Is this just normal for colder weather?
SarahBeth0625
Posts: 685 Member
I swear this happens every year. I am up about 4 lbs. I've been working out just as hard as ever (6 days a week), making sure I'm eating (mostly) right, and drinking all my water. Yet my scale says I'm up about 4 lbs. I swear this happened last year too. I do weigh myself every morning, after I've peed, and before I have had any food or drink, so I think it's an accurate measure. It's so frustrating! I re-did my calories on the Scooby TDEE calculator, and gave it a new goal of a 5% loss (was maintaining before), so that should help. Just wondering if I'm alone with this or not!!
ETA: I mentioned the cooler weather since I thought maybe it was in our biology to "warm up" for the winter by adding body fat or something! LOL
ETA: I mentioned the cooler weather since I thought maybe it was in our biology to "warm up" for the winter by adding body fat or something! LOL
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I swear this happens every year. I am up about 4 lbs. I've been working out just as hard as ever (6 days a week), making sure I'm eating (mostly) right, and drinking all my water. Yet my scale says I'm up about 4 lbs. I swear this happened last year too. I do weigh myself every morning, after I've peed, and before I have had any food or drink, so I think it's an accurate measure. It's so frustrating! I re-did my calories on the Scooby TDEE calculator, and gave it a new goal of a 5% loss (was maintaining before), so that should help. Just wondering if I'm alone with this or not!!
ETA: I mentioned the cooler weather since I thought maybe it was in our biology to "warm up" for the winter by adding body fat or something! LOL
It would surprise me if cold weather made a person gain weight.
The culprit is usually that more food is going into our mouth than we realize. :bigsmile:
You said you are "eating (mostly)" right. I'm not sure what that means. There is no eating right or wrong, there is only eating and within a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight.
Do you measure your liquid foods and wight your solid foods? Do you log in everything thing you eat every day with accuracy? Are you accurately logging in your exercise calories?0 -
Yes, I log every bite of food and I wear a heartrate monitor when I exercise (and log that daily too). Every day I have been under my calorie goal, with the exception of 1 day in the past 4 months where I went out for dinner. Otherwise, I have been under. I don't weigh my food out, but I know what a cup or a tablespoon look like and I take the time to input food if it's not in the database. 0
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My weight can fluctuate daily MORE then 4lbs. Which is why I don't weight myself daily. It's not giving me an accurate read about how I am doing in the long run. I just causes me to freak out about NORMAL weight fluctuations that happen to everyone.0
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Yes, I log every bite of food and I wear a heartrate monitor when I exercise (and log that daily too). Every day I have been under my calorie goal, with the exception of 1 day in the past 4 months where I went out for dinner. Otherwise, I have been under. I don't weigh my food out, but I know what a cup or a tablespoon look like and I take the time to input food if it's not in the database.
I'm sure you've noticed on labels, calories come from the macros that are given weight, grams, and calories based on that.
So measuring, not weighing, can have things very off, no matter if you are good at measuring, that may not be the amount of product the calories is based on. You may measure of cup of something dead on every single time.
The problem is "about 1 cup" on the label is actually weighed out as 1.4 servings of product.
Has the diet changed as it's gotten colder?
Perhaps more of the foods are the type where that incorrect nature of measuring really shows up.
For instance, someone weighed their hot chocolate packet contents. They left room in their day for 1.
Well, I guess to not get sued for undercutting the customer, the packet has 30% more weight of product, 60 more calories than had been accounted for.
Just one example.
Also, perhaps your workouts have changed now, and since I'm betting your are doing primarily exercise that is just begging the body to store more glucose (which stores with water), it finally got a chance too.
Have you lengthened any cardio workouts, or made them more intense? That all burns more carbs, and body's response is to store more.
Plus if inside the gym more, perhaps warmer and sweating more, body responds with more blood volume to aid in cooling, so more water volume there too.
So all great reasons for gaining weight you would not want to be gone, as all required weight based on what you are asking your body to do.
Now, if it was because of sodium intake increasing as it gets colder, and that retain water, well, there ya go.
Oh yeah, always missing your goal calories?
If you don't mind missing that goal, why are you worried about missing your goal weight?
Both are goals to reach.0 -
Well, my morning weight has been slowly creeping up. All spring and summer and into the fall I was maintaining 126-127... now it's been 130-131 and I just don't want it to get out of control.
Not eating any different foods... our family has a lot of stand-by recipes of homemade meals. We eat very little processed (and what we do eat that is easy prep is organic stuff).
