Under Calorie Goal, and ran 3.3 miles. Still gained, why?!

kuolo

If your food diary is accurate you desperately need to eat more. Several days you are netting around zero. ZERO. You will be causing damage to your internal organs at that level. It is not just unhealthy but actually dangerous.
I don't know if you realise but using MFP calorie goals you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories.
And yes if you net zero some days then net 1000 others it could cause scale fluctuations because essentially you are varying your deficit.
But please forget about the fluctuations and eat more! Less is not always better when it comes to weight loss.

akaMrsmojo

You are going to destroy your metabolism and lose muscle. On my run days, I need food or I am super cranky and down right mean.

Seriously you may need to talk to someone. The scale not reliable for health and change. Get a tape measure, toss the scale and for goodness sakes eat more.

leggup

SODIUM. Your diary even shows you're way over, and it's not even accurate because several items with 0 mg of sodium are actually much higher.

Olive garden breadstick (.5 breadstick): Diary- 0 mg. Reality- (370 mg/2) 185 mg.
Wendys - Ultimate Chicken Grilled Sandwhich (No Bun), 1 sandwich : Diary- 0 mg. Reality: (880 mg burger-330 mg bun) 550 mg.
Quick added calories: Diary- 0 mg. Reality- probably some sodium.

ETA: Just looked at your calories. You are netting way too little. You will lose muscle and your loss will not be sustainable/maintainable unless you add more food. What are your settings on MFP? It tells me to eat 1410 calories a day, net. Usually I net around 1300-1400. If you net under 1200, you're going to have a bad time.

damcoole

SODIUM. Your diary even shows you're way over, and it's not even accurate because several items with 0 mg of sodium are actually much higher.

Olive garden breadstick (.5 breadstick): Diary- 0 mg. Reality- (370 mg/2) 185 mg.
Wendys - Ultimate Chicken Grilled Sandwhich (No Bun), 1 sandwich : Diary- 0 mg. Reality: (880 mg burger-330 mg bun) 550 mg.
Quick added calories: Diary- 0 mg. Reality- probably some sodium.

ETA: Just looked at your calories. You are netting way too little. You will lose muscle and your loss will not be sustainable/maintainable unless you add more food. What are your settings on MFP? It tells me to eat 1410 calories a day, net. Usually I net around 1300-1400. If you net under 1200, you're going to have a bad time.

I'm going by the MFP recommendations. I am ~180, wanting to get to 150. I have been there before, but gained it all back over the last year when I stopped exercising and being at all concious of my eating. MFP recommends 1240/day to lose 2 lbs/week currently.

smn76237

SODIUM. Your diary even shows you're way over, and it's not even accurate because several items with 0 mg of sodium are actually much higher.

Olive garden breadstick (.5 breadstick): Diary- 0 mg. Reality- (370 mg/2) 185 mg.
Wendys - Ultimate Chicken Grilled Sandwhich (No Bun), 1 sandwich : Diary- 0 mg. Reality: (880 mg burger-330 mg bun) 550 mg.
Quick added calories: Diary- 0 mg. Reality- probably some sodium.

ETA: Just looked at your calories. You are netting way too little. You will lose muscle and your loss will not be sustainable/maintainable unless you add more food. What are your settings on MFP? It tells me to eat 1410 calories a day, net. Usually I net around 1300-1400. If you net under 1200, you're going to have a bad time.

I'm going by the MFP recommendations. I am ~180, wanting to get to 150. I have been there before, but gained it all back over the last year when I stopped exercising and being at all concious of my eating. MFP recommends 1240/day to lose 2 lbs/week currently.

MFP also says to eat back your exercise calories, which you are not doing. You're supposed to NET that number every day. Meaning, when you burn 1000 calories in exercise...you eat most of those back.

Cardio + excessive deficit= fast track to lose lean mass and burn out.

psuLemon

SODIUM. Your diary even shows you're way over, and it's not even accurate because several items with 0 mg of sodium are actually much higher.

Olive garden breadstick (.5 breadstick): Diary- 0 mg. Reality- (370 mg/2) 185 mg.
Wendys - Ultimate Chicken Grilled Sandwhich (No Bun), 1 sandwich : Diary- 0 mg. Reality: (880 mg burger-330 mg bun) 550 mg.
Quick added calories: Diary- 0 mg. Reality- probably some sodium.

ETA: Just looked at your calories. You are netting way too little. You will lose muscle and your loss will not be sustainable/maintainable unless you add more food. What are your settings on MFP? It tells me to eat 1410 calories a day, net. Usually I net around 1300-1400. If you net under 1200, you're going to have a bad time.

I'm going by the MFP recommendations. I am ~180, wanting to get to 150. I have been there before, but gained it all back over the last year when I stopped exercising and being at all concious of my eating. MFP recommends 1240/day to lose 2 lbs/week currently.

