Calorie counts

SteelySunshine

It's so easy to be off by 400 or more calories a day. Want to know how easy?

My situation in some ways is typical and in some ways not. It's typical in that I could be off on my measurements for say peanut butter. A TBS is around 90 calories, a TBS and 1/4 is about 113 calories, times that by two since most days I have peanut butter its "2" TBS. So there is a possible 40 calories. I also don't log every 20 calorie tomato. And was that a cup of pasta or a cup and a smidge more? Yes I realize a food scale would help, but I am really not worried about oh say 100-150 calories off in a day, but I am still going somewhere with this.

Now, add to the equation that your thyroid might be functioning in the normal range, but it's the low normal. That can mean two things at the same time that will both throw your TDEE off. One your BMR is likely going to be a bit lower than the estimates and that in turn will make your TDEE lower. Then when you exercise your calorie burn is going to be a bit lower, say 5% to 10% off. Now we are talking about 250 or more calories a day.

So there you have it, a 400 calorie discrepancy in 3 easy steps.

1. Calorie counts slightly off, it doesn't have to be by much

2. BMR slightly off, it doesn't have to be by much

3. TDDE and calorie needs slightly lower than the estimates, doesn't have to be by much.

The result is that you will lose slower than you think by crunching the numbers which are all estimates anyway. My advice is don't panic, just keep at doing the right things and you will lose even if it's a little or a lot slower than you would like. And if this is turns out to be the case for you, maybe don't eat back every exercise calorie, and then wonder why it's not working.

PS I am not asking for advice. I am making a statement and this is just to anyone that ever wondered why they aren't losing as fast as they thought they would after running the numbers and creating what looks like it should be a 1000-1200 calorie deficit.

MindyG150

I totaly get what you are saying. It's easy for me to be off when I forget to log something and the next day forget about it completely. I am sure I have missed a few scoops of ice-cream or an extra helping of something yummy.

My suggestion, keep moving 5-7 days a week and don't let up.

SteelySunshine

My suggestion, keep moving 5-7 days a week and don't let up.

Exactly. Exercise is like insurance. Maybe you don't need it for your deficit, but otoh, maybe it will cover that extra something you didn't log or the sluggish metabolism you haven't taking into consideration.