BMR!!! Eating To your BMR... No Matter What!

[Ilpirata]

Okay ladies & gents, here's the challenge. Eat everyday to your BMR... NEVER Below. Here's the link to calculate your BMR:

BMR Calculator

BMR:Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy expended while at rest in a neutrally temperate environment, in the post-absorptive state (meaning that the digestive system is inactive, which requires about twelve hours of fasting in humans). The release of energy in this state is sufficient only for the functioning of the vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, brain and the rest of the nervous system, liver, kidneys, sex organs, muscles and skin. BMR decreases with age and with the loss of lean body mass. Increased cardiovascular exercise and muscle mass can increase BMR. Illness, previously consumed food and beverages, environmental temperature, and stress levels can affect one's overall energy expenditure, and can affect one's BMR.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? BMR is the minimum amount of calories your body needs to function while at COMPLETE REST.

There is an additional calculation we will use as well called your Harris Benedict Calculation. This calculation takes into account additional calories burned through activity.

So whats the challenge? Eating to your BMR as a bare minimum every single day. This means NEVER having a day where you eat below your BMR calorie requirements.

The second calculation (the HB should be used to take into account the upper range of calories). Here is the link to the HB equation:

Harris Benedict Equation

You use the HB number and subtract 300-500 calories to come up with your actual caloric needs taking activity into account.

So, Eat to your BMR as minimum every day. If you are actively exercising use your HB number minus 300 to 500.

Personally, I have been stalled for about two and a half months. At my size I should be still losing weight at a decent pace. On reviewing my fitday numbers I have been eating an average of 1500 ish calories a day. This is well below my BMR of 1800. I am personally going to aim for 2000 calories a day of good clean atkins allowed foods including vegetables and fats.

A simple way to get a basic calculation is to take your current weight x10. Are you eating this amount? Most of us *guilty* aren't.

feel free to post daily menus, stats & progress as well as any interesting BMR articles etc.

Lets give this a shot!

[Ilpirata]

Here's an article from Fitness Connection with some BMR information as well as some suggestions for raising your BMR:

WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT? RAISE THAT METABOLISM!

How many times have you felt the need to explain your weight with the phrase "My metabolism is SO slow!"? I know I've said those words a thousand times. The truth of the matter is - you probably DO have a compromised metabolism. If you do not eat properly or have dieted for years and do not exercise regularly, there is a very good chance that your metabolism is slow. But there is hope! You CAN raise your metabolic rate.

The controversy is HOW MUCH can you raise it? If you researched the subject, you would find that some experts believe you can make a big impact on your metabolism by changing your diet and beginning an exercise program. Others will have you believe that you can change your metabolism with diet and exercise but it is a minimal change. I do not proclaim to be an expert, nor do I have a degree in this subject. But common sense tells me that anything I can do to raise the number of calories my body burns in a day is an intelligent decision.

Quite simply, your metabolism is the rate at which your individual body burns up energy, i.e. calories. Metabolism varies from person to person. For a person of your size, you may have a faster metabolism than normal, or you may have a slower one.

Scientists have devised what is called the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to compare metabolisms. Your BMR is the rate you use up energy/calories at rest. So if you laid in bed ALL day and night, your BMR would be how many calories your body requires to stay alive - how many calories it takes to run your vascular system, your digestive system, breath, etc.

There are several factors that affect BMR including genetics, age and gender. Men have a slightly higher BMR than women and people under 20 usually have a greater BMR than those 20 and older (dropping about 2% per decade). Also, the more you weigh, the higher your BMR. And those with a higher proportion of muscle tend to have a higher BMR than those with less muscle. THAT IS THE GREAT NEWS! It is also the news that motivates me to gamble on the experts who believe diet and exercise can have a big impact in raising metabolism.

So why is this great news? You have the power to change your metabolic rate! You can rev up your metabolic rate through exercise so your body burns more calories all day long. And one advantage to having a higher metabolism is that you can consume more food without gaining weight! Another advantage of a higher BMR is that if you naturally expend more energy, you will lose more fat. Why not let your metabolism burn more calories for you?

Experts agree that your body responds to a reduction in calories by lowering your BMR. Eating significantly fewer calories than you burn can ratchet down your metabolism as your body senses starvation and conserves energy. The most effective way to increase your metabolism is to combine cardiovascular exercise (cardio) and strength training with a slight reduction in calories. Not only do you use up calories while exercising, but the increased BMR continues even after you are done exercising - many believe, for several hours. The amount varies from body to body but even a modest increase would counteract the body's tendency to decrease BMR. Weight training also stimulates the growth of muscle tissue and muscle tissue is metabolically active so it requires calories even at rest. Hence, more calories burned daily than if you weren't exercising.

