Extremely confused about calories!

jillyt85

I've been losing weight for a year now and I've only lost 68 pounds. I know plenty of people on here who've lost that much in half the time so it's not like I'm losing at an unhealthy speed. I started off last year not counting calories, just watching what I ate and it worked really well for a while. Then I started counting (and I do NOT eat back my exercise caloies) and was eating about 1700 a day while working out 3 days a week and still losing weight slowly and steadily. Then I hit a plateau so I lowered my calories some to about 1500 a day and that helped me to lose slow and steady again. Hit another plateau and now I'm at around 1370 a day and I'm losing slow and steady again. I've been eating 1370 for quite a few months now and I've tried eating back some of my exercise calories like everyone seems to suggest, but as soon as I do that, I start gaining weight and gaining fast. I seriously don't understand how people can eat so many calories and continue to lose. My cousin is a nutritionist and she said I'm doing everything right. She knows how much I eat and that I work out 5 days a week doing cardio and 3 days doing strength. So why does everyone say you have to eat more to lose when eating more was what got me fat in the first place? Im female 5'7" and 26 years old and eating 1500+ calories a day is just too much for me. I have a lot of tall and fit women in my family and I watch how and what they eat and I know for a fact they're not eating 1500+ calories a day. I just don't understand how so many on here can lose by eating more and I gain by eating more.

UponThisRock

Sounds like you've been dieting a long time without a break. If I were you I would take at least 2 weeks off from dieting and eat at maintenance. Then begin to lower calories again.

If you've actually gone a whole year without a break, it might be a good idea to make your diet break even longer than 2 weeks.

rmsrws

Everyones metabolism is different. Some people eating exercise calories back, works great for them. For some it makes them gain. It is all about what works for you and finding that method. If losing weight was so easy, the U.S. would not have such an high obesity crisis.

I was told by my docs not to eat back my exercise calories. And to drink at least a 100 oz. of water a day. 64 oz being strictly water the other coffee, tea, etc. Definetely no soda!!! I was instructed to eat six small meals a day making sure I get at least 6 servings of fruits and vegetables. I was told not to worry about the sugar in fruits and vegetables because the body breaks them down differently than other sugar sources.

If you look at my food diary you will see I eat less than perfect. But I do stay around 1200 calories a day. I try to eat low fat and very low carb, since carbs cause me to want to munch!

Go back through your logging and find a time where you were losing, and try repeating that. I have a friend on here who is really great with nutrition and weight loss suggestions and articles and so fourth if you'd like I will message her and see if I can send you her way, since she is not excepting new friends at the moment, but I think she'd be interested in seeing if she could help you!

BackwoodsMom

I think you are doing very well to have lost almost 70 lbs in a year! That's great progress but DON'T compare yourself to others! Every body is different and you have to work with what works for you. Be patient. It's okay to take a break for a time and just maintain, like UponThisRock said.

maddymama

I feel your pain, girl........... Losing weight is hard.

What has helped me is a few things:

1) NO artificial sweeteners in anything.... They seem to make me hold onto weight.
2) Lower your sodium intake-- less processed foods in general, less salt added to any food when you are cooking
3) Increase you healthy fats- olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc.

Your food diary isn't open, so I don't know if you are looking beyond calories to what you are eating..... or not.

I also exercise 6 days a week. That day of rest also seems counter-intuitive but helps my body out so much.

These three things helped me get over my plateu last year. I'm 5'7, went from 170 to 131-ish, and have been mostly maintaining for 6 months.

jillyt85

Sounds like you've been dieting a long time without a break. If I were you I would take at least 2 weeks off from dieting and eat at maintenance. Then begin to lower calories again.

If you've actually gone a whole year without a break, it might be a good idea to make your diet break even longer than 2 weeks.

I took 2 weeks off during Christmas. I do allow myself to indulge every now and then. I don't think of what I'm doing as a diet. I'm just eating healthy to make my body healthy.

Rmsrws thank you. That actually made me feel much better. I am currently still losing...I was just confused how so many can eat so much and still lose, but I guess I need to remember what you said. Everyone is different and what works for others may not work for me.

marquesajen

Everyone is different. That's not just a saying, it's true. What works for one person may not work for you. When I don't eat back my exercise calories I don't lose. I'm eating approx. 1500 calories, that gives me a deficit of about 400 calories. So I need those 1500 just for my body to run without working out. If I burn 200 calories, then that is 200 less my body has to run on so if I eat that back I'm still only running on 1500 for the day.

However, that's me. You might want to try to just maintain for a couple weeks and then put your deficit back in place to let your body readjust. also, try cutting out any artificial sweeteners, drink plenty of water (lots of it!), and check how much sodium you're consuming. Good luck! You've come a long way, don't be discouraged.

marquesajen

Woops, just saw that you did take a break.

Anywho, just remember the slower you lose it, the better chance of keeping it off long term

jillyt85

I feel your pain, girl........... Losing weight is hard.

What has helped me is a few things:

1) NO artificial sweeteners in anything.... They seem to make me hold onto weight.
2) Lower your sodium intake-- less processed foods in general, less salt added to any food when you are cooking
3) Increase you healthy fats- olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc.

Your food diary isn't open, so I don't know if you are looking beyond calories to what you are eating..... or not.

I also exercise 6 days a week. That day of rest also seems counter-intuitive but helps my body out so much.

These three things helped me get over my plateu last year. I'm 5'7, went from 170 to 131-ish, and have been mostly maintaining for 6 months.

I do need to cut out my artificial sweetner! I'm working on lowering my salt intake. That's THE hardest part for me, and as for healthy fats, I've been eating a little avocado almost everyday for a year now and I use a little olive oil in quite a few of my meals. I definitely try to eat a variety of healthy foods keeping an eye on a healthy amount of carbs, protein, and fat as well. I also take lots of vitamins and supplements daily. I bet cutting back on that salt and fake sugar will definitely help!