Are my deficits too big? Did not lose, but gained weight

ldaughe2

Well, here is my breakdown for the week (wearing a bodybugg)

I am 24, 195lbs, 5'5" and just started Turbo Jam. 4 days a week I walk because of school. (Except this week I did not because of spring break)

Monday: 2154 burned, 1513 consumed, 641 deficit ~~ Weigh In: 193.2lbs
Tuesday: 2263 burned, 2844 consumed, 581 SURPLUS
Wednesday: 2296 burned, 1819 consumed, 477 deficit
Thursday: 2315 burned, 1335 consumed, 980 deficit
Friday: 2294 burned, 1932 consumed, 362 deficit
Saturday: 2791 burned, 2289 consumed, 502 deficit
Sunday: 2584 burned, 1444 consumed, 1140 deficit
Monday: Morning weigh in: 194.6lbs

My average calorie balance for the last 7 days is a deficit of 503,
which should be at least 1lb lost...

I've already lost 27lbs but I was just doing "whatever" I felt like, and had no exercise program.
I just changed my foods and started school so I walk more.
Turbo jam is mostly cardio. Are my deficits too big? am I not eating enough?

Any ideas or advice? I just thought it was strange to gain a pound... =(
I don't know if it's because I didn't walk as much because I was out of school
or if it was because I started Turbo Jam and now I am burning too much???

Thanks so much in advanced for advice or comments

Edit Also, I drink nothing but water except I did have 3 red bulls on Saturday because
I needed ("needed" heh heh) an extra boost for spring cleaning the house.

robin52077

Possibilities:

1. Your muscles are sore from all the new exercise you just threw at them after being inactive and they are holding onto water to help cushion and repair themselves as muscles tend to do. If you are sore at all this is probably the case.

2. You are eating too high in sodium/processed foods and not drinking enough, which is causing you to retain water.

3. Is it almost TOM? Most women hold onto water/bloat that week.

Did you weigh at all midweek, or just 7 days apart? Sometimes our weight fluctuates 2-3 lbs in one day due to water retention. You could have lost fat and it is just masked by other factors.

I do not think your deficits are too large. You have varying numbers and even one surplus day, which is very good. If you had close to 1000 daily I would be concerned but you are zigzagging them well.

LurayneMarie

Are your 'calories consumed' = to your NET calories or are they the TOTAL calories you consumed for the day? MFP already incorporates a calorie deficit for you so with your exercise included your NET calories should be no less than 1200.

If you only eating 2000 calories in total and you burn off 1500 then you are only eating a NET of 500 calories. TOO LOW. So if you are creating a deficit in your calories ON TOP OF the MFP deficit already calculated for you then you are not eating enough calories and your body will store fat because its going into starvation mode.

So, say, if you are going to burn 1500 calories in a day you need to eat your calorie allowance of 1200 (or what ever your calorie allowance is) PLUS you need to eat most of the 1500 calories you burned off so your body doesnt begin to store fat.

Hope this helps

roxie0920

I'm curious about how you're getting your figure for calories burned.

robin52077

No guys, she wears a BodyBugg.

I use BodyMediaFit and its basically the same so I understand what she means.

The "burns" aren't "exercise calories". They are the Midnight to Midnight total calories her body uses. Eat that amount to stay the same, eat less to lose.

So her 500 cal deficit days are equal to an MFP setting of 1 lb per week with exercise cals eaten back.
Her 1000 cal deficit day is equal to if she had a MFP goal of 2 lbs per week and eaten her exercise cals back.

Whereas you have your deficit built into your diary and need to equal it, us armband wearers get to see our body's total usage including BMR plus daily activity plus exercise... (essentially our TDEE) and create our own deficit by just NOT eating as much as the number on our display unit.
Like right now it's 8AM and I am at 531 cals since midnight.

LurayneMarie

Apologies! Didnt get the significance of the bodybugg bit! sorry

robin52077

Apologies! Didnt get the significance of the bodybugg bit! sorry

Ha! No problem! I just want everyone to be on the same page!

I am usually the FIRST one to tell someone to eat MORE. But for once I don't have to.
(personally I think NOBODY's diary should EVER be set at 1200. everyone can lose eating more than that. This is for people's HEATH, this is not a race.)

She is eating close to maintenance some days and at a surplus one day, so the others can safely have that "2 lb per week" 1000 cals without risk of underfeeding.

Sueboo31

Possibilities:

1. Your muscles are sore from all the new exercise you just threw at them after being inactive and they are holding onto water to help cushion and repair themselves as muscles tend to do. If you are sore at all this is probably the case.

Very interesting. This is good to know. I think that explains what my situation right now. Thx!

ShrinkinMel

I would think you'd be looking for a deficit of 3500 a week for a 1 lb a week loss and 7000 a week for 2 lbs loss per week. If my math is right without factoring your surplus day and what that may have pulled off. it was 3461 deficit for the week. The surplus day could have played a big factor?

Those things seem really neat but I wonder how accurate they are.

Want to add try measuring too. I know some weeks I have small losses or small gains but lost inches. One week I gained like .4 but lost an inch from my waist in ONE week.

ldaughe2

Apologies! Didnt get the significance of the bodybugg bit! sorry

It's a pretty cool piece of machinery

Thanks a ton Robin. Those possibilities do make sense. This is the first week I didn't weigh myself daily (lol!)
My cousin's wedding is in May, I'm hoping to get to the low 180's by then! I was doing fine with the weight loss
until I actually concentrated on it. Go figure! Hopefully I'll see some better numbers next Monday.

Also, the bodybugg claims to be 90% accurate, http://www.bodybugg.com/science_behind_bodybugg.php

I just noticed my post was moved to "success stories" ... I'd hardly call this a success =P

stormieweather

I would think you'd be looking for a deficit of 3500 a week for a 1 lb a week loss and 7000 a week for 2 lbs loss per week. If my math is right without factoring your surplus day and what that may have pulled off. it was 3461 deficit for the week. The surplus day could have played a big factor?

Those things seem really neat but I wonder how accurate they are.

Want to add try measuring too. I know some weeks I have small losses or small gains but lost inches. One week I gained like .4 but lost an inch from my waist in ONE week.

She has a weekly deficit of exactly 3521 for the week in question, or an average of 503 per day. A surplus day won't hurt and might actually help. It's included in the total for the week. But losses dont' always show up at 12:01 am on the day you hit the 3500 total deficit. Mine show up anywhere from a week to 10 days later. Factor in potential water retention, natural flucuations and I wouldn't really worry about it for at least 3 weeks. If nothing happens by then, reevaluate.

ldaughe2

But losses dont' always show up at 12:01 am on the day you hit the 3500 total deficit. Mine show up anywhere from a week to 10 days later. Factor in potential water retention, natural flucuations and I wouldn't really worry about it for at least 3 weeks. If nothing happens by then, reevaluate.

True True. Thanks everyone. I was kind of dissapointed but I suppose I need to be realistic