Extremely low metabolism
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Thanks for the advice on weighing semi-solids and such in grams. I had peanut butter today and had always assumed I was eating only 1 TB because I'm not one of those folks to slather it on, but my serving was 32 g, which is more like 2 TB. While I only eat peanut butter about once a week, it is 100 calorie difference. A 100 calorie difference every day is significant for someone my size. On the other hand, I am already eating what I find to be disappointingly small amounts of food (I'm starving in the mornings because I'm already not eating much), so to cut even further is rather saddening.I finished menopause early, around age 43. I had tried South Beach severa years ago with my husband, which is low carb, but I couldn't do Phase 1 which is the no carbs at all, even no fruit, stage because I felt sick and weak by about 11:00 AM So I did Phase II and did end up losing about 20 lbs. within about 6 months (I was 140 at the time due to a foot injury causing me to be sedentary). By low carb, how low do you mean? My macros are set to 35% protein, 30 carb, and 25 fat. I tend to go over a bit on carbs because I do eat fruit and yogurt or may have oatmeal or a small bowl of cereal in the morning, but otherwise I'm not a big starch eater. My husband's diabetic, so we don't have pasta very often, and bread is usually whole grain or low calorie like Fiber One 100. If I'm using full calorie bread, I eat half a sandwich rather than a whole one because it seems as if all that bread is a waste of calories. Rice I limit to 1/2 cup cooked. I could give up the rice because I'm not attached to it, but would hate to give up fruit and yogurt.
I'd be starving in the morning if I had your breakfasts too. I need a higher ratio of protein and fat to feel satisfied. Do you ever have eggs and veggies for breakfast? How do you feel after that?
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brianpperkins wrote: »FITBITS ARE NOT METABOLISM TESTERS!!!!!
The power of marketing...0 -
OP decided she has "an extremely slow metabolism," when in fact she's been underestimating her food.
The Fitbit is a red herring. You can't judge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn unless you log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.0 -
Thanks for the advice on weighing semi-solids and such in grams. I had peanut butter today and had always assumed I was eating only 1 TB because I'm not one of those folks to slather it on, but my serving was 32 g, which is more like 2 TB. While I only eat peanut butter about once a week, it is 100 calorie difference. A 100 calorie difference every day is significant for someone my size. On the other hand, I am already eating what I find to be disappointingly small amounts of food (I'm starving in the mornings because I'm already not eating much), so to cut even further is rather saddening.
This is exactly why we are saying that your logging isn't great. Another example was probably your mayo. I eat sandwiches all the time, and I barely have my bread covered and that equals 32g (2tbsp), but I saw an entry that you had that was a half tbsp. As humans, we always underestimate calories in and over estimate calories out. That is why addressing those is the number one thing to do. It's also why when we see "my metabolism is very low" threads, we discover, the metabolism isn't really low but the logging practices need improvement. Thence, the first video.
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editorgrrl wrote: »OP decided she has "an extremely slow metabolism," when in fact she's been underestimating her food.
The Fitbit is a red herring. You can't judge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn unless you log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
Agreed. I found my fitbit to be highly accurate. I does overestimate steps (I've hit 10,000 steps while driving before), but there are ways to compensate for this. I choose not to because it also underestimates my activity while weight lifting.
I very carefully tracked food and weight loss for one month, and then compared the actual weight loss to what was expected based on average deficit for that month. The fitbit was spot on.0 -
editorgrrl wrote: »OP decided she has "an extremely slow metabolism," when in fact she's been underestimating her food.
The Fitbit is a red herring. You can't judge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn unless you log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
Agreed. I found my fitbit to be highly accurate. I does overestimate steps (I've hit 10,000 steps while driving before), but there are ways to compensate for this. I choose not to because it also underestimates my activity while weight lifting.
I very carefully tracked food and weight loss for one month, and then compared the actual weight loss to what was expected based on average deficit for that month. The fitbit was spot on.
That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.0 -
Very interesting. Turned out she under-reported her calories by 43% when using a food journal and by around 67% when using a video journal.
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jesikalovesyou wrote: »editorgrrl wrote: »OP decided she has "an extremely slow metabolism," when in fact she's been underestimating her food.
The Fitbit is a red herring. You can't judge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn unless you log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
Agreed. I found my fitbit to be highly accurate. I does overestimate steps (I've hit 10,000 steps while driving before), but there are ways to compensate for this. I choose not to because it also underestimates my activity while weight lifting.