My routine changes every 30 days so that my muscles have a chance to get confused, but it's always this, the strength training days always about 60-65 minutes:
ROUTINE:
-Monday: 16 mins cardio warm-up, then chest, shoulders, and abs (60 mins total)
-Tuesday: 36 minutes cardio
-Wednesday: 16 mins cardio warm-up, then arms and abs (60 mins total)
-Thursday: 36 minutes cardio
-Friday: REST DAY
-Saturday: 16 mins cardio warm-up, then legs, back, and abs (60 mins total)
-Sunday: 36 minutes cardio
LOL, I am just annoyed and admit I'm pretty anal about the number on the scale. I worked hard at this, continue to work hard at this, and don't want my weight to keep creeping up. ETA: my daily goal is set to 2025.0 -
If your weight is consistently creeping up and you're eating the same amount of calories as always, then lower your calories by 100-200 per day.0
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I know that MFP allows for daily activity to increase your consumed calories, but this is really supposed to be daily activity above and beyond the normal moving around stuff. There are a couple of numbers to be aware of.
First, your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the approximate number of calories you would burn each day if you were in a coma and completely inert.
Second, TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) this is the number that MFP calculates for your daily calorie target. (slightly under if you are trying to lose, slightly over if you are trying to gain) This number includes things like walking around and working, but not concentrated exercise.
My point being that you should probably not be including the daily results of the heart rate monitor to your calorie limit, as your TDEE already includes a factor for daily activity. Just include calories from dedicated workouts and otherwise try to eat under your TDEE.
Here is the calculator that I use:
http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
Most people qualify as sedentary unless you work construction or something.0 -
If your weight is consistently creeping up and you're eating the same amount of calories as always, then lower your calories by 100-200 per day.
Thank you. I did change my goals today, and I also stopped logging my tandem nursing, since that was taking away 400 calories a day (calories allowed which I was eating). So I'm cutting about 500 cals now.0 -
My point being that you should probably not be including the daily results of the heart rate monitor to your calorie limit, as your TDEE already includes a factor for daily activity. Just include calories from dedicated workouts and otherwise try to eat under your TDEE.
Here is the calculator that I use:
http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
Most people qualify as sedentary unless you work construction or something.
This is incredibly helpful, and thank you. I had been eating back my exercise calories so that's probably part of the problem! I will check that calculator out... thank you! 0 -
Someone here will remember where it is and link to the weighing versus measuring video, but for just one example
40 gr of dry oatmeal is a serving. the box says that's ½ cup. but when i put ½ cup of dry oatmeal on the scale it weighs 60 gr. That's 50% more calories than I'd record if I were doing it by cup measures and not by weight.0 -
Sure thing! If you want to do it the way you have been then you really should be starting with the BMR number and adding all of your daily calories to that, but then you have to be sure to log every calorie both in and out. I tend to just log my workouts and ignore the extra calories that they give me unless I do something foolish like run a tough mudder (about 2400 calories), in which case I will eat whatever the heck I feel like that day.0
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If I select sendentary, it gives me 1277 cals for a rest day and 1916 cals for a workout day.
I'm 5'7 1/2" if that matters. 0 -
On the 3rd tab, under presets, did you select weight loss or faster weight loss as your goal? Those sound like Recomp numbers to me, which is fine if you are happy with your weight and just want to turn it all to muscle.
This article would help with that: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/0 -
I've noticed this in my case also the last couple of weeks. The exercise and calorie numbers are about the same, but my body seems like it wants to gain a couple extra pounds anyway so that I had to add a calorie deficit to balance it out.
Some people are definitely more affected by shorter days with less daylight. If it can affect moods and brain activity like that, then it's not a stretch that it may also affect metabolism and fat retention. We are still animals and most mammals do store fat to get through winter with less available food and more energy needed for warmth.
People tend to blame the holidays for seasonal weight gain, but I think it may be more primal than that. Carrying a few extra pounds over the fall and winter may be the body's best evolutionary defense against a possible winter famine. I don't mind just a couple extra pounds for that natural cycle, but I'll draw the line at gaining any more than that.0 -
My point being that you should probably not be including the daily results of the heart rate monitor to your calorie limit, as your TDEE already includes a factor for daily activity. Just include calories from dedicated workouts and otherwise try to eat under your TDEE.
Here is the calculator that I use:
http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
Most people qualify as sedentary unless you work construction or something.
