Thursday 2 February 2012

Food, Calories, BMR.....? What the monkeys?

A friend (who I would say is fairly knowledgeable about these things) passed on this little piece of advice to me during a recent conversation, which I have really taken in:

"I wouldn't worry about what other people say. this is your life and body and you are learning what it needs to be healthy, active and live a lifestyle you want. other people aren't you. But for your metabolism, I don't think you should ever eat below your BMR ever. the figure I heard was BMR + 20%. so i would just focus on portion size and snacking properly instead of only eating 2x per day and snacking on 2 pretzels."


You see I was getting all worked up over calories and food etc. I have been plateauing for a while and then I lost my way a bit. I stopped tracking and got all confused especially with Livestrong saying I should only be eating 1000 calories a day and others saying I should at least be eating my BMR.

As you know, I now know that my Basal Metabolic rate is about 1500. So I should be eating somewhere near that.

I agree with my friend and I have decided to eat more now. Also going to eat a bit more every 5th/6th day to try and throw my body out of whack a bit! See if I can't shake this plateau :D

To help me track now I'm using Myfitnesspal. It's been great so far. I love that I can scan the barcode of my food items :D Just so helpful! My username is emmy2468, so befriend me if you wish!

I'm feeling more confident about my food now and don't feel so restricted as before! I'm hoping it will all help me with my challenge!

Emily xx

9 comments:

  1. Interesting, I've never heard that, I definitely eat below my BMR and it's not hindering me at all....though 1000 calories does seem a bit low, that surprises me. But really, your friend is right, it all boils down to your body. You have to find something that works for you where you're not starving yourself and still getting the results you want!

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  2. Whoa, just went to a few websites to figure out my BMR and it's around 2000 but Fitday says my calorie limit is 1000. Big difference, but I've been eating 1500 calories a day right in the middle.

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  3. sounds like a good move, you need to eat more to lose weight, sounds strange but it really is about eating smaller more regular meals. I really hope this helps get you back on track!

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  4. I don't know enough about calories and BMRs to give advice, so I'm gonna quote some advice from some pirates instead. "Them's more guidelines than actual rules"

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  5. I think 1000 calories is too low. I wouldn't recommend eating under 1200. I would say 1500 calories is a good amount to eat for weight loss. If I were you I'd aim for between 1200 and 1700 calories each day, depending on how hungry you are x

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  6. Livestrong allows you to set the cal goal now. I set mine at 1400. It is under my BMR (needed to lose weight) and it enables me to get all the nutrition I need. I found what works for me..

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  7. I love this advice.
    Also, I would like to give one. Take a body scan to find out your real BMR. It's very helpful!

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  8. I always think it's best to listen to what your brain/body is telling you. You clearly know your body better than anyone else. If you feel the need for more energy then eat more but try and fuel your body with the right type of food. 1,000 calories a day seemed a little low especially if you were exercising too. I'm pleased your eating more.

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