Yoga Strength

Question:

I am at a loss as to how much I should eat:)  As you pointed out, the formulas are all over the place.  I started out eating 1400 cals as I was instructed form a dietician.  But I fell that is way to low because of how I felt after a month on that cal amount.  .  So I played with it.  I picked a point in the middle of the formula confusion and I settled on eating differing amounts of cals as I lost weight gradually reducing it as I lost weight.  I tried to be wise in food choices so I would not feel deprived. It was not difficult to adjust to the different levels.  I am eating between 2500-2600.  But again, it is basically a crap shoot in my book and you just need to test different levels on your self.  You really don’t want to lose more then 2-3 pounds a week in my book. Some ways I determine whether the level is right are: 1. Hunger, believe it or not I think that giving your body the nutrients and cals it needs to work efficiently can really reduce basic hunger:)  There are still THOSE days where I would eat the furniture, carpet and chia pets. But over all I am not hungry 2. Stalls.  If you stall, try upping the cals by 250-300 and see what happens.  If you start losing, then you would do better on a higher cal amount 3.  Health, I think if you eat to few you will feel it.  Now this requires you to be attuned to your body in a very sensitive way.  I use meditation and a diary to track my feelings of general overall health.  Am I tired, cranky, depressed.  Do I get hot flashes (more a woman then a man’s thing here:)  Do I wake up refreshed or groggy.  What is my pain level (again this is a more personal one.)  I am in bad pain off and on, but when I have long term worse then usual pain it can signal certain things about my food intake.  I track this stuff each day.  It’s real simple.  Every AM when I get up I make myself a cup of herb tea, sit down in a quiet place do some prayers and meditation and then rate how I feel. 4.  I wait a month before I change any cals.  I figure it takes about that long for your body to adjust to the lower or higher amount, as well as for you to not be hungry etc. due to lessor cals.  With as much as I have to lose, a month is a drop in the bucket.  :) All this is real subjective, but you asked for it:)  Until there are more definitive studies done and until there is some meeting of the minds on this, it seems that it is the only way to determine if I am eating enough. This probably seems confusing and more info then you ever wanted, but you asked for it:)  As diabetics it is essential that we be attuned to our bodies because food is only one thing in a long list of things that can wreck havoc with your BG levels. So this has become easier for me with practice.  And until there are more definitive studies done and until there is a meeting of the minds so to speak, it will remain a trial and effort thing.  And WHY….YMMV:) 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This thread has been a real eye opener. Suddenly several things that didn’t make sense are falling into place. I’ve been using an 1800 calorie diet and am probably in a starvation mode if everything that’s been said here is true. I knew that DietWatch said I had a BMR of 2646 cals and a daily activity level of 1587 calories, but I couldn’t believe that I could possibly be expending 4233 cals a day. (I’m at 305 pounds, that’s why the BMR is so high.) I just assumed that it was wrong especially since it said I should be losing 5 pounds each week and I’ve been losing about 1.5 or 2 pounds. The starvation mode would explain the difference. I wish there was better agreement between the various BMR formulas. I get the following: ASD FAQ (11 x pounds)     3355 cals DietWatch                          2646 cals Arnold Gold formula            2561 cals KC’s formula                       2129 cals I’ll assume the FAQ is too high since it’s a simple formula. By the way, although this topic is covered in the FAQ, it also says the following: "Most health care professionals recommend that women take in at least 1,200 calories per day (1,400 for adolescent girls, 1,600 for men); at lower calorie levels, you’re likely to be cheating yourself of essential nutrients." This would appear to be at or above the BMR only for people of small stature, older people or people only slightly overweight. I suppose this means that the health care professionals haven’t adopted those studies. I know my dietician didn’t bat an eye when I suggested setting up an 1800 calorie a day diet plan. I actually thought that was generous. It looks like I should be taking in about 2600 calories or so to be safe. I’m having a hard time accepting this. It seems to run counter to everything I’ve always heard. I guess I’ll try it for awhile and see how it goes. It sure will be nice to have more calories to work with at every meal and snack.  Claudia, I’ll ask you since I know from other posts that we are roughly the same age, both still temporarily over 300 pounds and both diabetic, are you eating this many calories each day? I guess I’ve got some good questions for my doctor when I see him next week. To paraphrase Monty Python,  Blimey! This redistribution of mass is trickier than I thought! George P.S. Anybody have any suggestions as to where I might read some of the studies that have been done? Ypour current weight.  It is important that you eat enough cals to keep your body functioning at optimum metabloic levels.  Not only will tei kep and make you healthier, but it will also not kick you into tsarvation mode. You can alter your caloric intake as you lose to reflect a new BMR  I have ahd 4 different cal levels over the past 1 1/3 years. — claudia 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net Hi, I was wondering which weight should you use for this formula, your current weight or your goal weight? Thanks, Phil 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie — KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE) This message is guaranteed to be 100% Y1.998K compliant.

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Yeah, the title should be Basal Metabolic Rate. I was going to suggest you try using Dejanews to catch up with the missing posts, but I see that you’re posting from there. Are they having problems? George Who just realized that if K in Cali’s newsfeed really does bite the big one, then she probably won’t see this. Is the above subject title in reference to BMR as in basal metabolic rate? Just wondering cuz my newsfeed bites the big one and posts are sporadic at best. K in Cali

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Is the above subject title in reference to BMR as in basal metabolic rate? Just wondering cuz my newsfeed bites the big one and posts are sporadic at best. Yes, it was…  I guess I said it wrong…with basic.. Meggie

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This thread has been a real eye opener. Suddenly several things that didn’t make sense are falling into place. I’ve been using an 1800 calorie diet and am probably in a starvation mode if everything that’s been said here is true. I knew that DietWatch said I had a BMR of 2646 cals and a daily activity level of 1587 calories, but I couldn’t believe that I could possibly be expending 4233 cals a day. (I’m at 305 pounds, that’s why the BMR is so high.) I just assumed that it was wrong especially since it said I should be losing 5 pounds each week and I’ve been losing about 1.5 or 2 pounds. The starvation mode would explain the difference. I wish there was better agreement between the various BMR formulas. I get the following: ASD FAQ (11 x pounds)     3355 cals DietWatch                          2646 cals Arnold Gold formula            2561 cals KC’s formula                       2129 cals I’ll assume the FAQ is too high since it’s a simple formula. By the way, although this topic is covered in the FAQ, it also says the following: "Most health care professionals recommend that women take in at least 1,200 calories per day (1,400 for adolescent girls, 1,600 for men); at lower calorie levels, you’re likely to be cheating yourself of essential nutrients." This would appear to be at or above the BMR only for people of small stature, older people or people only slightly overweight. I suppose this means that the health care professionals haven’t adopted those studies. I know my dietician didn’t bat an eye when I suggested setting up an 1800 calorie a day diet plan. I actually thought that was generous. It looks like I should be taking in about 2600 calories or so to be safe. I’m having a hard time accepting this. It seems to run counter to everything I’ve always heard. I guess I’ll try it for awhile and see how it goes. It sure will be nice to have more calories to work with at every meal and snack.  Claudia, I’ll ask you since I know from other posts that we are roughly the same age, both still temporarily over 300 pounds and both diabetic, are you eating this many calories each day?   I guess I’ve got some good questions for my doctor when I see him next week. To paraphrase Monty Python,  Blimey! This redistribution of mass is trickier than I thought! George P.S. Anybody have any suggestions as to where I might read some of the studies that have been done? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ypour current weight.  It is important that you eat enough cals to keep your body functioning at optimum metabloic levels.  Not only will tei kep and make you healthier, but it will also not kick you into tsarvation mode.  You can alter your caloric intake as you lose to reflect a new BMR  I have ahd 4 different cal levels over the past 1 1/3 years. — claudia 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net Hi, I was wondering which weight should you use for this formula, your current weight or your goal weight? Thanks, Phil 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie — KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

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Response:

