Do I have to log my exercise?

SashaBoucher

I noticed that it's really easy for me to lose 2-3 pounds, but afterwards I always get stuck at the same weight for weeks before it goes down again. I don't log any of my exercise except for walking the dog occasionally. I don't log cleaning or any other daily tasks. I work in retail in a luggage store and I'm always on my feet and carrying luggage and climbing up and down ladders rearranging suitcases. When I get home I always cook supper and spend about an hour cleaning the house from top to bottom. In reality I only sit down for about 3 hours each night and the rest of the day is spent on my feet moving around. I have my activity level set as lightly active. Could this be why I have a hard time losing? Maybe I'm not eating enough so my body is storing fat because I often have a growling stomach during the day. I used to think this was a good thing and meaning I was losing weight but maybe I'm wrong?

MichelleH1304

Hi!
First how long have you been stuck for? I suggest sticking with it. I wouldn't advise logging any of your daily activities as exercise as you are set to lightly active. If you go for a walk/ run or do other exercise that gets your heart rate up I would log that and eat back half the calories. It sounds like lightly active is correct for your daily activities.

Are you weighing all of your food on a scale? This is key to accurately counting your calories. If you are estimating or guessing you could be eating too much, which could be causing the weight to stay steady. Also if you are eating at a deficit you will lose weight. It might take another three weeks but if you count calories exactly it will eventually get going downwards again. Your body down not store fat if you are under eating. I suggest taking extra care with logging your calories for another week.

malibu927

All of those tasks are part of your daily activity level, so you should only log physical exercise. Lightly active sounds about right.

Your body won't store fat because you aren't eating enough...depending on how long you've been stuck, you're likely eating too much. Logging accuracy is key to losing weight.

Lounmoun

I have a pedometer. I'm only logging exercise after I reach 5,000 steps because my activity level is set for sedentary.
If you are stuck try increasing your accuracy in logging food. Use a food scale. Check that your entries are accurate. If you open your food diary people could check how you are doing and give you feedback on that.
Weight loss is not linear also so losing 2-3 lbs and then not losing for a week or 2 isn't unusual. If you are stuck with absolutely no loss for 4+ weeks and are pretty sure you are logging accurately then you might want to change your settings or calorie goal.

terbusha

Personally, I don't log any of my activity. I adjust my calorie goal by how my weight progress is going. What I do and what I recommend to people is to eat at a calorie level that allows you to make good progress towards your goal. If you are trying to lose weight, eat so you drop 1-2 lbs/week. This assumes an average calorie burn from you getting in all of your workouts. This will be different for everyone, so you'll have to do some trial and error to figure it out. I'd start ~1400 cal/day. Hit this goal, along with your macros and getting in your workouts, for 2 weeks. If you lose 1-2 lbs/week, you're good to go. If you lose too much, increase your intake and repeat. If you don't lose enough, reduce your intake a bit and repeat. After a few cycles, you'll figure out what works for you in your situation.

lithezebra

I log all of my exercise as 1 calorie. Alternatively, you could set your activity level to sedentary to make sure you're not giving yourself credit for exercise twice.

SezxyStef

daily tasks are part of your activity level and should not be logged.

2-3lbs down then no weight for a couple weeks sounds normal to be...

I use a fitness tracker so it's a moot point for me but prior to that I logged exercise and ate the calories back.

Francl27

Your body doesn't hold fat because you're not eating enough... that's scientifically impossible.

If you're not losing, you're either eating too much, or just hit a stall and will lose again in a few days.