I very carefully tracked food and weight loss for one month, and then compared the actual weight loss to what was expected based on average deficit for that month. The fitbit was spot on.
That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.
Which was why I typed "agreed"?0 -
jesikalovesyou wrote: »editorgrrl wrote: »OP decided she has "an extremely slow metabolism," when in fact she's been underestimating her food.
The Fitbit is a red herring. You can't judge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn unless you log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
Agreed. I found my fitbit to be highly accurate. I does overestimate steps (I've hit 10,000 steps while driving before), but there are ways to compensate for this. I choose not to because it also underestimates my activity while weight lifting.
I very carefully tracked food and weight loss for one month, and then compared the actual weight loss to what was expected based on average deficit for that month. The fitbit was spot on.
That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.
Yep. A fitbit is pretty much useless if you're not accurately and honestly logging your food.
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The point is that I'm not questioning why I'm not losing. I'm questioning whether the number on the fitbit shows a lower metabolism than would be expected for a woman of my age, size, and activity level or whether it's within the normal range. For instance, my fitbit today said my total burn for the day is 1348. This was my at-campus day, so walking all over dragging the roller bag, including up stairs, plus the 30 minute walk (about 1.5 miles). 1348 is not a lot of calories. I have to eat less than that to lose, probably around 1000. It's not unreasonable that it's hard to achieve that deficit with inaccurate logging. That's not what I'm questioning. The question is whether that 1348 is "normal" or whether there is a problem. Some folks on this thread seem to think it's normal, others are offering some helpful suggestions about logging, and some are veering into the judgmental "it' your fault for not logging everything and weighing everything." I can log all I want, it's not going to change the 1348 TDEE, or the 1136 BMR I saw when I had my metabolism checked during a fitness eval at my gym last fall.0
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1348 is awfully low. I usually finish my day at 2,300 TDEE according to fitbit0
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jesikalovesyou wrote: »editorgrrl wrote: »OP decided she has "an extremely slow metabolism," when in fact she's been underestimating her food.
The Fitbit is a red herring. You can't judge the accuracy of your Fitbit burn unless you log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.
Agreed. I found my fitbit to be highly accurate. I does overestimate steps (I've hit 10,000 steps while driving before), but there are ways to compensate for this. I choose not to because it also underestimates my activity while weight lifting.
I very carefully tracked food and weight loss for one month, and then compared the actual weight loss to what was expected based on average deficit for that month. The fitbit was spot on.
That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.
Which was why I typed "agreed"?
Wow. I can't read. Sorry! Carry on!0 -
The point is that I'm not questioning why I'm not losing. I'm questioning whether the number on the fitbit shows a lower metabolism than would be expected for a woman of my age, size, and activity level or whether it's within the normal range. For instance, my fitbit today said my total burn for the day is 1348. This was my at-campus day, so walking all over dragging the roller bag, including up stairs, plus the 30 minute walk (about 1.5 miles). 1348 is not a lot of calories. I have to eat less than that to lose, probably around 1000. It's not unreasonable that it's hard to achieve that deficit with inaccurate logging. That's not what I'm questioning. The question is whether that 1348 is "normal" or whether there is a problem. Some folks on this thread seem to think it's normal, others are offering some helpful suggestions about logging, and some are veering into the judgmental "it' your fault for not logging everything and weighing everything." I can log all I want, it's not going to change the 1348 TDEE, or the 1136 BMR I saw when I had my metabolism checked during a fitness eval at my gym last fall.
Every person is different. Nearly every person I've talked to says their Fitbit is pretty accurate for TDEE calculations, and so far I'm finding the same is true for mine. From what you're saying based on your previous BMR calculations, and what you've experienced eating based on Fitbit calculations, with weight fluctuations, yours seems to be fairly accurate.
I'm not sure if this would be normal for a woman your age or not. Honestly, at this point, I'd say your weight is pretty good for your height and age, and if you have other questions about your metabolism and any other possibilities, you should consult your doctor.0 -
It seems like you're on the shorter side, already pretty thin, and not super active. My semi-educated guess is that 1348 is normal for you.
I think your best bet is to increase your activity. I know you say you walk around campus and you do some exercise now and again, but it doesn't sound like a lot of activity overall. If you can increase it, you can eat more and lose weight.
I know when I started to increase my activity, I was really tired at first. But the more I increased it, the more my body got used to it. Your body adapts and you'll be able to handle much more as you keep increasing. Not saying you have to work out hours on end, but try walking as much as you can to get as many steps in as possible.0 -
jesikalovesyou wrote:That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.
