Help! Not losing weight (while weighing food , counting calories and exercising).
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Myjourney2345 wrote: »jessicarobinson00 wrote: »I would give it a few days before you change anything: during your period you naturally retain water. I have fluctuated nearly 8 lbs myself through this time. But I do wonder: is it possible that you are simply eating at your maintenance level? I am the same height as you..and my maintenance calories are somewhere around 1800 (not including exercise).
This is where it gets confusing for me
. I can burn anywhere between 400-600 calories from working out and if I walk 10,000 steps that's an additional 500 calories just from exercise alone. If my base calories to lose weight is 1,210 (my profile setting is set on sedentary) than I would think that eating 1,800 calories a day would put me at a deifict ;(. I upped my calories during my period to maintaince (2,200-2,300 calories) to avoid bienging so perhaps that is contributing to that.
Here is a sample day where I would think that 1,800 calories a day would lead to a deifict large enough to lose weight. I use a polar heart rate monitor to track my steps and exercise calories.
I haven't read all the posts, but I figured I'd chime in.
I'm the same height as you. About 12 lb less though (~130). I run anywhere from 20-30 miles a week and walk everywhere. I also do plenty of heavy lifting. My step count (according to Apple Watch) averages around 20,000 a day.
My TDEE is roughly 2200-2400 a day. When I was slightly heavier (around your weight) my TDEE was about the same +/- 50ish calories (including the same amount of activity I'm currently doing).
It looks as though I'm a bit more active than you. So my guess is that you're eating around maintenance. Maybe SLIGHTLY less. I highly doubt you burn almost 2700 calories a day from that activity and at your weight. I think your Fitbit is overestimating.
Just my two cents.
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I would say chuck this weigh-in for the reason in bold. Trying to figure any weight loss during your period is pointless (and really, it's only .2lb, so minuscule anyway!). Wait until your cycle is over and then weigh again. Grab a measuring tape too, and start tracking your measurements about once a month.Myjourney2345 wrote: »Hi all, I'd love to get some input on my situation. I'm 5'4.5,142.6 pounds and 27 years old. I've been consuming on an average 1,800-1,900 calories a day with 3-4 days where I consumed 2,100-2,300 calories. I weigh all of my food and wear a heart rate monitor during exercise so my caloric output should be fairly accurate. I exercise 5-6 times a week between 45-75 minutes during each session, and take anywhere between 5,000-15,000 steps. I haven't weighed myself in two weeks and while I am still on my period (third day), I stepped on the scale today and not only did I not lose, I gained .2 pounds. I decided to weigh myself before my period was over because I have a doctor's appointment today and I wanted to know my weight before the weigh in at the doctor's office (otherwise, I would have waited until my period was over to weigh myself).
I've been eating all of my exercise calories back on MFP and my profile settings is on sedentary in order to get my steps and and exercise calories from my heart rate monitor. I also make sure to drink 2.5-3 litters of water a day and got to the bathroom daily.
What gives? Did I screw up my metabolism by gaining 13 pounds from January-May through bingeing? I notice that when I eat more I have no desire to binge, but I am also not losing weight. Should I lower my calories to 1,500 a day and reduce my exercise? In the past I've lost weight on 1,450-1,500 calories a a day, but I also felt deprived and after 4-5 months started to binge.
Would love some input (my diary is open, the food is all logged, but it is not always in the correct order, sometimes I just put it all in for snacks).
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I think you should wait until your period is over, weigh yourself, then adjust if necessary. I can gain 6 lbs easy in the days leading up to and during my period. I agree with AmyRhubarb that you should grab a measuring tape and take measurements as well.
I'm a firm believer in eating as many calories as possible to reach your goal. When I lose on a small deficit I'm less likely to binge and more likely to reach my goal. Don't freak out and drop your calories significantly when you don't even have the data to see what kind of progress you've made. I know it's not fun to be patient with these things but you'll thank yourself for it later. If you weigh yourself after your period and you haven't really lost weight then you should drop your calories slightly and go from there.1 -
You can't put too much stock into calorie estimates generated my exercise machines and fitness monitors. They are often inaccurate. Just yesterday, I believe I read an article about a lawsuit brought against Fitbit because its step count is off.
In addition to other suggestions, I would not eat back any calories unless I was hungry and weigh myself every day so I could observe normal fluctuations and make adjustments. Machines are never going to be a substitute for judgment.
I'm not sure what article you read (it may have been different from what I saw) but what I saw regarding a lawsuit was that the heartrate was off by up to 20bpm. The argument here is that fitbit never told people to monitor their heart rate for medical reasons using their product (which prob isn't a good idea anyway.)0 -
One thing you can do when your period is over is sum all the net calories of all your days of this weight loss journey from your Reports file, then multiply your MFP calorie goal by the number of days you've been on this journey, and compare the two numbers. They should be different, and the difference divided by 3500 should be within 10% of the actual weight difference from beginning to now. If your total net calories are actually greater than your sum of daily goals, then you have your explanation for no loss or some gain.1
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Myjourney2345 wrote: »I think I may be eating too much & I should only eat back 50% of calories burned during exercise. 1,210 is my base calorie range for losing a pound a month while sedentary...the other exercise and activity calories were added from my heart rate. I think ultimately I should be eating 1,500-1,600 to lose a pound a day and exclude any calories derived from walking.
A lot of successful losers here take that approach. I don't even bother to eat back exercise calories or measure steps and lose quite steadily.
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JeromeBarry1 wrote: »Myjourney2345 wrote: »I think I may be eating too much & I should only eat back 50% of calories burned during exercise. 1,210 is my base calorie range for losing a pound a month while sedentary...the other exercise and activity calories were added from my heart rate. I think ultimately I should be eating 1,500-1,600 to lose a pound a day and exclude any calories derived from walking.
