Not a special snowflake, just broken? Could use some advice

Lleldiranne

Did you have a time between the crash/fad dieting and the more sensible where you ate without tracking?

I ask because it is possible that you lowered your metabolism with the low calorie dieting, and if you haven't gotten it back (i.e. by eating at 'maintenance), you may still be suffering from that. I don't know how you feel about eating your maintenance calories for a couple of months - I know for many people not losing weight it's a frightening prospect - but that may be what you need. I would think the BodyMedia would account for that, but then again I don't know much about them.

It may also be possible that you've adapted to your walk and are burning fewer calories. Again, I don't know how well the BodyMedia accounts for this. You may need to go faster, meaning same time but longer walk, or try some other forms of exercise. It might be to your benefit to try some resistance/weight lifting as well. I've heard from a lot of women here who have broken through plateaus by adding lifting.

I am by no means an expert … just trying to throw some suggestions out there in an attempt to help. I know it can be very frustrating to be doing everything right (or so it should seem) and not lose anything. Remind yourself, on those days when you just want to throw in the towel, that you are still healthier for making the positive changes, numbers on the scale aside. (Which also reminds me, have you done any measurements or before/after comparisons since you started? Sometimes there's no change on the scale but results in other ways we tend to overlook).

cafeaulait7

Is the exercise new? You might be retaining a lot of water from exercise if it's new.

Also, how much change in calories do you have from where you started? If it's a huge percent, I do think our metabolisms are programmed to kind of freak out a bit. If someone adds a ton of exercise and a huge reduction in calories, I would not be a bit surprised if our systems get stressed and react to that, perhaps by changing the metabolism, yes. I'm a believer in 'starvation mode', but only if the changes are pretty big and drastic or over decades.

You could always try slipping into it more stealthily by eating a bit closer to what you used to. Then reduce the calories more and more. Maybe your metabolism is well-programmed to avoid starvation (stranger things happen). I swear my dad keeps on a healthy weight that makes zero sense compared to how little he eats and what he does in a day. Either his metabolism is oddly low, or he's 'trained' his metabolism to live on less after decades and decades. Just my opinion (although there is some research about things like that ).

Mr_Knight

At the end of the day, if weight isn't coming off, it's because there's too much food being eaten for the activity level. Without actually being there and seeing what is going on, it's going to be impossible for any of us to say with certainty where the problem lies.

However I am a bit suspicious of the numbers, because a 1000 calorie a day deficit at this level of intake and this level of activity should be leaving you feeling fatigued - but it doesn't sound like it is. This suggests the deficit isn't anywhere near what you believe it is. If the actual deficit is, for example, 500 calories, then you're looking at a pound a week loss, and that can easily be masked by normal body fluctuations over the course of a month.

My suggestion would be to batten down the hatches for 8 weeks - keep intake somewhere around a rock steady 1600 calories, regardless of exercise - and monitor the results.

I would absolutely 100% disregard any suggestion along the lines of "eat more".

CeleryStalker

gah..... i hate this, LOL! the reason my protein is so low is because im newly trying to figure out how to eat low cholesterol. turns out, all my go-to protein sources are high in cholesterol!

i'm definitely taking this advice into account, guys. upping the protein for starters. im still not certain where i should land in the calories department. My BodyMedia gives me similar results as wearing my Polar and tracking for a solid day. If two independent sources are both wrong, I'm not sure where to go for an accurate calories number.

Like DopeItUp said, I really think I tanked my metabolism with all these stupid low calorie, low-whatever diets I've tried in the past year. How long does it take to repair a damaged metabolism? I've got various resources here at home to hit weights, including a TRX which I love, but has not seen use in some time. I've also begun MMA classes with my husband

Mr_Knight

I'm also curious about the cycling you are doing. 50 miles at an average pace of 17+ mph is....substantial...and would require considerable aerobic fitness. That alone is in the range of 2000 calories. If you can cycle 50 miles at that speed, I very much doubt you "tanked" your metabolism.

How are you determining distance and pace?

cafeaulait7

Damir00 has a great point, I think. If your body is stressed enough by what you are doing to (hypothetically) alter its metabolism, you'd certainly feel different. If you are not exhausted, chances are your body is trucking along normally.

CeleryStalker

I'm an awesome cyclist LOL We got married on our bikes at the MS150. When we were heavy into cycling, we were riding to the tune of 4,000 miles a year. Now that we're married and have completely different life schedules, cycling has taken a back seat to 'life/work/kids', which is why we're only out there on the weekends But ya, it's a killer workout, and when I was cycling, I was, you guessed it....not overweight. And we got to eat a LOT because of all those calories we were burning. Ah, to be unemployed, kidless, and nothing better to do than ride a bike all day again...... *sigh*

oh, determining distance and pace with my Garmin 305.

3dogsrunning

Before jumping to conclusions of eating more or eating less or tanked metabolism, why not open your diary? Then we see what you are eating, how you are logging, what you are logging for exercise, your calorie intake vs what you are doing. It really helps to answer your question.

