stuck at 168lbs =/

[musclemom]

I've been really curious about BMR. I've calculated it and I've researched a bunch. The most common equation I found took into account gender, height, weight and activity level.

My concern is this: Two people of the same gender and height may have the same weight, but the weight may be composed of different things. So I don't understand how that equation for BMR can be accurate considering people's body compositions are different, though they may be the same general height, weight etc.

Is there a BMR equation that takes body composition into account? I can't imagine someone who has a higher BF% than another, but weighs the same, should have the same BMR? Maybe I'm wrong. I'm really new to that type of thing.

RW has posted some terrific information about this particular topic, this thread was one that I found pretty easily:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...-calculator-katch-mcardle-formula-665955.html

BMR is basal metabolic rate, which doesn't factor in exercise. It's purely the amount of energy your body would need if you just laid in bed all day

Now I've read about this myself. If you have two people, of the same age, height and weight, for argument sake let's make them 150 lbs. but one is male and one is female. He automatically has a higher BMR because of his higher muscle mass, nearly 200 calories more, in fact (her BMR is 1504, his is 1681). Muscle is metabolically "wasteful" meaning it takes more calories to keep muscle alive than fat which is why when you go on a crash diet you lose proportionately higher muscle than fat. The first thing the body does is dump the energy consumer, the muscle. Remember that fat burns less energy, that's long term storage. So by tearing down muscle tissue two steps are accomplished towards survival, the body weighs less, consuming less calories, and less muscle further reduces metabolism.

Again, we're getting back to getting dunked or having a proper caliper BF reading done.

I think, unless you're looking into getting competition lean, the 10% or so fluctuation in calories isn't going to make an enormous difference over the long term.

And, I think driving one's self nuts with numbers by becoming compulsive, is unhealthy (and takes the power away from you and starts giving it to the food or food scale, basically a variation on becoming a slave to another set of numbers). As long as you're seeing steady progress that you find satisfying then it's all good. I'm all about sustainability and finding a lifestyle that works.

 

[AFeedz]

RW has posted some terrific information about this particular topic, this thread was one that I found pretty easily:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/w...-calculator-katch-mcardle-formula-665955.html

BMR is basal metabolic rate, which doesn't factor in exercise. It's purely the amount of energy your body would need if you just laid in bed all day

Now I've read about this myself. If you have two people, of the same age, height and weight, for argument sake let's make them 150 lbs. but one is male and one is female. He automatically has a higher BMR because of his higher muscle mass, nearly 200 calories more, in fact (her BMR is 1504, his is 1681). Muscle is metabolically "wasteful" meaning it takes more calories to keep muscle alive than fat which is why when you go on a crash diet you lose proportionately higher muscle than fat. The first thing the body does is dump the energy consumer, the muscle. Remember that fat burns less energy, that's long term storage. So by tearing down muscle tissue two steps are accomplished towards survival, the body weighs less, consuming less calories, and less muscle further reduces metabolism.

Again, we're getting back to getting dunked or having a proper caliper BF reading done.

I think, unless you're looking into getting competition lean, the 10% or so fluctuation in calories isn't going to make an enormous difference over the long term.

And, I think driving one's self nuts with numbers by becoming compulsive, is unhealthy (and takes the power away from you and starts giving it to the food or food scale, basically a variation on becoming a slave to another set of numbers). As long as you're seeing steady progress that you find satisfying then it's all good. I'm all about sustainability and finding a lifestyle that works.

Right. I'm not particularly obsessed with the number. It's not like if I found out my BMR was 1504, I'd consume exactly 1504 calories a day or anything, but I do think the number can be useful to know. It's at least a starting point to start finding out what works for me rather than going in blind. But I definitely wouldn't change something I was doing that was working just to make my routine fit within some number.

So far so good though Thanks for the help!

 

[musclemom]

Right. I'm not particularly obsessed with the number. It's not like if I found out my BMR was 1504, I'd consume exactly 1504 calories a day or anything, but I do think the number can be useful to know. It's at least a starting point to start finding out what works for me rather than going in blind. But I definitely wouldn't change something I was doing that was working just to make my routine fit within some number.

So far so good though Thanks for the help!

You've always struck me as the level-headed type, Annie I understand being purely curious about trying to get handles on things and and so forth. Hell, I'd love to have a "perfect number" for myself, seriously. I think I'll be tweaking my diet until I can't eat solid food anymore. I also think the types of food you consume strongly impacts how its metabolized. Additionally, I believe some people metabolize some foods differently than other people (I've had to accept the conclusion that I do NOT metabolize meat well at all and it really slows down my digestion badly).

 

[Varga]

I'm sorry, but if she works out regularly and is only eating 1200 calories at 5'2" and 150 lbs. then she needs her thyroid checked, especially considering she's had a life long "slow metabolism."

I'll tell you why.

Her BMR, assuming age 25, is 1481 (it will only go higher if she is younger). She is eating less than her body should need to maintain function. I read that on average a low/slow thyroid will cause a metabolism to drop anywhere from 10% to 15% or even more. Y'know what? 15% of 1481 puts her BMR right in the 1200 range.

Otherwise she's so deeply into starvation mode that EVERY SINGLE EXTRA CALORIE she eats over her BMR is being stored as fat.

Either that, or she's not putting every single bite she eats down and slips. People are human and frankly, depending on one's level of passion dieting can be a huge drag.

Anyway, we really prefer that men encourage their ladies to join the forum themselves as opposed to this third party stuff. Getting information second hand just isn't the best way to do things.

she does have a thyroid problem which has been addressed few years ago but the dosage need it to be readjusted based on the way she felt hair loss etc.recently again. Thyroid is very tricky.. the mumbers doesnt tell the whole story sometimes.
I do understand your point and I will encourage her to paricipate in some of these discussions and like I said I do understand the eating more concept and not be in the starvation mode which I keep an eye on her to not do that.
And yes, she is looking at fat loss not weight loss that's one of the reasons I encourage her to do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
She is doing good making lot of progress lost a bit of fat without being hungry.
She does have cheat meals and eats some of her favorite foods but just not as much or as often. So she is def not starving but she wants to accomplish a goal to get down to a lower body fat and weight and Im there supporting her

 

[musclemom]

she does have a thyroid problem which has been addressed few years ago but the dosage need it to be readjusted based on the way she felt hair loss etc.recently again. Thyroid is very tricky.. the mumbers doesnt tell the whole story sometimes.

Endocrine imbalances are a passing interest of mine. There is a very good book out called "Thryoid Power" (I think, I read it more than 6 years ago). Anyway, that turned me onto a very important concept which I watched in action with my own husband: Not all thyroid medicine is created equally. For some reason a LOT of doctors balk at trying different thyroid medications but I can tell you from observation, the difference between being on the right one and wrong one is like night and day and treating thyroid isn't just about getting your blood #s straight but also about how you feel.

I do understand your point and I will encourage her to paricipate in some of these discussions and like I said I do understand the eating more concept and not be in the starvation mode which I keep an eye on her to not do that.

It would be wonderful to have her join us! The more the merrier, particularly with someone who has a supportive significant other like yourself

She does have cheat meals and eats some of her favorite foods but just not as much or as often. So she is def not starving but she wants to accomplish a goal to get down to a lower body fat and weight and Im there supporting her

It really is hard with hormonal imbalances particularly if they're under treated. As I said, a lot of doctors are creative when it comes to treating endocrine disorders, some are more traditional and use a "one size fits all" treatment philosophy.

 

[Varga]

Thanks MM
I try to be supportive as much as I can
Thanks!