Calorie negative but slowly gaining?

oldguyintheclub

Preface: I've read the informative sticky article on underreporting calories. I'm logging everything that goes in, weigh portions on a food scale vs. using volume, and check the labels to ensure I'm accounting for the portion sizes correctly.

Synopsis: Between January and May of 2014, I went from 184 lbs to 148 lbs on Medifast. I'm a 5'9" male, turned 50 this year, vegetarian. The loss phase was dead easy, I kept a log, ate as directed, and the pounds flew off with no cravings and no ill effects.

Transition and maintenance haven't worked as well. As of today, I am at 162 lbs - slowly gaining. After three weeks of transition eating back in May/June, I've gone back to a calorie deficit diet yet the weight and fat percentage are going up. I've continued to control portions, manage the protein/carb/fat ratios, maintain a log, and I go for 2 hour walks with hill climbs 3 to 4 times a week. I track all of this in a spreadsheet.

I've been using MyFitnessPal for fifty days and have gained about 4 to 5 lbs in that time. Target is 1440 calories/day. I track using both MFP as well as my spreadsheet. The net calorie report shows that on 2 days out of 50, I had ~2200 calories due to special events. All other days I've been around the 1440 calorie line with minor fluctuations on either side.

Again, I work in R&D and understand the importance of measurement and record-keeping. I am not able to reconcile the calorie numbers with the slow weight gain.

I'd like to get back to 150-155 lbs and maintain there. The slope is going the wrong direction and I'm interested in ideas for what's happening and how to turn it around.

editorgrrl

If you're steadily gaining weight, then you're eating more calories than you burn. The only way to reverse the trend is to eat less &/or burn more.

Have you read the Sexypants post? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

malibu927

Can you open your diary? You should definitely be losing at 1440, as that's a bit under the recommended minimum for a man.

oldguyintheclub

editorgrrl - Thanks for the link. I will go read it.

auntrhon66 - The 1440 net calories/day is what I got from MFP after putting in my parameters and objectives. I eat more on the days I exercise and if I am below 1200 calories/day, the system warns me about excessively low calories and I adjust with fruits or vegetables to come up

oldguyintheclub

malibu927 - Diary settings changed to open

auntrhon66 - Ok, I'll see how I can add to the caloric intake without going overboard.

editorgrrl

oldguyintheclub wrote: »

Between January and May of 2014, I went from 184 lbs to 148 lbs on Medifast. I'm a 5'9" male, turned 50 this year, vegetarian. As of today, I am at 162 lbs - slowly gaining. I've been using MyFitnessPal for fifty days and have gained about 4 to 5 lbs in that time. Target is 1440 calories/day.

I'd like to get back to 150-155 lbs and maintain there. The slope is going the wrong direction and I'm interested in ideas for what's happening and how to turn it around.

I just crunched your numbers—162 is a normal weight for your height. It's time to change your focus from weight loss to body recomposition (aka recomp).

sodakat

I just don't see how eating more calories will result in a weight loss when you don't lose at 1440. Something doesn't make sense to me.

When you were losing with Medifast, what was your daily calorie intake?

joneallen

Try slowly increasing your calories and see what that does. I really also have a feeling you're just not eating enough.

malibu927

A few things jump out at me...first, the bread. It's a generic listing, not by brand. Some wheat breads can go above 100 calories per slice. They should also be weighed as well, as the nutrition info is for a specific gram amount.

Second, you have homemade listings for some meals that look to be from the database. You can't really trust those entries because the person who entered them probably didn't make it the same way you did. They can also be inaccurate (zero sodium in the stew?)

Also you do go over your sodium a lot. Too much sodium can cause your water weight to increase, which can mask true weight loss.

Basically just weigh everything you eat, even prepackaged/presliced, and use the recipe tools for your own meals. And I definitely agree with the recomp to get rid of the fat.

Cortneyrenee04

I eat way more than that and I'm 5'3" and female.

BUT anyway, I agree that you would do better to focus on recomp now. Lift some weights, lessen the cardio (you're doing a ton) and keep watching portions and macros.

_benjammin

Congrats on your losses. I too lost with Medifast but I seem to have handled transition and maintenance a bit better. An initial weight gain of 5 pounds or so is common when coming out of ketosis.
While you may be tracking everything you eat accurately, if you are eating back exercise calories the estimated burned calories are likely over estimated.
Is your activity level pretty consistent week to week? If so, you could try to pick a daily calorie goal and stick to that # regardless of daily activity. If you try that for a few weeks you'll be able to get a better idea of what a daily calorie goal you need to lose is.

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_benjammin

MrM27 wrote: »

This is a big issue people have with programs like Medifast, it doesn't teach you how to eat. Now he's off it and he's not successful.

Medifast does provide/teach you methods for long term success, that doesn't mean people learn. I've been off for nearly 2 years and would consider myself a success.
OP: you mentioned 3 weeks of transition, my understand was transition included 6 weeks.
Regardless, if you are gaining you are not in a deficit.

oldguyintheclub

Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I'll try to do a consolidated reply.

My next task is to increase activity and intake together and also to adjust my expectations. I'll need to keep logging and watch the sodium numbers (good point re: water).

I don't think though that I could be off by factors of 2 in my logging, though so I am perplexed by where the weight gain is coming from. Could my metabolism have slowed down so much that I am net positive in calories?

Medifast: Assuming 3500 cal/lb lost, I estimate my daily intake was 1300-1500 calories a day. 5 meals at 100-120 cal/each and the Lean/Green made with low-med carb greens and vegetarian protein sources used in the recommended amounts.

I didn't do the full transition as I saw the weight drifting up. That may have been a mistake.

While controversial, Medifast definitely worked for me, getting me below 160lbs for the first time since my teens. I went low to have some buffer and have used it up. When I was ~155lbs, I found subjectively that I was the most comfortable with the weight and weight distribution. The reduced knee and ankle pain from the weight loss has justified the investment in Medifast from my perspective.

editorgrrl

You need to change your focus from losing weight to increasing lean body mass (aka recomp).

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Liftng4Lis

If you're gaining, you are not in a deficit. You have wheat bread listed, 2 slices 138. Where are you getting these calculations?

Mr_Knight

oldguyintheclub wrote: »

auntrhon66 - Ok, I'll see how I can add to the caloric intake without going overboard.

If you're gaining weight now, adding more calories will increase the speed at which you gain weight.

oldguyintheclub

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

If you're gaining, you are not in a deficit. You have wheat bread listed, 2 slices 138. Where are you getting these calculations?

I use the MFP database whenever possible. I found an entry for wheat bread and used that.

editorgrrl

Anyone can add to the database, so it's full of junk data. Choosing a low-calorie entry will never get you closer to goal.

Learn to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Verify all packaged food against the label. For everything else, use USDA values whenever possible.

We all knew you weren't gaining on 1,400 calories. You've been seriously underestimating your intake.

Liftng4Lis

oldguyintheclub wrote: »

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

If you're gaining, you are not in a deficit. You have wheat bread listed, 2 slices 138. Where are you getting these calculations?

I use the MFP database whenever possible. I found an entry for wheat bread and used that.

Bread has anywhere from 45 (sara lee very small slices) to 130 PER slice, depending on the brand. In a day you have 5 pieces, that can be as much as a 300 calorie difference. Logging is key here.

oldguyintheclub

Ok. I can make more use of the mobile app/barcode scanner for packaged foods.

rachellll98

Another thing is MFP calculates exercise calories burned without first taking out how many calories you'd burn during that 2 period if you were just sitting around instead of walking. So the additional calorie burn- and thus the additional calories you can eat- is actually less than you think.

The difference is likely particularly significant for something like walking, an activity that's long in duration but light in calorie burn.