Losing Weight but Not Inches - Should I forcefully stay on track/measure more areas?

AlexanderDaMota

Looking at a few articles and similar threads, I feel that measuring more areas might help but.
My wonder comes from the awareness of losing more than 2lbs being unhealthy and not recommended. Even though my goal/calories is set to 1.5lbs/week, these two weeks including this one I've lost more than 2lbs unintentionally.

My issue is that, during those two weeks, my gut (measuring at my belly button) hasn't shrink'd (barely 0.5cm), while I lost 2 inches on my first week.
If it helps, you can check out exactly what I ate (for the most part) or weighed everyday.
(http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/AlexanderDaMota)

So I question if I'm not losing belly fat because I'm losing fat too fast,

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or if it's because on some days I don't eat veggies, enough good fats or more than two meals (anymore/rarely) even though now (this week) instead of 5, I successfully drink 6 water bottles/day and usually compensate with raisin bran cereal for its fiber if I don't eat veggies.
Some days when I don't feel like eating much protein, I compensate with more carbs. Fats, I usually get from olive oil or whatever other meat I'm eating, on occasion I eat almonds. Sometimes I eat pasta while staying on my calories limit.
Every week so far, on occasion I eat a bit of junk food, which are mainly chocolate or cheesecake, if not whatever little pastry or chocolate my dad brings, I prefer and love chocolate/cake overall so I don't eat chips or very rarely drink soda now.

Since I'm currently not training yet (sedentary), for the most part my macros are loosely 100g of protein and carbs with about 60g of fats.
I had my fats at 70g but lowered them to 50g so I can boost my carbs a tiny bit for easier more enjoyable eating portions.
... As for my sleep, even though the schedule is bad (in the sense of being a night owl again), I'm still consistent on at least 8 hours of sleep with 11+ (sometimes 13) hours of fasting after I stop eating/during sleep.
I also try my best to piss out all of the water weight I have left before I weigh myself after I wake up.

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I use calculator.net to calculate my calories with the Katch-McArdle formula and the US Navy formula to calculate my body fat;
(https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html)
(http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy)

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All to ask... will stopping myself from continuing on lowering my calories with the pounds I've lost and forcefully stay on track to 1.5lbs/week fix this?
Or since I'm keeping track of my calories consumption properly, it's natural and...another factor is in affect?

I believe measuring myself on other areas than my neck and gut may help (if so, what should I measure?) but I have a sense that there's a better more accurate answer of solution to my issue.

harper16

The minimum a sedentary male should be eating is 1500 calories a day. Plus you should be eating back your exercise calories. You need to lower your weekly weight loss goal.

AlexanderDaMota

Hmm. Odd. I did intentionally choose 1.5lbs/week since in the past it was hard to know for sure what I truly weighed every morning (at 1lb/week) from training/consuming (6/week) before bed with usually only 8+ hours of sleep/fasting.
... So that's why it forcefully keeps the calories at 1,500 no matter the weight I lose.

For calories burned, I never found the proper device to calculate that... (I'm assuming those arm band devices or maybe those chest bands do) I'm not sure what to call them and what I found was too expensive.

This fourth week (I went from 181.2lbs to 168.8lbs) I've been eating 1,273 calories and I personally don't feel deprived so... although I admit that it seemed peculiar to imagine how my calories would consistently get lower and lower.
If I lower the weight loss goal to 1lb/week, it changes to 1,492 calories/day at 178cm/168.8lbs/22% BF ... but then if I change the goal to .5lb/week it becomes 1,742 calories/day.

... I don't think the body fat percentage formula is flawed (rather I prefer it because it's more accurate and mentally fulfilling). Regardless, I wonder ... would you suggest I keep my weight loss to .5lb/week and can I start on Saturday as my weekly start or should I somehow gain back the fat I lost too fast?...
But then logically in the rule of losing fat from a calorie deficit, how will I lose fat if I'm stuck at 1,500 calories, since less isn't recommended? That seems counter intuitive.

