RMR, BMR, Calories needed, OH MY!

I sure could use someone's honest help out there.

I have lost 35 pounds in two years. I finally started exercises 4 times per week at Curves. Next month I will be switching to SNAP Fitness. I am large framed and have fabulously strong muscles (i used to bodybuild with my husband, but then the kids came). The problem is I have a layer of fat over my muscles and it looks like more fat!

I heard you were to figure out your RMR to find out how many calories you need to lose weight and calories needed for basic function.

So, here's my question (and forgive me if this seems simplistic). If I'm 230 pounds, 5'6, F, how many calories do I need to survive and how many calories should i stick to to lose weight?

Thanks! It's all confusing to me!

Thu. Mar 27, 2:44pm

I used 30 as your age. The results of your calculations are: BMR 1,844

BMR only represents resting energy expenditure or calories burned during a day of rest, so an adjustment must be made to reflect activity level. This can be done by multiplying by an activity factor:
1.55 Moderate exercise or sports 3-5 days a week = 2,858

So, if you cut your calories down to about 2,000, you will lose about 1.5 pounds per week. I would shoot for the low side (1800-1900) because people tend to underestimate the calorie counts in most foods.

As you lose weight, your BMR will get lower. For example, when you get down to 200, your BMR will drop to 2,623. You would then lower your calories to 1800 to yield the same results of 1.5 pounds per week.

Link

Thursday, March 27, 2008, 3:01 PM

I think you should focus on running a lot. I used to be really strong and into lifting for years and then experienced the same thing you are talking about ( I am a guy though) and then I started real easy on a treadmill running bit by bit and thought of myself more as a runner until I lost a bunch of weight and now I am lifting again and I look better than I did in the beginning and can run over 10 miles and bench oer 250 lbs. wahoo
Pick up Runner's World and focus on cardio and diet, (I agree with the PP's suggestions) then the lifting will be like a reward for all that hard work!

Thursday, March 27, 2008, 3:42 PM

OP checking in.

Thanks for the info everyone!

3:42--I was thinking about running. A talked to the personal trainer that owns the center i work out at and she said since I have hypothyroid due to Hashimoto's, I need to make my workouts 60% cardio and 40% weights (since that keeps me happy). I would love to chit chat with you about how you started running. Can we start a small group? Are you up for that?

Congrats on your success! That's amazing.

I finally got to benching 125!

Thursday, March 27, 2008, 3:49 PM

Those numbers a previous poster gave you work for people who are "normal". You have a hypothyroid condition, which directly affects your metabolism, so you need to get a personal reading. Think about it...if your RMR is really 1300 not 1800, that's a pound a week you're justifiably expecting to lose but won't. That's a recipe for giving up.

I also do NOT recommend running at your current weight - your risk for shin splints, stress fractures, plantar fasciitis and all kinds of knee problems is way too high. And when one of those things crops up, it derails your fitness plan for anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. I recommend waiting until you get your BMI under 30 through other means. It's better to use running as a way to stay in shape rather than a way to get in shape.

Thursday, March 27, 2008, 6:52 PM

PP - thanks, I forgot to mention that you can easily get your RMR calculated for about $50.

Friday, March 28, 2008, 8:45 AM

where can you get your RMR checked?

Friday, March 28, 2008, 8:54 AM

Registered Dieticians, some Bally's gyms, some "weight loss doctors" (e.g. bariatric and endocrinologists). The gadget is called a MedGem - google their site, see if they have a searchable database.

Friday, March 28, 2008, 11:56 AM

go to caloriesperhour.com it has all the calculators youll ever need to figur out all of that

Thursday, April 3, 2008, 1:22 PM

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