At 30 lbs to lose, you cannot and should not aim for 2 lbs a week. It's a very aggressive weight loss goal. MFP is essentially a dummy system where it takes your estimated TDEE and subtracts based on your goal, rather than an intuitive logic. Below is general guidelines. Also, with MFP you are supposed to eat back exercise calories.

What you have to get from research is understanding if your current plan meets your goals and not just from a weight standpoint, but from a health and fitness standpoint. But if you want a lean body, you want and need resistance training.


If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

wilsoje74

SODIUM. Your diary even shows you're way over, and it's not even accurate because several items with 0 mg of sodium are actually much higher.

Olive garden breadstick (.5 breadstick): Diary- 0 mg. Reality- (370 mg/2) 185 mg.
Wendys - Ultimate Chicken Grilled Sandwhich (No Bun), 1 sandwich : Diary- 0 mg. Reality: (880 mg burger-330 mg bun) 550 mg.
Quick added calories: Diary- 0 mg. Reality- probably some sodium.

ETA: Just looked at your calories. You are netting way too little. You will lose muscle and your loss will not be sustainable/maintainable unless you add more food. What are your settings on MFP? It tells me to eat 1410 calories a day, net. Usually I net around 1300-1400. If you net under 1200, you're going to have a bad time.

I'm going by the MFP recommendations. I am ~180, wanting to get to 150. I have been there before, but gained it all back over the last year when I stopped exercising and being at all concious of my eating. MFP recommends 1240/day to lose 2 lbs/week currently.

thats less than most women losing eat (heck less than my 11 yr old eats). You need something that will be a healthy weight loss do you as man need to eat more to fuel your body

deksgrl

You are a man, eating 1100-1200 calories???????????????

Just NO. You need to be eating more. 1100 - 1200 calories is for very petite and inactive women or elderly women.

wilsoje74

And your sodium is over every day. Have you considered eating a real filling breakfast rather than a 100 cal processed granola bar? It would add some much needed calories and give you fuel/energy to get through your day. For example: some eggs or an omelet with veggies and cheese, oatmeal, Greek yogurt with fruit. You could stand to add 400 cal to your breakfast and still lose weight easily.

RhysJ13

Is there are reason you're weighing yourself everyday?

cwolfman13

The average person gains and loses about 5 Lbs of water per day resulting in substantial body weight fluctuations...and that's just water...never mind the varying levels of waste in your system.

Weight loss isn't linear and your body weight isn't static.

I'd also recommend eat more and lose at a slower rate with so little to lose. You're also supposed to eat back exercise calories with MFP so your gross intake should be more. When I was doing MFP to lose I was grossing around 2100 - 2200 calories per day and losing about 1 Lb per week. Going slower will preserve more muscle mass.

deksgrl

And your sodium is over every day. Have you considered eating a real filling breakfast rather than a 100 cal processed granola bar? It would add some much needed calories and give you fuel/energy to get through your day. For example: some eggs or an omelet with veggies and cheese, oatmeal, Greek yogurt with fruit. You could stand to add 400 cal to your breakfast and still lose weight easily.

I'm certain he could stand to add more than 400 cals and still lose weight.

wilsoje74

And your sodium is over every day. Have you considered eating a real filling breakfast rather than a 100 cal processed granola bar? It would add some much needed calories and give you fuel/energy to get through your day. For example: some eggs or an omelet with veggies and cheese, oatmeal, Greek yogurt with fruit. You could stand to add 400 cal to your breakfast and still lose weight easily.

I'm certain he could stand to add more than 400 cals and still lose weight.

very true! Add 400 to breakfast and dinner at least!!

leggup

SODIUM. Your diary even shows you're way over, and it's not even accurate because several items with 0 mg of sodium are actually much higher.

Olive garden breadstick (.5 breadstick): Diary- 0 mg. Reality- (370 mg/2) 185 mg.
Wendys - Ultimate Chicken Grilled Sandwhich (No Bun), 1 sandwich : Diary- 0 mg. Reality: (880 mg burger-330 mg bun) 550 mg.
Quick added calories: Diary- 0 mg. Reality- probably some sodium.

ETA: Just looked at your calories. You are netting way too little. You will lose muscle and your loss will not be sustainable/maintainable unless you add more food. What are your settings on MFP? It tells me to eat 1410 calories a day, net. Usually I net around 1300-1400. If you net under 1200, you're going to have a bad time.

I'm going by the MFP recommendations. I am ~180, wanting to get to 150. I have been there before, but gained it all back over the last year when I stopped exercising and being at all concious of my eating. MFP recommends 1240/day to lose 2 lbs/week currently.

You will gain it all back again unless you start working with net calories. Many people believe that, as you approach your goal, it's better to ease back from a 2 lb a week loss goal to a 1 or .5 lb loss per week goal. At the least, you have to use net calories on exercise days. If you are a bump on a log all day, sure, eat 1240 calories. But if you burn 300 calories, you should be eating 1240 calories + 300 calories. Exercise's function is not to create a larger deficit. You have to feed those muscles.