This is incredibly helpful, and thank you. I had been eating back my exercise calories so that's probably part of the problem! I will check that calculator out... thank you!
Actually, don't do that, you'll be creating bigger than 500 calorie deficit while nursing. Bad idea.
He was not speaking correctly at all. Perhaps he doesn't know or remember how MFP works, perhaps he came from another site where the majority do use a TDEE deficit method, perhaps he does himself. But MFP does NOT.
He thinks you said you wear your HRM all day and eat that back it sounds like - not sure where he got that from.
In addition, MFP does NOT estimate your TDEE at all. TDEE of course by definition including exercise - Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
MFP estimates daily maintenance they call it, non-exercise TDEE in other words.
With the understanding you will log exercise and their figure will now go up, and indeed include exercise now.
Now it's TDEE, now you take off the 500 calories, now you have a deficit the same daily.
No, logging exercise calories you have a good estimate of is correct.
And don't do that intermittent fasting calculator, usually very confusing, though they have improved it lately.
Make small changes.
If your weight was creeping up, knock off those 200 calories only.
Don't do that AND nursing calories.
If you really want to try a totally different method, the TDEE deficit can work with a steady routine, use the spreadsheet on my profile page. Hundreds finding it successful.
That's why some many have a hard time with MFP, they don't follow the program, and the always estimate on what they think is the safe side (underestimated), and they have no idea how much they used to eat, when not exercising.
So they change everything at once, totally different eating when they don't binge, gung-ho on exercise, and so eating tons less and exercising tons more. No reason the body is in shock and stops responding positively after a while.
Anyway. Just cut the 200 cal daily for a month. Your BMR literally does change through the month, your base metabolism. So it'll take a month to see if you got the number right.0 -
@mike_ny: You may be entirely correct, or it may be that we keep our living spaces a few degrees warmer in the winter to offset the cold outside. People in cold climates have to eat WAY more calories to maintain than people in warmer climates, which is why a nice thick stew sounds awesome to you in the winter, but much too heavy in the summer. I've heard that people who are stationed at the antarctic research stations have to eat around 6000 calories daily just to break even.0
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I have a tendency to eat more as the weather gets colder. No idea if biology, habit, or just an excuse for soul-filling delicious foods.0
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I've noticed this in my case also the last couple of weeks. The exercise and calorie numbers are about the same, but my body seems like it wants to gain a couple extra pounds anyway so that I had to add a calorie deficit to balance it out.
Some people are definitely more affected by shorter days with less daylight. If it can affect moods and brain activity like that, then it's not a stretch that it may also affect metabolism and fat retention. We are still animals and most mammals do store fat to get through winter with less available food and more energy needed for warmth.
People tend to blame the holidays for seasonal weight gain, but I think it may be more primal than that. Carrying a few extra pounds over the fall and winter may be the body's best evolutionary defense against a possible winter famine. I don't mind just a couple extra pounds for that natural cycle, but I'll draw the line at gaining any more than that.
See, a friend of mine said something similar about mammals adding on pounds for the winter, and I was almost thinking there might be something to it. This same thing happened last year but it was then that I kicked up my workouts from 3 times a week to 6-7 and joined this site and then my weight went down....0 -
@heybales: I was momentarily terrified that you might be correct and that I had been giving out bad information, or information based on a poor understanding, but I just used MFP to recalculate my calorie goal (instead of using the calculator I linked above) and it gave me very nearly the same number, which is my TDEE, NOT my BMR. If MFP is calculating BMR, then they don't need to ask the question about activity level at all. I believe you are incorrect about that part, but you are completely correct that making such a large change when nursing would not be a great plan.0
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On the 3rd tab, under presets, did you select weight loss or faster weight loss as your goal? Those sound like Recomp numbers to me, which is fine if you are happy with your weight and just want to turn it all to muscle.
This article would help with that: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
I selected a regular weight loss of 5 lbs. I am in no hurry, just want to get back to where I was. Thanks for the link! 0 -
More links here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/11/science/11qna.html?_r=0Q. Will you burn more calories sitting at your desk if the thermostat is turned down?
A. Yes, caloric expenditure will increase if one stays lightly dressed, but not much, said Wayne Askew, director of the division of nutrition at the University of Utah. A more effective way would be to walk up and down a few flights of stairs, he said.
The basal metabolic rate increases slightly in colder climates, and Dr. Askew said there might be a very small increase in calories burned from the warming of cold air by the lungs and from the rewarming of skin that has been exposed to the cold.
