What am I doing wrong?

zaftiggirl

*Nutrition diary is open*

I'm technically obese, former athlete (so I already had a fair amt of muscle), 23 years old, 5'8" and started at 252 lbs on April 15. Since then, I have followed a heavy lifting/light cardio and reasonably 'clean' eating program. I have checked my TDEE -25% on multiple sites and I always get a number between 2000-2200, so I have been eating between 1950-2200 each day, with at least 130 grams of protein per day. In that time, I have definitely gained a lot of strength, and I have lost about an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips. But the actual weight loss is going at a snails pace. I have weighed between 243-246 for about 4 weeks now. I have been trying to mix up my macros to see if that has anything to do with it - maybe eating 100g of carbs rather than 150g-180g? If I was closer to a healthy weight I wouldn't be so concerned about scale weight, but I really want to do something that works. Losing 1.5 lbs a week of fat, at this stage, doesn't seem like an unreasonable expectation - would lowering calories to 1800 work better, in my specific case?

smn76237

1) Do you use a food scale?
2) I'd add sodium to things that you track. High sodium can make you retain water and thus mask weight loss.

zaftiggirl

I do have a food scale, but I haven't used it a ton - that's a good suggestion.

Are you saying track the salt I sprinkle on food?

smn76237

In your diary, you can track sodium along with your other macros like fat, protein, and carbs. I don't know off the top of my head how to add it--it's in settings somewhere.

Food scale is key, especially when you're eating at a moderate deficit. It is really easy to underestimate your portion sizes of everything. I weigh everything I eat, including vegetables.

Also, I just kind of scanned back a couple weeks. I notice you eat out a lot, which can be fine, but nutritional info for things you don't prepare yourself won't always be accurate. Each individual restaurant in a chain won't always prepare their food exactly the same way, so you could also be eating more calories than you think.

I do have a food scale, but I haven't used it a ton - that's a good suggestion.

Are you saying track the salt I sprinkle on food?

saeede83

Can I ask why you are eating close to your TDEE? and why light cardio? I read in "new rules of lifting for women" that the author suggested high calorie intake and strength training, but even there for losing weight he suggested 300 daily deficit.

allshebe

I saw someplace (maybe here) the idea of asking for a box when you get your food at a restaurant and immediately putting half of everything in the box for maybe tomorrow's lunch, "magically" cutting your calories for that meal in half.

zaftiggirl

I'm eating at -25% of my TDEE, and light cardio because I have to ride my bike to work - it's only a mile each way. And I like to hike with my husband on the weekends.

Thanks for reminding me about the food scale, and yes I have a husband that LOVES to eat out so that has been a challenge!

zaftiggirl

Oh, and I have been tracking the sodium, trying to stick to under 2500mg per day - but over the course of several weeks, I would think that even if I was eating a bit more sodium that it wouldn't completely mask weight loss.

smn76237

Can I ask why you are eating close to your TDEE? and why light cardio? I read in "new rules of lifting for women" that the author suggested high calorie intake and strength training, but even there for losing weight he suggested 300 daily deficit.

She said her TDEE-25% is 2000-2200 and her goal is a little less than that. Her actual TDEE would be higher than that.

aakaakaak

Use a food scale. Use it all the time. Use it when you think you don't need to. It makes a huge difference. Here, read this:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

He's saying the your sodium intake is probably masking your weight loss by causing you to retain water. He's saying to change your food diary to show sodium. Switch "sugar" with "sodium" on your diary page.

Also, one month into a lifting/eating plan is barely enough time to show results. You probably went through a "whoosh" of about five pounds in the first week or two, but are struggling to drop much of anything now. Your strength is going up, and the weight is only slowly coming off. You're building muscle while you're burning fat. It'll start to show. In fact, you probably should have taken pics when you first started so you could see your progress. I'm pretty much in the same boat you are right now. It'll happen. Just give it time to kick in. You can't judge a whole program on 30 days (unless you have like five pounds to lose total).

Anyway, what you're experiencing is understandable. Keep a tight watch on your calories and measure and/or weight everything. Don't get discouraged.

smn76237

I'm eating at -25% of my TDEE, and light cardio because I have to ride my bike to work - it's only a mile each way. And I like to hike with my husband on the weekends.

Thanks for reminding me about the food scale, and yes I have a husband that LOVES to eat out so that has been a challenge!

That is hard! But the only way you can really be sure of how much you're eating is to prepare your food at home and measure it yourself. Is there anything you can cook for him that would be a good substitute for some of your outings?

I haven't eliminated eating out completely or anything. Friday night is date night where we go out and I enjoy my dinner. Sometimes we'll go out to eat Monday too. But for the most part we try to eat at home. It is much easier to keep tabs on your intake that way.

jzammetti

I'm eating at -25% of my TDEE, and light cardio because I have to ride my bike to work - it's only a mile each way. And I like to hike with my husband on the weekends.

Thanks for reminding me about the food scale, and yes I have a husband that LOVES to eat out so that has been a challenge!