Is the above subject title in reference to BMR as in basal metabolic rate? Just wondering cuz my newsfeed bites the big one and posts are sporadic at best. K in Cali

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I agree, Claudia… I have learned much reading ads.. I first came here last year and after research and reading did low carb… loved it….for about 3 months, then the weight loss stalled and I ended up gaining the weight back.. but what i figured out in the mean time is that low carb is great, but for woe, i can’t do it. I can’t eat sugar subs and I would do the major guilt thing with eating anything with carbs.. <still do, some times but what i’ve been doing is eating what I want, but not unless I am hungry, and stopping when satisfied… listening to my feelings and learning to love and accept who I am. Its working, and I think that I can live with this I am also playing with the stack and going to the gym again meggie

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Thanks Arnold!  Using the male BMR formula means that DietWatch was within 12 units (2180 to 2168.2), or 0.6% Dave

For Men: 66 + ( 6.22 x wt.) + ( 12.7 x ht. inches ) – ( 6.8 x age) = BMR. Womens are probably close. Arnold

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Me too, Claudia, and I don’t think we are the only ones. Most people out there still probably believe it. One of my co-workers is trying to lose weight (only about 10 lbs, she looks darn skinny to me). She is on a "rotation diet" where one day she has 600 calories, the next 900 calories, the next 1200 calories, then back to 600 again on day 4. She is not losing any weight. She doesn’t want to listen to me either. — Debbie Cusick see pictures of me and my son Brock at http://asd.dozer.com/bio – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – We areactually lucky that we have asd, becuse for some of us, that was the way we found out about new ideas and ways to lose weight.  I never knew about the one diet fits all mistake or starvationmode before I popped up here.  And from what I have learned here and reserched on my own, I have a much better idea about how to permanently lose the weight.  Otherwise I would still be doing the don’t eat, be hungry all the time starvation diet.

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Ypour current weight.  It is important that you eat enough cals to keep your body functioning at optimum metabloic levels.  Not only will tei kep and make you healthier, but it will also not kick you into tsarvation mode.  You can alter your caloric intake as you lose to reflect a new BMR  I have ahd 4 different cal levels over the past 1 1/3 years. — claudia 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I was wondering which weight should you use for this formula, your current weight or your goal weight? Thanks, Phil 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie — KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

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Hi, I was wondering which weight should you use for this formula, your current weight or your goal weight? Thanks, Phil – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie — KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

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Because most doctors are not aware of the changes and research that has drasticly altered bariatircs (The science of weight loss).  The old theory was that you ate 1000 cals a day, everyone burned 1500 cals a day so you lost a pound every 2 days.  With what we know now, it’s no wonder that 99% of dieters either gave up or imediatly gained it back when they stoped dieting.  Not to mention how hungry everyone was.  In fact, this might be why people incorrectly percieve a ow cal diet as keeping you hungry all the time. We areactually lucky that we have asd, becuse for some of us, that was the way we found out about new ideas and ways to lose weight.  I never knew about the one diet fits all mistake or starvationmode before I popped up here.  And from what I have learned here and reserched on my own, I have a much better idea about how to permanently lose the weight.  Otherwise I would still be doing the don’t eat, be hungry all the time starvation diet. — claudia 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thank you, KC. that puts me at 2054… so, that means that is the calories that my body needs a day just to live, right? How come,then do doc’s want to put you on a 1200-1800 cal a day diet?? wouldn’t that automatically put your body into starvation mode?? Meggie

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For Men: 66 + ( 6.22 x wt.) + ( 12.7 x ht. inches ) – ( 6.8 x age) = BMR. Womens are probably close. Arnold

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I am curious as to how this formula was discovered.  Is it just arbitary or is there actual scientif fact behnd it? — claudia 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 KC, What does the number you wind up with mean, as far as the diet? Is this the number of calories that are burned in a day with no exertion? If this number is higher/lower than the calories taken in/day, does one need to adjust them up/down for weight loss?