Deviette

Hold up, you've been on a diet for two weeks and are complaining that you've not seen any reduction on the tape measure?

You need to adjust your expectations.

Inches change over months, not weeks. If you see a change from one day to the next, you're probably just holding onto more water weight, or just ate a big meal. Look for trends not actual numbers.

Don't think about this journey week by week. It is a marathon and not a sprint. I know everyone want to have lost weight yesterday, but losing weight too quickly can have serious health consequences. When weight lose becomes rapid your body starts doing more than breaking down just fat (think breaking down muscles, reduces organ efficiency etc). Losing weight slower will prime you up for your life after the diet. Remember you do actually have to fuel your life.

So breath.

Slow your weight loss down.

AlexanderDaMota

Haha, don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware.
I just found it odd how I lost 2 inches in two weeks and didn't lose 1cm of my gut in the fourth week since the third week because logically I expect to have lost more inches from losing 12.4lbs now.
Although measuring myself in other areas would have maybe give me a better idea of where that lost fat has gone from.
I'll lower my pounds per week goal, thanks.

I'm just not sure if I should lower it to 1lb or .5lb/week now.
Unless I get more suggestions, I'll try 1lb/week.

Deviette

Fine:

Hold up, you've been on a diet for four weeks and are complaining that you've not seen any reduction on the tape measure?

You need to adjust your expectations.

Fixed it for you


Edit:
And now you've edited your post it makes mine seem super bitchy, sorrry~

Deviette

Sorry for the double post but I didn't want to edit and then things get changed.

AlexanderDaMota wrote: »

Haha, don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware.
I'm currently in my 4th Week. I just found it odd how I lost 2 inches in two weeks and didn't lose 1cm of my gut in the fourth week since the third week. Thanks, I'll lower my pounds per week goal.

I'm just not sure if I should lower it to 1lb or .5lb/week now.
Unless I get more suggestions, I'll try 1lb/week.

Think of it long term:
In four weeks you've lost two inches. That sounds pretty good to me.

Inches lost, like weight lost, is not linear. Some weeks it seems to go away quickly, others nothing seems to happen. Look at your trend over time.

Honestly I'd recommend not measuring yourself more than once a month, a big meal, something salty, or lots of exercise and effect how puffy* your skin is the next day, and thus effect the tape measure.


* by puffy I generally mean water weight. It might be so small that you personally don't notice, but a little bit spread out over the whole of your body, that can add up. I sometimes get puffy fingers when I walk, my fingers aren't getting any fatter, but if I measured them with a tape measure they'd be much bigger.

AlexanderDaMota

Hahaha. No worries. I'll fix it as well, lol.
Text lacks tone which unfortunately and frustratingly seems hostile or mean to insecure or deluded people jumping into conclusions. I've been there. It's hard not to take replies without judgement of ill will from all the internet trolls or simply terrible people on the internet.

AlexanderDaMota

Deviette wrote: »

Inches lost, like weight lost, is not linear.

'True.

Deviette wrote: »

I'd recommend not measuring yourself more than once a month

I've thought about that in the past from the disappointment I had whenever my weight wasn't consistent from salt/water weight in training 6 times a week/eating before bed (and fasting for 8+ hours during sleep) because it was easier for me to train after (evening) work at midnight.

But now with consistent 11+ hours of fasting and 6-500ml water bottles/day, along with the convenient calories calculator I recently found finally, I think I could properly stay consistent to managing my weight loss.
Even though who knows how different it'll be once I start training again.

I'm a mild perfectionist who can't cope with lacking information and control of what I do or understand, so if I don't measure myself after every week (I've stopped years ago doing it per day because that's worse) ... the unknown sense of not knowing exactly (rather having a good idea) why my body changed from the usual will frustrate and leave me unaware on how to fix it from not knowing. So I think measuring more areas of my body will help me find those answers whenever those issues come,
... but I'm still not clear of my questions or harper16's answer.

