Low metabolism has me at my wit's end.

L

LostArk

New member
Ten years ago my metabolism was measured at Duke University, which revealed that it was shockingly low. The doctors were convinced I had to be suffering from disease, but a litany of testing didn't turn up anything abnormal. To this day all my labs are normal, my blood pressure is normal, and I have no signs of metabolic syndrome. The only measurement out of whack is my weight. I'm convinced my low metabolism must be some kind of genetic pathology.

In any case, I find the level of calorie restriction I need for weight loss to be unendurable. I am a 190cm male with a basal metabolic rate of 1600kCal / day. Exercise simply increases my appetite to ravenous levels. I've tried every kind of diet, including raw vegetable diets. They are temporarily effective, but I slowly lose the battle against hunger. I recently started lifting weights, but after making 100% progress in every muscle group over the course of 6 months, I just found out today (after having another metabolic study) that my metabolism has *gone down.* My body seems to be incredibly effective at keeping me at my current weight, which I have been at since my teens. I guess I should be happy I don't gain weight, but damn if this isn't frustrating.

Am I doomed? Should I just accept my genetics, my weight, and move on? Should I be considering something extreme like a long duration water only fast? Weight loss drugs? Bariatric surgery? Gene therapy?
 
i do not suggest the Weight loss drugs, it will effect your body deeply. maybe gene therapy is a good choice, first you should make a dna test.
 
Hey sorry to hear about your frustrations, fortunately there are solutions. if all tests came back normal then your low metabolism is due your lifestyle decisions which means there are many ways to increase it with sleep, water, protein, meal timing, resistance training, hormone rebalance etc.

weight loss drugs can also be extremely effective and safe when used correctly, for the right reasons and under the supervision of a professional.
I am a pharmacist and have seen amazing life saving results with many prescription weight loss drugs that were prescribed and used correctly so it is disadvantageous to you to just write them off. speak to your doctor or pharmacist about these options.

the most important thing t know is that you have many options, you are not doomed and you just need to put in some work finding the right weight loss solution for you.

let me know if you have any questions
 
Hi, thanks for sharing... Firstly YOU ARE NOT DOOMED.

Metabolism is an interesting one for sure. There is no doubt that some people have "stubborn" fat, when compared to others. Obviously as we age, we tend to hit barriers as we get older so in a way, most people will experience what you are describing.

My immediate thoughts when reading your post were:

1. Have you ever approached a personal trainer or registered sports nutritionist / dietitian regarding your situation?
2. How old are you?
3. Resting metabolic rate - is a two sided coin... The heavier you are, the higher your RMR will be as it is the amount needed to SUSTAIN your current weight. At the same time, you can lose fat (roughly 1/5th of the mass of muscle when compared gram for gram) and gain lean muscle, through resistance training and higher intensity training methods. This transformation of fat to muscle, will actually force RMR to increase proportionally, thereby allowing you to eat more in the long run and not put on excess weight.

A GREAT method for weight loss is using knowlege of your RMR and body fat % to dictate how you should be training and what you should be eating. Regardless of metabolism, these two factors are highly influential when aiming to reform your body.

From my side - Surgeries and weight loss pills are a big NO NO until a food and exercise first approach has been fully exhausted. I would say that 99% of the time, this is never the case - it is more likely you just haven't found the right guidance to help you cross those barriers.

Happy to help with any queries - Just some thoughts from my end :)
 
Hi there is no such thing as stubborn fat and rmr is not a two sided coin.

"The heavier you are, the higher your RMR will be as it is the amount needed to SUSTAIN your current weight"- completely incorrect understanding of rmr. there are too many factors to consider to make such a vague unscientific statement.

"From my side - Surgeries and weight loss pills are a big NO NO until a food and exercise first approach has been fully exhausted." there are lots of people with genetic, metabolic and medical problems that will not lose weight with diet and exercise. a doctor can determine this and save the person time, money and effort.

This type of internet information is ok for the average person trying to lose weight. your situation seems different and needs medical intervention. please consult a doctor first.
 
Hi ThinHappy40, you make some great points -

You are correct there is no such thing as stubborn fat - yet someone with a low metabolic rate may find it harder to oxidise a set amount of fat for a given amount of work at a given intensity or daily energy expenditure - so a nice analogy may be to call that "stubborn fat" to emphasize that point to the reader :)

I simply refer to RMR being a "two sided coin" as a lot of people simply look to lose weight through diet pills etc or calorie restriction, which yes, can be effective in reducing adipocity, but you have to ask - how many people will YOYO straight back to their previous weight once they begin consuming a more sustainable diet again? And if so why is this?

However implementing weight loss (if possible) through a (good) exercise intervention, will promote skeletal muscle adaptation simultaneously, leading to improvements in lean body mass - in turn having positive effects on someones resting metabolic rate - after all skeletal muscle is the site of fat oxidation as a fuel source. Lean mass + training can certainly (again in most cases) benefit this relationship :)

A range of professions would choose to undoubtedly handle a situation of this nature differently - I some professions may advocate surgery or medical based interventions immediately, and get success - but for sustainable long term change, an exercise model often wins.

Most exercise physiologists and sports nutritionists working with people to achieve weight loss, can do so successfully 99% of the time (there is for sure a 1% with metabolic disorders but LostArk says they have not been clinically diagnosed with any metabolic syndrome) and the reason for this is probably due to the fact it is extremely rare to find someone struggling with weight loss that has actually invested and undertaken a professionally developed exercise and nutritional (food first) regimen with a professional person - again exercise is a complex topic for someone not experienced in that profession so this is understandable

I agree consulting a medical physician will do no harm - neither will approaching a performance nutritionist or highly skilled personal trainer :)

You have got to pick a strategy that works for you at the end of the day! These are just some suggestions to help you get there.
 
i agree that exercise and diet should be your first choice, but i have worked with a number of patients who have been frustrated with minimal results from this process. the percentage of these people is alot greater than 1%. this forum alone will show you the 100's of people who have failed to lose weight with diet and exercise. these people need extra help. when they combine that extra help with diet and exercise the results are phenomenal and life changing.

i also agree that increasing muscle mass increases rmr. i devoted a whole chapter of my book to this. its one of the few guaranteed ways to increase rmr. I still dont agree with the stubborn fat and metabolic rate relationship. from my research i think "stubborn fat" the term used by many refers to the last place on a person body that they lose fat. this is genetically determined. dont know if you agree with this?

what do you think is the best way ( exercise) to put on the most muscle with the least amount of work.?
 
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