So I saw a TikTok with a man ranting about how people who ate only 1200 cal a day were insane because the Basel metabolic rate aka BMR (calories you burn asleep not even moving) for a 5’4 woman in her 30s is 1,450 calories. Well I knew this wasn’t true for me, as I seem to maintain at 1,200 calories, even though I am 5’7. So I looked it up and having PCOS affects you BMR and having PCOS with insulin resistance greatly affects it. I thought I’d show this to all of you, because I feel like people shame me for saying I am eating so little but really I have no choice if I don’t want to be obese. Link to the study in the comments!
by InGeekiTrust
23 Comments
Here is a [link to the study!](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001502820801008X#:~:text=Adjusted%20BMR%20was%201%2C868%20%C2%B1,in%20PCOS%20women%20with%20IR)
People are in denial about how many daily calories we need to maintain healthy weights. It was a process of elimination to figure out my individual TDEE and how to stay within my weekly calorie budget and not feel completely restricted. I don’t have PCOS or any other health issue that impacts my hormones/ability to lose or gain weight, and I’d never judge someone for having a low daily calorie limit if that amount is keeping them at maintenance!
That significantly depends on their height and weight, I’m sure??
with the possibility of only burning 1010 calories a day
dang.
wtf whyyy 😩 aka this all makes sense
That’s just BMR though, not TDEE. I don’t have PCOS and my BMR is about 1150, but I’m short.
I can only lose weight eating less than 1200. I don’t have PCOS, but I do have Hashimoto’s, and I’m wondering if I also have an insulin resistance. I exercise 3-5 times a week, eat well, and cannot lose weight no matter what.
People clutch their pearls when I tell them that 1200 only helps me maintain. It’s rough out here!
My BMR sits between 1300-1400 and what I burn from exercise is about 20-30% less than what is often calculated due to my low muscle mass compared to control groups. I am 5’8 with hashi’s, mild insulin resistance & a “skinny fat” body type. It is a process to learn about our bodies. Especially as a group underrepresented in research (women!)
BMR and tdee are two different things and no, not all women with pcos are the same exact metabolism and burn the same exact bmr.
Also, this has a range, a bmr of 1200 for example is a fair bmr. At 4’11”, my bmr is 1006 last I had a dexa (and when that can have a margin of error). My tdee is 1600 on average on sedentary days and around 2000 on active days. Bmr is just the number your body needs to exist.
Having pcos or insulin resistance is generally the difference of 100-200 calories. It’s not a huge amount. It can be higher in those with higher body weight; but everything is higher. Your BMR, TDEE, body fat, etc. is higher, so the calorie difference would also be larger than someone closer to a lower body weight.
It’s heavily dependent on the individual. Even acknowledging that pcos and insulin resistance can decrease your bmr.
This study is also quite outdated, since it is 15 years old.
The worst thing about pcos for me isn’t just about decreasing bmr. It’s about constant uncontrolled ravenous hunger AND the bmr issue. Just the worst 😭
That’s a small percentage of people. There’s going to be normal insulin people without PCOS who are gonna see this and be like “See! CICO just isn’t worth it”
My maintenance is 1400 at 5’6”, which is a bit lower than most calorie calculators estimate. I have PCOS and insulin resistance. Trial and error!
I’m 5’6”, 145 pounds, and my BMR is less than 1400 with my TDEE being pretty much the exact same as my BMR. I don’t have PCOS though, I’m just extremely sedentary with very little muscle due to chronic illness and disability.
The number of people who are actively tracking calories and still manage to confuse BMR and TDEE is frankly a little alarming.
If you have reached a point in your weight loss journey where you are honestly contemplating eating less than your BMR, questions about your diet/exercise are way above reddit’s pay grade. Please please seek input from an actual medical professional (not, like, reading studies or blogs but rather talking directly to a person about your personal health) before you start eating less than the amount of fuel your body needs for its organs to function correctly.
I’m also on a beta blocker so i definitely burn less than that LOL
The heavier I am, the lower my TDEE- I think this is because of insulin resistance increasing as I have more mass.
I don’t do cardio because it makes me RAVENOUS.
I prioritize hitting high amounts of protein, avoiding inflammatory/over-processed foods, getting plenty of rest and hydration, and weightlifting. This gives me the best results.
When I’m fit and weigh 120-130 lbs, I seem to burn many more daily calories than when I am 140-160lbs. I am 5’5” with PCOS and insulin resistance.
Virtually are these studies get debunked later but that doenst make any headlines. Also PCOS would have to change the laws of biology and physics to do this, which seemingly is impossible.
I only say this because it’s just important not to lose hope, and going under 1200 can be dangerous, and I want to keep people safe. All of us can lose weight just be sticking to a1200 calorie a day diet.
I don’t have PCOS or Insulin resistance and my BMR is 1350 and I am 5’5” fml
Honestly 1,868 seems super high for the control group. I weigh over 200lbs, no diagnosed PCOS or insulin resistance, and my BMR (as measured by an obesity specialist physician) is 1,729
How can you possibly say that without any knowledge of height, weight, or baseline activity level
From the study:
The study included 91 Greek women with PCOS, with a mean age of 24.03 ± 0.55 years and a mean BMI of 26.67 ± 0.69 kg/m2, and 48 age- and BMI-matched regularly menstruating women, with a mean age of 26.33 ± 0.93 years and a mean BMI 23.35 ± 0.85 kg/m2, as control subjects. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained by the University Hospital Ethical Committee.
I do wonder the height of the women though. BMR of 1800 is incredibly high. I’m 5’5 with TDEE of 1600 at sedentary and BMR of 1300.
How tall does a woman have to be to have BMR of 1800?
That is not your TDEE. All the studies showing the lower number is a study that was done on older women who would have lower tdee regardless. I have pcos with IR and have lost 50lbs on 1200 calories per day (5’4″)
Can we please NOT propagate harmful misinformation as a way to try to counter other harmful misinformation? K thanks 🙏