Lietchi

We don't know how tall you are or what your goal weight is. But based on the average guy, I'm guessing you don't have much to lose, so 0.5lbs per week would be wisest.
The faster you lose weight, the more you risk losing muscle mass along with bodyfat.

For tracking your weight trend, Libra or Happy Scale can help spot the trend through the fluctuations.

As for the inches, the body is funny that way. Some people lose fat in their extremities first (face, hands, feet), or in their arms or legs etc. Often the spots we want to reduce most are the last to go Measuring in more spots could help determine what's happening. Or just be patient

AlexanderDaMota

Lietchi wrote: »

We don't know how tall you are or what your goal weight is.

AlexanderDaMota wrote: »

178cm/168.8lbs/22% BF

Essentially my goal is to first reach around 10% BF before I start lean bulking. So the "goal" even though I don't know how I'll look or feel like at that weight is 150lbs.
Once I finally reach the healthy body fat of a satisfying lean/ripped look, I'm guessing once I start lean bulking I'll gain to around 170lbs more or less from wanting 17" arms, overall big legs, arms, chest, with a v-cut/abs and big ripped shoulders.

Lietchi wrote: »

For tracking your weight trend, Libra or Happy Scale can help spot the trend through the fluctuations.

Since I have an Android I'll check out Libra - Weight Manager by Daniel Cachapa, thanks.

Lietchi

Oops, I missed the personal stats 🙂 so my recommendation of 0.5lbs per week stands. I would really recommend starting to train already (if only through bodyweight exercises). Any muscle mass you 'save' now, means less muscle mass to gain afterwards in your bulk.

If you're a beginner, you might even consider a recomp: eating at maintenance and weight training, gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time. But that requires even more patience.

Whichever option you choose, recomp or 0.5lbs per week, it sound like a better idea than rapid weight at this point.

AlexanderDaMota

Alright, thanks. It's been around 4 months (again) that I've stopped training, I think.
Yeah, I should really start... I definitely plan to go back to train at home with Athlean-X's program again, since I don't want to wrap my head around building myself a home program myself yet, nor do I plan to go back to a gym anytime soon.

Like my quote says in my profile ... "Failing to achieve my dream body since 2011." lol.
Funny that now I have more knowledge and proper resources, including a fitness instructor diploma since 2018 which I selectively use but, regardless, I lack knowledge. My problem is mainly the return of bad habits. Quitting. Along with an overall lack of discipline but I don't really have any excuses anymore like I did in the past from the tools and knowledge I have today.
Although, to be candid there's a lot I still don't know or am clear of, with my longest consistency recently being (a flawed) 3 months before the pandemic, and 7 months in 2013. Throughout the years I've started and stopped for only a few days or weeks.

zebasschick

do you weigh all your food and make sure that the food listings you choose in the database are accurate as per the manufacturer label or the USDA?

AlexanderDaMota

Yeah, I use measuring cups or measured tablespoons accordingly when inputting it all to the app.
Whenever on rare occasion that there's food my family cooked to which I didn't have a chance to measure and/or calculate, I do a mental estimate from memory with the cups if possible.

Sometimes it's hard, especially for meat or whatever to know if it's the right calculation since there's no official version of the food, and yeah there are a few food listings that are a tiny bit inaccurate that I should fix, even though they come from the source bar from a user who didn't input the information correctly with tiny off-numbers.

I try my best to stick with the consistent accurate foods.
... I should look back and inform myself properly of Canada's Food Guide though...

deepsea117

AlexanderDaMota wrote: »

Hmm. Odd. I did intentionally choose 1.5lbs/week since in the past it was hard to know for sure what I truly weighed every morning (at 1lb/week) from training/consuming (6/week) before bed with usually only 8+ hours of sleep/fasting.
... So that's why it forcefully keeps the calories at 1,500 no matter the weight I lose.

