Metabolic Testing

So I did it.  I coughed up the $125 for the metabolic testing and I'm glad I did.  You can't do all the online calculators in the world but unless you are medically tested yourself it's all just a guesstimate.  I needed medical evidence of what my metabolism was and what I should be eating.

I'm going to start with my results from past biometrics testing just so I have everything in one place.

09/2012
Body Fat:  14.8% with electric current done at the gym

Biometrics testing received through work wearing clothes/no shoes and no full metabolic testing was done.
01/10/2013
Weight:  123.4
BMI:  19.3
Body Fat:  22% with electric current (recommended 17-25%)
Body Fat:  18.3 (calipers)
Resting Metabolism:  1,304 (guesstimate)
Body Age:  19
Visceral Fat:  2 (recommended <10)
Skeletal Muscle:  33% (recommended 24-29%)
Waist:  25
Hips:  35

My own at home measurements with weigh in nude.  When I get home I'm going to take my measurements again and I'll post them here.  I'm scared to see what they are.
06/17/2013
Weight:  120
BMI:  18.8
Bust:  32.5
Waist:  26 3/4
Hips:  35
Thigh:  20
Bicept:  10
 
Biometrics testing received through work wearing clothes/no shoes and no full metabolic testing was done.
10/23/2013
Weight:  127.4
BMI:19.9
Body Fat:  23.7% with electric current (recommended 17-25%)
Body Fat:  16.9 (calipers)
Resting Metabolism:  1,327 (guesstimate)
Body Age: 20
Visceral Fat:  2 (recommended <10)
Skeletal Muscle:  32.3% (recommended 24-29%)
Waist:  27

January 2014 Measurements taken today
Bust: 32.5"
Waist: 27"
Hips: 36"
Weight:  127.8

The full metabolic testing results.  Wearing clothes no shoes.
01/08/14 
Weight:  127.2
BMI:19.9
Fat Weight:  23 lbs
Fat Free Weight:  104.2 lbs (skeletal and muscle)
Body Fat:  18.1% with electric current (80th percentile for women) (recommended 17-25%)
Resting Basal Metabolic Rate:  1,486 scientifically proven

Recommendations:
Do not eat below 1,486 calories based on BMR
Weight maintenance:  1,932 calories
Weight Loss:  1,700-1,800 calories per day
25% Fat:  47g
50% Carbs:  212.5g
25% Protein:  106g
Increase calories slowly by 100-150 calories every two weeks until I get there.
(I told her I was looking to lose about 5lbs although really it's about 9).

What this tells me is that in order to maintain my basic bodily functions such as breathing, heart beating and brain fuctions is 1,486 calories.  My metabolism is not screwed and it's crazy to think that I used to exist on almost half of that.  She says that she would think I would be pleasantly surprised.  Mind blown because it is actual science telling me this. I fasted for 12 hours priors, did not exercise for 24 hours prior and sat in a chair with a breathing mask and these were the results based on my body and not some online calculations.  Which turns out were fairly accurate.  This tells me that I need to be eating more.  She confirmed that the 25% Fat, 50% Calories and 25% protein ratio that I have been doing since the 1st was accurate.  Unlike the nutritionist who claims that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie she says that the composition of what you eat matters and makes a different in weight loss.  Which is what I always thought.  For everything else I'm shooting for Sodium: 1800mg or less, Sugar 40g or less and Fiber 30 minimum.  It's a balancing act.

The TDEE/IIFYM calculator link is pretty right on.  I did their Total Daily Energy Expenditure calculator in every way possible and the lowest calorie count I came up with that it recommends is 1,666 calories per day for maintenance and then for "reckless" fat loss it was 1,333.  I'm glad I know for sure where my body is it's just a matter of seeing if I can apply it.  My BM's have been regular.  I've been drinking about 48 oz of water per day and not retaining it which is good.  I actually pee like a normal person.  Although, I still find that I retain on the weekends and I have no idea what it is about going to work that allows me to let out what comes in.  I have even started drinking coffee on the weekends and I try to keep up the water and it's still an issue. Weird.

Since the New Year I was afraid to cut calories too much so I focused on the 25/50/25 ratio and cut from 1,300 to 1,200.  According to my test results this is too low.  I am totally terrified of increasing but I think I want to give it a shot in the name of science.  I went ahead and put 1,500 as my budget in Lose It but I am shooting for 1,300 right now and I will raise that slowly until I get to 1,500 and see how I feel.  Maybe that's why when I got back from Hawaii I was 125 lbs and I haven't seen that number since forever.  That tells me that I could presumably try the higher calories for about 8 days and really, really try not to freak out because I've done it before.  The difference would be that it is truly intentional; not a screw up and I would be eating healthy since I'm not on vacation. 

