Eating far below BMR and not losing weight
Options
Replies
-
Im the same I have 1000 cal or less a day I work out near enough every night half hour runs im not loosing weight and im gaining muscle my legs are massive dont understand were im going wrong so I feel your frustration!!0
-
You might want to check out the site www.eatmore2weighless.
Also consider using the calculator here: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
Maybe my story can help a little or give you a different perspective. I don't really care for eating and tend to forget meals. Carefully logging what I normally eat to appetite, I determined I was eating about 1400 per day, and exercising 4-5x a week, and GAINING weight. Also found out I had nutritional deficiencies. A lot of them.
I did some research and decided that since my BMR is about 1400 and I exercise a lot, I really could be damaging myself by not eating enough. When exercise calories were added in, my net per day was usually about 900-1000 cals. So if my body needs 1400 calories just to exist and breathe, and I'm giving it a net of 1000 .... I'm hurting myself and need to change something.
So, I did the metabolic reset recommended at the EatMore2WeighLess site, and upped my calories to 2200 a day. That's an increase of over 5000 calories a week! Now ... if we went only by the numbers, and I was overeating at 2200 calories, I should have gained roughly 1.5 pounds per week (800 extra cals a day x 7 days = 5600 cals and 3500 = a pound). And over the last 3 months of doing this, I should have gained an extra 15+ pounds. What happened instead is, I feel better and I lost 2 pounds. (I need to lose 25, but am not trying to right now, concentrating on fixing my metabolism. According to the calculator site I linked, when I think my metabolism is fixed, I'll drop calories by 15% and should lose. I cannot speak to that because I haven't gotten to this point in my journey yet!)
So from my experience, what some folks are saying here is true. YOU CAN eat too little, a large deficit is not better than a small deficit.
Not trying to start any battles between those who believe differently from what I'm stating here, just sharing because it might help the OP
. Peace. 0 -
[/quote]geniusgamer wrote: »Do you weigh everything you eat using a food scale? If not, you're most likely eating more than you think, which is why you could have been eating over 3000 calories without realizing it.
No. I eat diet meals smartones/leancuisines/healthychoice/etc.
They have a nutrition label that says exactly what the total calories for the whole meal is. So that's what I log.
Why would I need to weigh it? I'm not preparing my own food.
In the past during my huge weight loss, I would prepare some food, and in those situations I absolutely would weigh it.
Most frozen meals generally weigh less than the packaged gram weight states; however, frozen burritos for example I've found could weigh 20-30 more grams than it's supposed to.
The only other item I've found that weighs less than the pre-packaged weight is yogurt in individual cups (i.e. Chobani or Dannon).
Since your diary isn't opened there's no way to know what you're actually eating & how your diary entries look.
Things a lot of people don't realize they're overeating would be cereal & ice cream (it's sad how small a portion 1/2 cup actually is), nut butters, cheese, & dressings.
0 -
just picked up on this thread, it is a subject that has fascinated me to be honest, so much so i have written a short book about it ( due to come out in about two weeks)
I believe the calculations for BMR are accurate however i question the activity level calculations that are used when working out TDEE0 -
Another thought for you, I would have calculated you at 2233 BMR. From my own experiments and research I have experienced a similar thing. I wasn't losing weight but I did lose fat during this time. I do not hold with the general belief that you should not eat under BMR as people who are a lot more qualified than I am still argue amongst themselves as to how best to calculate it. A quote once said "rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men" so i adopt this line of thinking.
I agree with what a lot of people are saying in that you are eating too low. I am carrying out further research at present and have opted for my BMR minus a deficit to see how that goes.
Should you wish to try it I would suggest 2233 minus say 500 giving 1733 per day with a target loss of one pound per week.
Please feel free to add me should you wish
Good luck0 -
Yeah, you'll gain back every single pound and some 20-50 extra pounds for torturing your body like that.
I was put on a diet kind of like that and my gallbladder just said NOPE and ruptured. Not fun.0 -
johnelwell wrote: »Another thought for you, I would have calculated you at 2233 BMR. From my own experiments and research I have experienced a similar thing. I wasn't losing weight but I did lose fat during this time. I do not hold with the general belief that you should not eat under BMR as people who are a lot more qualified than I am still argue amongst themselves as to how best to calculate it. A quote once said "rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men" so i adopt this line of thinking.
I agree with what a lot of people are saying in that you are eating too low. I am carrying out further research at present and have opted for my BMR minus a deficit to see how that goes.
Should you wish to try it I would suggest 2233 minus say 500 giving 1733 per day with a target loss of one pound per week.
Please feel free to add me should you wish
Good luck
Even with a poorly estimated BMR - you do know what BMR means, right?
And yet you would suggest a deficit from BMR?
Keep researching - but suggest you experiment only on yourself, don't suggest to others.
0 -
There has never been anything published anywhere to my knowledge that even suggests an overfat person should avoid eating below BMR, despite my asking for support for that argument from Heybales and others for (literally) years. And my posting support that refutes that.