Are you also going off 2000 calories a day? You might be starting off wrong and then too drastic.

Figure out your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) to get an idea how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. It all starts from there.

If you know it already, the belly fat will come off like that if you follow a consistent diet. I lost almost all mine the past 6 months, and I wasn't starving/crash-dieting. I actually have a definite six-pack forming.

For comparison, I'm 5'11" at 177 lbs. I've been also exercising core and beefing up my metabolism through leg exercises, that I had to raise my RMR from 2150 to 2375 calories, given all the activity I was doing (and logging.)

You can see more muscle striations and permanent vascularization in my arms and shoulders. Hips and waist are narrower, and my V-back is more apparent. It turns out I'm actually a classic Mesomorph...!

You'll get there too, just stay the course. You seemed involved enough to actually succeed in your fitness goals--maybe you just need a starting point. Good luck on your journey!

SnifterPug

Others have made the point about patience that I was going to make. Fluctuations happen. Also, it is very hard to measure the EXACT same point of your body, with the tape at the EXACT same angle every time. So there is always going to be a slight margin for error, and when you are dealing with small measurements anyway, I suspect this may be at the root of your problem. Hang in there.

Lietchi

deepsea117 wrote: »

AlexanderDaMota wrote: »

Hmm. Odd. I did intentionally choose 1.5lbs/week since in the past it was hard to know for sure what I truly weighed every morning (at 1lb/week) from training/consuming (6/week) before bed with usually only 8+ hours of sleep/fasting.
... So that's why it forcefully keeps the calories at 1,500 no matter the weight I lose.

Figure out your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) to get an idea how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. It all starts from there.

For comparison, I'm 5'11" at 177 lbs. I've been also exercising core and beefing up my metabolism through leg exercises, that I had to raise my RMR from 2150 to 2375 calories, given all the activity I was doing (and logging.)

You seem to be confusing RMR with TDEE systematically, in all your posts.

RMR is how many calories you burn while completely at rest.
RMR is not influenced by how active you are, but is influenced for example by the amount of muscle mass you have.

TDEE is how many calories you burn in total: RMR plus any activity you do (daily life and exercise). Eating at TDEE level corresponds with weight maintenance.

AlexanderDaMota

deepsea117 wrote: »

Are you also going off 2000 calories a day? You might be starting off wrong and then too drastic.

I didn't go off my 2,245 calories/day at 172lbs on April but from my 181lbs on June off myfitnesspal's calculation of 1,500 (when setting it to 2lbs/week) which apparently is the recommended limit, even though that seems counter-intuitive to losing fat with a calorie deficit.

You're right though, it seems to have been too drastic from my impression of not wanting to retain a lot of salt/water weight like I did in the past when I was training, and because of how hard it is to not lose more than 1.5lbs/week now without training, even though I feel like I'm doing everything fairly well.

deepsea117 wrote: »

Figure out your RMR

Fortunately I did with calculator.net 2 weeks ago instead of using Scott Herman's meal planner which I finally realized was inconvenient since February.
Right now, with the US Navy formula to calculate my Body Fat percentage and the Katch-McArdle formula with calculator.net at 5'10"/168.8lbs/22%
... my BMR is 1,992 calories/day.

With everyone's suggestion of changing my weight loss to 0.5lbs/week, that's ... 1,742 calories/day.

AlexanderDaMota

I've mentioned this on my reply to harper16 but... what device could I use to calculate my TDEE?
I don't know what you call them and whatever I found when searching calories device online in the past I didn't find much and whatever I found were expensive watches that seem irrelevant to true accurate calculation, at least as far as I know from my impression and lack of knowing.

Lietchi

This is one:
https://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/

Keep in mind that these are estimates based on statistical averages, you might or might not be average: monitoring your weight will tell you if it's accurate and if you need to adjust.