If I'm still at a deficit why am I looking bigger?
Replies
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'I know this is bad, but a few weeks after I started eating more I got really panicky because my jeans were suddenly too small. I kept telling myself it was only water weight but I couldn't convince myself. I finally took a day and loaded up on over-the-counter diuretics to test a theory. By the end of the night, I was back to my previous size and shape and my jeans were baggy again. I don't encourage anyone else to try this but I was able to put my fears to rest.
Interesting...as I finally took a before picture (2 1/2 weeks in) and it looks like I'm wearing a fat suit. :sad:0 -
Of course the day I bump it to 2600 I burned less than 2800. That is the lowest burn I've done AND I taught Pump. I must have been the rain. So sluggish. Better kick it up today!0
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Even just a little increase seems to cause this. I'm a week into going up from 1800 to 2000 and I'm feeling super puffy.0
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Terri, how long have you been EM2WL, what is your cut and how much are you working out...what do you do weekly???
I've been on since 5/7, so 3 weeks exactly. BMR figures out to 1455, TDEE 2256, Cut using moderate exercise is 1917. I try to ride my bike 6 days a week,(hour long rides that usually burn around 300 to 400 calories on my HRM) if it's raining I'll pull out an Insanity DVD. One day a week is a long ride of 2 hours(burns 800 to 1000 calories) or more. Honestly, I eat a lot of junk, need to eat cleaner, lower my sodium, and focus more on lean proteins. But I get off track way to easy. I've been trying to simply net above my BMR each day. Which does seem to work out to between 1900 and 2000 calories a day. I'm loving the fact that I'm not hungry all the time and actually seem to have more energy, that's saying a lot since I work 3 night shifts and two evening shifts each week.
So you exercise 7hours a week...that is not moderate but the next level up. You should also try to make it a point to eat your cut value consistently daily. Consistency is a major key!
[/quote
Go figure . . . I ate like 2000 calories yesterday, and my weight is back down to where I was on Friday (I went up a tad over the weekend) Ok, more newbie questions then. I'm sure this has been answered, but when I try and do a search I get a ton of stuff about eating back exercise calories, but not for EM2LW. It sounds like my net goal should be the 1917 then? Do I eat that even on the one day a week I don't exercise? Thanks for putting up with newbie questions.0 -
Great thread!
Greysmom, I can almost guarantee, your deficit is still too high. To do all that you are doing even 2400 isn't enough. A good deficit is 15% from TDEE which usually ranges about 300 or so off TDEE. So, if you are burning 3300....you can do the math...lol.
The workouts you do are strenuous and you have to eat to support it. It is hard to get a good weight or measurements when you really don't have a break from working out.
From my experience here, when the deficit is high and there is excessive cardio weight is held. Most times the answer is cut back on cardio a bit, which I know you can't do. So the other alternative is to eat more.
I am also one of the few that gained pounds AND inches....and it's due to high burns but still not enough fuel. I had the option to drop my exercise, which I don't think you do, so all that you can do is eat even more. I did a quick measure on a few areas this morning after 2 weeks of lowering the exercise (nothing solid because I want to do a proper measurement at the beginning of next month again to know for sure) and the two places I checked were now about a 1/4 inch less! So...I'd trust Lucia on this. Take it from another inch gainer turned inch loser!
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Bumpng to mark because I am in the same boat EXCEPT its been 6 weeks and I look and feel huge. I was at 112 in March (had lost 8 lbs since starting MFP in October) and now 123 and gained all my inches back and more. I was starting to like myself in the mirror but now I do not. Gained 1.5" around every place I measure. So trying VERY HARD to do what Lucia said and reset my metabolism all while crying at the same time because its Summer . I just think i was eating too much though and OVERestimating my activity but all the scooby calculations make me at maintenance I suppose. i really just want to scream. I have a fitbit and it never tells me enough cals i burned to make me satisfied. I am always hungry or craving something.0
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I'm right there with you. I had lost 8 pounds and was really liking how I looked. I couldn't break that 150 barrier though, and thought I must be bouncing around because I'm not eating enough. I'm now puffy and bloated. My butt has widened with more cellulite. I haven't dared try on a single pant. I was feeling AWESOME that my pants were feeling lose..and now by my own hand I'm afraid to even look at them. This is the hardest thing I've ever done...well one of them anyway.0
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I wish I had the answer but I still struggle with the same. I KNOW I've gained muscle but I also appear to have gained fat! My diet is near perfect and yet, the Body Fat scale at the GYM is going UP UP UP. Talk about depressing. My jeans are much tighter and I am eating ~1400-1600 calories (I'm 5'2"). I know it's better than 1200 BUT, it IS summer and the stinking Victoria Secret swimsuit catalog just arrived. UGH!!! Good luck. I am sure we are doing the right thing!
