How am I maintaining at 1600 calories?

lonelylolita
lonelylolita Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 5'8, 124 lbs, shouldn't I be losing weight if I'm eating this amount? I workout 6 days a week, 3-4 days strength training for 1-1.5 hours, and cardio 5-6 days a week, usually hiit of some sort for 45 minutes. How is it possible to be maintaining? Surely I am at a calorie deficit with this. I read somewhere that if you are maintaing at relatively low calories like in my situation that your metabolism is messed up from being in a deficit for so long, could this be the case? I'm mostly asking this out of general curiosity, not even because I just want to lose weight, which I know isn't necessary, but I'm genuinely curious and a bit concerned that I've severely damaged my metabolism, because surely most people in my situation would be losing, yet I am maintaing, when in reality at this level I should be losing, and my maintenance should be around 2000. Could anyone help me understand this? How would I even go about fixing my metabolism, and lets just say I did want to lose weight, does that mean I would have to go significantly lower in calories? Ah, I'm sorry I'm rambling, I'm just very concerned because I know something is very wrong.

Replies

  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    With the amount you're working out if you're not eating back your exercise calories you're not netting 1600.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Put your information in there with the appropriate activity level to see what you should be eating to maintain and/or lose.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    You're 5'8" and 124. Eat more food. Your metabolism isn't broken. You don't have fat to lose.
  • lonelylolita
    lonelylolita Posts: 10
    If there is nothing wrong with my metabolism, then why is my weight stable at 1600 calories, when anyone else with my stats/activity level would be consistently losing weight at this same amount? Obviously something is wrong if such a low amount is my maintenance.
  • afreelandgti
    afreelandgti Posts: 73
    You're doing strength training so you're probably gaining muscle and also at 5'8" 124lbs you are far from fat! You're working out hard so keep that up and as the others said...EAT!
  • kindasortachewy
    kindasortachewy Posts: 1,084 Member
    You're stable because you're body is happy where it's at.
  • lonelylolita
    lonelylolita Posts: 10
    My body's happy where its at? Okay, but if I'm in a calorie deficit, how is it physically possible to not lose weight? I'm sorry if I sound so ignorant, but all I ever see on these boards are people saying that while in a deficit, you will lose weight, basic science, as simple as that, yet I'm not.
  • samrockrocks
    samrockrocks Posts: 251 Member
    With the amount you're working out if you're not eating back your exercise calories you're not netting 1600.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Put your information in there with the appropriate activity level to see what you should be eating to maintain and/or lose.

    ....THIS.
  • phylisrn
    phylisrn Posts: 11 Member
    The first question is are you trying to loose weight?
  • viajera99
    viajera99 Posts: 252 Member
    You probably don't want to hear this, but you're probably not eating only 1600 cal/day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • peggymdellinger
    peggymdellinger Posts: 151 Member
    Really... you really might not be eating enough so, basically (very basically), your body is holding on to fat stores (not that you have a whole lot...). Go with what herblackwings said, figure out TDEE and subtract 10-15%. Give it 6 weeks at your same exercise output.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Of course, it could be as the other posters said and you're at your ideal weight already, or you're gaining muscle (though you shouldn't be if you're eating at a deficit)... Try it.
  • beckhole69
    beckhole69 Posts: 69 Member
    Because your body has lowered its metabolism in order to conserve fat as it thinks it's going to starve.
  • faeriewings1
    faeriewings1 Posts: 98 Member
    You probably don't want to hear this, but you're probably not eating only 1600 cal/day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    QFT
  • lonelylolita
    lonelylolita Posts: 10
    No I am surely not eating more than 1600, I am pretty meticulous with counting/ measuring, and in fact if I'm iffy about something I overestimate, as well as giving myself leeway everyday( never hitting 1600 spot on) just in case I fudged a bit.
  • peggymdellinger
    peggymdellinger Posts: 151 Member
    You probably don't want to hear this, but you're probably not eating only 1600 cal/day.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    ...and definitely true that^. The difference btwn what I was getting from a measuring cup and what my food scale says was a lot... not all at once though. .1-.3 oz here and there adds up though. As does being a "nibbler".
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    It's very hard to lose weight when you are already underweight even if it's just a couple pounds. Also a lot of people eat around 1600 and maintain. If you are new to lifting or other exercises the new activity will cause you to retain water. So, you could have lost a pound that won't show up for a couple days or a week. In your case I would worry more about gaining a bit of weight so maybe up your calories a bit like 100 a day or so and keep going until you do hit an amount that will allow you to gain while lifting or some other muscle building activity.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    It's very hard to lose weight when you are already underweight even if it's just a couple pounds. Also a lot of people eat around 1600 and maintain. If you are new to lifting or other exercises the new activity will cause you to retain water. So, you could have lost a pound that won't show up for a couple days or a week. In your case I would worry more about gaining a bit of weight so maybe up your calories a bit like 100 a day or so and keep going until you do hit an amount that will allow you to gain while lifting or some other muscle building activity.

    She is not underweight. Her BMI is 18.9. She is just above the line between ok and underweight.
    That said, OP, you should not even be trying to lose anymore weight.
    Unless you want to bollox up your metabolism even more.
  • kkerri
    kkerri Posts: 276 Member
    I hate when people tell other people that they don't need to lose weight because everyone has a different threshold regarding what they feel they should weigh....however, 5'8 and 124 seems pretty thin....
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
    My body's happy where its at? Okay, but if I'm in a calorie deficit, how is it physically possible to not lose weight? I'm sorry if I sound so ignorant, but all I ever see on these boards are people saying that while in a deficit, you will lose weight, basic science, as simple as that, yet I'm not.
    Your body is not a machine.