TDEE-25% is a pretty serious deficit. Maybe adjust to TDEE-20% instead to make sure you are getting enough fuel. And, I agree with the others, use a food scale.

abeechu

Based on what you told us in your introduction, I actually don't see anything that you're doing wrong -- in fact, you're well on your way to your goal! You've lost 10 lbs over the last month and inches off your waist/hips. Like aakaakaak suggested, give it a little more time and track your progress on June 15 to see if there have been changes. At the same time, you don't want to cut out certain parts of your normal diet too quickly (e.g. dropping carbs or significantly changing sodium levels) since that could mess with your metabolism and cause cravings. It seems like you have a good grasp on your nutrition, which many will argue is 80% of the weight loss process

Regarding eating out-- do you have a say in where you go? Maybe you can suggest healthier restaurant options or a place where there is a diverse selection so you can still eat healthily. My bf and I eat out once a week (that's all we allow ourselves), so that's my cheat meal, but when I used to eat out a lot more I would try to choose foods on the menu that I could make myself so I knew approximately what goes into the meal.

zaftiggirl

Super helpful post about making sure I'm tracking everything correctly! Thank you for that.

I guess I was afraid that I am some kind of special snowflake that actually has a much lower BMR/TDEE than the online calculators tell me. But getting back to measuring food to make sure my results are really on track is probably what I need to do.

bokodasu

It also helps to track your weight along with your cycle. Staying at the same weight for four weeks can really be losing a pound of fat and gaining a pound of water every week, and then overnight you'll "lose" the four pounds. (And then get frustrated again next month when the same mysterious thing seems to be happening...)

zaftiggirl

Yeah I definitely have a say in where we go, but sometimes I really want that lettuce wrapped hamburger, you know? Haha. We are going to try to reserve going out to eat for weekends, and only go once or twice.

And my cycle is all kinds of weird and irregular because I have the Mirena IUD - thanks for reminding me of that lol.

susanswan

I am very low tech. I vote for less processed foods and more actual real vegetables and greens. This will give you lots more fiber, and a fuller tummy for very few calories, not to mention lots of nutrients that you cant get elsewhere.

jody664

Based on what you told us in your introduction, I actually don't see anything that you're doing wrong -- in fact, you're well on your way to your goal! You've lost 10 lbs over the last month and inches off your waist/hips. Like aakaakaak suggested, give it a little more time and track your progress on June 15 to see if there have been changes. At the same time, you don't want to cut out certain parts of your normal diet too quickly (e.g. dropping carbs or significantly changing sodium levels) since that could mess with your metabolism and cause cravings. It seems like you have a good grasp on your nutrition, which many will argue is 80% of the weight loss process

^^This. When I started lifting I lost 0 pounds in the first 6 weeks. I was getting frustrated, but I knew I had the right formula with the right TDEE and my deficit was right on target (according to both my personal trainer and my physician). So I just hung with it. And then all of sudden about 6 weeks in........WHOOSH, the weight started coming off. Even though I had my deficit set to lose 1 lb/week, I sometimes lost as much as 3 lb in a week. Just give it time.

mahanaibu

A study found that, on average, restaurant food is 18% higher in calories than whatever they state on their menu or website. Sometimes they're WAY off but we can't make up for everything. When I eat out, unless it's just something like steamed veggies, I do a "quick tools" calorie add of 20% of whatever the meal was. i.e. if I eat a meal that the resutaurant says is 500 calories, I loge the 500, plus a quick-tools add of 100 calories to compensate for the amount they're probably over by. someone plays a little with the oil on the grill, or you asked for dry and they didn't want to bother, and you're suddenly up a hundred calories or more.

Another study found that high-calorie items on a restaurant's menu were fairly accurate, but the low-cal items tended to be the most off--usually by 100 calories.

ryry_

Yea without the scale, you could be spinning your wheels. You are not working with a huge deficit as it is. For me personally, at your weight, you could lower in the range of 1600 and drop the fat a little faster, then slow down as you get closer to your goal.

If you are going out to eat, you are likely inadvertantly overreating on weekends and erasing your deficit.

I lost 30 lbs in about 2.5 months, and it was from weighing everything, and making a deal with my wife that we put the kaybosh on going out to eat for awhile until I got things figured out.

LuckyLeprechaun

I'm 5'8", and I started at 237 lbs, I ate 1430 in the beginning parts of my usage of this site. I lost rapidly at that level.

I think you would be fine to eat at 1800.

Do measure and track accurately, but don't be afraid to cut back your calories modestly as you have described. It sounds like, for you, 1800 is a safe deficit that will help the scale move right along.

toaster6

If you're losing actual inches my guess would be water retention. As others have said, you can check your sodium.

rekite2000

How about water intake? (Sorry if already mentioned). I know if I don't drink enough- the scale goes all crazy.

jonnythan

If you're not losing weight over a long period of time, it has nothing to do with salt or carbs or whatever. You're consuming too many calories.

Either you've miscalculated your calorie expenditure or you're not accurately tracking calories consumed.

bookyeti

I guess I was afraid that I am some kind of special snowflake that actually has a much lower BMR/TDEE than the online calculators tell me.

