Type 1 Base metabolic rate

[zicksi101]

I'm mainly asking this to get a feel for whether this is something that we even consider as diabetics.

Here's the story.

Recently, I've stopped eating supper and have been abstaining from food after dinner, and I'm seeing good results with it in that my basal insulin sensitivity is improving in the evening, and I have seen fat loss (down to 13% now). As a type 1 who has been offered Metformin to manage insulin resistance, which was causing a bad case of dawn phenomenon, this is very positive, because I've been able to get the desired results without another drug.

Here's the thing... I have realised that the number of calories I'm consuming is actually below my calculated base metabolic rate:

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/DietMakeupCalc.php

So the calculator is estimating that my BMR is 1.770 calories per day. I've been eating 1500 calories per day.

My question is... do you actually care about BMR? When we go to these clinic appointments, they are not concerned with BMR, it is never discussed. It's all about carb counting and the suggestion to reduce insulin. Well... bottom line is, if I eat more, I am going to end up having to take more insulin here.

So, is a slowed metabolism is actually considered to be a bad thing for a diabetic? Or rather a positive adaptation to diet? Understand that I'm trying my best not make excuses here...

Discuss.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. Ignore any establishment recommendations on calorie intake, carb intake or whatever as they may suit the food industry coffers and be OK if you want to be obese; they just make it up! You need to find out what suits you. Basically forget calories. Keep the carbs down to something like 150gm/day or less and increase the proteins and fats to keep you feeling full. Your body will soon shout if you aren't having enough intake.

 

[zicksi101]

Yeah that's what I thought, makes sense. Calculators are one thing but finding out what actually works is good too!

I have lost weight recently, down to 13% body fat, weight train 3x a week, run 3x a week, blood sugars and insulin coming down. So I've been making progress.

The reason I started looking at this is body started shouting, but I know it's better for me to use objective measures than try to go on how I feel. I think I need to increase calories *a little*, see how that goes, keep track until I'm maintaining weight, write it all down, etc, etc. Just trying to keep it healthy and sustainable.

Thanks!

 

[TorqPenderloin]

Hi. Ignore any establishment recommendations on calorie intake, carb intake or whatever as they may suit the food industry coffers and be OK if you want to be obese; they just make it up! You need to find out what suits you. Basically forget calories. Keep the carbs down to something like 150gm/day or less and increase the proteins and fats to keep you feeling full. Your body will soon shout if you aren't having enough intake.

Sorry, but I disagree.

Calories may be much less important if your body fat percentage is above 20%, but when it ventures down below 15% they become significantly more important. In my opinion, dropping from 20% body fat down to 15% is tremendously easier than dropping from 15% down to 10%. At those levels EVERYTHING becomes important.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is an important calculation, but most people read too much into it. It's a baseline to get a rough idea of how many calories your body needs in a day if you were 100% sedentary (laid in bed all day). Much like BMI calculations, there are always exceptions, but for most people it's a helpful number.

Obviously, we don't lay in bed all day which means BMR by itself doesn't mean much. That's when you start to add in rough calculations for the types of exercise you do. Again, these are baselines for creating a diet and there will always be variation from person to person.

Eventually, you end up at a number that equates to your daily caloric maintenance. Most BMR calculations say I need 2100 calories a day, and most exercise calculators say I burn about 800-1100 calories. In practice, my daily caloric maintenance is about 3000-3500 calories/day which isn't far off from most calculators.

So is a slowed metabolism bad for a diabetic (or anyone for that matter)? I think most people would say yes, and if you disagree you'd certainly be the first I've ever encountered.

Personally, I look at it from a different perspective. The caloric deficit is causing you to lose body fat which certainly promotes insulin sensitivity. Plus, you're exercising regularly which also promotes insulin sensitivity. The two combined sound like they're yielding solid results, but the side-effect is that over time your body will adjust to the decreased calorie intake. There are ways to combat that, but I generally wait to cross that bridge until I get to it.