Also, there's NO WAY you're set to lose 2 lbs per week. Are you rounding? I calculated for a 5'1 male who is your age and 180 lbs, you'd have 1300-1500 to lose 1-2 lbs per week. I picked 5'1 because I have no idea how tall you are, but you're probably not shorter than that.

corgarian

Holy moly I thought you were the GIRL in the picture! You're a man and you're eating that little?! a 2lb loss a week is too aggressive for someone with such a small goal! No wonder you arent losing anymore, your body has no fule to work with. I mean, I'm a 5'5 woman and I couldnt work out at all last week due to surgery, and I still ate 1600 calories a day and still lost a pound last week.

damcoole

I appreciate all the advice, but I'm having a hard time understanding how increasing my calorie intake is going to help me lose weight. I understand it might be healthier, but is it actually going to help me lose weight, or is it going to slow down the weight loss? I assumed the larger the calorie deficit, the better the weight loss results. I am agressive at the goal because I was there once, and I hate that I let myself go back up way too high.

smn76237

I appreciate all the advice, but I'm having a hard time understanding how increasing my calorie intake is going to help me lose weight. I understand it might be healthier, but is it actually going to help me lose weight, or is it going to slow down the weight loss? I assumed the larger the calorie deficit, the better the weight loss results. I am agressive at the goal because I was there once, and I hate that I let myself go back up way too high.

\

What's your end game though? Just to be at a magical number, or to be healthy and look good? If you work with a giant deficit, you will lose much more muscle mass so that when you do hit your "goal weight," you'll just be a flabbier, lighter version of yourself. Also you'll have to eat a lot less to maintain your flabbier, lighter frame because you will have burned through so much lean body mass in the process.

Why do you think your current approach won't lead to you regaining all your weight like it did the last time?

smn76237

Also, to reiterate, MFP has set your goal calories if you were SEDENTARY. That means, if you eat back calories burned through exercise, you will still lose 2lbs by netting MFP's number (in theory).

damcoole

I appreciate all the advice, but I'm having a hard time understanding how increasing my calorie intake is going to help me lose weight. I understand it might be healthier, but is it actually going to help me lose weight, or is it going to slow down the weight loss? I assumed the larger the calorie deficit, the better the weight loss results. I am agressive at the goal because I was there once, and I hate that I let myself go back up way too high.

\

What's your end game though? Just to be at a magical number, or to be healthy and look good? If you work with a giant deficit, you will lose much more muscle mass so that when you do hit your "goal weight," you'll just be a flabbier, lighter version of yourself. Also you'll have to eat a lot less to maintain your flabbier, lighter frame because you will have burned through so much lean body mass in the process.

Why do you think your current approach won't lead to you regaining all your weight like it did the last time?

My end game is to feel better about how I look. When I hit 150-155, I felt I looked good, and felt good about it. I also planned on actually working on strength and muscle after I got to the weight I wanted to be, and be able to add on weight if necessary at that point. It always seems way easier to gain weight, than to lose it. I figure if I stop or slow my process of losing now, I am screwing that up.

The reason I ended up regaining was plain and simple laziness. I stopped running, I stopped even attempting to be sensible on what I ate. When I originally got down to 150, I kept it off for almost a full year. Then my second daughter was born, I had quite a long period of little to no sleep or energy, and I fell into bad habits. At some point, I kept slipping further and further back into my old routine. I honestly don't have a huge problem sticking to my routine when I get it going... I just had a few months of really terrible lack of sleep, and I got really lazy. At my peak I was doing about 8 miles every night, or every other night, and sticking to about 1500 calories a day. I was 12.9% body fat (according to my scale), and I felt great. I never got the strength portion started though.

I did have a few people say I did look a little too thin. Anyway, here is some reference:

11 Aug 2012 - 150lbs, 13%BF - http://i.imgur.com/aI2gaAA.png
29 Jul 2010 - Left Side 240lbs, ???%BF - 11 Nov 2010 Right Side ~175lbs, ???%BF - http://i.imgur.com/MSWnk.jpg

I really liked how I felt and looked in 2012, and that is what I want to get back to. I got there following everything everyone is saying is wrong on here, and it worked. The only issue I had from 2012 was that I still had some excess stomach flab hanging around, and I had little to no strength anywhere. I could run like a madman, but I couldn't do any other exercises without a ton of effort.

akaMrsmojo

Your body has to have a certain amount of calories to maintain basic functions. Your BMR is is what you burn doing absolutely nothing. You should not eat under that number.

You see you are not killing fat, you are destroying muscle. Your heart is a muscle. That is why eating disorders are so dangerous.

You do not have to starve your body to lose weight.

My mom did what you are doing a lost her hair and destroyed her metabolism. That is a hard thing to recover from.

Do more research.