I'm New... Can I Temperature Check my theory with you all please...

2323FatBoy
2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm relatively new to this app (one month in) I have been trying to pay attention to my bodies normal calorie burn rate. From wearing my Fitbit Charge-2, it informs me that I am burning approximately 3700 calories per day (virtually no exercise minimal daily walking). I'm currently as of today 17st 8Lb 6ft tall Man aged 43.

I am not sure if to trust this figure when calculating my deficit in order to bring about sufficient weight loss traction. The theory being: 500 calorie deficit a day over 7 days = 1lb loss. So if I am consuming no more that 1660 calories a day this creates an approximate daily deficit of 2040 calories a day for me, yielding a 4lb loss each week for the time being. I have lost the following over each of the following 4 weeks


W1: 4lb
W2: 7lb
W3: 4lb
W4: 4lb

Apart from the random 7lb in Week 2, it seems to be a working theory.

Any advice gratefully welcomed.

Thank you very much in advance

David

Replies

  • jayemes
    jayemes Posts: 865 Member
    You're probably losing too fast. What's your goal weight?
    Losing 4 pounds a week is only for people looking to lose 50+ pounds
  • 2323FatBoy
    2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
    70lb in total

  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    2323FatBoy wrote: »
    I'm relatively new to this app (one month in) I have been trying to pay attention to my bodies normal calorie burn rate. From wearing my Fitbit Charge-2, it informs me that I am burning approximately 3700 calories per day (virtually no exercise minimal daily walking). I'm currently as of today 17st 8Lb 6ft tall Man aged 43.

    I am not sure if to trust this figure when calculating my deficit in order to bring about sufficient weight loss traction. The theory being: 500 calorie deficit a day over 7 days = 1lb loss. So if I am consuming no more that 1660 calories a day this creates an approximate daily deficit of 2040 calories a day for me, yielding a 4lb loss each week for the time being. I have lost the following over each of the following 4 weeks


    W1: 4lb
    W2: 7lb
    W3: 4lb
    W4: 4lb

    Apart from the random 7lb in Week 2, it seems to be a working theory.

    Any advice gratefully welcomed.

    Thank you very much in advance

    David

    If you are paying attention to your activity and your Fitbit readings (which it sounds like you are), you should be able to see patterns that can help guide you, even if the numbers are not precisely accurate.

    I would not get too focused on predicting “x” amount of weight loss based not the “deficit” determined by the tracker. They aren’t that precise. Right now your numbers may match up, but that is likely more of a coincidence.

    If you are able to determine that: if the tracker shows “this number” or above, and I maintain my intake, I will lose weight, then it can be a good guideline.



  • 2323FatBoy
    2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
    edited October 2019
    Great advice from someone some that sounds like they have been in the same bot as me! Thank you very much indeed for the sound advice. I am not able to exercise much at the moment. Do you? Or did you at the start? Thank you once again!!! David
    lgfrie wrote: »
    You're not losing 4 lbs per week of fat and that TDEE estimate of 3,700 is way, way too high.

    At your weight / age / activity level (sedentary with a little walking), your maintenance burn rate is going to be more like 2600 (go run your numbers on tdeecalculator.net to drill down on this), and at 1660 cals/day, you should therefore be losing 2 lbs/week of fat, give or take.

    The first month of a new diet often involves some seriously accelerated scale weight loss which won't continue beyond week 4 or 5. The numbers you're seeing on the scale are a mix of true fat loss, combined with water release due to taking in less carbs and sodium (due to less food).

    By way of example, and being a similar large guy, I've been dieting for 5 months. I lost 19.8 pounds my first month (almost 5 lbs per week!), then right around week 5 it slowed to 3 lbs/wk, and in week 6 I lost 2 lbs and that is what it's been ever since -- eating a very similar calorie level as you. Now in month 5 it's actually slowed to more like 1.75 lbs/week, by the way.

    So, enjoy it while it lasts. You may find this reply a bummer, but it isn't meant to be so. Actually, the opposite. Your weight loss is going to slow, and if you understand why it's doing that when it happens, you will stay motivated, knowing you are racking up a solid achievement of 2 lbs/week of true fat lost every week. Conversely, people who come to believe that weight will drop as it did in the first month often get demoralized when the reality of slow/steady weight loss hits them in week 5-6.
    lgfrie wrote: »
    You're not losing 4 lbs per week of fat and that TDEE estimate of 3,700 is way, way too high.

    At your weight / age / activity level (sedentary with a little walking), your maintenance burn rate is going to be more like 2600 (go run your numbers on tdeecalculator.net to drill down on this), and at 1660 cals/day, you should therefore be losing 2 lbs/week of fat, give or take.

    The first month of a new diet often involves some seriously accelerated scale weight loss which won't continue beyond week 4 or 5. The numbers you're seeing on the scale are a mix of true fat loss, combined with water release due to taking in less carbs and sodium (due to less food).

    By way of example, and being a similar large guy, I've been dieting for 5 months. I lost 19.8 pounds my first month (almost 5 lbs per week!), then right around week 5 it slowed to 3 lbs/wk, and in week 6 I lost 2 lbs and that is what it's been ever since -- eating a very similar calorie level as you. Now in month 5 it's actually slowed to more like 1.75 lbs/week, by the way.

    So, enjoy it while it lasts. You may find this reply a bummer, but it isn't meant to be so. Actually, the opposite. Your weight loss is going to slow, and if you understand why it's doing that when it happens, you will stay motivated, knowing you are racking up a solid achievement of 2 lbs/week of true fat lost every week. Conversely, people who come to believe that weight will drop as it did in the first month often get demoralized when the reality of slow/steady weight loss hits them in week 5-6.

