Question concerning BMR

(Bill C) #1

I use two sources to monitor my weight and my diet. A scale that gives all the readings. In addition to weight it gives body fat %, BMR, etc. I also use Cron-o-meter. They both have identical data inputs about me (height, weight, age, etc.), but the scale says my BMR is 1462 while Cronometer says it is 1778. A huge difference when you are trying to lose weight. You need to get an accurate BMR to determine what you are net burning each day.

Can anyone speak to this? Why would there be such a big discrepancy?

(TJ Borden) #2

Because there’s NO way a calculator can determine your exact BMR. You just hit on the core reason counting calories for the purpose of weight loss is a waste of time… for MOST people (I have to add that disclaimer to keep @tdean off my back :wink:).

(Terence Dean) #3

Ok I’ll bite. :wink: Bill I’m a self-confessed calorie counter and I highly recommend Cronometer its the BEST calorie counter out there in my opinion. (watch the hate mail arrive now). Ok before the Keto police :police_car: arrive to take me back to my padded cell here’s my take.

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I use the above default setting based on the Mifflin St. Jeor Equation which calculates my BMR at 1981 kcal but equally, you could insert 1462 kcal by selecting custom and enter your BMR if you wanted to be more precise. I don’t bother because I still lose weight, the end result on the scale is what matters to me anyway.
If anyone can understand the calculation to work out your BMR below congratulations. :rofl:

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Ok now put the handcuffs on officer, I’m done, KCKO. :keto: :policeman:

(TJ Borden) #4

I knew I could count on you.

(Bill C) #5

Thank you for your response, Terence. I checked another site on the internet and they gave an even higher BMR number than Cron-o-meter of 1815. I just find it odd that there is such disparity in arriving at one’s BMR. I guess I’ll stick with Cron-o-meter’s number of 1778 since that will make things easier. And in the end I will see whether total number of pounds lost is in line with their projections.

Why have you gotten grief using Cron-o-meter? I’m happy with it.

(TJ Borden) #6

I’ll let you take this one :joy:

(Terence Dean) #7

No its a tongue-in-cheek comment Bill, calorie counting is a no-no in some people’s opinion. If you get any grief just quote N=1. :wink:

(TJ Borden) #8

HEY YO!! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

It’s me… he’s talking about me.

@tdean and I have very different approaches and both work for some and not for others. You’ll need to experiment and see what works for you.

(Terence Dean) #9

TJ is bang on, we’re all different and there’s no absolute way to do Keto.

Strict or Lazy Keto; its all good if it works for you.

(Nicole Silvia) #10

I used to count calories, logged my training workouts, how well I performed, measured my waist and weighed myself daily for years. That’s how I learned where I needed to be for calories.

But honestly, I do not advice it. It’s obsessive and there will be days where you need more calories or less. I never denied myself if I was really hungry, I had low body fat and had a very high energy sport. BMR doesn’t matter much since it may change day to day.

The only TRUE testing for metabolic rates is done in a lab where they make you run on a treadmill while monitoring you and wearing a mask. It’s an expensive process.

(TJ Borden) #11

AND…

It’s a snapshot. Once you leave the clinic, a simple change in temp from inside to outside changes your output. Stuck in traffic on the way home, guess what, the stress changed it again.

(Nicole Silvia) #12

Lol, nothing is perfect! That’s why we should focus on listening to our bodies :slight_smile:

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #13

It is just maths formulas. There are several of them used all over the internet. It was originally used for populations not individuals. I personally have wasted hours on those. But not anymore.

I know my BMR has gone down when I am cold, if I am feeling warmer, it is up. And that is all that matters to me now.

My suggestion is to pick one and use it, disregard all the rest and get on with your life. Mifflin-St. Jeor is used by several sites, some use Harris Benedict Equation, google to find more if you really want to confuse yourself.

Life is just so much more simple to count the carbs and keep’em low. eat some protein, and some fat to satiety. Works me and several other thousands on the forums.

All the best sorting yourself out.

(charlie3) #14

Cronometer says my BMR is 1400 calories. I just received a scale like you have and it says 1600 calories. The scale estimates my fat percent at 11.5%. That is very close to what I established by other means. I’m not satisfied with my energy levels after 5-6 months on keto at 20 net carbs. Either I can’t make enough muscle fuel from fats or, may be I’ve been eating 200 calories less per day than I believed. As an experient eat 65 grams of carbs. For the next several days my workouts were noticably stronger. But the scale suggests may be I’m not eating enough by 200 calories per day. The first thing I’m going to try is keeping at 20 net carbs and raising calories. If that doesn’t help I’ll raise carbs from 20 to 50 grams and see what happens.

(Bill C) #15

Other than controlling insulin levels I’m not sure why one should work so hard to keep carb levels so low. And wouldn’t it matter more WHEN you consume the carbs? So, for example, if you have say half a slice of watermelon at one meal and then the other half at a later meal you wouldn’t have to worry about insulin spikes. Initially I strictly held to the keto guidelines but I have found I can stay comfortably in ketosis while exceeding recommended carb levels.

(Bill C) #16

Wow! That is extremely low. I’m nearly twice that.

(TJ Borden) #17

Many don’t need to keep them as low as the 20grams we talk about. 20 grams is the level that pretty much guaranteed to get you into ketosis, but many are able to do 50-100 grams a day.

That’s a lot like saying “other than dying, what’s the problem with popping cyanide pills…

Insulin IS the point. If I’m going to have a slice of watermelon, I’m having it at once versus over a couple sessions because I’m trying to limit my insulin response. Being insulin resistant, my insulin response lasts several hours. If I have watermelon in the morning, then again in the afternoon, I’m pretty much locking in high insulin all day.

(TJ Borden) #18

I’m…well numbers aren’t important :unamused:

(Raj Seth) #19

WTF!?!?!? He’s Baytowvin, not Bacontowvin.
Leave him be!!! Sheesh

(TJ Borden) #20

:rofl::rofl: I left him with no choice. We balance each other. I’m the yin to his yang, the right to his wrong :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::rofl::rofl::rofl: