Skinny fat- calorie surplus?

Kittenforever78
Kittenforever78 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a 5'6 female and two months ago was 131 pounds. I am now 127 pounds after lifting heavy and I can see a difference. I am on a medication that makes me hold onto extra water so my actual weight is more like 124 (according to doctor). I lost a lot of muscle mass last year from a medical problem that I am trying to gain back.

I'm focusing on hitting macros and not so much calorie counting since I'm not trying to lose weight. I don't use the MFP app and instead just write down grams of protein. My calorie intake varies from 3k-4k calories a day and I still lost weight after I started working out. Is this normal to lose weight and look more muscular? I find that I can easily lift things I used to have trouble with etc. I'm not sure if I should be eating more calories or continue with what I'm currently doing. Thank you!
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Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Sorry but if you think you can eat 3k-4k calories a day and lose weight with your stats while just lifting heavy...no.

    ...you aren't eating as much as you think.

    *wow never thought I would say that...

    you need to start logging accurately to see exactly how much you are eating...

    you say you watch protein grams...how many on average are you getting? along with Fats and carbs?
  • kikichewie
    kikichewie Posts: 276 Member
    Yeah, there's no way.....
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Sorry but if you think you can eat 3k-4k calories a day and lose weight with your stats while just lifting heavy...no.

    ...you aren't eating as much as you think.

    *wow never thought I would say that...

    you need to start logging accurately to see exactly how much you are eating...

    you say you watch protein grams...how many on average are you getting? along with Fats and carbs?

    co signed
  • Kittenforever78
    Kittenforever78 Posts: 5 Member
    Actually I do... Yesterday I ate a little below 3600. When I do log everything for that day it comes out to be over 3000. I used to work for an eating disorder clinic so I know how to accurately count calories. I am eating 70-80 grams of protein per day mainly from chicken and protein shakes.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Actually I do... Yesterday I ate a little below 3600. When I do log everything for that day it comes out to be over 3000. I used to work for an eating disorder clinic so I know how to accurately count calories. I am eating 70-80 grams of protein per day mainly from chicken and protein shakes.

    are you using a food scale to weight all your foods?

    if you truly are eating that much and not gaining, then I suggest going to your DR immediately ...
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Do you participate in daily triathlons, as well?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    edited May 2015
    Actually I do... Yesterday I ate a little below 3600. When I do log everything for that day it comes out to be over 3000. I used to work for an eating disorder clinic so I know how to accurately count calories. I am eating 70-80 grams of protein per day mainly from chicken and protein shakes.

    Can you give an example of what you believe to be 3600 calories?

    Also - if you're eating that much, you'd likely have a heck of a lot more than 70-80 grams of protein, unless you're just ingesting straight olive oil, butter, and/or sugar. 70-80g of protein only accounts for about 300 calories (about 8% of your total supposed caloric intake)
  • stacyjh1979
    stacyjh1979 Posts: 188 Member
    Do you participate in daily triathlons, as well?

    LOL :wink:

  • Kittenforever78
    Kittenforever78 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm not using a food scale because i am not looking to lose weight. I go off packing and that's accurate enough for me since my goal is over 3k calories. I've asked him about it and his answer was fast metabolism. Everyone in my family is thin and eats large amounts. I did not exercise before this and ate the same calories and now that I'm exercising and losing I'm wondering if I need to eat more.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I'm not using a food scale because i am not looking to lose weight. I go off packing and that's accurate enough for me since my goal is over 3k calories. I've asked him about it and his answer was fast metabolism. Everyone in my family is thin and eats large amounts. I did not exercise before this and ate the same calories and now that I'm exercising and losing I'm wondering if I need to eat more.

    right there is the problem. You are massively over estimating your portions.

    Get a food scale and weigh everything for a week and you will be surprised as to what your real intake is.

    I am a 35 year old male, 179 pounds and when I was bulking I gained at 3100 a day. Are you really saying that the intake level to gain for a 127 pound female is more than a 175 to 185 pound male???
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Actually I do... Yesterday I ate a little below 3600. When I do log everything for that day it comes out to be over 3000. I used to work for an eating disorder clinic so I know how to accurately count calories. I am eating 70-80 grams of protein per day mainly from chicken and protein shakes.

    Which equals 320 calories...so the rest is carbs and fat?

    I am taller, heavier, lift heavy, run, walk and I maintain on about 2200-2400 daily....and I eat 120 grams of protein a day..again no...
  • Kittenforever78
    Kittenforever78 Posts: 5 Member
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    edited May 2015
    ceoverturf wrote: »

    Can you give an example of what you believe to be 3600 calories?

    Quoting myself

    And OP to mean people in 12 posts has gotta be top 10.
  • adamitri
    adamitri Posts: 614 Member
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.

    Again, not hearing what you want to hear turns into an attack? You asked people for suggestions and they gave it to you. It's hard to believe that you are in fact actually eating that much.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.

    You know doctors only get about a 4-5day nutrition course right?

    Again if you are eating as much as you claim how do you know for sure? you aren't counting...just protein and that small amount you quoted doesn't give you many calories so where are the rest coming from?

    Are you drinking bacon fat?
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    ^^^ Yep. OP, kindly share what you eat in a day, i.e. maybe open your diary. The above comments are perfectly justified: what’s more likely, that you defy the basic math behind weight loss/gain, or that you are making errors in your calorie calculations?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Open your diary and prove everyone wrong.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Open your diary and prove everyone wrong.
    oh they don't track on here just write down the 70-80 grams of protein they consume.
  • KingoftheLilies
    KingoftheLilies Posts: 71 Member
    ceoverturf wrote: »

    And OP to mean people in 12 posts has gotta be top 10.

