Should I continue to eat my BMR or drop it a little?

So after a lot of trial & error and no loss, I am trying eating my BMR (1535) to see if the lbs will start to shift. I've been eating around 1500 for 6wks now, and strictly between 1500-1550 for the last three on the advice of a dietitian. Their reckoning was no-one should be obese eating what your body needs, while getting up out of bed in the morning- well I am! I have an ed history, and lived in starvation mode for years (20+!) and have an underactive thyroid which is under control so the odds are already stacked against me a little. I ate maintenence cals for 4-5mths to try and get my body to 'trust' me again, then felt ready to try to lose 'properly' again.

My query is: I'm seeing no loss eating my BMR- even after all this time. My Doc had originally told me to drop 200cals from any online calculators to 'allow' for my thyroid which would leave me with 1350 (what CC suggested?). But the dietitian reckoned eating my BMR would start the lbs shifting? It hasn't so far?

They estimated my daily burn is 2100, which would leave me with a daily deficit of 565 (i.e. 1lb loss a week). Online calculators estimate my daily burn at 1842, which is a 307cal  deficit- a loss of 1lb every 11days or so! Which isn't happening either?

So should I try dropping my cals to what CC & my Doc had suggested (1350)? Or continue to plod on eating my BMR (1535) and hope that my body 'catches up' and starts to lose? Any advice would be welcome, I'm a bit fed up at this stage! Maybe reassurance I'm doing the right thing will keep me going, or anyone suggesting an alternative method would also be considered?

I'm 35, 5ft 2", female, sedentary (9-5 office work then home to two toddlers!), 175lbs or so (depending on the day!)

The support and great idea's on this thread are amazing!!

How wonderful it would be if you children grew up knowing that excersize

is an important, everyday activity.

I'm much like you. I HATE exercising! But, I also want to lose the weight and keep it off somehow without being a slave to routine and sweating.

My favorite yoga videos of all time are the Yoga Zone with Alan Finger. They're great for beginners and set of three come with a "Meditation" version, a really nice "Conditioning and Stress Release" version and a more challenging "Flexibility and Tone", all easy but worth it.

Irish Mum,

There are 10 minute pilate dvd's. I have one that has three exercises on "10min buns, 10min thighs, and 10min abs" it is great! It is designed so that you can do it all at once or in the 10 min sets. Another thing to consider that I didn't see mentioned is office exercise. I have  read things online about doing little things like reading your email standing up or walking in place, same thing for answering the phone. Even little things like standing up and stretching is helpful. One big thing that could help, but don't know if you wanna try is replace your office chair with an exercise ball. I am so glad to see all the support on this thread it helped to motivate me! Good Luck let me know if you want more information on the DVD.

Hi Lollipop- I think thats the one I had read about (& inspired my q on the fitness forum that sparked a huge debate! ) I think I'll see if I can source it on Ebay/Amazon (I'm in europe so don't know about availability?) and get myself an extra Christmas pressie!

Ribbon- thanks for your input too. As someone with hypo and 'starvation/diet' issues its good to hear personal experiences. It's interesting that you were losing on 1500 and are so much taller than me? I have to push myself to get those calories in, and I am full after my meals. Maybe I'll stick at eating my BMR until the 1st January (New Year, renewed effort!) and then try dropping it a little if my weight hasn't started shifting by then? That'll be 8 1/2wks eating 1500 or so, so surely by then I should have some results (good or bad?) Plus it'll maybe make the holidays a little easier to get through with the extra cals?

So far I appear to be more or less maintaining, but maybe its just taking time for my body to get used to this amount of cals? I don't know.

Patience will have to be my virtue I think?

Irishmum, I know exactly where you're coming from.  I battled an ED from this time last year, until around May.  Right after I stopped my restricting, I decided to diet (smart, eh?).  That obviously didn't work.  I stayed around the same weight (actually gained about 5lbs, but that's not very surprising, given that I was still "increasing" my calories for my body at the time).  But, once I finally gave in after 3 months of dieting and no loss, I went on "maintenance" for a good 3-4 months, and then decided to try again.  Sure, I just started back up at the beginning of this month, but still no luck.  It's discouraging, to say the least.

I don't quite know what advice to give you, for I'm in the same boat as you, but what I can tell you to do is to hang in there.  It has to happen eventually, right?? I mean, really.  We're eating healthily, we're eating under the amount we supposedly burn, so we can't be overweight forever, right?? Just take whatever advice you can take, and try to follow it.

Good luck! Tell me if anything happens! I'd like to know :D

Original Post by hannikate:

It has to happen eventually, right?? I mean, really.  We're eating healthily, we're eating under the amount we supposedly burn, so we can't be overweight forever, right?? 

Good to know I'm not the only one in the same boat!

Well, the 'experts' say we can't be overweight eating what we burn- so therefore we should start losing? I'll definately keep you posted....!

Hi Irishmum,

There are a lot of great suggestions in here! The support is fantastic. I don't think anyone suggested walking during your lunch break at work? Is it possible to sneak in additional activity at that time? Even an additional ten or fifteen minutes will add up over the course of the day. Oh - and if you work in an office building that is on the larger side - how about using the restrooms that are farthest away from where you sit? It's just another way to add steps to your day.

I wish you success in your journey!