In addition to weight training, incorporating high intensity cardio into your exercise routine impacts your metabolism. Like weight training, it takes you into the anaerobic zone of training. This creates an "oxygen debt" so even when you have concluded your exercise, the body is processing waste and recovering from the activity - keeping your metabolism elevated. You can slowly incorporate high intensity cardio into your workouts by starting with one or two high interval spurts. If you walk for exercise, try to increase your pace for a minute every 3-4 minutes. If you run on a treadmill, do one-minute sprints with a 2-minute recovery. Try to work up to 8 intervals in a 30-40 minute session.

There are also several other changes you can make in your daily life that can have an impact on your metabolism. Things that seem silly like, parking in the farthest parking spot and walking to your destination or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Or drinking cold water. This tip may be a bit overrated but the truth is - your body will expend more calories trying to raise cold water to your body temperature. The exact amount is debatable but integrating this habit with other small changes in your daily routine can contribute to the greater goal of raising your metabolism.

Second only to exercise, dietary changes can have an impact on metabolic rate. Here are some that you can integrate into your life to help raise your metabolism.

The BIG metabolic changer - eat a big breakfast! Studies have shown that eating breakfast can increase your BMR by as much as 25%. And don't fear carbohydrates. Using the right type can be instrumental for your metabolism.

Try to eat whole foods rather than processed foods. Your body must extract the fiber and nutrients and effectively work harder to absorb them into your bloodstream. Make better choices like using whole grain breads and pasta (the package must say "WHOLE" wheat or grains). Barilla Plus is a great new pasta put out by the Barilla Group that has an added bonus - it's packed with protein which you don't get with white or whole-wheat pasta. Use brown rice rather than white rice. Whole foods pack more nutrients, are higher in fiber, and many nutrients in whole foods are cofactors in metabolic processes that your body uses to burn fat and build muscle.

Increasing your protein intake may also help raise your metabolism. Protein requires a complex chemical conversion by your body in order to be used as fuel. This conversion burns calories. If you are weight training, you will want to raise the amount of protein you consume anyway. Building muscle requires protein.

Here's another big one. Eat more frequent, smaller meals - ideally, 5-6 per day. Consuming food triggers digestion and digestion requires calories. By eating more frequently, you continuously supply your body with nutrients while forcing it to digest and break down foods. This can have the net effect of raising your metabolism.

Don't leave healthy fats out of your diet. Healthy fats are involved in the manufacture of hormones and repair of cell membranes in your body. With the right types of fats, your body can use these anabolically and aid in raising metabolism. Be sure to choose carefully. You can safely add foods containing healthy fats, like nuts and avocados, in moderation to your diet without increasing calories simply by lowering the percentage of calories from carbohydrates and proteins.

It's a bit of a balancing act but with some perseverance and practice, you can easily change the way that you eat. People often underestimate the amount of food they should consume each day. We need to eat! If you choose whole foods, you can't go wrong. It's the processed foods and foods made with sugar that pack in the calories and raise the amount of fat you gain.

To sum it up, you DO have the power to raise your metabolism. The first way is by adding regular exercise to your routine - at least 3 cardio workouts and 2 weight training workouts per week. The second is by altering the way you feed your body and the third is by incorporating simple changes into your life like some of those suggested above. Maybe it won't make a huge impact on your metabolism, maybe it will. I'm not sure anyone knows for sure. But there's one thing I do know for sure - it will make a huge impact on your health and weight. I have experienced it myself and I have seen my clients respond when they've incorporated the changes suggested above. So why not start today?!

[Cyard]

I'm in! According to my calculations, my BMR is 1777.9. Taking the H-B equation in to account, my maximum calorie level is 2755.75. I'm going to aim for between 1800 and 2100 calories a day. Hopefully this will break my HUGE stall. Good luck all!

[Ilpirata]

Hi Cyard!

I'm really excited to try this. I've done Stillman's and Fat Fasts... and just have had that lower calorie diet mentality so ingrained in me. Won't it be nice to discover that eating MORE is the answer? I've had to push myself so far this day at breakfast and lunch with some added fats and added veggies I don't normally eat. but hey, getting used to eating more... heck, I won't complain about that!

Today for Breakfast I had a chai tea with 1 fl oz of heavy cream and 1 tbs of Coconut oil melted in it. VERY TASTY.

For lunch: 1 cup string beans, 2 small chick breasts pan friend in butter and EVOO, 3 TBS of mayo.. I'm REALLY full. So far my calories are almost 1400 which is alot higher than I normally am at lunch time. So a good clean 600 calorie dinner will meet my BMR for the day.