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Yes, and this is what has caused a lot of people problems over the years. It gets their metabolisms all screwed up to be on such restricted calorie amounts. Over on the asdlc ng there are several people reporting that they finally broke stalls and plateaus by *increasing* the number of calories they are eating. I’m trying that myself now. I’ll let you know in a couple weeks how I’m doing. — Debbie Cusick 322/250/147 see pictures of me and my son Brock at http://asd.dozer.com/bio – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thank you, KC. that puts me at 2054… so, that means that is the calories that my body needs a day just to live, right? How come,then do doc’s want to put you on a 1200-1800 cal a day diet?? wouldn’t that automatically put your body into starvation mode?? Meggie

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That should be the number of calories burned with no exertion.  So you need to eat at LEAST that much to fuel your body’s normal functioning. Just normal activity should burn up enough calories that you can lose weight at that level.   How much more you can eat is dependent upon your activity level. 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 KC, What does the number you wind up with mean, as far as the diet? Is this the number of calories that are burned in a day with no exertion? If this number is higher/lower than the calories taken in/day, does one need to adjust them up/down for weight loss?

– KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

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DietWatch gives me a slightly higher number too (1634, as opposed to 1596 with the formula). The formula came from "Strong Women Stay Slim" and is called the Harris-Benedict formula … they say it’s calibrated for women, so I don’t what adjustments would be made in the formula for men.  They say a woman of average weight has a basal metabolic rate of about 1300 calories, whereas an average normal-weight man has a BMR of about 1700 calories.  (Men has more muscle than women, therefore have higher metabolisms.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – DietWatch has me at 2180 bmr while using your formula produces a 1837.7 bmr. I thought DietWatch was high.  Thanks for the info. Dave 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie — KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

– KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

Response:

1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4

KC, What does the number you wind up with mean, as far as the diet? Is this the number of calories that are burned in a day with no exertion? If this number is higher/lower than the calories taken in/day, does one need to adjust them up/down for weight loss?

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1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie

– KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

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Thank you, KC. that puts me at 2054… so, that means that is the calories that my body needs a day just to live, right? How come,then do doc’s want to put you on a 1200-1800 cal a day diet?? wouldn’t that automatically put your body into starvation mode?? Meggie

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DietWatch has me at 2180 bmr while using your formula produces a 1837.7 bmr. I thought DietWatch was high.  Thanks for the info. Dave – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 1.  Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.4 2.  Multiply your height in inches by 4.7 3.  Add those two numbers 4.  Multiply your age in years by 4.7 5.  Subtract that number from the number in Step 3 6.  Add 655 to the answer from Step 5 How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie — KC 196/183.5/135 Eating smarter since 8/8/98 — exercising since 9/15/98 (reduced calorie/reduced fat/increased protein/low-glycemic/high-fiber/vegetarian WOE)

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How does on figure this out?? Thanks Meggie

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I can see that it doesn’t seem to be an exact science. I guess I’ll try 2700 cals and see what happens. That should allow me to lose 2 – 3 pounds per week once my body readjusts, and I’d be delighted to do that. It’s more than I’m losing now. After I posted earlier, I remembered that the two times I fell off of my WOE, I gained 10 – 15 pounds in just a month or two. I really wasn’t eating that badly. It’s just more evidence than my metabolism is messed up. I’ve lost about 50 pounds this year, but only had a net loss of 25 pounds. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am at a loss as to how much I should eat:)  As you pointed out, the formulas are all over the place.  I started out eating 1400 cals as I was instructed form a dietician.  But I fell that is way to low because of how I felt after a month on that cal amount.  .  So I played with it.  I picked a point in the middle of the formula confusion and I settled on eating differing amounts of cals as I lost weight gradually reducing it as I lost weight.  I tried to be wise in food choices so I would not feel deprived. It was not difficult to adjust to the different levels.  I am eating between 2500-2600.  But again, it is basically a crap shoot in my book and you just need to test different levels on your self.  You really don’t want to lose more then 2-3 pounds a week in my book. Some ways I determine whether the level is right are: 1. Hunger, believe it or not I think that giving your body the nutrients and cals it needs to work efficiently can really reduce basic hunger:)  There are still THOSE days where I would eat the furniture, carpet and chia pets. But over all I am not hungry