Do you have PCOS (Poly-cystic Ovary Syndrome) and/or insulin resistance? If you do, you would have a lower BMR than what the online calculators tell you. I struggle with these issues and I've had to eat a bit less than my BMR (not too much) to see results. I also follow a ketogenic way of eating, since I am extremely carb sensitive due to my Metabolic problems... but if you don't have such issues, that's a moot point.

Just have to say, doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong. Though, losing 10lbs. in one month (did I understand that correctly?) is quite rapid weight loss. It's tempting to want to lose more than a pound a week, but perhaps losing a bit slower is healthier and more sustainable in the long-run.

A few other things, some of which have already been mentioned... ;-)

- In addition to taking measurements, take monthly progress pics...they speak volumes! This is especially important if you're lifting, because you will almost always see weight gain with lifting, though your body will be reshaping itself!

- Track body fat%...that's what counts.

- Already mentioned: weighing your food is a real eye-opener! WEIGH ALL THE FOODS!

- Try eating out less; if your hubby knows your reasons, I'm sure he would understand. I used to eat out all the time (LOVED IT!), but most of the time the portions are huge and you don't even know it, and it's difficult to get accurate nutritional info unless the dishes are listed somewhere. I limit my eating out to once a month, if that. I like to know exactly what's in my food.

jonnythan

252 lbs on April 15.
I have weighed between 243-246 for about 4 weeks now.

Wait. April 15 was 6 weeks ago.

You lost 6-9 pounds over the first two weeks and nothing since? Is that right?

You're obviously losing weight.

EmmaKarney

If you're not losing weight over a long period of time, it has nothing to do with salt or carbs or whatever. You're consuming too many calories.

Either you've miscalculated your calorie expenditure or you're not accurately tracking calories consumed.

THIS!

MyJourney1960

*Nutrition diary is open*

I'm technically obese, former athlete (so I already had a fair amt of muscle), 23 years old, 5'8" and started at 252 lbs on April 15. Since then, I have followed a heavy lifting/light cardio and reasonably 'clean' eating program. I have checked my TDEE -25% on multiple sites and I always get a number between 2000-2200, so I have been eating between 1950-2200 each day, with at least 130 grams of protein per day. In that time, I have definitely gained a lot of strength, and I have lost about an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips. But the actual weight loss is going at a snails pace. I have weighed between 243-246 for about 4 weeks now. I have been trying to mix up my macros to see if that has anything to do with it - maybe eating 100g of carbs rather than 150g-180g? If I was closer to a healthy weight I wouldn't be so concerned about scale weight, but I really want to do something that works. Losing 1.5 lbs a week of fat, at this stage, doesn't seem like an unreasonable expectation - would lowering calories to 1800 work better, in my specific case?

I don't know what these terms are (TDEE, macros, etc - i guess i need to brush up on this terminology!)but if i were you, i would try:
1. doing heavier cardio
2. cuting down on your carbs. this is a personal thing - but i found that for ME, when i cut back on carbs, i lose weight. i kept saying I can't do this, but i can - i am down to bread/carb one meal a day, and a few fruit.

kitka82

Also, one month into a lifting/eating plan is barely enough time to show results. You probably went through a "whoosh" of about five pounds in the first week or two, but are struggling to drop much of anything now. Your strength is going up, and the weight is only slowly coming off. You're building muscle while you're burning fat. It'll start to show. In fact, you probably should have taken pics when you first started so you could see your progress. I'm pretty much in the same boat you are right now. It'll happen. Just give it time to kick in. You can't judge a whole program on 30 days (unless you have like five pounds to lose total).

Anyway, what you're experiencing is understandable. Keep a tight watch on your calories and measure and/or weight everything. Don't get discouraged.

^^^THIS. Consistency yields the best results. You probably don't need to mess with your macros too much at this point. I lost weight on roughly 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat starting out, but I didn't always hit that.

ETA: My suggestion would be not to worry too much about your carbs right now unless you're diabetic or have a thyroid condition. Keep hitting your calories and you'll likely be fine. Cutting carbs too low makes you lose a lot of water. That weight will be back as soon as you add carbs back in. Unless of course, you are willing to forgo carbs for the rest of your life... Portion control is more important.

jonnythan

I don't know what these terms are (TDEE, macros, etc - i guess i need to brush up on this terminology!)but if i were you, i would try:
1. doing heavier cardio
2. cuting down on your carbs. this is a personal thing - but i found that for ME, when i cut back on carbs, i lose weight. i kept saying I can't do this, but i can - i am down to bread/carb one meal a day, and a few fruit.

Carbs have absolutely nothing to do with it. No one loses weight if they keep the calories the same but just eat fewer carbs. I'm glad you found something that works for you, but that's not how it works.

More cardio isn't the answer either.

jody664

One other suggestion.....if your budget can handle it, maybe invest in a FitBit or other activity monitor. Using the online calculators (even knowing my body fat) gave me an overestimation of my TDEE. I chose the moderately active setting because I work out 4-6 times per week. However, other than my workouts, I'm pretty (shockingly!) sedentary. Using my FitBit, I now have a better estimation of my activity level and my TDEE. Using the FitBit calorie estimations, I'm losing weight consistently at 1 lb per week.

It also encourages me to be more active, particularly on my "rest" days.

Just a thought..........