A more significant increase can be expected if it is cold enough to cause shivering, which warms the body through quick involuntary contractions and relaxations of muscles.
This is not an ideal weight-loss technique, as a person insulated with plenty of body fat is usually less likely to shiver. “And it is very difficult to perform work requiring fine motor coordination, such as writing or using a computer, when shivering,” Dr. Askew said.
When the core body temperature gets dangerously low and the shivering response is maximally stimulated, Dr. Askew said, energy expenditure can be as high as that from work requiring 40 percent to 50 percent of the person’s maximum aerobic capacity. But if the core temperature drops low enough, the shivering response ceases and hypothermia rapidly sets in.
And for those wondering, 40-50% of VO2max is usually about 63-69% of HRmax.
Perhaps walking up steep incline fast.
But you got to be shivering uncontrollably. Not many would find that useful.0 -
Actually, don't do that, you'll be creating bigger than 500 calorie deficit while nursing. Bad idea.
He was not speaking correctly at all. Perhaps he doesn't know or remember how MFP works, perhaps he came from another site where the majority do use a TDEE deficit method, perhaps he does himself. But MFP does NOT.
He thinks you said you wear your HRM all day and eat that back it sounds like - not sure where he got that from.
In addition, MFP does NOT estimate your TDEE at all. TDEE of course by definition including exercise - Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
MFP estimates daily maintenance they call it, non-exercise TDEE in other words.
With the understanding you will log exercise and their figure will now go up, and indeed include exercise now.
Now it's TDEE, now you take off the 500 calories, now you have a deficit the same daily.
No, logging exercise calories you have a good estimate of is correct.
And don't do that intermittent fasting calculator, usually very confusing, though they have improved it lately.
Make small changes.
If your weight was creeping up, knock off those 200 calories only.
Don't do that AND nursing calories.
If you really want to try a totally different method, the TDEE deficit can work with a steady routine, use the spreadsheet on my profile page. Hundreds finding it successful.
That's why some many have a hard time with MFP, they don't follow the program, and the always estimate on what they think is the safe side (underestimated), and they have no idea how much they used to eat, when not exercising.
So they change everything at once, totally different eating when they don't binge, gung-ho on exercise, and so eating tons less and exercising tons more. No reason the body is in shock and stops responding positively after a while.
Anyway. Just cut the 200 cal daily for a month. Your BMR literally does change through the month, your base metabolism. So it'll take a month to see if you got the number right.
200 cals might be more on the money. I was thinking I was supposed to eat back all of my exercise cals always, and I never had a "problem" until now, so I guess right now I am just revamping my calorie goals to make small adjustments.
The nurslings are toddlers so they are older, so not nursing as much as babies do, but still 5-6 times in 24 hours (each).0 -
@SarahBeth0625: Also, I should point out that, when that site gives you workout day calories, it is assuming you are doing a fairly directed weight training routine. It is trying to get you the extra protein and calories to rebuild muscle. If your workout is primarily cardio, then just use your rest day calories everyday and add whatever MFP says you should add.0
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@SarahBeth0625: Also, I should point out that, when that site gives you workout day calories, it is assuming you are doing a fairly directed weight training routine. It is trying to get you the extra protein and calories to rebuild muscle. If your workout is primarily cardio, then just use your rest day calories everyday and add whatever MFP says you should add.
Thanks! My longer workouts are more strength training than cardio; I do cardio on my "off" days. I do think I should think about protein shakes or some sort of other source where I can get more of that in.0 -
@heybales: I was momentarily terrified that you might be correct and that I had been giving out bad information, or information based on a poor understanding, but I just used MFP to recalculate my calorie goal (instead of using the calculator I linked above) and it gave me very nearly the same number, which is my TDEE, NOT my BMR. If MFP is calculating BMR, then they don't need to ask the question about activity level at all. I believe you are incorrect about that part, but you are completely correct that making such a large change when nursing would not be a great plan.
Well, misread my response just a tad. I only said BMR once, in relation to TOM.
MFP uses your calculated Mifflin BMR (in their tools) and your selection of activity level, to come up with maintenance - non-exercise TDEE you could say.
You said you selected Sedentary in that other tool - well, that is the only level that matches up close.
So if your daily life has no exercise in it, than that is your TDEE.
If you do exercise, then sedentary is not your TDEE, by neither method.
Otherwise:
MFP
Sedentary - 1.25 x BMR
Lightly Active - 1.35
Active - 1.45
Very Active - 1.55
Almost every other 5 TDEE level table
Sedentary - 1.2 x BMR
Light Active - 1.375
Moderately Active - 1.55
Very Active - 1.725
Extremely Active - 1.9
True TDEE Deficit method includes your planned weekly exercise in your level estimate, and that is averaged back out daily, so you eat the same amount daily. Your amount of deficit daily is literally different, but the week ends up being whatever the average is.
MFP method includes NO exercise planned or accounted for just daily life levels. You get a deficit exercise or not. But if you do exercise, your daily level obviously increased, so to keep the same hopefully reasonable deficit, you eat the exercise calories back, hopefully allowing you to truly benefit from the exercise done to the max available, at least while eating at a deficit still.0 -
MFP method includes NO exercise planned or accounted for just daily life levels. You get a deficit exercise or not. But if you do exercise, your daily level obviously increased, so to keep the same hopefully reasonable deficit, you eat the exercise calories back, hopefully allowing you to truly benefit from the exercise done to the max available, at least while eating at a deficit still.
This makes sense to me. I'd rather eat back the exercise calories than not log my exercise or log it as 1 cal.
One thing I did is I took out the -400 I was getting for tandem nursing. That alone should make a difference. It was a guess, if anything.0 -
@heybales: Ok! Then I don't think we were actually saying different things. It doesn't sound like she needs to calculate anything above sedentary, but she was taking a sedentary TDEE and adding additional calories for what sounded like basic activities that are already included in that 1.25 multiplier, which I assumed was the reason she was gaining despite eating at what MFP claimed was a deficit. Actual exercise or other "abnormal" activity should definitely be logged and accounted for, especially if nursing.
My second response might address your other concern. The calculator that I linked includes "workout day" calories to offset a heavy strength training routine, because the actual calories burned during strength training is notoriously hard to calculate and changes as you build muscle. I would recommend ignoring that, eating at the calorie deficit for rest days (plus MFP activity calories) until you reach your calorie goal and then switching to eating at TDEE plus whatever extra calories MFP assigns for activities.0 -
@heybales: Ok! Then I don't think we were actually saying different things. It doesn't sound like she needs to calculate anything above sedentary, but she was taking a sedentary TDEE and adding additional calories for what sounded like basic activities that are already included in that 1.25 multiplier, which I assumed was the reason she was gaining despite eating at what MFP claimed was a deficit. Actual exercise or other "abnormal" activity should definitely be logged and accounted for, especially if nursing.
My second response might address your other concern. The calculator that I linked includes "workout day" calories to offset a heavy strength training routine, because the actual calories burned during strength training is notoriously hard to calculate and changes as you build muscle. I would recommend ignoring that, eating at the calorie deficit for rest days (plus MFP activity calories) until you reach your calorie goal and then switching to eating at TDEE plus whatever extra calories MFP assigns for activities.
So you are saying set the goals to the rest day calories, and then just eat back the exercise cals, and that should be good?0 -
Someone here will remember where it is and link to the weighing versus measuring video, but for just one example
40 gr of dry oatmeal is a serving. the box says that's ½ cup. but when i put ½ cup of dry oatmeal on the scale it weighs 60 gr. That's 50% more calories than I'd record if I were doing it by cup measures and not by weight.
If you find that vid, please post it as I just was so baffled by this that I had to go and weigh my oatmeal! LOL Then, I had my husband do it. We both did it several times and I never went more than 3g over the 40 for half a cup. So... I don't necessarily think the big issue with items like oatmeal is that a measuring cup is inaccurate, but more the person measuring. People have a VERY hard time leveling off the measuring spoons/cups accurately. I could see it being an issue with larger sized items (certain cereals, etc.), but for things like oatmeal and rice, you're talking a gram or two here or there. And honestly, that should NOT be that big of a deal! Maybe over the course of an entire day it might add a few extra cals, but I just don't think it's anything to become obsessive over. With that said :blushing: I do pretty much weigh everything. Mostly because for me, it's easier than dirtying up a dad-gum measuring cup! LOL So, I'd be very interested in seeing the vid. I wonder if I can find it....0 -
Thank you for all the help!
There are so many variables, but I don't think there's anything wrong with tweaking the calories once in awhile. When I stopped going home for lunch nursing sessions (the kiddos getting older and all), I adjusted my cals then, but that's probably been 3-4 months now.0
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