That makes sense. Who wants to be hungry? I haven’t been hungry at 1800 calories, but I’ve been trying every trick I can think of, like eating lots of low calorie vegetables and making soup for dinner many nights. I have been hungrier this week as I get back on track after having my sister and nephew visiting last week. 2. Stalls.  If you stall, try upping the cals by 250-300 and see what happens.  If you start losing, then you would do better on a higher cal amount

Fortunately, I haven’t had a significant stall yet. I don’t have a scale yet, since it’s hard to find an inexpensive one that goes over 300 pounds, so I may not be seeing short term stalls. I’m hoping to get one for Christmas or shortly after that. 3.  Health, I think if you eat to few you will feel it.  Now this requires you to be attuned to your body in a very sensitive way.  I use meditation and a diary to track my feelings of general overall health.  Am I tired, cranky, depressed.  Do I get hot flashes (more a woman then a man’s thing here:)  Do I wake up refreshed or groggy.  What is my pain level (again this is a more personal one.)  I am in bad pain off and on, but when I have long term worse then usual pain it can signal certain things about my food intake.  I track this stuff each day.  It’s real simple.  Every AM when I get up I make myself a cup of herb tea, sit down in a quiet place do some prayers and meditation and then rate how I feel.

This is important. I’ve been learning to pay attention to my body a lot more since I was diagnosed with diabetes. I still tend to put off eating and wind up with episodes of low blood glucose. Overall, I’m probably healthier than I have been in years. My blood pressure is down to normal, my heart seems to be in good shape, and my latest a1c test for average blood glucose was in the lower half of the normal range. My doctor has been doing the happy dance every time I see him lately. This is partly why I hesitate to change things since I seem to be doing so well. I’m not real good with keeping diaries, but I’ll try taking a few minutes each day to assess how I’m feeling. It’s a good idea. 4.  I wait a month before I change any cals.  I figure it takes about that long for your body to adjust to the lower or higher amount, as well as for you to not be hungry etc. due to lessor cals.  With as much as I have to lose, a month is a drop in the bucket.  :) All this is real subjective, but you asked for it:)  Until there are more definitive studies done and until there is some meeting of the minds on this, it seems that it is the only way to determine if I am eating enough.

Yeah, I’m always asking too many questions.  I figure I’ll give it 2 -3 months since I’ll have to wait for my metabolism to change. Besides, the holidays tend to play havoc with diets, at least for a few days at a time. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -This probably seems confusing and more info then you ever wanted, but you asked for it:)  As diabetics it is essential that we be attuned to our bodies because food is only one thing in a long list of things that can wreck havoc with your BG levels. So this has become easier for me with practice.  And until there are more definitive studies done and until there is a meeting of the minds so to speak, it will remain a trial and effort thing.  And WHY….YMMV:) claudia 550/370/157  A malcontent and proud of it!  Low fat rocks! For Claudia’s Cooking Newsletter celebrating low fat, sugar free cooking and living visit  http://cookingnewsletter.ecorp.net

Thanks for all the thoughtful advice and help! George 330/305/ask me when I get to 200

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This thread has been a real eye opener. Suddenly several things that didn’t make sense are falling into place. I’ve been using an 1800 calorie diet and am probably in a starvation mode if everything that’s been said here is true. <SNIP It looks like I should be taking in about 2600 calories or so to be safe. I’m having a hard time accepting this. It seems to run counter to everything I’ve always heard. I guess I’ll try it for awhile and see how it goes. It sure will be nice to have more calories to work with at every meal and snack.  Claudia, I’ll ask you since I know from other posts that we are roughly the same age, both still temporarily over 300 pounds and both diabetic, are you eating this many calories each day?   Remember anyway here that your BMR is likely to vary quite considreably from Claudia’s – I’m assuming you’re male here, and if so, your BMR would be higher. Also, from what I’ve read, Claudia is limited as to what exercise she can do, and so her calorie intake might well be quite a bit lower than yours could be without forcing her into starvation mode. I don’t *know* how your and her calories would compare. I’m just suggesting some factors to take  into account.