    Great advice from someone some that sounds like they have been in the same boat as me! Thank you very much indeed for the sound advice. I am not able to exercise much at the moment. Do you? Or did you at the start? Thank you once again!!! David
  • 2323FatBoy
    2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
    lgfrie wrote: »
    2323FatBoy wrote: »
    Great advice from someone some that sounds like they have been in the same boat as me! Thank you very much indeed for the sound advice. I am not able to exercise much at the moment. Do you? Or did you at the start? Thank you once again!!! David

    Yeah, definitely a similar boat, although I was older and fatter when I got this project underway (56 and 300+ pounds). It was really, really hard to begin exercising. I started out walking 1/6 of a mile around our block, or using our recumbent bike for 5-10 minutes. The latter would bring my pulse rate into the 130s at first -- it was awful, man I was sooooo out of shape and it would take a scary amount of time for my pulse to come back to its "normal" resting rate of 86-90 bpm after exercising. Anyway, I just plugged away at it, doing what I could, not overdoing it but trying each day to push myself just a tiny bit outside my comfort zone, like one incremental more minute every 2-3 days on the recumbent bike.

    Today, I did a 50 minute recumbent workout, no breaks, pulse rate during workout = 106, resting pulse 5 minutes after workout = 72, resting pulse rate an hour later = 66.

    I feel really good about the progress on the exercise front; it's as important to me as the weight loss side of things because I was in very bad shape so it wasn't just about fat loss to me. The dramatic improvements in my pulse and BP and especially my exercise capacity have been very rewarding. Due to Achilles tendinosis there are few cardio activities I can do safely and comfortably, but the recumbent bike has been working out great for me, so I just keep plugging away at that like an insane obsessed person LOL

    Anyway, good luck, and even just a few minutes of exercise per day can get you on the right path forward!
    Thanks for the advice. I kind of have a three phased approach in my head to propel me into the journey. Thanks again
  • 2323FatBoy
    2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    What type of work do you do? It is a possibility that you are burning a lot of calories through non exercise activity. I don't trust numbers until there is a very clear pattern but the fact you are losing 4 pounds per week after the second week and it kind of matches what your fitbit is saying may mean there is some truth to it. OTOH it is not an easy thing to create that large of a deficit at your weight and not feel pretty fatigued.

    I wouldn't change anything for another 2 weeks unless you are feeling really tired. At that time though if you are still losing ahead of your intended rate of loss you will need to start eating more food or in time you may start suffering from the side effects of malnourishment and that is no joke.

    Thank you VERY MUCH for your message. I will indeed keep my plan going for another two weeks. How much have you lost so far? Have you been doing this long?

    Thanks again

    David
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    2323FatBoy wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    What type of work do you do? It is a possibility that you are burning a lot of calories through non exercise activity. I don't trust numbers until there is a very clear pattern but the fact you are losing 4 pounds per week after the second week and it kind of matches what your fitbit is saying may mean there is some truth to it. OTOH it is not an easy thing to create that large of a deficit at your weight and not feel pretty fatigued.

    I wouldn't change anything for another 2 weeks unless you are feeling really tired. At that time though if you are still losing ahead of your intended rate of loss you will need to start eating more food or in time you may start suffering from the side effects of malnourishment and that is no joke.

    Thank you VERY MUCH for your message. I will indeed keep my plan going for another two weeks. How much have you lost so far? Have you been doing this long?

    Thanks again

    David

    19 months and I have lost over 14st.
  • 2323FatBoy
    2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    2323FatBoy wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    What type of work do you do? It is a possibility that you are burning a lot of calories through non exercise activity. I don't trust numbers until there is a very clear pattern but the fact you are losing 4 pounds per week after the second week and it kind of matches what your fitbit is saying may mean there is some truth to it. OTOH it is not an easy thing to create that large of a deficit at your weight and not feel pretty fatigued.

    I wouldn't change anything for another 2 weeks unless you are feeling really tired. At that time though if you are still losing ahead of your intended rate of loss you will need to start eating more food or in time you may start suffering from the side effects of malnourishment and that is no joke.

    Thank you VERY MUCH for your message. I will indeed keep my plan going for another two weeks. How much have you lost so far? Have you been doing this long?

    Thanks again

    David

    19 months and I have lost over 14st.

    OH WOW!!!! That is a serious amount. Congratulations.

    My god that is an amazing amount
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    You're me when I started in 2014. Off to a great start!

    You'll find the rate of loss will decrease over time, may stall, or increase, but over time you'll see a constant downward trend. People lose a great deal initially largely due to water weight and glycogen, so don't be concerned if the loss stalls for a week or two - that's just your water weight fluctuating.

    I lost over 60 lbs in the first year. Gained about 30 of that back at first as I quit logging and started slacking. Got back into it and have been in maintenance ever since.
  • 2323FatBoy
    2323FatBoy Posts: 33 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    You're me when I started in 2014. Off to a great start!

    You'll find the rate of loss will decrease over time, may stall, or increase, but over time you'll see a constant downward trend. People lose a great deal initially largely due to water weight and glycogen, so don't be concerned if the loss stalls for a week or two - that's just your water weight fluctuating.

    I lost over 60 lbs in the first year. Gained about 30 of that back at first as I quit logging and started slacking. Got back into it and have been in maintenance ever since.


    Thank you very much for your sound advice. I think this week is actually going to be one of those stall weeks. So thank you for advice regarding the water

    Appreciated

    David

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