Why is it harder this time?

Terpnista84

I lost about 20 lbs last year (167-148) but gained a lot of it back after I stopped exercising and watching what I ate after the summer ended last year.

I got back on track a couple months ago but I've barely lost anything it seems. I got a better scale and in the past few weeks I've gone from 153.6 and now 152 today, but the scale fluctuates so much who knows what my true weight is.

I work out a lot and I walk consistently through the day and my tracker says I'm burning 1,000 cals from physical activity. I eat my calories back so I'm usually in the 1,700-1,800 range. On the weekends in try to eat at maintenance. I should be losing with this deficit but I'm not.

I checked my history on MFP and saw that i was eating a lot less when I was losing weight easily (about 1,400). I never had a problem losing weight when I cut my calories low and exercised. But now my body doesn't seem to respond to exercise and eating more calories.

I'm okay with going back to the old routine because I got great results, but it's disappointing that I can't eat more and lose with my strenuous workouts.

IsaackGMOON

Terpnista84 wrote: »

I work out a lot and I walk consistently through the day and my tracker says I'm burning 1,000 cals from physical activity. I eat my calories back so I'm usually in the 1,700-1,800 range. On the weekends in try to eat at maintenance. I should be losing with this deficit but I'm not.

OP, why are you eating at maintenance on weekends? And how are you getting your calorie burns?

Francl27

Your tracker might not be accurate. I'd eat back only half your calories. And make sure to log properly as well.

Terpnista84

I usually slack on Saturday and Sunday. I usually work out on those days but not consistently.

I walk a lot during the day. I walk to work and home, during my lunch break and to the gym and back. I alternate between a hour walk/jog in the evening and cardio and strength training. Aside from my routine physical activity I probably burn 400 calories and I'm underestimating.

Terpnista84

Francl27 wrote: »

Your tracker might not be accurate. I'd eat back only half your calories. And make sure to log properly as well.

My trackers are pretty consistent i have several on my phone. But if you are right then I would say it would explain my struggles. My fitbit will be here soon. But it's easier for me set a consistent low calorie goal that I will lose on regardless of exercise so I won't worry about overestimated burns.

maxit

It may be that your weekend maintenance eating is causing more water-weight gain that is masking fat loss.

Terpnista84

Here's an example- on Monday I took 32,000 steps and burned almost 1,200 calories. This was my normal activity plus the jog I do in the evening when I don't go to the gym. I consumed 1,800 calories that day.

MollyBradford

After you diet, your metabolism adjusts and slows down, so when you gain weight back, your metabolism tends to be slower than when you started. That's one reason why yo-yo dieting is bad. If your not losing the weight you want, you'll have to either add more cardio or cut more calories. Try to make sure whatever you do is maintainable. If not, you'll end up gaining it back again and it becomes a terrible cycle.

If you're unhappy with your metabolism, definitely look into reverse dieting. That's the only way I can think of that will raise your maintenance level. And take your time with it. You'd be surprised at how much more you can eat while gaining minimal fat when it's done correctly. Then, the next time diet, you won't have to drop calories so low.

Good luck!!

Terpnista84

MollyBradford wrote: »

After you diet, your metabolism adjusts and slows down, so when you gain weight back, your metabolism tends to be slower than when you started. That's one reason why yo-yo dieting is bad. If your not losing the weight you want, you'll have to either add more cardio or cut more calories. Try to make sure whatever you do is maintainable. If not, you'll end up gaining it back again and it becomes a terrible cycle.

If you're unhappy with your metabolism, definitely look into reverse dieting. That's the only way I can think of that will raise your maintenance level. And take your time with it. You'd be surprised at how much more you can eat while gaining minimal fat when it's done correctly. Then, the next time diet, you won't have to drop calories so low.

Good luck!!

Thanks I never considered that. My peaKnow weight was 185 and I got it down to 155 a few years ago. Then went back up to almost 170, back down again, up again, down to 148, and up again. This has been a yearly thing for a while.

TimothyFish

Let me get this right, you were eating less and exercising before and losing weight. You are eating more this time and exercising, but not losing weight. Seems like you should go back to eating less, don't you think?

Terpnista84

TimothyFish wrote: »

Let me get this right, you were eating less and exercising before and losing weight. You are eating more this time and exercising, but not losing weight. Seems like you should go back to eating less, don't you think?

Thanks captain obvious. I actually just started that yesterday. But it still doesn't answer my question of why I can't lose despite being on a deficit. Suggestions were appreciated but I guess snark is free.

TimothyFish

Terpnista84 wrote: »

TimothyFish wrote: »

Let me get this right, you were eating less and exercising before and losing weight. You are eating more this time and exercising, but not losing weight. Seems like you should go back to eating less, don't you think?

Thanks captain obvious. I actually just started that yesterday. But it still doesn't answer my question of why I can't lose despite being on a deficit. Suggestions were appreciated but I guess snark is free.

It wasn't meant to be snarky. There are several people who come to this forum with the mistaken belief that they can lose weight by eating more. I was just pointing out that your results are different this time because you are doing something different this time.