    Whilst the first rule of thermodynamics always applies (your body cannot magick energy out of nowhere), if you are maintaining at a certain calorie amount, then the only logical conclusion is that your body's energy expenditure is equivalent to your intake.

    Why is that a low number in your case? Well, because your body has many clever strategies to lower your basal metabolic rate (and even get you to subconsciously reduce your activity levels) to lower your energy expenditure, to ensure that you don't continue to lose fat stores on a low calorie intake.

    I am pretty sure that you can maintain your (low) weight on 800 cal, 1600 cal, 2000 cal or 2500 cal.If you slowly increase your calorie intake and accept the initial fluctuations from water/glycogen shifts; and your weight will stabilise at whatever your body thinks is acceptable, not what you or society want.

    I am 5'9 and my body's happy weight is about 155 pounds. I can maintain this on any amount I eat (some days this is 3000 calories!) but when I've tried to go lower in the past I've had to starve myself and continue to eat at a lower amount to maintain. Not worth the hassle. I decided I like food more.
  • beckhole69
    beckhole69 Posts: 69 Member

    Your body is not a machine.

    Whilst the first rule of thermodynamics always applies (your body cannot magick energy out of nowhere), if you are maintaining at a certain calorie amount, then the only logical conclusion is that your body's energy expenditure is equivalent to your intake.

    Why is that a low number in your case? Well, because your body has many clever strategies to lower your basal metabolic rate (and even get you to subconsciously reduce your activity levels) to lower your energy expenditure, to ensure that you don't continue to lose fat stores on a low calorie intake.

    I am pretty sure that you can maintain your (low) weight on 800 cal, 1600 cal, 2000 cal or 2500 cal.If you slowly increase your calorie intake and accept the initial fluctuations from water/glycogen shifts; and your weight will stabilise at whatever your body thinks is acceptable, not what you or society want.

    I am 5'9 and my body's happy weight is about 155 pounds. I can maintain this on any amount I eat (some days this is 3000 calories!) but when I've tried to go lower in the past I've had to starve myself and continue to eat at a lower amount to maintain. Not worth the hassle. I decided I like food more.

    LIKE
  • flitabout
    flitabout Posts: 200 Member
    well your BMI is 18.9. Your just this side of under weight. Which if you lose 2 more pounds you will be.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    My body's happy where its at? Okay, but if I'm in a calorie deficit, how is it physically possible to not lose weight? I'm sorry if I sound so ignorant, but all I ever see on these boards are people saying that while in a deficit, you will lose weight, basic science, as simple as that, yet I'm not.

    In a nutshell, they are wrong. There is no simple math when it comes to how our bodies utilize calories. Some people burn mad calories while doing practically nothing (high metabolism) others can walk past a bakery and gain 5 pounds (slow metabolism).

    You can speed up your metabolism by gaining muscle, which means you will have to eat 10-20% over your maintenance level for a while. You will gain weight, but most of it will be muscle. Do this for 3-4 weeks, then cut back to whatever number will give you a 1/2-1 pound a week loss until you reach the body fat percentage you wish to achieve.

    That is essentially how you increase your metabolism. There are, of course, more details such as getting enough protein and reducing sugar, but those are the basics.
  • JuantonBliss
    JuantonBliss Posts: 245 Member
    If you don't mind me asking.......do you have an eating disorder..?
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    At 124lb I can maintain at way over 2000, but I'm 5'5" and have yet to find the weight at which my body says 'Stop losing!' I do notice that if I take in too few calories my body slows down, I fidget less and crash out more. Even if there is nothing 'wrong' with your metabolism, your body will make this kind of adjustment.

    Also, an efficient body at low calories is a genetic advantage your ancestors won for you by surviving lean times. If there's ever global famine my stupid, high-calorie burn body won't last long!
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    I hate when people tell other people that they don't need to lose weight because everyone has a different threshold regarding what they feel they should weigh....however, 5'8 and 124 seems pretty thin....

    I hate when people pull out "what they FEEL they should weigh" or "listen to your body" as arguments. What someone FEELS they should weigh, and what's healthy, can and often are vastly different. And if we all listened to our bodies (which I know you didn't mention but it deserves a nod)...well... how do you think we got overweight in first darn place??
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    OP it is possible to maintain at 1600 calories per day, which is what you appear to be doing, hence why no weight loss.

    I trust you are weighing all your food to log the correct calories?
  • kkerri
    kkerri Posts: 276 Member
    "What someone FEELS they should weigh, and what's healthy, can and often are vastly different. And if we all listened to our bodies (which I know you didn't mention but it deserves a nod)...well... how do you think we got overweight in first darn place??"


    I am speaking more to when people tell people not to lose. I have always been a normal weight (pregnancy notwithstanding) and have never been "overweight" by any chart or BMI test. However, I definitely feel overweight and hate hearing that I am not. I didn't mean listen to your body by eating everything it craves.
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
    "What someone FEELS they should weigh, and what's healthy, can and often are vastly different. And if we all listened to our bodies (which I know you didn't mention but it deserves a nod)...well... how do you think we got overweight in first darn place??"


    I am speaking more to when people tell people not to lose. I have always been a normal weight (pregnancy notwithstanding) and have never been "overweight" by any chart or BMI test. However, I definitely feel overweight and hate hearing that I am not. I didn't mean listen to your body by eating everything it craves.
    I find that in the Western world. especially amongst middle/upper income women, the tendency is to want to weigh much less than is natural for their bodies...it's all about societal pressure. I never had any issues with my body/eating until I became (by virtue of education and good fortune) part of this cohort of people...next thing I was killing myself try to maintain an abnormally low body weight FOR ME (still within normal BMI range) while people told me I looked good.

Categories