I know it may take several weeks for my body to adjust and for me to gauge the results. But I've been undereating for the last ten weeks with no progress so whats a couple more?

[Zer]

At 400#, dare I risk trying to ingest 4,000cals a day of fats, proteins, carbs in a ratio of 75%/20%/5% to stick with the Atkins' ratio? Can I do this? Urk!

Originally Posted by Ilpirata

Eat everyday to your BMR... NEVER Below. Here's the link to calculate your BMR: BMR Calculator

...A simple way to get a basic calculation is to take your current weight x10. Are you eating this amount? Most of us *guilty* aren't.

Just how would I go about this, I wonder, as I speculate that it *might* just work, once my body adjusted to having more food that I can now imagine forking into me a day.

Edit: Whew! What a RELIEF! The BMR Calculator says:

You have a BMR of 2423.2.

and I can almost contemplate aiming for THAT instead of the 4,000cals that I was afraid was my BMR by simply multiplying weight x 10.

[Ilpirata]

You have a BMR of 2423.2.

Well shoot! That is wAY more doable than 4000. 4000 certainly sounds impossible. Here's two ways that I've incorporated to up my daily calories from good fats:

ADD 1TBS CO to hot tea or hot coffee (117 calories, 13g fat, 0 carb, 0 protein)

SNACK: 1/2 avocado mixed w/ 1 TBS mayo (237 cal, 23g fat, 6.3 carbs-4.3 fiber, 0 protein)

[Zer]

I'm going to lean heavily on VCO to boost calories. I already do a whacking lot of VCO in my morning hot slosh (40g protein, 500cals) and I can just add more VCO to bring that up to a third of my day's caloric intake. I'm putting a lot in already - several heaping spoonfuls, when it's solid, and maybe a 1/4cup if I am pouring a liquid VCO. Now I want to make that 16oz into 800calories.

Thanks! As you say, 2,423calories a lot easier to think about than 4,000calories.

I am afraid this will increase my weight, but I'll have to risk facing that fear as I push myself to eat more than I want to eat. Hopefully, this will fix my wacky metabolism and I'll begin dropping weight as a person my size is able to do with a functional metabolism. Wish me luck, please, as well as the courage to push more food into a reluctant maw.

[mistic65]

Hi all, im willing to try this......wooo hoooo........sounds good.
I have also started evco last week. I will also start making Jay Robb shakes, tried it for first time last week, really good.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Ilpirata]

I am afraid this will increase my weight, but I'll have to risk facing that fear as I push myself to eat more than I want to eat. Hopefully, this will fix my wacky metabolism and I'll begin dropping weight as a person my size is able to do.

It is such a hard mental change to make! The thing is though, I've been undereating for TEN WEEKS and not lost a pound. I'm ready to try something else. I'm not going to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. I'm ready to try something difference and I think this approach has a good shot.

Look at it this way Zer, if you keep cutting calories as your weight goes down, what calorie level will you be at by the time you reach goal? If I kept up the calorie defecit I'd end up way below 1000 calories a day when I got to goal. NOT OK.

I really think its worth giving this a shot for a couple of weeks.

[dointhis4me]

I'm in!!

My numbers are 1691 to 1891 calories per day but never less then 1594.

Don't have time to post now but I'll be back later, just marking my spot

[muffles]

I'll give this a go. My bmr is 1682.35. I work out 5 days a week, so my calorie level is 2607.
I think I'll aim for 1800-2000.
Hope this helps move me off the plateau I'm on!

[Ilpirata]

Mistic, Holly, Muffles...
Hi you guys!
Glad you joined.
I really think if we all track well and give this a shot we'll have quite the little informal study going on BMR. We may get some concrete answers as to wether this really works or not. Especially if we all stick to it for awhile.

[mistic65]

im still getting to know how to use fitday, seems a little complicated, duh, feel like a dummy, it dosent subtract fiber from veggies carbs, and i put in 2 eggs, boiled, and it said 1.5 carb......
well anyway, so far if i did it right, 1447 cal, 60% fat,10% carbs, 29% protein.
i feel like i ate alot today, but will eat more, maybe a shake, or something.....

[Cyard]

Well, here's today's breakdown for me. YIKES on the fat!!!! I usually do better with the veggies, but was home sick with kiddos today. Really gotta watch that fat, though.

Total: 1888
Fat: 162 1454 77%
Sat: 60 537 28%
Poly: 31 279 15%
Mono: 47 421 22%
Carbs: 17 61 3%
Fiber: 2 0 0%
Protein: 93 370 20%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

[dointhis4me]

WOW I am full!! I have no problem getting my calories high enough on days when I am not eating very clean (for me meaning still lc but fast food, processed stuff, junk such as nuts & pork rinds) but days like today when I am getting my cals from meats, eggs, veggies, etc then its harder. Here's how I did today. BTW, for the time being I am looking at keeping my carbs around 40 or so net.