The user doesn't "give" the fitbit the wrong calories. The fitbit counts the calories burned, and you're supposed to eat less than that to lose weight.0 -
jesikalovesyou wrote:That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.
The user doesn't "give" the fitbit the wrong calories. The fitbit counts the calories burned, and you're supposed to eat less than that to lose weight.
I think that's what she might have meant. Just not worded the right way..
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christinev297 wrote: »jesikalovesyou wrote:That's what they're saying. You are carefully tracking your food. The OP was not. That is why the fitbit is not accurate. It's not because it is wrong, but because she is giving it the wrong calories in.
The user doesn't "give" the fitbit the wrong calories. The fitbit counts the calories burned, and you're supposed to eat less than that to lose weight.
I think that's what she might have meant. Just not worded the right way..
Yeah. That's what I meant. Sometimes the words in my head won't make it to the keyboard. I usually just opt to not say anything at all.
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Thanks for the advice on weighing semi-solids and such in grams. I had peanut butter today and had always assumed I was eating only 1 TB because I'm not one of those folks to slather it on, but my serving was 32 g, which is more like 2 TB. While I only eat peanut butter about once a week, it is 100 calorie difference. A 100 calorie difference every day is significant for someone my size. On the other hand, I am already eating what I find to be disappointingly small amounts of food (I'm starving in the mornings because I'm already not eating much), so to cut even further is rather saddening.
So Friday last week, when does 56 grams = 3 ounces? 56 grams equals 1.97 ounces; and how do you weigh meat but list bacon as a slice? And last, 28 walnuts?!? I almost went out and bought a bag to actually weigh this; if 100 calories is a lot, imagine how surprised you'll be when you realize your maintenance is between 1500 and 1600 calories.
Maybe take the fitbit and just table it for 6 weeks and tighten up your diary. A friend today reminded me when washing their hair the fitbit counted the motion as steps.0 -
_Terrapin_ wrote:So Friday last week, when does 56 grams = 3 ounces? 56 grams equals 1.97 ounces; and how do you weigh meat but list bacon as a slice? And last, 28 walnuts?!? I almost went out and bought a bag to actually weigh this; if 100 calories is a lot, imagine how surprised you'll be when you realize your maintenance is between 1500 and 1600 calories.
Maybe take the fitbit and just table it for 6 weeks and tighten up your diary. A friend today reminded me when washing their hair the fitbit counted the motion as steps.
Are you looking at my diary? Because I didn't eat any walnuts last Friday or the Friday before. Also, I use packaged bacon (Oscar Meyer, hormel, whatever), and the package and MFP says 80 calories for 2 slices. There are the same number of slices in every package. Am I not supposed to trust what the package or what MFP says?
In any case, the question isn't about tracking, it's about metabolic rate. If what you're saying is true, then the fitbit estimate of 1348 is an overestimate, and I'm burning even less than that. (I've never worn a fitbit in the shower, but I've also never seen it log steps when I'm driving or even when I'm on a stationary bike.) It's not like I'm saying, the fibit says I burn 1348 and I'm eating less than that and not losing. That's not the question. I'm asking, the fibit says I burn only 1348 -- is that a low metabolism for someone with my stats?
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Which Fitbit do you have? I noticed that you said that you are pulling around a rolling bag and I'm wondering if maybe that is causing any inaccuracy if you are pulling it with the same arm you are wearing your Fitbit on (if it's a wristband one).0
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Which Fitbit do you have? I noticed that you said that you are pulling around a rolling bag and I'm wondering if maybe that is causing any inaccuracy if you are pulling it with the same arm you are wearing your Fitbit on (if it's a wristband one).
I'm using the Charge HR, so it's measuring my heartrate as I do activities, not just steps. I wear it on my left arm, but I pull the bag with my right because my left shoulder is recovering from an injury, the same injury that's set back my lifting program for about 6 months.0 -
I'm just echoing what everyone else has said: I think your FitBit burn sounds pretty accurate for your stats and activity level, @rosebette. I know you've said that you walk around campus, sometimes pulling a rolling suitcase, and feel that is somewhat of a workout. I disagree. I think it's a mistake to count daily activity that you must perform in order to live as exercise.
