March 21, 2008

• Oooooo....we have reader comments and response!

  Says my good friend Colleen:

  
  

  "This fascinates me too, and as I am currently having insomnia, I calculated my numbers! For my current weight, my EER=2552. I also calculated my EER based on my (eventual) goal weight to see what I would require to MAINTAIN that weight and my EER (for goal weight)=2216. I also used 1.12 for my activity factor, given how much (and how fast) I walk at work. I am not convinced that these numbers are accurate. I can tell you that if I consumed 2200 calories/day right now at my current weight , I would most likely GAIN. I don't know if this is a flaw in metabolism, as I have probably been BLESSED with a very SLOW metabolism, but these numbers don't particularly make sense to me. I have done a lot of education on diet with my patients and even for maintaining weight at a sedentary level, we aren't recommending this many calories. Now I'm going to be forced to do more reseach on daily calorie requirements.
  
  P.S. I love math!"

  
  

  Mmmmmkay.

  
  

  I have SOME answers. But not all and I would like to know what you find out.

  
  

  1.) Your current EER of 2552 is for the average person of your height, weight, age and activity level. It's a statistical thingiemabob but, suffice to say, 67% of people of your stats would actually be between 2350 and 2750 for calorie requirements and 95% of people of your stats would be between 2150 and 2950. If you're concerned about weight gain, I'd start at the low end with 2150 as your estimate.

  
  

  2.) I know you work your hiney off at work so this may be your EER for days that you work. But you need to calculate the value for days that you don't work too! I have no idea what your weight is right now, but I would just change the PA value from 1.12 to 1.0. That's the PA for someone who just does normal, everyday, hey-I'm-still-breathing type stuff. Then see what your value is (plus or minus 400 calories to be safe) and report back please! I want to know!

  
  

  3.) Have you ever had your BMR or RMR done? You can get a relatively good estimate online for the average person of your weight, height, age and sex or you can get one done at some gyms or hospitals. I've actually had mine done for work. I got to sit in a nifty tent and breathe - I have no idea how it works but I know that the two values were different! My calculated RMR is about 1500 and my actual one (from last July) was about 1850 or so. Now, this is just how many calories your body requires to breath, have chemical reactions, digest and have your heart beat. I'd be interested to know what the difference between your EER and your RMR. My difference, for example is 2250 (EER) - 1500 (RMR) = 750 calories or 2250 (EER) - 1850 (RMR) = 400 calories. Basically, that means my EER is giving me between 750 and 400 calories per day to do all the walking, exercising, eating, talking, laughing, etc that I do in a day.

  
  

  4.) Do you track your calories? I know when I started actually tracking, I was horrified to see how many calories I was actually consuming in a typical day. I was tracking before I started Weight Watchers and I was usually consuming between 2400 and 3000 calories each day. And this was when I wasn't exercising. I was having an excess of between 400 and 1000 calories EVERY DAY. Ugh. I have two problems that I think MOST people have. 

  
  

           A.) I have Calorie Amnesia. Hardcore. I literally forget, be it on purpose or on accident, how much I eat, how often I eat and what I eat. It sucks.

  
  

           B.) PORTION CONTROL I don't know about you, but I hate portion control. I also hate being aware that if I drink a 20 ounce bottle of soda, I just drank 2.5 portions. I hate that a serving of meat - including lean chicken and fish - is only the freakin' size of a deck of cards. TINY. I have this mentality that I am trying to reset that - MORE IS BETTER. I am SLOWLY learning to take QUALITY of food over QUANTITY of food.

  
  

          C.) Ooops, I can't count! But there is a third thing - if you eat out at all, unless you have the nutrition information right in front of you, don't assume that you have any clue about the calorie information. Restaurants are sneaky. Even places that seem in theory like they'd be healthier (like sub or deli places) can hide all kinds of sneaky fats and oils and huge portions sizes all over the place on you...

  
  

  5.) As well, I do not know how certain bodily conditions might change your EER. If you are certain medication or have certain conditions or are breastfeeding, for example, these values may very well change.

  
  

  Please note!!

  
  

  I'm not an RD so I can't actually give you advice or anything like that, I'm just giving you the information that I got out of my nutrition book. Also note that this is an ESTIMATE. And people are NOT all metabolically equal. Some of us are calorically challenged.

  
  

   

  • 12:33 pm
  • 5 Comments