BMR?

Hiya! Ok.. I could have sworn I saw a post about BMR, but now I can't find it...   Since I started posting in Fitday  (yay for me.. great tool.. thanks guys!), I've been doing a lot of reading and I wonder if I could have some input from those more experienced. At the doctor at the end of July I was 309, this morning I was 292 but most of that has been lost in the last 2 weeks because I actually GAINED when I used Nutrisystem for a couple of weeks (THIS IS NOT a slur against nutrisystem - it's probably all the insulin I take). So, according to the Harris-Benedict formula  I take 292 x 10 = 2920 then I'm calling myself completely sedentary (although I am doing some conditioning) for 20% 2920 x 1.2 = 3504 then 10% for digestion   3504 x 1.1 = 3854 If I've got this right.. it takes 3854 calories to MAINTAIN my weight?  That's a phenomenal figure so I suspect either I have this wrong or..  probably I have this wrong.. lol So... IF I assumed this figure is correct and 3500 cal = a lb and for sh*ts and giggles I say I want to lose 4 lb a week... 3854 x 7 = 26978 4 lbs = 14000 26978 -14000 = 12978 / 7 = 1854 calories a day to lose 4 lbs a week?  I'm not eating anywhere near that, but it's annoying me that I can't get this formula through my head. Right now I'm sticking with between 650 - 1000 cal a day.. and I'm not really hungry most of the time, but I do eat between being hungry . Thanks! Lori (ps.. previously I was asked about making my fitday public.. the reason I don't is because my journal entries are quite personal.. as I'm tracking mood and emotion to try to get a handle on eating triggers.  I'm sure folks understand this.)

I think you got the HB formula right but not sure about your BMR.   (292 x 10)  I use the calculators online or I use the equation below for calculating my BMR to use in the HB formula. For me: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x 283) + (12.7 x 67) + (6.8 x 28) = 2870.39 HB Formula = 2870.39 x 1.2 = 3444.468 However, that's a whole heckuva a lot of calories and even if I cut it down to 2800 I still don't lose. I also know that if I ate that many I would eventually start gaining.  I start losing (good) when I stay around 1800 or less.  So to be honest, I think these formulas are flawed.  Also, the online calculator gives me 2489.59 as my BMR. Not sure what's up with that...

English BMR Formula
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years ) Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

 

Harris Benedict Formula

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows: If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2 If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375 If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55 If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725 If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

hahaha.. ok.. I'm trying that English BMR Formula (this should be a neat trick since I have the attention span of a carrot).. so.. 655 + 292 x 4.35 = 1952.2 + 66 x 4.7 = 2262.4 - 44 x 4.7 = 2055.6 OMG... I think I just had a stroke!  haha Ok.. that sounds more.. um... normal here.  So... sh*ts and giggles... 3lbs = 10500 2055.6 x 7 = 14389.2 - 10500 = 3889.2/7 = 555.6   Okie dokie.. this is doable if I burn like... I dunno.. what..  500 cal a day in exercise?  I guess whatever it is.. it is. and I should be happy for the 11 lbs in the last 7 days (which was probably fluid cause I definitely don't have any ketones going on.. but by the same token.. the stix come out negative for glucose too.. which definitely conflicts with my H1acg and daily monitoring).  It's a morale booster though..   I guess for me, the science will work out better in the long run than buying prepackaged because I think the daily caloric intake is way too high for me on those while taking insulin which causes me to use calories more efficiently, hence.. needing less.  1200 calories or so (and that by cutting out some of the things) and I saw a very quick gain and rise in glucose.  Dayem, the prepackaged stuff worked good when I was younger and had only 15 lbs to lose!  C'est la vie! Thank you!!  

