Bmr

[Stefanie]

I have calculated my BMR and it is about 1800. I know calories aren't the main thing in this woe, but how low is it safe to eat? I've only been getting about 1400 calories on average so far. I don't want to send my body into starvation mode. I may have been lower the past couple of days, even, because I have been sick with the flu and haven't been counting and haven't been very hungry - just trying to get in veggies and some protein and fat.

When I feel better and start counting on fitday again, what is a safe number of calories to eat without going into starvation mode?

[Peej]

Re: Bmr

I'm eating well below my BMR (like I very rarely get within even 300 calories) and have tons of energy and am losing weight. If you start to feel tired, stall out, or start having cravings, then I think those are probably signs that you need to be consuming more. I think as a general rule that if you are consistently eating when you are hungry and eating until you are satisfied, you should be fine! Don't sweat the BMR thing. I did at first, but I learned to stop worrying about calories. Just make sure you are ingesting around the 65% fat 30% protein and 5% carbs and you should be fine. I usually am more about 60/35/5 and I think I'm doing good.

[Stefanie]

Re: BMR

Thanks, Peej! That makes sense. I appreciate your reply.

[not2late]

Re: Bmr

BMR is the Basal Metabolic Rate. That is the amount of calories your body needs just to live. So if you are in a coma, the BMR would be the number of calories the doctors will need to give you daily for your breathing, your heart beat, whatever brain function you have, etc. Anything below that is a starvation state.

[momonmission99*]

Re: Bmr

I Guess I'm starving! I would have to force feed myself to get up to that number.
I am just not hungry on this diet. I already have to make myself eat 3 meals. If I had to force myself to eat 1500 calories a day, I would throw up and then give up.

Your body knows when it's full. It gives you all kinds of signs. That is what I'm listening to. I don't feel like I'm starving at all.

[em200]

Re: Bmr

I Guess I'm starving! I would have to force feed myself to get up to that number.
I am just not hungry on this diet. I already have to make myself eat 3 meals. If I had to force myself to eat 1500 calories a day, I would throw up and then give up.

Your body knows when it's full. It gives you all kinds of signs. That is what I'm listening to. I don't feel like I'm starving at all.

you dont have to 'force' yourself to eat to hit your BMR...its easier if you choose foods that are more dense in calories (ie steak, cheese, ceasar dressing) i found that, although i was just as non-hungry on 1200 calories as i was on 1700, i lost better at 1700.

just something for you to think about...

[momonmission99*]

Re: Bmr

That's the thing, I am not staying away from fat.
I eat full fat dressings, I have cheeseburgers with mayo on them. I have full fat bacon and so on. I eat my full 4oz of cheese almost everyday. I just can't reach that number. I would be stuffing myself till I couldn't move.

[Stefanie]

Re: Bmr

OK - so I should eat 1800 calories a day until I lose more weight and my BMR is lowered, right? So what is the most calories I can consume and still lose weight?

[em200]

Re: Bmr

OK - so I should eat 1800 calories a day until I lose more weight and my BMR is lowered, right? So what is the most calories I can consume and still lose weight?

those questions cant really be answered ... you need to find out what works best for YOU ..

[Georgiana]

Re: Bmr

OK - so I should eat 1800 calories a day until I lose more weight and my BMR is lowered, right? So what is the most calories I can consume and still lose weight?

I agree with em200. You'll have to see what works for you. Indeed, as you lose weight, your BMR will gradually decrease. But sticking to a certain number of calories every day is quite difficult. I have days when I'm eating 1700 calories and days when I'm eating 2200 calories (my BMR is around 1600). The number will naturally vary depending on the source of those calories (some foods are more filling than others), on how much you are exercising, etc.

[Peej]

Re: Bmr

OK - so I should eat 1800 calories a day until I lose more weight and my BMR is lowered, right? So what is the most calories I can consume and still lose weight?

Its different for everyone. I guess you may lose more when you are closer to your BMR but I don't think I see much of a difference for myself. I really wouldn't worry about it too much. If you feel like your weight loss is not where it should be, try tweaking your calories until you get somewhere that makes you feel good. Its highly individual for everyone and it takes some experimentation. It might take awhile to get it right, but remember this information will be useful to you for life!

[not2late]

Re: Bmr

The side effect of this diet is appetite suppression. So, it's natural not to feel hungry on this WOE (great feeling isn't it?)

Dr. Atkins wrote that we didn't have to actively count calories on his diet. Partly because of the appetite suppression and partly because he wanted us to re-learn our hunger cues. We are born with the ability to know how much to eat for our bodies. Infants will only drink the amount of formula or milk they need to do their infant activities. When we become toddlers, well-meaning adults override that those inborn cues by encouraging us to eat more. So unless we were the really stubborn or picky eaters, we learned to ignore those natural cues and started basing our appetite by the amount of food on our plates (even if those amounts could feed a family of 6.)

You all are correct that our bodies won't let us starve because we'll eventually get hungry. And your amount of daily calories depends on what activities you are doing during the day.

But if you will follow your BMR or AMR or count your calories because you are used to counting calories and can't imagine doing a diet without counting them, you have to know that the BMR is the amount of calories your body needs just to stay alive. And you have to know that those calorie calculations are at best good guesses.

[Stefanie]

Re: Bmr

Thanks, everyone for your responses!

I'm definitely not used to counting calories. I really don't like counting anything, but know that I need to keep track of carbs at first and later other things if I am going to be successful this time on this woe.

I am down 9lbs since Monday, so I'm not sure why I am worrying about this, but I just don't want to do anything wrong.

Thanks again, everyone!

[Peej]

Re: Bmr

Thanks, everyone for your responses!

I'm definitely not used to counting calories. I really don't like counting anything, but know that I need to keep track of carbs at first and later other things if I am going to be successful this time on this woe.

I am down 9lbs since Monday, so I'm not sure why I am worrying about this, but I just don't want to do anything wrong.

Thanks again, everyone!

I definitely know how you feel. I worried about it a lot too at first. I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right! In the end though, I think Atkins isn't just about losing weight but re-learning how to eat. Counting calories every single day is difficult to maintain over a long period of time. I say go by hunger first and if you have issues, examine calories later.