SO frustrated!!! Think it's back to 1200 cals grr.

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  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    My TDEE - 20% is about 1200.

    Two pounds is well within the amount of weight that you could fluctuate even if you have lost weight.
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
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    Yes I log everything honestly and weigh everything!

    Sorry, I am working my way up with the strength training. Its one of Jackie Warners dvds and uses strictly weights. I have been doing this for a week now (3days/wk is what is recommended and what I am doing) before that I was doing 30ds. I can use 8 lbs on some of the exercises but a lot of it is shoulder heavy and I am really weak in my upper body...

    Age-29
    Height- 5'2 1/2"
    SW-141
    CW-143
    GW-130

    Also, the 1400 is from my TDEE-20% set to sedentary and only set to that incase I cant get a workout in, however I eat back the exercise calories my fitbit gives me most of the time.

    The fitbit calculations aren't the best or accurate for exercises other than walking/running since it bases it's calculations on steps. I tried it and it was giving me numbers way off from my heart rate monitor. I plugged your numbers into the BMR calculator at fat2fitradio.com. It calculates your BMR at 1435 and a moderate activity level (exercise 3-5 days/week) at 2136. Using the moderate calculation since you work out most every day, a 20% cut is 1708; 15% cut is 1815; 10% cut is 1922. My suggestion would be to eat between 1708 and 1922 every day, regardless of exercising that day or not, and do not eat back fitbit adjustments.
  • AliciaStinger
    AliciaStinger Posts: 402 Member
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    do you think with just using 3 & 5 lb weights I can really retain that much?

    Let me put it to you this way: when I started 30 Day Shred, I was up eight pounds after the first workout - about 4-5 of that was water weight, and the other 3-4 was TOM. My mom's friend used to go up a size in water weight at her TOM. Bodies fluctuate; most people are three pounds heavier in the afternoon/evening than they are when they first wake up. Trust me when I say I understand your frustration; I never expected to gain eight pounds after WORKING OUT!! Stick with it, BREATHE, drink water, and try another month without weighing yourself. If you feel like you need to keep yourself accountable with some tool, use a measuring tape or the way your clothes fit to gauge where you are. The number on the scale is a LIE! Okay, maybe not, but it's too unreliable - based on time of day, time of month, what you've consumed, and what workout you've done - to let it get you down.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    What is TDEE?

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure

    it's the amount of "calories" (actually kilocalories, which is a measure of energy) you burn each day for all physiological processes (i.e., all energy expended by movement and internal bodily processes). if you know your TDEE or can estimate it to good accuracy, then you can plan your dietary intake accordingly. if you eat fewer calories than your TDEE consistently, you'll lose weight and vice-versa. that's the simple, basic science that is often called "the energy equation".

    this is often simplified here as... calories in < calories out.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    You've gotten some great advice in this thread. You're eating a good amount for you (1600-1800 calories, you don't need to eat more than 1800) and you're exercising more. Just stop thinking about the calculations for a while. As you lose weight, you will need to adjust downward until you reach goal. When you reach goal, your BMR will be right around 1300, but maintenance will be a little higher. Theoretically, if you want to eat around 1800 until you reach goal, you can. Your weight will come off slower as you approach goal, but it will eventually come off.

    Just give it time. Do the exercises you want to do right now, and eventually move onto something more challenging when you're ready. That will all happen in time as well.
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
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    My scale hasn't moved in the 4 months I've been lifting (I like food; don't judge!) BUT my clothes fit way differently and I have less cottage cheese on my legs than I did in February.

    This times infinity. My scale has not moved but I have some real nice muscles developing & the cottage cheese is turning to cream cheese :laugh:

    Also are you eating back your exercise calories? If you are sticking to 1400 but not eating back exercise cals, your net will be too low. Your NET calories should be that 1400.
  • lenniebus
    lenniebus Posts: 321 Member
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    Exactly...strength training is what she's doing...crikey. She is not weight lifting, nor should she if she is not comfortable with that. Strength training can involve absolutely no weights and just your body weight...
  • elvensnow
    elvensnow Posts: 154 Member
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    I haven't read all the responses so sorry if I repeat.

    First of all, getting freaked out over 2 lbs in a month is not a healthy attitude. You are very close to goal so it's easy for weight to fluctuate a lot even though you are not gaining fat. Take a deep breath and think it through.

    Second, the 2 lbs is most (like 99%) likely from water weight. When you do new exercise, especially strength, you will retain water.

    Here's my POV if it helps: I was recently on a 1 year plateau eating ~1400 calories a day. Then I moved across states, during which time (about 2 months) I ate like crap and gained about 15 lbs. It was terrifying. Anyway, I've started back exercising and calculated my TDEE using IIFYM. I've been trying to stick to that, somewhat unsuccessful BUT I got back into a workout routine.

    After starting working out (strength 2 days a week, cardio at least 5 days) I GAINED 4 lbs. I was also scared but I knew I felt healthier and better than I have in a long time. I have been keeping to it and after a couple days finally shed some of the water weight and dropped like 3 lbs over night. And now the scale seems to be creeping SLOWLY down as I continue. And this is over about 2 weeks so not even that long.

    So point is, yes you might gain weight doing TDEE at the start, but it will start paying off. Keep with it.

    Also I think someone did mention that you are doing TDEE wrong. You do not calculate base then eat calories. I would also like to point out that most things that calculate "calories burned" are terribly inaccurate. Also, they tend to tell you the TOTAL burned calories not NET burned calories, which also makes a huge difference, i.e., (making up numbers here, don't quote me) sitting for an hour burns 20 calories. If you walk for an hour, your meter says you burned 100 calories, so you think "yay I can eat another 100 calories!" WRONG. You can eat 80 calories, because that is your NET over sitting on your butt for an hour. See the difference? If you eat that 100 calories you end up 20 calories OVER. "Eating back" calories IMO is usually a crapshoot at best. Which is why I like the TDEE-X% method.

    Anyway - for TDEE you should calculate based on your current activity level (usually somewhere in the average 3-5 days a week for most people) minus whatever % and eat that EVERY DAY. It could be 1700-1900 calories or more depending on your variables. Then do your workouts as normal but DON'T "eat back" calories. This even counts on off days.

    Anyway, sorry this got long. But keep with it and good luck to you.
  • MK608
    MK608 Posts: 47 Member
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    Have you taken your measurements?! I would bet that if you've been sticking to the TDEE-20 and faithfully doing the workouts that you mentioned, you've lost inches. Sometimes the scale is our worst enemy... it's not indicative of muscle gain!
  • themtron
    themtron Posts: 57 Member
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    At your weight, a 20% deficit from TDEE is too aggressive. Try 15%. And yes, you can lift heavier, and it will help you more than 1000 reps with 2 to 3 lb weights. I'm smaller than you are, and TDEE-15% for me is 1700 calories. I don't do any cardio. I just lift heavy 3 times per week. At 1700 calories per day, I'm losing half a pound per week, on average.

    I'm curious about your lifting routine. I'm trying to get into it myself. Do you mind sharing?
  • reneewill
    reneewill Posts: 62 Member
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    Maybe instead of measuring your progress by using a scale, you should try a measuring tape. You could've gained pounds, but lost inches. The important thing is that you feel healthier!
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Your BMR is 1428 according to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ You shouldn't be going under this number even if you eat back your all exercise calories with your base calories you are only netting 1400, this is probably why you are stalling.
    I agree with others that so close to goal you should be aiming for TDEE - 15% or even -10%
  • DragonflyF15
    DragonflyF15 Posts: 437 Member
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    Really? Your crying over 2 pounds after starting strength training? You'd sob if you were me. I can go up about 10lbs over night after a good workout. It's not fat dear, it's your body trying to repair itself. You can't look at weight loss day by day. If you did you'd notice a lot of mountains but the general trend will be the weight going down. And if you're doing strength training you may find you'll lose inches before you lose weight, which is ok by me :drinker:

    Like you said, if you feel you're looking better, what does it matter if it's more weight? Particularly if it's not fat and you're getting thinner? It takes fuel to produce fat, and you're not eating enough to produce fat, so it's not like it's that kind of weight you're gaining.

    I was at 1200 and bumped up to 2100, worked fine for me and I'm fairly small! :happy:

    Pretty much what she said. If you are eating healthy, exercising daily, getting weights in...it's time to break the relationship with the scale and trust in the process. Since starting New Rules of Lifting, I gained 5lbs and the book will explain why (body adjusting, holding water, muscle repair and etc) however I feel great, more energy, looking toner and a few pants are starting to fit the waist again. I've gained as much as 5lbs overnight after a high sodium day, so many factors. Do not let 2lbs get you down, it's really no big deal and to continue through this process and succeed, it's all about attitude!
  • Tigg1011
    Tigg1011 Posts: 146
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    Wow, thanks EVERYONE for the amazing advice! I'll def come back to my thread if I feel myself getting discouraged again. Some of you said to eat my TDEE-20% even when I dont work out with moderate activity which is 1708, that scares the crap out of me to eat that much lol esp on days when I dont exercise I feel super guilty. My workouts are 30 mins-6 days/week. And that is sustainable for me, I wont do an hr a day, I just wont I know myself.
    Also, I was a daily weigher up until a month ago when I had a meltdown because I had gained 3lbs (most likely the meltdown was due to the fact that I got a call the day before that my wedding dress came in) I was fitted the following week and it had to be taken in, so that was a relief but anyway thats why I took so long to weigh myself again, (didnt wanna be discouraged and stop everything I was doing)Ill go back to my daily and see whats fluctuating and what my actual number may be.
    Also, I was making sure my scale wasnt off so I put two 8 lb weights on and it wont even friggen register! I dont know what thats about..
  • persilcolours
    persilcolours Posts: 92 Member
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    Bump
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    The problem with weighing only once in a while is that for all you know, you've lost weight in the mean time but only gained back temporarily because of water weight.

    This is why I'm actually a proponent of daily weighing, at least for a few weeks. By weighing daily, you can actually see these volatile changes people are talking about. Once you accept those as "normal", a +2 on the scale won't seem like a big deal...because you will likely have seen several +2s along the way (and some just as seemingly random -2s).

    And some people hate it, but for me it helps me get past those freak outs as well. I do it constantly now (mostly for data collection and not for concern at all). When you start constantly seeing yourself go up 10 lbs and over time you keep losing...you stop getting concerned when it happens and have more of a wicked! Haven't done that in a while I musta killed it approach...that first while can be concerning though. But so is the weekly and monthly weighing sometimes as you can tell by the chart above depending on when you weigh.

    I weigh daily also. If it doesn't drive you crazy I think it can be helpful, but you have to go into it expecting daily fluctuations. I actually learned that going to the beach makes me gain 3 lbs, almost exactly.
  • emmamaelee888
    emmamaelee888 Posts: 18 Member
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    Thanks :-)
  • operation_cute
    operation_cute Posts: 588 Member
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    Unless I'm confused about the tdee method, your tdee accounts for your exercise already... if you eat back your exercise cals you may be over eating...
  • kellijauch
    kellijauch Posts: 379 Member
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    anytime you change up your routine you will retain water for a while because your muscled are protecting themselves. Give it time
  • operation_cute
    operation_cute Posts: 588 Member
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    anytime you change up your routine you will retain water for a while because your muscled are protecting themselves. Give it time

    This is true, I flipped a couple of weeks ago after starting lifting because I gained 3 lbs in less than a week and it was just water weight thankfully :)

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