I realize that Claudia could well be very different from me. I was just a bit nervous about assuming that my BMR is 2600 cals since I hadn’t seen anyone else mention one that high. Since the formulas are so sensitive to weight levels, I figured Claudia would be somewhere close to that. Also, I realize that we probably have different activity levels, but that doesn’t appear to affect the BMR calculations. Usually, I’ve seen activity treated as an addition to the BMR. I’ve mentioned this a zillion times before here, but my BMR has been scientifically measured (oxygen in, co2 out rather than a formula) at 1960. So you can compare all the formulas you have, and see which seems more accurate: My weight is 232.5 Height 5′ 7” female 29 yrs I’m currently eating 2000-2100kcals a day, and am losing 1.5lb a week (touch wood!)

I get 2191 cals from one formula and 1857 cals from the other for you. Looks like your real BMR is in the middle and the average would be slightly high. Better to be a bit high than a bit low. My advice would be to try raising your calorie level to at least an average of all those BMR estimates you got. Expect an initial gain/lack of loss if you really have put your body into starvation mode. But hang in there, and you’ll see results, I feel certain. Best of luck, and keep us posted.

Yeah, I expect that I’ll gain weight, hopefully not too much. I don’t think that will upset me too much since I’ll understand why it’s happening. I’m not setting any time table for weight loss. I see it as more of a marathon than a sprint. I spent over 30 years putting on this excess weight and if it takes me 2 or 3 years to take it off, that’s OK. This BMR news isn’t a crisis, it’s just another step on the learning process for my WOE. Thanks for your comments. George 330/305/ask me when I get to 200 Naomi 284/232.5/180 (would give me BMI of 28)

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And until there are more definitive studies done and until there is a meeting of the minds so to speak, it will remain a trial and effort thing.  And WHY….YMMV:) Thanks, Claudia……good info, IMO!!! Meggie

Response:

Just what I have found so far related to number of calories and my personal rate of weight loss.  I started my diet at 1400 calories a day.  After I had lost about 10% of my original weight(34 lbs) my rate of weight loss decreased by about 20%.  I believe my body was is starvation mode.  After 4 weeks with less than anticapated weight loss I upped my calorie intake to 1600 calories per day.  In about 2 weeks my weight loss rate returned to the original rate of weight loss.  1600 calories is below my BMR currently about 2000. I am calculating the number of calories my body requires to stay at present weight by the simple formula of weight * 11.  When I believe I was in starvation mode my weight loss matched the formula weight * 8.5.  Projecting weight loss into the future I will be at goal weight much sooner eating 1600 calories a day with a faster metabolism than at 1400 calories a day with a slower metabolism. Just what I believe has happened with my body. Pat 340/272/165 5′10"

Response:

I am sending Dr. Barry and The Zone back to Sears.  Two days of structured dieting and one day without exercise equals: physical pain, a two pound weight gain (all water?)  This the first time this has happened.  Tension and frustration at calculating hair splitting minutiae on the nutrition tracker and increasing caloric intake for nutritional balance was a real pain.  I could have been hiking. I had been feeling natural and spontaneous following my body, which I have learned to trust after weeks of a stabile weight. Two years ago I handed down an unpopular opinion on ASD.    FOR ME, structured dieting, calorie cpounting and not being in touch with real hunger, pre planning menus was all just spinning wheels and marking time, and it definitely still is. Re: Losing more weight.  This is not a good idea.  My decrease in height is a posture and bone issue, not a change of  wrist and other structure measurements.  It is dangerous to get too thin with osteoporosis.  The rib cage is not adaquately supported.  136-138 is my niche!  This morning I am an unpleasant 139 and all the old compulsive guilt and doubt feelings are hovering. I’m off to run my mile and climb stairs. — Diva