Weekly Report for week of December 30, 2013

Daily Summary
	Budget	Food	Exer.	Net	+/-	Weight
Dec-30-13	1,251	1,165	130	1,035	-45	128.4
Dec-31-13	1,251	1,833	-	1,833	582	128.4
Jan-1-14	1,251	1,166	-	1,166	-85	129.2
Jan-2-14	1,254	1,218	100	1,118	-136	129.6
Jan-3-14	1,247	1,225	-	1,225	-22	128.6
Jan-4-14	1,242	1,155	-	1,155	-86	127.8
Jan-5-14	1,246	1,226	155	1,071	-175	128.4
208 calories under for the week
385 exercise calories burned this week
Lost 0 pounds this week

Turns out when you actually eat a proper balanced diet and stick to it you cannot eat too much junk and sweets.  There simply isn't room if you want your percentages to come out right.  You can also eat a heck of a lot more food when it's nutritionally dense.  How easy it is to eat a giant unhealthy meal or a bunch of empty junk and burn through 1,000 calories in one sitting.  Yesterday I couldn't even get in all the food I planned because I didn't get home until 8:30pm.  Today I planned ahead feel like there is so much food!  And I'm not even hungry.  It definitely cuts the snacking urges big time.  I've been playing around with foods in the app to see what I can and can't eat to keep the numbers right and this is what it looks like.  I still have my fiber 1 cereal, carrots and Greek yogurt to gobble down before I leave work and I'm not even hungry.  I'm trying to do the protein at lunch which I would have never done in a million years before so that I don't get hungry.  Dinner looks kinda funny.  Based on where I was at during the day that's enough for me to get in what I need to meet my calorie AND percentage goals.  It's really hard to stay on exact numbers for percentages too so I don't expect that as long as I get close.   I probably need to start fitting in even more food during the work day because that's a lot to eat when I get home before bed.  I may drop the ice cream.  I just added it because I needed more carbs and it put me to 1,300.

Daily Report for January 9, 2014

Daily Log
Breakfast		221
Egg Beaters	½ Cup	67
Bacon, Fully Cooked, Oscar Mayer	1 Slice	27
Creamer, French Vanilla, International Delight	1 Tablespoon	45
Coffee, brewed w/tap water	10 Fluid ounces	3
Danish Butter Cookies, Kelsen	2 Each	80
Lunch		477
Carrots, Fresh	6 Ounces	70
Yogurt, Total, 0%, Fage	4 ½ Ounces	75
Honey, BillyBee	1 Teaspoon	20
Chicken Breast, Grilled, Seasoned	1 ¼ Servings	213
Spice, Cinnamon, Ground	1 Teaspoon	6
Cereal, Original, Fiber One	½ Cup	60
Popcorn Nearly Naked	1 Cup	32
Dinner		330
Cheese, String (28oz), Frigo	1 Each	80
Ezekiel 4:9 low sodium	1 Serving	80
Bread, Double Fiber (38g), Oroweat	1 Each	80
Peanut Butter, Creamy (32g), Planters	1 Tablespoon	90
Snacks		282
Tangerines, Med, Fresh	1 Each	47
Apple (5oz M, 9oz Lg)	6 ¼ Ounces	102
Ice Cream, Light, Coffee (60g=1/2c), Dreyer's Slow Churned	⅔ Cup	133

Nutrients
Fat	40g	26%
Saturated Fat	14g
Cholesterol	134mg
Sodium	1250mg
Carbohydrates	173g	49%
Fiber	36g
Sugars	76g
Protein	89g	25%

Summary
Food Calories	1,310
Exercise Calories	-
Net Calories	1,310
+/- Calories	-207
Weight	127.8

So that's where I'm at right now.  My goal is to make it to 1,500 and then see how I feel from there.  I really cannot imagine eating 1,700 calories if 1,300 feels like a ton.  If the scale starts to go up I'm going to freak out.  And then what?  I'm really glad that I know for sure where my metabolism is though so I can at least try to move forward.  She says she's tested women who have below 1,000 on their metabolic rate.  I was afraid that's what I was looking at but it turns out I'm better off then I thought.  I feel huge.  My mind is anxious and I'm still really scared but at least this test has eased some of my fears.  I just don't get it.  Why do most diets tell you to eat 1,200 calories when I have a metabolism that supposedly needs 1,500 just to function and live.  Why do I still gain when I eat what is supposedly what would make me loose?  How could I possible eat 1,900 calories which is supposedly maintenance and not expect to be as big as a house?  I'm so confused.  She said trust me.  This is how much you can eat.  I really want to believe her.