I know nothing about formulas....  but I know that thedailyplate used something to estimate what I should eat to lose.   I am pretty sedentary - as I sit at my desk most of the day and sit in front of the TV most evenings.  I do not participate in any sort of exercise regime... at 366.1 my calorie goal to lose 3 lbs a week was 2,046.  Today at 316.7 (.6 from 20 lost!!!) my calorie goal to lose 3 lbs a week is 1,889.   If I wanted to maintain this weight  it says I would need to eat 3,389, which I admit seems like an INSANE number of calories. In reality I am averaging between 1500 and 1600 calories a day and I have lost an average of 4 lbs a week.  I am guessing that if I had been eating to the goal amount set by the daily plate I would be close to the 3lb a week projected loss. With every loss my calorie goal reduces.  At this point I dont plan to go below about 1400 cals per day.  I do still like to eat!  LOL As for you - I dont think that many professionals would agree that 650-1000 is safe without close supervision...  even on shows like the biggest loser they have the women on 1200 cals a day...   You do run the risk of having your body go into starvation mode which makes it so much harder to lose. 

Yea.. that's a concern...  the starvation route... but I wasn't having much luck on about 1500 cal a day.  Ooh.. about 15 years ago I was struggling with every pound (before diabetes diagnosis) and I saw an endocrinologist who told me.. and I'm quoting (cause this is something you hear and never forget) "you're the type of person who can eat 1 meal a day, and not what you would consider a decent meal...  I'm talking an apple and a yogurt".  I keep flashing back to that conversation.  I half thought he was bonkers at the time.. but yanno what..  what if he was right?  What if this is just what my body does... and instead of fighting it, I should just go with the flow? I could tell you about years of high intensity workouts, eating well and gaining weight but.. it boils down to the same thing.. NO.. I can't eat like everyone else... just like my brother couldn't.  It'****ting me at the same ages, same symptoms, same diseases he had.. right down to the lungs.   I either fight it, or I'll hit 600 lbs too.  I figure I played a big part in screwing myself up when I was younger too..  Hey.. I'm one up for not going that route to lose weight anymore. It's worth the try to me.. and yea.. I'll be submitting to the usual poking and prodding in a few months.     BUT.. I gotta dump some weight in order to make that trip again!  So far, no luck with a local doc who will take me on.. they look at the numbers and freak out..  so, 700 miles south for me! I'm just keeping it light and removing the stress.   Thank you!!! And.. congrats on the 20 lbs kiddo.. that's nothing to sneeze at (I'm so jealous).

I KNOW that people CAN lose on VLC plans...  they do it all the time with optifast... even post surgery what is going on is a VLC diet...  I just hate to see you cause any harm to yourself in the process :)

maybe find a comfortable calorie amount for YOU and make sure you are getting plenty of protien and see if that is working for you (I know you eat eggs, turkey and protien supplement - so I dont expect you have a problem there)  Maybe you could try eating like a post op (60-80 g protien / 800 cals) and see what happens???  I know that I couldnt live on 800 cals a day - I would go stark raving mad.  but maybe you are made for that sort of limitation???

Today so far I got in 529 calories 10 g fat 50 carbs 59 protein and since I'm not supposed to take any Lantus tonight (I'm going for some serious oral surgery tomorrow), and I can't eat or drink anything after midnight (which is going to have me gargling with water all night) LOL   I'm not dismissing an additional 1/2 pear or 1 or 2 45 calorie portions of protein.  The dentist told me to eat like a pig and take no insulin.. but hell no.. I'll dump the insulin, but I'm not piggin' out.. not after doing this well.  If my sugar is too low.. fugget the surgery (I'll find any excuse to back out of it).  LOL  No.. it'll be fine.. I never wake up with low bs.   Since I'm getting put to sleep around 11:45 (so that's no breakfast either), and I'll be stoned when I wake up at 2:00 and won't eat so I don't get sick, tomorrow will be my first challenge.  After that I'll stick to protein shakes for a week.  I've already taken that Valium they give ya the night before (hahha..  like having a tic tac to me), and I'm just afraid of being too "dry" during the night.  It gets so bad that it feels like my throat is closing.  I take 2 bottles of water and one bottle of diet green tea to bed with me usually... gonna be a fun, sleepless night.. I feel one of "those" coming on!   Ok.. the valium IS NOT WORKING.. anybody got a lude?  What I wouldn't give for it to be 1980 again! LOL  (bok bok bok bok..  chickennnnn!) I gotta send someone to the store for powdered green food.. I got the flax seed oil.  That'll keep me balanced until the pain subsides.  Believe it or not, that will actually INCREASE my caloric intake.  The solids are less dense nutritionally, but also lower calorie and prevent the hungries. Ok.. I'm just nervous..  I'll stop talking now.   Hmm.. maybe they gave me the wrong pills.. cause I'm feeling a bit speedy...  I may NEED MY TRUSTY bike tonight!! Ok.. blessings all around! Lori