0 -
Oh sure, if lab measured stats and under Dr supervision and no existing health issues and no attempt to lose weight in last 9-12 months just like study participants, and constant supervision for exercise and amount eaten, and possible end results are known, sure that can happen.
And none of that applies in this case, and rarely does in the forums.
Really best to start from the lowest possible level and hope for the best? Like starting at BMR and removing deficit? Not even attempting to start at TDEE and remove deficit, and then adjust as needed?0 -
I suggest you take a different route.
This route is just ridiculous.
Plus watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk 0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »There has never been anything published anywhere to my knowledge that even suggests an overfat person should avoid eating below BMR, despite my asking for support for that argument from Heybales and others for (literally) years. And my posting support that refutes that.
Anecdotally, I have been at eating at approximately BMR-500 (BMR actually tested, is 1850) for 6 months now and have lost 87.3lbs. I started with a BMI in the mid 50's however. I plan to keep eating at such a rate until it stops working. I have had a full physical since I began my journey, my health is good and I feel better than I have in nearly a decade.
0 -
geniusgamer wrote: »I know the starvation mode stuff is a myth.
Well, starvation mode itself is not a myth. Multiple biochemical/metabolic phenomena occur when someone dramatically eats less glucose, and one of the typical responses is a lowering of the basal metabolic rate. (For instance, did you notice that you tend to feel colder than normal?) When people say it's a myth, I think they're referring to misuse of the term, giving it a far exaggerated effect.
I don't think you're lying. Everyone is different. I've been in a monitored unit multiple times with girls around my body size, and we all needed very, very different meal plans. People just gain/lose at different rates; it's the darndest thing. And people can keep saying that everyone's roughly the same when it comes to caloric efficiency, and yet the empircal evidence begs to differ.
Just be patient:) I would actually recommend eating more calories for your height. For a whole sleuth of reasons that are beyond the scope of this thread, I strongly recommend working with a reasonable diet that won't put your body into shock.0 -
nicsflyingcircus wrote: »Anecdotally, I have been at eating at approximately BMR-500 (BMR actually tested, is 1850) for 6 months now and have lost 87.3lbs. I started with a BMI in the mid 50's however. I plan to keep eating at such a rate until it stops working. I have had a full physical since I began my journey, my health is good and I feel better than I have in nearly a decade.
Well, they likely tested RMR first of all, unless you slept at the lab, they woke you in early morning, and either hooked you up or put a hood on you, and let you go back to sleep. That would be BMR.
And if they tested RMR, I've yet to hear of one where they didn't spit out an estimated TDEE too, either based on asking you questions about daily life, or they didn't care and assumed and it was on the report anyway.
So really eating at RMR - 500, or the TDEE on the RMR report less 500?
And had your RMR tested lately?
That's nice an average daily deficit of 1673 for that weight lost is working for you.
(87 x 3500 if just fat / 26 weeks / 7 days = 1673 deficit if only fat, which it's obviously not)
But guess what, if really losing that much with what you think is a 500 cal deficit - you got a bad awaking coming.
Might want to go for a bodyfat test to see how much LBM you have now before it gets even worse, so you can compare later.
And yes, it most definitely will stop working.
Did you know you can drive long distance on tires that are 10 psi below recommend, without there seeming to be any problem?
But the overheating from extra tire flex, and extra friction wear massively shortens the life of the tire.
Just because things seem fine don't always means things are best.0 -
I think that the nutritional content of those 1000 calories is what is important. If those calories are nutrient rich, then the weight should still come off, if it is just 1000 calories of whatever then that might be causing the plateau. I am no expert, just my opinion. Good luck!0
-
A man of your size shouldn't be eating 1000 and under calories in a day, you'll make yourself ill.0
-
Anyone mention yet how terrible this idea is?geniusgamer wrote: »Followingsea wrote: »OP, what's your plan for maintaining at your goal weight?
Basically, once I hit my goal weight of around 210 or whatever I'm going to weigh each morning. If I'm under the weight, I eat what I want. If I'm over, I diet that day.
0 -
PS - which side of gamergate do you fall on? Just curious.0
-
What's wrong with dieting when you're overweight?
Anyone mention yet how terrible this idea is?geniusgamer wrote: »Followingsea wrote: »OP, what's your plan for maintaining at your goal weight?
Basically, once I hit my goal weight of around 210 or whatever I'm going to weigh each morning. If I'm under the weight, I eat what I want. If I'm over, I diet that day.
Anything is a controversy here.
0 -
You really don't see the problem with this?Basically, once I hit my goal weight of around 210 or whatever I'm going to weigh each morning. If I'm under the weight, I eat what I want. If I'm over, I diet that day.
If you don't, you might want to think about why.0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »
What's wrong with dieting when you're overweight?
Anyone mention yet how terrible this idea is?geniusgamer wrote: »Followingsea wrote: »OP, what's your plan for maintaining at your goal weight?
Basically, once I hit my goal weight of around 210 or whatever I'm going to weigh each morning. If I'm under the weight, I eat what I want. If I'm over, I diet that day.
Anything is a controversy here.
Living a healthy lifestyle is preferred to yo-yo dieting only when you put on weight.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 393 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 931 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions