can someone just enlighten me a little - im really confused..

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morning everyone -
so this will be my 2nd week of gains.. this week ive been so good so i really thought i would see a loss this week - in truth my weight hasn't moved since august ive been losing and gaining the same few pounds over and over again. whilst i know weight loss isnt linear, i need a better understanding at why my body is changing and im losing inches but staying the same weight - i go by the TDEE method and i do les mills combat 4 times a week religiously i dont miss it out i do every every week. i love it. so when i hopped on the scales and saw that gain i thought ok, so next is to see how far ive got to go until im a size 14.. so i got out my old work trousers and bugger me they fitted. im not gaining muscle as im eating at a deficit so why isnt my weight going down when my cloth sizes are? surely i cant be a size 10 and still weigh 15 stone?
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Replies

  • ultrahoon
    ultrahoon Posts: 467 Member
    edited December 2015
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    It sounds a lot like the results of a recomp to me. I'd personally tighten up the logging at see what happens (I see a few cup measurements, stuff like generic potatoes instead of the type and outlet purchased from).
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    i enter generic - because i get my potatoes from a farm,so there is no branding on them - i do weigh them though - and mark whether they have skin on or not - what is recomp?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited December 2015
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    You aren't at a deficit as you aren't losing weight.
    You are eating at maintenance calories if your weight has hardly varied since August. Don't confuse estimated deficit with an actual deficit.

    So to account for your change in measurements it means you are recomping - losing small amounts of fat and gaining small amounts of muscle. Congrats!

    If you want to lose weight decrease your calorie intake or increase your exercise/activity.
  • ultrahoon
    ultrahoon Posts: 467 Member
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    i enter generic - because i get my potatoes from a farm,so there is no branding on them - i do weigh them though - and mark whether they have skin on or not - what is recomp?

    It's changing the ratio of muscle and fat, resulting in being more muscular at the same weight. Only obtainable by eating slightly over maintenance and exercising (many do lifting for the exercise on a recomp).

    As for the potatoes, surely you can ask the farm what type of potatoes they are? I am sure they would know. Even if that wasn't possible, I'd still tighten up the use of cup measurements and predefined un-weighed portions like '1 slice' etc.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    ok, thanks - although i dont think im eating at maintenance...but ill tighten up my logging for def. i didnt think i could gain muscle through combat as its martial arts and def cardio based.
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
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    Are you calculating your TDEE by using an online calculator? Bear in mind that it is still an estimate.

    If you have accurate logs of what you've eaten for the last month, try instead working out the total calories you've eaten for the month plus the total calories lost in your weight change (3500 cals = 1 lb), or minus the total calories gained. Divide it by the number of days in the month for an average. If you are maintaining with no weight loss at this level of calories per day ... well, you know what you need to do ^^
  • ultrahoon
    ultrahoon Posts: 467 Member
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    Well if you haven't lost weight in 3-4 months, you certainly aren't in a deficit. whether or not a recomp is happening is up for debate, but what's definitely not happening is a sustained calorie deficit.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    true, this is very true. i think im getting somewhere as i lose what i gained but in reality im just bouncing up and down the same weight i cannot for the life of me go any further below 15.5.8
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited December 2015
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    If your weight is the same it means you are eating at maintenance.

    Lol, Just parroting what others have said repeatedly.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    no i haven't been maintaining my weight - i gain and i lose it, i gain i lose, i stay the same, i lose 2 then gain 2, i bounce up and down the same 7lbs.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    whilst this is happening im getting smaller as im doing body combat and today i fitted into my size 14s that i havent worn in years.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    ok, thanks - although i dont think im eating at maintenance...but ill tighten up my logging for def. i didnt think i could gain muscle through combat as its martial arts and def cardio based.

    Your bathroom scales think you are at maintenance!
    The alternative to tightening up your logging is just reduce your calorie goal (using consistency as opposed to accuracy) - I prefer lazy logging!

    As for muscle gain - depends on where you started from.
    I once gained 3" of quad muscle in a short period of time from just walking and stairs.
    But only because I had lost 5" of muscle from being on crutches for the preceding few months.

    Which is a reminder to track progress with a tape measure as well as weight change.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited December 2015
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    whilst this is happening im getting smaller as im doing body combat and today i fitted into my size 14s that i havent worn in years.

    what about actual measurements

    clothes stretch and shrink - did you try them on recently and they were too small?

    I agree with everyone else - you've found your maintenance level - if you want to lose cut 500 from where you are
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    ok, that sounds like a plan. rabbit i lose my measurements - they were all written on a pad so when i went to do them the other day i couldnt find them! however ive restarted and logged them on here this time..

    is that 500 calories a week? or a day?
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
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    no i haven't been maintaining my weight - i gain and i lose it, i gain i lose, i stay the same, i lose 2 then gain 2, i bounce up and down the same 7lbs.
    ¨
    People who eat at maintenance do not find their weight staying exactly the same - it fluctuates too within a range, much as you have described, up and down.

  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    so im eating 1700 now i dont eat exercise calories back - as i use the tdee method - 500 cals a week would take it to 1628? sound right?
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    oolou wrote: »
    no i haven't been maintaining my weight - i gain and i lose it, i gain i lose, i stay the same, i lose 2 then gain 2, i bounce up and down the same 7lbs.
    ¨
    People who eat at maintenance do not find their weight staying exactly the same - it fluctuates too within a range, much as you have described, up and down.

    this is interesting - thanks guys - ill minus the 500 cals as rabbit said and see what happens.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    so im eating 1700 now i dont eat exercise calories back - as i use the tdee method - 500 cals a week would take it to 1628? sound right?

    no it's a day for a lb a week

    Can I ask your Height, age, weight, activity level without exercise

    Beacuse a TDEE of 1700 for 4 x 1 hour intense workouts sounds low

    Also open your diary if you want people to double check on your logging
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    im 5ft 7, 31, 15 stone 7lbs, activity is sedimentary with body combat 4 times a week.
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
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    thats weird my diary is set to public