A lot of successful losers here take that approach. I don't even bother to eat back exercise calories or measure steps and lose quite steadily.
Yes, I think as much as I would like to eat 1,800-2,000 calories a day to lose weight it may not be in the cards for me. Perhaps the good news is that I can eat 1,800-2,300 a day and still maintain, haha, but I should reduce my caloric intake to 1,500-1,600.
I have actually been keeping track of my daily deficit in a separate calendar. I will also weigh myself next Wednesday to see if reducing my calories slightly will impact the scale.2 -
i'm half an inch shorter than you, and 1500 calories per day seems to be maintenance for me. if i eat 1800 calories per day, i gain weight unless i'm doing a lot of walking - an hour per day at a moderately fast speed - or 30 minutes a day of fairly vigorous exercise bike riding. even then, i don't lose weight at 1800.0
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I see an awful lot of people logging their everyday steps plus regular cardio. Everyday steps are just that, I would never count those.0
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I'm 38, but I'm taller 5'9" and exercise like you, but do not walk like you do. On days that I exercise I allow myself 1800cal. On days I don't exercise I can comfortably (without wanting to kill someone) stay around 1300cal.
Without knowing you and guessing, I'd say your calories are too high. Have you calculated your TDEE? On my "slacker" days I still don't go higher than 90% TDEE with a great day being 75% TDEE.
FWIW, I also do HR monitored exercise. I crushed it today and burned 720cal. I'm giving myself only 350 5o eat back.
I'm losing and yes, at times I'm hungry. It sucks, but I know my body and I have to at times be hungry to lose.0 -
itsbasschick wrote: »i'm half an inch shorter than you, and 1500 calories per day seems to be maintenance for me. if i eat 1800 calories per day, i gain weight unless i'm doing a lot of walking - an hour per day at a moderately fast speed - or 30 minutes a day of fairly vigorous exercise bike riding. even then, i don't lose weight at 1800.
I walk a lot almost every single day ( anywhere between 7,000-17,000 steps a a day) and workout vigorously 5-6 and sometimes 6-7 times a week.0 -
melissanorth35 wrote: »I'm 38, but I'm taller 5'9" and exercise like you, but do not walk like you do. On days that I exercise I allow myself 1800cal. On days I don't exercise I can comfortably (without wanting to kill someone) stay around 1300cal.
Without knowing you and guessing, I'd say your calories are too high. Have you calculated your TDEE? On my "slacker" days I still don't go higher than 90% TDEE with a great day being 75% TDEE.
FWIW, I also do HR monitored exercise. I crushed it today and burned 720cal. I'm giving myself only 350 5o eat back.
I'm losing and yes, at times I'm hungry. It sucks, but I know my body and I have to at times be hungry to lose.
According to my PolarM400 even when I walk 17,000 steps and workout for 45 minutes ( and burn 400 calories) the most I have ever burned was 2,500 calories in a single day. I don't think that the suggested caloric consumption on MFP is 100% accurate, but hopefully now that I will not be logging my steps and eating back 50% of my calories I will lose weight.
I lost weight before while eating 1,450-1,500 a day, and while I was successful it ultimately turned me into a ravenous beast. This is why I upped my calories, but from what I can tell, I probably have been eating closer to my maintenance range and not weight loss range.
I am also considering reducing my exercise amount to 4 times a week from 6-7 and continuing to walk a lot so that j won't get hungry as often and tolerate eating less.
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The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.0 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »
I already exercise my @$$ off ( bootcamp, running, spinning and an average heart rate of 165-166 per workout)...diet is my culprit....and sugar probably. Although, in the past I could eat whatever and just stick to 1,450-1,500 calories a day and still lose weight.
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The only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.
(1) there is no 1 way
(2) WERE THERE 1 WAY, most sensible people would agree CI<CO is the most predictable
(3) would cutting carbs below 30g/day work for most people? Probably, if it puts them in a calorie deficit.
(4) you don't need to exercise to lose weight
(5) not everyone needs to eat high protein
(6) essentially I disagree with everything you said except the "do it" part6 -
Myjourney2345 wrote: »
The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.
I was a binge eater from age 9 to 21. Sure it put on weight but I don't feel my metabolism is ruined. I think the only times it seemed affected were following severe restriction. Many of these suggestions might be food for thought but I wouldn't stop your calories a lot after a .2 during menstruation. It just isn't logical to react as if you are putting on pounds. Set aside the paranoia and don't jump to conclusions.1 -
The only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.
(1) there is no 1 way
(2) WERE THERE 1 WAY, most sensible people would agree CI<CO is the most predictable
(3) would cutting carbs below 30g/day work for most people? Probably, if it puts them in a calorie deficit.
(4) you don't need to exercise to lose weight
(5) not everyone needs to eat high protein
(6) essentially I disagree with everything you said except the "do it" partThe only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.
(1) there is no 1 way
(2) WERE THERE 1 WAY, most sensible people would agree CI<CO is the most predictable
(3) would cutting carbs below 30g/day work for most people? Probably, if it puts them in a calorie deficit.
(4) you don't need to exercise to lose weight
(5) not everyone needs to eat high protein
(6) essentially I disagree with everything you said except the "do it" part
I agree, I need carbs to sustain my high intensity workouts and restricting macros causes me to binge and I don't ever want to revert back to my horrible old ways...I don't eat fast food, but I indulge in chocolate from time to time and a lot of oatmeal and Starbuck's 150 calorie mini packaged cookies. Not ideal, but I agree that what works for one person may not work for another. Exercise and an active lifestyle is not an issue for me. An insufficient calorie deficit appears to be the problem.0 -
Myjourney2345 wrote: »
The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.
It takes a lot more to ruin a metabolism than you think it does. If anything my body lost fat better after an extended binge.1
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