CeleryStalker

Definitely not exhausted. Actually have a hard time getting to sleep at night without valium. That's due to work stress tho. Which I've heard stress can really kill your efforts of weight loss.

As for my diary, I don't habitually log it here. I log it in a spreadsheet. Opening my diary would have you folks looking at a lot of nothing. I've given a good example of a typical day for me in my opening post.

Mr_Knight

Ah, to be unemployed, kidless, and nothing better to do than ride a bike all day again...... *sigh*

I hear that! :laugh:

oh, determining distance and pace with my Garmin 305.

Rock solid, then, I totally trust Garmin. Based on the cycling, then, I'm pretty confident your metabolism is just fine. (That's good news! )

bkyoun

I had a very slow start as well.

If you are accurately logging your calories and not eating back your exercise calories, your body may just be holding extra water for a while while it adjusts to your new lifestyle.

Be patient and keep doing what you are doing. The persistence will pay off and I'm sure that you will start losing soon.

I know it is frustrating and it is hard to stay patient, but stay positive and stick with it!

cafeaulait7

Well, if it's a lifestyle change, I see no harm in having your calories closer to where you started and then reducing them more gradually to test whether that's what could be going on. You'd only lose like a month of time out of the rest of your life

I don't know how to tell what's going on without changing up a few things. Start with the protein, though, imho. That's certainly a biggie.

CeleryStalker

Glad that good cycling is an indication that my metabolism isn't wrecked. I'm just stumped. I'm not trying to fool myself with 'dirty data', which is why I log my meals, measure what I eat, and have all the fun techie gadgets to gauge calorie burn/etc. I'm truly stumped and realize it's got to be some sort of miscalculation around calories. I mean, what else would it be, right? LOL The hard part is figuring out what number to aim for.

I'll up the protein and add in some strength training, and see where I'm at in another month. Thanks for the advice, all!

lexi1301

i am around your weight and slightly shorter and body media gives me a maintenance level of 2200, so pretty similar. I have found that eating at a 1000 calorie deficit according to the numbers from my bodymedia has resulted in me losing 2lb a week averaged over several months. I have been amazed at it's accuracy.

One thing that i wondered is if you are wearing your bodymedia during your cycling? While i find that it does slightly underestimate calorie burn compared to walking/running, it still gives me a burn of around 6 calories a minute, so if you are you may be double counting?

Also if you've only been doing this a month and you are sure you are logging your food accurately, and your weight fluctuates that much (mine does too!) it is possible that you have lost several pounds of fat and you just can't tell yet. So keep at it i'm sure you'll see results soon.

CeleryStalker

i take it off during cycling and rely on my Polar. Then I edit the Body Media 'off body' time, because they are notorious for undercalculating for bicyclists.

CeleryStalker

OK so I've already stated I don't habitually log here, I log on a spreadsheet on my hard drive. Opening my log would be useless to you guys. My actual day looks much like my typical day, in that I eat much the same stuff on a regular basis, and in larger portions when the exercise merits the extra calories.

jonnythan

Maybe you should take some screenshots and post some of your log here. Hard to give advice on what to change when no one knows exactly what you're doing.

Before you get all defensive, realize that you're clearly doing something wrong and you can't figure out what it is. Maybe someone else can.

diannethegeek

gah..... i hate this, LOL! the reason my protein is so low is because im newly trying to figure out how to eat low cholesterol. turns out, all my go-to protein sources are high in cholesterol!

i'm definitely taking this advice into account, guys. upping the protein for starters. im still not certain where i should land in the calories department. My BodyMedia gives me similar results as wearing my Polar and tracking for a solid day. If two independent sources are both wrong, I'm not sure where to go for an accurate calories number.

Like DopeItUp said, I really think I tanked my metabolism with all these stupid low calorie, low-whatever diets I've tried in the past year. How long does it take to repair a damaged metabolism? I've got various resources here at home to hit weights, including a TRX which I love, but has not seen use in some time. I've also begun MMA classes with my husband

I can't speak for the BodyMedia, but heart rate monitors like your Polar are really only accurate for steady state cardio. Wearing one for a day of normal activity is not going to give you an accurate measure of your TDEE.

lexi1301

I thought you probably would, just thought it was worth asking just in case, as i have heard of someone else doing this!

several people have mentioned weighing everything with a food scale, and i don't think you have responded to say whether you do or don't. (sorry if i missed that)

I really think this is key. I weigh absolutely everything including liquids and it's surprising how much you can be off with cup measurements, spoons etc. i weigh my 1/2 cup of porridge every day and its often up to 10g out. Now this might not matter too much for that one thing but if it is everything, and certainly if it is high fat foods then you can easily wipe out most of your deficit.

So if you don't do this already, please give it a try. If you still aren't losing weight at least you are 100% sure it is not just a simple case of underestimating what you eat, and you can then look in to more unusual reasons, or accept that your TDEE may naturally be slightly lower than average for your height and weight.

Good luck

Some_Watery_Tart

Without seeing your diary, I would say that if you're confident you're eating enough then get a scale and weigh and measure every single thing you eat. All of it. It's a huge pain in the behind, but you may be underestimating what you eat.
Good luck!