    This... happens a lot, I'm noticing. Which is a shame.

    Yeah, some people can be terse but obviously if someone's asking for advice you're asking because you believe that someone of greater experience & knowledge than you will answer. To then immediately rebuke it & call it abuse is madness.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    Maybe OP should in fact track calories for a few days and then open the diary. Calorie tracking isn’t just for weight loss, after all.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    ceoverturf wrote: »

    And OP to mean people in 12 posts has gotta be top 10.

    This... happens a lot, I'm noticing. Which is a shame.

    Yeah, some people can be terse but obviously if someone's asking for advice you're asking because you believe that someone of greater experience & knowledge than you will answer. To then immediately rebuke it & call it abuse is madness.

    Oh yeah it happens all the time.

    But only 12 posts in is pretty impressive.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.

    I'd totally be jealous if you were eating 3000-4000 calories and not gaining weight. But I highly doubt you are. If you are, I'd love to hear what you eat in a day, but you seem oddly resistant to this request.

  • Kittenforever78
    Kittenforever78 Posts: 5 Member
    Stef I think you have a jealousy problem. I'm sorry you have to work so hard to burn calories and I don't. Again, I worked at an eating disorder clinic and have a BS in biology where I took a nutrition course. I am well aware of how calories work and how to track them. I was simply asking if I should increase them due to being more active. I will be asking my doctor instead since he is the one who suggested the diet I am on. Good luck to you all on your weight loss journey!
  • bidimus
    bidimus Posts: 95 Member
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.

    I think consulting your doctor is a much better source in this case. I get the impression there are other factors involved here that are playing into the equation. I like to think people are trying to be helpful but so often on these forums it comes across with a condescending and even insulting tone. There are good people here who really do want to help. I suggest when you find them, send a friend request. Just pay no mind to the others.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    edited May 2015
    Stef I think you have a jealousy problem. I'm sorry you have to work so hard to burn calories and I don't. Again, I worked at an eating disorder clinic and have a BS in biology where I took a nutrition course. I am well aware of how calories work and how to track them. I was simply asking if I should increase them due to being more active. I will be asking my doctor instead since he is the one who suggested the diet I am on. Good luck to you all on your weight loss journey!

    Ah, a special snowflake.

    Of course.

    Edit: for your stats, even if you intensely exercised daily, you would burn cca 2300 calories. FYI. Therefore, you must be eating much, much less than that, if you’re not gaining weight.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.

    no one is attacking you ..

    you asked why you are not gaining weight, and have received answers.

    If you are not using a food scale there is no way that you are accurately tracking your intake.

    do you really think that a 124 pound females intake level is going to be more then a 180 pound male???????

    If you truly are eating that much and not gaining then you need to go to a DR as that is a sign of a serious medical issue.

    This is not you being made fun of, this is you being given facts.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Actually I do... Yesterday I ate a little below 3600. When I do log everything for that day it comes out to be over 3000. I used to work for an eating disorder clinic so I know how to accurately count calories. I am eating 70-80 grams of protein per day mainly from chicken and protein shakes.

    How exactly do you eat over 3000 calories but only have 70-80 grams of protein at the end of the day?
  • jeichelb83
    jeichelb83 Posts: 172 Member
    OP, we are not trying to be mean. We can't help you given the information you provided. As stated about 70-80 grams of protien only equals 630 - 720 calores (each gram of protien equals 9 calories). Therefore the only conclusiton we can come to is that you're not eating enough. I repeat what the others are saying above: We need to know what you are eating to give you accurate advice.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Stef I think you have a jealousy problem. I'm sorry you have to work so hard to burn calories and I don't. Again, I worked at an eating disorder clinic and have a BS in biology where I took a nutrition course. I am well aware of how calories work and how to track them. I was simply asking if I should increase them due to being more active. I will be asking my doctor instead since he is the one who suggested the diet I am on. Good luck to you all on your weight loss journey!

    Why are you so hesitant to tell us an example of your 3600 calorie per day menu?

    I mean, if I can find a way to stuff that much food in my face a day and lose weight, I really want to know.
  • adamitri
    adamitri Posts: 614 Member
    bidimus wrote: »
    I don't appreciate being made fun of and attacked. Also, why are you trying to make me feel stupid and assuming I am lying or not counting correctly. I came here for helpful, general advice and instead I am being laughed at and given joking responses. Who are you to assume I'm not counting correctly and/or lying? I was put on a high calorie/high salt diet by my cardiologist and was wondering if it should be increased now that I'm working out. I will just ask him because it seems this post is full of jealousy and rude people.

    I think consulting your doctor is a much better source in this case. I get the impression there are other factors involved here that are playing into the equation. I like to think people are trying to be helpful but so often on these forums it comes across with a condescending and even insulting tone. There are good people here who really do want to help. I suggest when you find them, send a friend request. Just pay no mind to the others.

    And what others are those? Anyone who disagrees with the OP? Anyone who's blunt? I wonder about this mentality too. Not a lot of people here sugar coat things. I'm sorry if that hurts the OP's feelings. I'm sorry if she actually gets called out on her claims. This is an open forum, to exchange different opinions. OP is looking for a "yes man." Sorry this is not the place.
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