BMR, Maintenance Calories - Losing Weight

SueZ444
SueZ444 Posts: 2
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone!

I've looked on these forums for a problem that's similar to mine, but can't find one. Sorry if this is rehashing old topics!

I am a small boned person (can put thumb and forefinger around wrist and there's overlap of about 1/2"), moderately exercise almost everyday, weigh 126lbs, 5'3" which sets my BMI at about 22 and BMR at 1556 with a sedentary lifestye). I look fine in clothes and am healthy, but based on my small bone size, I should be carrying less fat around the middle and arms; I'm not lean enough.

I've tried intaking AT, BELOW and ABOVE BMR per day (1600 cals, 1200 cals, 1800 cals) for months and am always at the same weight. I don't switch caloric intake EVERYDAY, I try one plan for about 1 month then another for another month and I see no weight fluctuation and no change in body composition.

HOWEVER, I have noticed recently clothes fitting more loosely -- this is at or below net 1200 calories for about 3 weeks (below by a few hundred calories, which frightens me). But everyone here mentions that we should eat at our BMR at least, unless we are quite overweight and our bodies can sustain ourselves at a less than BMR diet.

So, I'm wondering whether what I'm doing is healthy and whether other people have had similar experiences to mine? I'm not trying to lose weight per se, but lose the fat, trying to stay healthier.

Thanks!

Susan

Replies

  • Monnietron
    Monnietron Posts: 96 Member
    I would love to see some answers to this, as I have the same problem.
  • icerose137
    icerose137 Posts: 318 Member
    I'd suggest eating your BMR but adding in strength training which will tone you up, push out the fat all without losing critical weight.
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    hmm, I am wondering the same thing also, as I am almost to my goal.

    But for toning, pilates, yoga, weight lifting...
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
    since you only have 6-7 pounds lot lose...you are right, not so much about weight loss....but body fat. (I'm in your same boat only taller)

    The only weigh I know how to suggest is to exercise - some cardio but mostly resistance training with weights. As you build stronger muscles they will naturally burn your extra body fat leaving you leaner.

    Something else I learned from scouting around on this site, is that to build stronger muscle you must eat enough calories, ie., never under your limits. Never eat your BMR!! That is what you burn just laying around! Figure out and follow your calorie requirements for your activity lifestyle.

    So set your goals to losing 1/2 pound per week and in corporate strength training. There are lots of experts on here who will talk about that to be sure!

    Best of Luck!
  • BeetleChe13
    BeetleChe13 Posts: 498 Member
    I am 5'3", small-framed, and was 126 when I started on here. I would definitely be careful about eating less than 1200 calories. I did this for a week or two, and while I lost weight, it was too much too fast. My body was about to go into starvation mode. We don't have much to lose to begin with, so I would say focus mostly on exercise. I lost the first 5 pounds just by eating 1200 calories a day, and these last 5 pounds will be all from working out. What kind of exercises are you doing? I would recommend strength training if you haven't given it a shot yet. Any extra muscle will help burn more calories and tone up. Although, if your weight is the same but your clothes are getting looser, GREAT! That means you're gaining muscle while losing fat. Instead of focusing on weight, you could focus on body fat % or inches lost. Good luck!
  • heatherelise84
    heatherelise84 Posts: 7
    When you get to this point and you want to build lean muscle it is good to do a combination of cardio and strength straining. Excersice classes that involve resistance training using ur own body weight is a great way to start. Also, make sure you consume a lot of protein. Thats what muscles love. Eating a carb item prior to working out is ok to give ur body the extra energy it needs for the workout but having a high protien diet with the combonation of resistance training should produce the look I think your going for. Remember...carbs convert into sugars that convert into fat if the body does not use them as energy. Also if you decide to start a high protein diet you have to make sure you are doing the training with it otherwise it too will just store as fat. Dont cut out carbs and sugars completey. Our bodies need those to function on a day to day basis. I hope that this helps. Good luck!!!
  • SueZ444
    SueZ444 Posts: 2
    Thanks everyone for your reply. It's nice to know I'm not the only one with the same issue!

    I do weights twice a week, jog twice a week and walk virtually everyday for about 60 minutes (to work and back). I should probably up everything, but in the past (1-2 years ago) I had worked out A LOT more - 1 hour in the gym almost everyday lifting weights and cardio and I ate only a few hundred calories more than my BMR but my body composition and weight are pretty much the same as they are now. I'm wearing the same jeans I did back then.

    So I thought to reverse the strategy - lower the working out and the food intake, switching to fewer carbs and more protein, eating smaller meals and snacking - which has pretty much kept me at what I was before!

    I'm suspecting that I have the wrong BMR or my body just has very low metabolism, because I have to work so hard even for me to break a sweat or feel winded at the gym and my resting pulse rate is usually about 50. I'm over 40 now and don't have the time or inclination to work out halfway close to death as I used to. Is there another way to break this plateau through proper nutrition and smarter exercising?

    Thank you all - I've found your experiences to be very helpful.
  • gypsybarbi
    gypsybarbi Posts: 1 Member
    ...The weight answer would be, your body is comfortable there. That's why your weight doesn't change. As for your clothes fitting, 1200 calories is not enough to maintain weight. You will continue to lose weight. As for the problem with your arms, you need to find an exersize that works that specific area. Trust me it does exist.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    First of all what you are calling BMR is actually RMR. BMR is what you are burning when you don't even get out of bed. RMR is BMR plus an activity factor. If you select sedentary, the calculator adds 20% to BMR to give you a maintenance calorie number before planned exercise. That is to account for the extra calories you are burning for your daily walking around, chores, etc. The way I was taught to do calorie calculations, we're suppose to add all calories burned, so RMR + Exercise and eat no less then 80% of that. Sometimes 500-1000 calorie a day deficits are less then 80% of Total Daily Energy Expenditure, so I recommend doing the math instead of blindly following a goal deficit so that you are more likely to maintain muscle mass and lose fat. Also, the body will become more efficient at burning calories (what many refer to as a slowing of the metabolism) from low calorie intakes. If you aren't using muscles, then the body won't see them as necessary to maintain, so you definitely want to use the muscle to keep it. As for how to actually change things, I'd recommend spending more time on your weight training and making sure you are eating enough calories to maintain muscle mass and focus on fat burning.
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