Getting lots of steps in + ruining my metabolism???

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nickelpickle
nickelpickle Posts: 55
in Health and Weight Loss
I got a Fitbit a few months ago, and right when I got it, my husband also made me a treadmill desk. Since then, I've been trying to max out my steps every day, and thus walking on my treadmill for 2+ hours and burning (what my treadmill says) around 1,000 calories.

BUT, I'm not losing weight. At all. Like not a bit. My diet has stayed the same.

Recently, I've dropped my calories a bit (around 1,800 to 1,400ish) and I'm still not losing weight.

After searching around a bit, I read about how large amounts of low intensity cardio can ruin your metabolism, and I'm terrified that I've done this to myself.

I also have a history of gaining and losing the same 10-15lbs every year (I've done it about 5 times now - I know, awful).

Does anybody actually know anything solid about this who can give me some insight as to what might be happening with me?
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Replies

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    You didn't ruin your metabolism. How many miles do you walk in the time you're on it? 1000 calories implies >10 miles, which would take longer than you mentioned, assuming you're walking slowly and not running.
  • karmasays
    karmasays Posts: 82 Member
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    Since your diary is private, we can't provide much help. Do you weigh all solid food on a digital scale?

    Weighloss = calorie deficit.
  • bekahlou75
    bekahlou75 Posts: 304 Member
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    Do you log all your food? Do you weigh your food? Are you eating back those questionable 1000 calories that you burn?
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    The treadmill calorie readout is bogus. They almost always are. (Mine does not even have the option to change weight, gender, etc.) Even the machines that allow you to edit your profile give high #s. If you're eating back 1000 exercise calories but only burning an extra 200-300 (over what you'd have burned if you were sitting for those hours) then the problem is: no deficit.
  • nickelpickle
    nickelpickle Posts: 55
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    I do log all of my food, normally... since cutting my calories to attempt to lose the weight, I just began tracking in MFP again.

    No, I am not eating back 1,000 calories that I'm burning - should I be? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose completely?
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    How long ago did you start logging your calories in? And do you use a food scale? If not how do you determine how much food you're eating?
  • nickelpickle
    nickelpickle Posts: 55
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    I basically start off running and run anywhere from a few minutes to 30min, and then I walk very slowly (so that I can work on my laptop) until the treadmill says 1,000 calories.

    OH I should have said this - I know that the calorie readout on the treadmill is not accurate, it's just a way I am choosing to be able to say - okay I've walked enough. I'm not eating back my calories, and I'm not actually thinking I burned 1,000 calories, it's just a way to measure the length of time I've been on there.

    Thank you all for your help!
  • nickelpickle
    nickelpickle Posts: 55
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    I started logging in MFP again last week, but I've been consciously adding up the calories to limit myself for a few weeks with no weight loss.

    I log in MFP using the iPhone app and barcode scanner.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    I see what you mean, about using the 1000 readout as a gage. :)

    What about the digital scale, or how else do you determine your portion sizes?

    I asked how long you've been at it, as it can take more than 1-2 weeks to see results on the scale.

    And last, how much are you looking to lose - and have you researched to learn your BMR or TDEE?
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
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    You didn't ruin your metabolism. How many miles do you walk in the time you're on it? 1000 calories implies >10 miles, which would take longer than you mentioned, assuming you're walking slowly and not running.

    My HRM said 974 calories with an hour of walking yesterday. I did about 2 1/2-3 miles. I am very overweight and out of shape.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    So am I correct to assume that you are not using a scale? That you are estimating portions and therefore calories? The end result? You're eating more than you think, not eating at a deficit, and therefore not losing weight.

    Its great that you've increased activity. But weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out. If you are estimating calories in any way, then you don't know how many you're consuming. If you only have a small amount of weight to lose - this is a hard way to be successful. If you had more, you would have some wiggle room. But if you're going for a 250-500 calorie deficit, being off in your estimation by 50-100 calories multiple times each day: no deficit.
    I started logging in MFP again last week, but I've been consciously adding up the calories to limit myself for a few weeks with no weight loss.

    I log in MFP using the iPhone app and barcode scanner.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
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    You are more than likely underestimating your calories in your food intake and possible overstating the calories you burn on the tedmil. Unless you're tracking your heart rate, inputting your weight and age into the tredmil I'd treat the calories burned as a pure estimate.

    You will lose weight if you eat at a calorie deficit. Also, weight loss is not linear and can bounce around. Try tracking your weight over a 4-6 week period rather than weekly or daily. If you notice a consistent upward trend, you're eating too much, time to lower your calorie goal / re-visit your calorie estimates for food and exercise.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    You're not losing g weight because you are not eating at a calorie deficit. If you are staying the same weight, you are eating at maintenance. Please open your diary if you want specific feedback.

    By the way, your treadmill number is way overestimated. Are you allowing fitbit to adjust your calories based on burns? I think with a fitbit you don't eat calories back per se but eat what fitbit gives you.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Also you still need to weigh even if items have a per each listng. Such as the bread in my sandwich for lunch today: 2 slices were supposed to be 41 grams. But when I weighed it, 2 slices were actually 48 grams. That happens often and this time, 17% higher in calories. Not a big deal as 2 slices went from 70 to 82, but on other foods it a more significant difference. Like logging all bananas at 90 calories when some larger ones can be 120 or more. (Example as I can't see your diary.)

    Also remember that oils for cooking, condiments, etc. have calories. They add up.
  • nickelpickle
    nickelpickle Posts: 55
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    Well...

    I find it hard to swallow that even though I'm spending 2+ hours on my treadmill - running and walking, which you'd think would be at least 500cals - that having a couple of discrepancies about a cucumber being 8" or 9" long shouldn't really affect me much - right?!

    I mean, I should still be losing something shouldn't I?!

    I feel like I'm nuts with this! :(
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Also you still need to weigh even if items have a per each listng. Such as the bread in my sandwich for lunch today: 2 slices were supposed to be 41 grams. But when I weighed it, 2 slices were actually 48 grams. That happens often and this time, 17% higher in calories. Not a big deal as 2 slices went from 70 to 82, but on other foods it a more significant difference. Like logging all bananas at 90 calories when some larger ones can be 120 or more. (Example as I can't see your diary.)

    Also remember that oils for cooking, condiments, etc. have calories. They add up.
    Yep. Plus, if you enter foods under "my gods" according to the package, you can add in portions as grams, as well as add all the macros. When you do this, you can adjust easier when you have more or less than a serving.

    Also, not all medium bananas and Apple's and broccoli weigh the same.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Yes you should be losing - if you're eating at a deficit. But since you have not bothered to answer the question about how you determine your portion sizes or how many calories you're eating, it seems you have pretty clear evidence of WHY you're not losing. You're bound to have increased your burn with the extra activity but you could have easily offset that by eating more without meaning to.

    What you're doing isn't working. A) Blame the Universe, concludeyou're a scientific oddity or B) try something different such as use a scale to accurately weigh & log your food.

    Good luck.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
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    Also you still need to weigh even if items have a per each listng. Such as the bread in my sandwich for lunch today: 2 slices were supposed to be 41 grams. But when I weighed it, 2 slices were actually 48 grams. That happens often and this time, 17% higher in calories. Not a big deal as 2 slices went from 70 to 82, but on other foods it a more significant difference. Like logging all bananas at 90 calories when some larger ones can be 120 or more. (Example as I can't see your diary.)

    Also remember that oils for cooking, condiments, etc. have calories. They add up.
    Yep. Plus, if you enter foods under "my gods" according to the package, you can add in portions as grams, as well as add all the macros. When you do this, you can adjust easier when you have more or less than a serving.

    Also, not all medium bananas and Apple's and broccoli weigh the same.

    Yes, read this, plus watch the YouTube video linked within about weighing food:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
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    Yes you should be losing - if you're eating at a deficit. But since you have not bothered to answer the question about how you determine your portion sizes or how many calories you're eating, it seems you have pretty clear evidence of WHY you're not losing. You're bound to have increased your burn with the extra activity but you could have easily offset that by eating more without meaning to.

    What you're doing isn't working. A) Blame the Universe, concludeyou're a scientific oddity or B) try something different such as use a scale to accurately weigh & log your food.

    Good luck.

    ^Yes
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Well...

    I find it hard to swallow that even though I'm spending 2+ hours on my treadmill - running and walking, which you'd think would be at least 500cals - that having a couple of discrepancies about a cucumber being 8" or 9" long shouldn't really affect me much - right?!

    I mean, I should still be losing something shouldn't I?!

    I feel like I'm nuts with this! :(
    :
    It's more than the cucumber then. :smile:

    I gained 30 pounds over a five year period running and weight lifting, and I took off 42 pounds over this last year running and weight lifting.

    You can exercise yo the hilt but you won't lose weight unless you eat less than you burn.

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