    18
  • queenierz
    queenierz Posts: 210 Member
    I dont think theres a age limit, first of all. And im 18.
  • queenierz
    queenierz Posts: 210 Member
    You are 2 pounds away from being clinically classified as anorexic at your height. I'd recommend you go see a Dietitian and speak to him/her about a plan to keep you from becoming so.

    Don't worry, I'm not letting myself become like that. Actually I did; I am trying to eat more, but choose healtheir choices. I really don't care about how much I weigh, because my goal is to get stronger and leaner. But given the fact that I am thin, I still do have some excessive fats on my thighs and belly. It is quite hard to estimate how much I should eat or how much calories I burned in each workout routine.
  • queenierz
    queenierz Posts: 210 Member
    First of all, yes, you are very very thin, so probably should be more concerned with gaining than losing weight.

    Secondly, I imagine the metabolic rate tested is your Resting Metabolic Rate--eg, what you would burn if you laid perfectly still in bed all day. This is going to be lower than what you actually burn by a significant amount--not just exercise but how active you are in daily life. Even if you lead a 'sedentary" lifestyle, you would be burning several hundred calories more than that per day.

    See a couple calculators here.
    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php


    Note, too, that if you are underrating (which you would be at 1100 or 1300 calories) then you will not build muscle.

    Hey, thanks for a nice reply! Sorry I wasn't clear up there ; I am not here to lose weight only but rather gain in terms of muscles while losing excessive fats on my belly and thigh. But yeah, what you said about the number is right...