I think it's GREAT to walk and avoid a sedentary lifestyle, but just because you walk around during the day doesn't mean you're exercising. If you want your burn to be higher, you've got to put in the time. I read on your profile that your body fat percentage is 35%, and you're right, that's very high. If you maintain an exercise regimen, though, your body fat % will fall, your burn will increase and you will build muscle, which will further boost your metabolism. You don't have to do over an hour of kickboxing seven days a week. But even forty-five minutes of consistent, strenuous exercise--something more than a walk around campus!--five days a week could make a world of difference for you. I also read that the kickboxing class you attend is specifically geared toward older women? I wonder if it might not be enough of a challenge?0 -
I don't think you have a low metabolism, at least not anything to be concerned about or that there is something wrong with you. You are going to have the average TDEE number that you'll find using an online calculator, and some people will be below that, some above, and some right on. It's all just estimations.
I have similar stats as you. I'm 53, 5'1, and weigh around 120. I am lightly active for my job, lift weights 3x a week, take several 2 mile (hilly) walks a week, and do some yoga. I maintain on about 1500 a day, yet calculators say I should be around 1700. If for some reason I don't get in that level of activity, it's more like 1200 calories. I've just accepted that is what it is.0 -
So your TDEE is around 1350.. I agree I think that sucks ...but it's down to your height, weight, musculature, level of activity and exercise
If you wish to increase it you can
1) get generally more active, walk more etc
2) follow a progressive resistance programme
Bodyweight - http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
Or even better - free weights - http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ or https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/jason-blaha-ice-cream-fitness-5x5-novice-workout
I would not believe a charge HRM as an accurate TDEE unless over time (8 weeks) what you've eaten (logged accurately which you do need to do) against what it says proves to be accurate
My fitbit zip over the last year has proved relatively accurate / slightly underestimating my TDEE by 1-300 calories but I am fortunate that I am taller and heavier than you so working in a higher calorie range to begin with0 -
In any case, the question isn't about tracking, it's about metabolic rate. If what you're saying is true, then the fitbit estimate of 1348 is an overestimate, and I'm burning even less than that. (I've never worn a fitbit in the shower, but I've also never seen it log steps when I'm driving or even when I'm on a stationary bike.) It's not like I'm saying, the fibit says I burn 1348 and I'm eating less than that and not losing. That's not the question. I'm asking, the fibit says I burn only 1348 -- is that a low metabolism for someone with my stats?
Well keep in mind that a fitbit can be inaccurate in. It's essentially an advanced version of a pedometer. Many things can "fool" a fitbit. While it can "measure" your metabolism, similar to a scale, it doesn't mean it's accurate. And while it's cool to have technology (especially if you are inspired by it to workout more), it won't be accurate for a lot of exercise for total burns. So realistically, it's really hard to understand your true Total Daily Energy Expended (TDEE), not RMR/BMR, without an accurate food diary. And we can't say what your BMR/RMR is, without you getting a test done. At best, you can guess your BMR/RMR. So while, I don't think it's correct to assume you have a low metabolic rate for your age, it's possible you have a low TDEE but won't know until you accurately track your calories.
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I don't think that's low for your stats. I'm 5ft0 and maintenance without added excersise is about 1300 for me. It's not much but it is what it is.0
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Whitezombiegirl wrote: »I don't think that's low for your stats. I'm 5ft0 and maintenance without added excersise is about 1300 for me. It's not much but it is what it is.
We would ask you the same thing, do you use a food scale? Can you open your food diary?
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This is a recap of my exercise. I walk 30 minutes a day in addition to my campus walking, and the 30 minutes includes walking uphill the same route twice. The fitness classes on Tuesday and Thursday are for older women and I chose them because the level of lifting and the bands are appropriate for my injury, and they include light aerobics, but I do the 30 minute walk in addition to that. The kickboxing is a vigorous class for all ages; my heartrate gets to 135, which is 80% for my age level; I don't have any issues with lower body cardio-based work. Unfortunately, on the week-ends, I've been involved in an all-weekend alternative college program (I'm an instructor/advisor), and I don't have time at the end of the day for more than a walk, and my gym is closed by the time I get home. So as far as "putting in the time", I'm putting in an hour and a half 3 days a week, and 30 minutes on the other 4 days. As I said before, I am planning to step up the lifting in another month or so.Here's my typical week -- Sunday -- 30-45 minute walk, Monday 5000 steps campus walking, stair climbing, with roller bag, 30 minute additional walk when I get home, Tuesday - 60 minute Fitness class with low impact aerobics, weights, abs, stretching, 30 minute walk; Wednesday - same as Monday, Thursday - Same as Tuesday; Friday - Yoga (sometimes), Kickboxing, plus 30 minute minimum walk (today I did an hour), Saturday - 30-45 minute walk. If I'm not teaching in a week-end program, I might do yoga on Saturday. The week-end campus where I teach is smaller, so I don't put in the steps that I would on Mon and Wed. I used to do a much more challenging weight classes and weights on my own, but as I said, I'm coming back from an injury. The class I'm doing now is targeted at older women, so focus is on correct form and maintaining strength, rather than building big muscles. I'm hoping to progress to something more challenging in the fall.
