Is my metabolic rate WAY below norm? How accurate are colories burned with fitbit?

AngelUKCH

I am sure this is the same old post you must read all the time. I am sorry for that but I am so frustrated and so hope you can help!
I am doing Slimming World and have lost 3 1/2 stone with them. But for almost a year now my weight has not shifted much at all. Since last August have lost half a stone. But even before then, the weight loss had slowed down, so this is when I started exercising 7 days a week (if I take a break, I am prone to just stop altogether). I do weight machines and on average 40 minutes running on the elliptical machine at the gym. When I cannot get to the gym I walk briskly 1 to 2 hours. I started logging every morsel of food that crosses my lips on my fitness pal as well as trying to follow the SW eating plan. I try to only eat back about 80 to 90% of the calories burned by exercising. According to my fitbit I usually have a deficit of at least 3000 calories a week and still I am not losing weight. WHY?

jemhh

My guess is that you either are not tracking your food calories accurately (do you weigh solid foods on a scale? measure liquids with a measuring cup? log them using good nutrition info such as that which matches food labels you have in hand or that matches USDA nutrition information?) or your calorie burn is overstated.

SingingSingleTracker

AngelUKCH wrote: »

I am sure this is the same old post you must read all the time. I am sorry for that but I am so frustrated and so hope you can help!
I am doing Slimming World and have lost 3 1/2 stone with them. But for almost a year now my weight has not shifted much at all. Since last August have lost half a stone. But even before then, the weight loss had slowed down, so this is when I started exercising 7 days a week (if I take a break, I am prone to just stop altogether). I do weight machines and on average 40 minutes running on the elliptical machine at the gym. When I cannot get to the gym I walk briskly 1 to 2 hours. I started logging every morsel of food that crosses my lips on my fitness pal as well as trying to follow the SW eating plan. I try to only eat back about 80 to 90% of the calories burned by exercising. According to my fitbit I usually have a deficit of at least 3000 calories a week and still I am not losing weight. WHY?

I doubt you are a special cupcake with some abnormal metabolic rate. It all comes down to CICO.

Read THIS and be totally honest with the accuracy of what goes in, and what gets burned. Most likely you are underestimating what goes in, and overestimating what gets burned on the elliptical or your walks.

AngelUKCH

Yes I do weigh everything on a scale and use a measuring cup and use the labels as well as food info found on MFP.
I am starting to think my burn MUST be overestimated even though Fitbit is meant to be quite accurate?
But then again I am worried that if I reduce my calorie intake and do not eat back most of the calories burned, I will lose muscles instead of fat.
I am 46, 5 8' 1/2 tall and weigh 11stone 8lbs.

krandor1

AngelUKCH wrote: »

Yes I do weigh everything on a scale and use a measuring cup and use the labels as well as food info found on MFP.
I am starting to think my burn MUST be overestimated even though Fitbit is meant to be quite accurate?
But then again I am worried that if I reduce my calorie intake and do not eat back most of the calories burned, I will lose muscles instead of fat.
I am 46, 5 8' 1/2 tall and weigh 11stone 8lbs.

A generic steps tracker like Fitbit is an estimate and not an accurate calorie burn.

SingingSingleTracker

AngelUKCH wrote: »

Yes I do weigh everything on a scale and use a measuring cup and use the labels as well as food info found on MFP.
I am starting to think my burn MUST be overestimated even though Fitbit is meant to be quite accurate?
But then again I am worried that if I reduce my calorie intake and do not eat back most of the calories burned, I will lose muscles instead of fat.
I am 46, 5 8' 1/2 tall and weigh 11stone 8lbs.

Calorienet says, set for sedentary, you need to be chowing down on 1208 calories a day for you to lose one pound per week.

162

Whatever your gadget or machine (doesn't matter the brand as they are all wild guesstimates) says you burned, leave a good 50% cushion in terms of what you eat back. Burn 1000 calories according to the gadget, only eat back 400-500 calories.

Worried about losing muscle during weight loss? Guess what, we all lose muscle during a weight cut. You can mitigate it and maintain strength by lifting weights 2x per week (leg day/upper body day), but the body will fuel on what it needs to during a deficit.

My guess is you are way overestimating your burn during exercise and eating back too many calories. Alter that side of the CICO equation and end your frustrated stall.

AngelUKCH

I think you are right. It must be that! Will reign in more! Wish exercising didn't make me so ravenous though!
Thank you

SingingSingleTracker

AngelUKCH wrote: »

I think you are right. It must be that! Will reign in more! Wish exercising didn't make me so ravenous though!
Thank you

It makes all of us ravenous. I love to eat, believe me. I spend 8-12 hours a week on the bike exercising which allows me to eat much more than if I was sedentary.

Coffee. Tea. (neither with cream of sugar) Chewing gum. Veggies. An ounce of unsalted nuts. Pickled beets. An apple. All are good "snacks" to help curb the ravenous feeling.

bogwoppt1

Do not rely on packaging for calorie counts, though tend to be notoriously low. Also cups measure wrongly too. Weighing is the only sure way. If you have lost 3.5 stone, you clearly do not have a metabolic issue, the problem is now that you are closer to your goal you have less room for mistakes in calorie counting.