I'm 309 and my BMR is ~2300.  I was taking in 1200-1400 calories and through activity was burning 1000 calories a day and not losing. ( Not diabetic either.  But my trainers had me up my calories to 2900 to cover my activity, particularly as I'm now burning 1250/day from exercise.  When you eat to little to fuel your BMR, you burn muscle and therefore don't lose....

It never worked for me when I was training.  I ate.. perfectly.  It was such a pain in the butt, but I did it... 6 times a day.  I worked 5 days a week.  Two were cardio only.  I was benching 225 on the negs, pressing over 500 on my legs.. doing the whole machine on the ad's and abductors just for fun..yanno.. the whole 9 yards.  I built an awful lot of muscle though and to be honest, I'm glad my chest isn't as hard as all that anymore, and I wouldn't mind dumping the tri's and the forearms AND the calves!  I've got no reason to keep it anymore.. it's just an extra 30 lbs or so.  My tri's definitely dwarf my bi's.. lol  can ya tell I hated curls!  I'm glad I still have what I have in my thighs though.. the bigger the muscle there, the more I'll burn.  If it works for you..  that's fantastic!!  That's the way it should be.  I've been there though.. and I can honestly say I did nothing but gain weight.. yea... some of it was muscle.  I had the trainer stumped, the nutrionist stumped.  I even had a safety net.  My trainer worked days with me and had me at night in the gym.  LOL  We had a foreman grill in the shop.. a bbq outside.  I'm surprised people didn't think we were running a restaurant! lol   It just doesn't work for me...   So far, what I'm doing is working.  I'm conditioning while eating low calorie, nutrient rich food.  I'm gonna give this a shot :) I checked on daily allowances, and I'm not doing that bad.. actually hitting 100% on a few, plus I'm taking vitamins.   I'm definitely trying to DEFREAK my pancreas first and foremost.  I hate hitting up so much insulin KNOWING what it does.  I'll give it some time...  I've been every other route, so common sense might be in order at this point. Thank you! Be Blessed!

Of course I recognize your frustration as it's similar to my own.  Though unless you were training to be a bodybuilder, I don't know why you were lifting so much.  Regardless, I can only tell you my experience.  I too could get by on an like an apple and an egg a day without hunger.  I've told my doc this, told her about how I was exercising and how I was then eating (low cal) and all she could say was the same rhetoric, "keep doing what you're doing" regardless that the weight wasn't coming off.  I've also heard "you didn't gain it overnight, it will take time" and I say a) yes, I did gain it fast and easy and b) it didn't come on slowly.  Heck, I could gain 15lb in a month and have not over eaten.  I too did all the commercial diets and when I stuck to them perfectly, barely lost weight.  And when I didn't stick to them, I was starving and deprived and then became out of control. 

So, I'll take this now, less dieting, less restriction, lots of exercise, even if I don't lose.  It doesn't make sense to me to keep eating less and less (ala the surgeries) and further screw up my metabolism. I wish there were an answer for you, for me.  But why go nuts in the meantime.  What are you trying so hard to make yourself crazy?  Personally, I'd rather live healthy and accept myself, KWIM?