By the way, my bodyfat is no longer 35%. My profile was made last year when I started with MFP at 126. It's now around 30% and of course, could be lower. I have lost 6 lbs. and a few inches in over a year, just at a standstill now.
Since I've heard from quite a few "shorties" that 1300 or so is typical for someone of my level of activity, I guess I should just accept that, get tighter on tracking, and "suck it up." For my next checkup, though, I am going to request some additional blood tests for my next checkup just to be on the safe side because I have a few other symptoms of thyroid issues -- extreme sensitivity to cold (my hands turn blue in supermarkets and extreme air conditioned offices -- I suffered this on the week-end); low body temperature (around 97), brittle nails (I haven't had nail growth since February).
I just wish I wouldn't have to come away from all these discussion feeling like a whiner and a failure.
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This is a recap of my exercise. I walk 30 minutes a day in addition to my campus walking, and the 30 minutes includes walking uphill the same route twice. The fitness classes on Tuesday and Thursday are for older women and I chose them because the level of lifting and the bands are appropriate for my injury, and they include light aerobics, but I do the 30 minute walk in addition to that. The kickboxing is a vigorous class for all ages; my heartrate gets to 135, which is 80% for my age level; I don't have any issues with lower body cardio-based work. Unfortunately, on the week-ends, I've been involved in an all-weekend alternative college program (I'm an instructor/advisor), and I don't have time at the end of the day for more than a walk, and my gym is closed by the time I get home. So as far as "putting in the time", I'm putting in an hour and a half 3 days a week, and 30 minutes on the other 4 days. As I said before, I am planning to step up the lifting in another month or so.Here's my typical week -- Sunday -- 30-45 minute walk, Monday 5000 steps campus walking, stair climbing, with roller bag, 30 minute additional walk when I get home, Tuesday - 60 minute Fitness class with low impact aerobics, weights, abs, stretching, 30 minute walk; Wednesday - same as Monday, Thursday - Same as Tuesday; Friday - Yoga (sometimes), Kickboxing, plus 30 minute minimum walk (today I did an hour), Saturday - 30-45 minute walk. If I'm not teaching in a week-end program, I might do yoga on Saturday. The week-end campus where I teach is smaller, so I don't put in the steps that I would on Mon and Wed. I used to do a much more challenging weight classes and weights on my own, but as I said, I'm coming back from an injury. The class I'm doing now is targeted at older women, so focus is on correct form and maintaining strength, rather than building big muscles. I'm hoping to progress to something more challenging in the fall.
By the way, my bodyfat is no longer 35%. My profile was made last year when I started with MFP at 126. It's now around 30% and of course, could be lower. I have lost 6 lbs. and a few inches in over a year, just at a standstill now.
Since I've heard from quite a few "shorties" that 1300 or so is typical for someone of my level of activity, I guess I should just accept that, get tighter on tracking, and "suck it up." For my next checkup, though, I am going to request some additional blood tests for my next checkup just to be on the safe side because I have a few other symptoms of thyroid issues -- extreme sensitivity to cold (my hands turn blue in supermarkets and extreme air conditioned offices -- I suffered this on the week-end); low body temperature (around 97), brittle nails (I haven't had nail growth since February).
I just wish I wouldn't have to come away from all these discussion feeling like a whiner and a failure.
You shouldn't think that, but it does appear you are literally waiting for us to justify/validate that you have a low metabolism which may not be the case.
IRT to the brittle nails, it's possible you aren't getting enough fat in your diet. Fat regulates hormones and affects things like skin, nails, hair growth.
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Well if you think you have thyroid issues then you should speed up those blood tests don't you think?
Also nobody thinks you're a whiter. You seem to be taking on the core message and you're no different to anyone else who starts out on here...people tell you things you don't want to hear and it takes time to sink it ..for me by big one was an HRM doesn't measure anything but steady state cardio ...hated that bit of information but once I accepted it, it all became much easier and my numbers started to make more sense0
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KA9AdlhB18o
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