Calories Eaten Today
grams cals %total
Total: 1878
Fat: 136 1222 67%
Carbs: 57 153 8%
Fiber: 18 0 0%
Protein: 114 457 25%

[Ilpirata]

Good Job today ladies!
It seems like SO MUCH FOOD!! (doesn't it?)

Here's my totals for today:

Total: Calories - 2075
Fat: grams-168 73%
Sat: 70 627 30%
Poly: 34 305 15%
Mono: 53 479 23%
Carbs: grams-20 3%
Fiber: 5 0 0%
Protein: grams-122 24%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

Along with my brekky and lunch I posted earlier I also had a dinner (still trying to finish) of:

1C Ground Beef
2C shredded romaine
2 TBS mayo
squirt of mustard.

I ended up eating half my lunch at lunchtime and half mid afternoon. Half my dinner eaten and half to go.

I made my calorie goal for today!

I will cap off my night with a hot vanilla hazelnut celestial seasonings tea with 1Fl Oz of cream which will put my cals just over 2100.

Still contemplating if I should weigh in the morning. I'll probably decide based on how I feel.

[Zer]

To bring me closer to my BMR:2423cals, I just did a 2d hot slosh (40g protein from WPP, with VCO, for 500cals) as a nightcap. Midday eating was remains of a fishy-mayo and an eggy-mayo salad on shaved celery. Lots of mayo. No idea how to measure it for FitDay, as it was leftovers. Surely I'm close to a satisfactory number of calories. I'm stuffed. I feel fat. Scared. But I did it on faith that I can supply what my metabolism needs to function. I hope so.

Originally Posted by Zer

I'm going to lean heavily on VCO to boost calories. I already do a whacking lot of VCO in my morning hot slosh (40g protein, 500cals).... As you say, 2,423calories a lot easier to think about than 4,000calories.

I am afraid this [added eating to get to 2423cals daily] will increase - not reduce - my weight, but I'll have to risk facing that fear as I push myself to eat more than I want to eat. Hopefully, this will fix my wacky metabolism and I'll begin dropping weight as a person my size [400#] is able to do with a functional metabolism. Wish me luck, please, as well as the courage to push more food into a reluctant maw.

As I prepare food, I'll measure it a bit closer, so I can use FitDay to reassure me that I'm at 2423cals - not over!

[muffles]

This might be harder than I thought!
I ate chicken and bacon leftovers for breakfast, then roast pork for lunch and 2 big cups of homemade pumpkin and bacon soup, with sour cream. I'm only at 1234 calories, and 78 grams of protein! I'm full! Maybe after a while, I'll be up to something else.
65% fat, 9 % carbs, protein 26%.

[dointhis4me]

I weighed in today at 179.8 I've been bouncing between 177 & 180 for weeks now so that with TOM arriving last night I can't say for sure what the accurate start weight for this challenege would be, guess I'll just call it 179.

Haven't eaten yet today but I will have 2-3 fried eggs with 3-4 slices of bacon along with coffee w/hc for breakfast. Not sure about the rest of my meals yet, really need to run to the store.

Hope everyone has a great day! I'll check in later

[Ilpirata]

Yesterday was a succesful first day for me. i made it just over 2100 calorie. Maybe I should have increased more slowlY? It was alot of food but using the pure fat zero carb coconut oil as the main portion of my increase made it doable.

I decided to go ahead and weigh this morning. The scale is down slightly. All I'm taking this as an indication of is that i didn't blow up five pounds overnight from eating to my BMR yesterday. Definately a relief as I was afraid my body might freak out. So no weight gain so far! yay!

[Ilpirata]

This might be harder than I thought!

How'd you do Muffles? Did you get somemore calories in? I was going to suggets melting a tablespoon of CO in some hot tea for a quick 120 calories 13g fat.

[Cyard]

Wow! My scale was down 1.6lbs this morning Yay! I hope it becomes a trend

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by Ilpirata

Yesterday was a succesful first day for me. i made it just over 2100 calorie. Maybe I should have increased more slowlY? It was alot of food but using the pure fat zero carb coconut oil as the main portion of my increase made it doable.

I decided to go ahead and weigh this morning. The scale is down slightly. All I'm taking this as an indication of is that i didn't blow up five pounds overnight from eating to my BMR yesterday. Definately a relief as I was afraid my body might freak out. So no weight gain so far! yay!

The time for food to travel from one end to the other probably ranges from about 20 to 30 hours so you would definitely not blow up overnight.