The mystery deepens (RMR testing results)

So true. The reason humans survivied the leans times that came before was because our bodies really try hard to hold onto our energy stores. If it was really easy to lose weight people would starve at much higher rates!

I have mine tested 2x a year at my surgeon's office. Mine has dropped to 1450 on the most recent test.  Previously before surgery, when I had lost weight for a medical weightloss program and I'm at that same weight right now,  I tested at 1800.  So it looks like eating such small amounts over such a long period of time has dramatically slowed the rate at which my body burns fuel.

Okay I need help from you all explaing all this  . The 1450 is that what it takes just to keep your body going and when you are sitting down and doing nothing ?

so if its saying 1450 does that mean you need to less then that to lose weight ? And if it is how much do you cut your calories to lose one or two pounds a week ? 

According to the dietician that did my testing, you actually don't want to eat below your RMR, since RMR is what your body uses doing nothing at all.

I'm surprised it stayed high the first time. based on the research I've been reading, losing weight (pretty much no matter how you do it) is going to result in a slowing of metabolism and an increase in efficiency (i.e. you will actually burn your calories more efficiently when you exercise, therefore the exercise you engage in burns fewer calories than it used to). It is unknown how long the effect lasts, but it appears that about the only way to change it is to add a lot of muscle mass since muscle mass requires more calories to sustain it. So, rather than cardio, we all really need to be lifting weights!

 Why doesn't it all up?

A. because our bodies can't do math
B. math is an invention of Satan

So true!

 I just recently read an article had studies that showed that people who have been obese for a number of years actually burn LESS calories then people who have always been thin. We use less for our daily activities and actually burn less when exercising. I need to find the article for you, it was pretty eye opening as to why we don't necessary lose the way we think we should, and why the "eat more" diet suggestions like on MFP are no good for us. The only way to boost our metabolism and get to burning normal amounts of calories is to exercise hard and build a good muscle base. 

Courtney,

I think diets, nutrition and exercise is all just so confusing to everybody trying to lose weight.  We are told by so many different people and that even includes doctors not one doctor will agree on how many calories , how much exercise .

I tried doing the 800 to 1000 per day and I just couldn't do it . I was just so tired .I had no energy to do anything.  So now I'm struck trying to find out what the right calorie range is for me and its a pain in the ass *sigh*.  

I'm eating like a diabetic now from what I have been told and I have no idea if its true or not because everybody contradicts things when you read it lol.    I eat 6 small meals a day .  Well my three meals and three snacks a day .  Snacks are like fruit, veggies, greek yogurt  .  They say feeding your body that many times a day keeps your metabolism going . I also read that eating to low of calories anything below 1200 per day will damage your metabolism it will almost come down to not doing anything .  This is for long periods of times.

And eating to much protein isn't good for you also .  Your body can only digest about 80 to 90 grams of protein a day and it can cause you problems if you eat to much .

 

 Actually it has been proven a myth that our body can only digest that amount of protein at a time, I eat over 120 grams per day most days just to cover myself for the amount of exercise that I do so I do not lose muscle. During weight loss I stayed between 600 and 800 calories and exercised without eating any of my calories back, as long as I ate nutrient dense foods I never got tired. Now in maintenance I get about 900 to 1000 net calories per day and I am never hungry, weak or tired as long as I make the right choices and limit my carbs to 60 on non running days and 80 on days that I run. So far I have not found a good balance for maintenance, if I go over 1200 net I gain, if I go under 900 I lose and around 1000 I fluctuate within a 2 or 3 lbs range (which I don't mind), so I try to shoot for the 1000 but it can actually be hard for me to get that many every day.