Elizabeth0 -
I wish I had the answer but I still struggle with the same. I KNOW I've gained muscle but I also appear to have gained fat! My diet is near perfect and yet, the Body Fat scale at the GYM is going UP UP UP. Talk about depressing. My jeans are much tighter and I am eating ~1400-1600 calories (I'm 5'2"). I know it's better than 1200 BUT, it IS summer and the stinking Victoria Secret swimsuit catalog just arrived. UGH!!! Good luck. I am sure we are doing the right thing!
Elizabeth
Are you sure about your calculation of your TDEE and cut? Sometimes the underestimating and eating still less than the body needs somehow allows us to gain...just a thought.0 -
Terri, how long have you been EM2WL, what is your cut and how much are you working out...what do you do weekly???
I've been on since 5/7, so 3 weeks exactly. BMR figures out to 1455, TDEE 2256, Cut using moderate exercise is 1917. I try to ride my bike 6 days a week,(hour long rides that usually burn around 300 to 400 calories on my HRM) if it's raining I'll pull out an Insanity DVD. One day a week is a long ride of 2 hours(burns 800 to 1000 calories) or more. Honestly, I eat a lot of junk, need to eat cleaner, lower my sodium, and focus more on lean proteins. But I get off track way to easy. I've been trying to simply net above my BMR each day. Which does seem to work out to between 1900 and 2000 calories a day. I'm loving the fact that I'm not hungry all the time and actually seem to have more energy, that's saying a lot since I work 3 night shifts and two evening shifts each week.
So you exercise 7hours a week...that is not moderate but the next level up. You should also try to make it a point to eat your cut value consistently daily. Consistency is a major key!
[/quote
Go figure . . . I ate like 2000 calories yesterday, and my weight is back down to where I was on Friday (I went up a tad over the weekend) Ok, more newbie questions then. I'm sure this has been answered, but when I try and do a search I get a ton of stuff about eating back exercise calories, but not for EM2LW. It sounds like my net goal should be the 1917 then? Do I eat that even on the one day a week I don't exercise? Thanks for putting up with newbie questions.
Yes, you eat that amount every single day.0 -
Bumpng to mark because I am in the same boat EXCEPT its been 6 weeks and I look and feel huge. I was at 112 in March (had lost 8 lbs since starting MFP in October) and now 123 and gained all my inches back and more. I was starting to like myself in the mirror but now I do not. Gained 1.5" around every place I measure. So trying VERY HARD to do what Lucia said and reset my metabolism all while crying at the same time because its Summer . I just think i was eating too much though and OVERestimating my activity but all the scooby calculations make me at maintenance I suppose. i really just want to scream. I have a fitbit and it never tells me enough cals i burned to make me satisfied. I am always hungry or craving something.
Hun you have 2 more weeks and you start your cut...I don't remember if I looked at your diary, but how is your protein intake are you eating about a gram per pound of body weight? If not, that will help with the hunger.0 -
I'm right there with you. I had lost 8 pounds and was really liking how I looked. I couldn't break that 150 barrier though, and thought I must be bouncing around because I'm not eating enough. I'm now puffy and bloated. My butt has widened with more cellulite. I haven't dared try on a single pant. I was feeling AWESOME that my pants were feeling lose..and now by my own hand I'm afraid to even look at them. This is the hardest thing I've ever done...well one of them anyway.
You are wearing the BMF now...you have got to get up to your sweet spot...you burn goo gobs of calories and your deficit is still pretty steep.0 -
My first two weeks I think I gained 6.5 lbs. From there (week 6 now) am down 4lbs from when I started (well Ill weight tomorrow and find out how much I lost at 6 weeks).0
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I wish I had the answer but I still struggle with the same. I KNOW I've gained muscle but I also appear to have gained fat! My diet is near perfect and yet, the Body Fat scale at the GYM is going UP UP UP. Talk about depressing. My jeans are much tighter and I am eating ~1400-1600 calories (I'm 5'2"). I know it's better than 1200 BUT, it IS summer and the stinking Victoria Secret swimsuit catalog just arrived. UGH!!! Good luck. I am sure we are doing the right thing!
Elizabeth
Are you sure about your calculation of your TDEE and cut? Sometimes the underestimating and eating still less than the body needs somehow allows us to gain...just a thought.
I tried eating even more in March/April but I couldn't stop gaining. I had to assume that I was over-estimating my burn or under-estimating my food. I am now weighing everything and trying to eat zero processed foods (except my 1 whey and maybe 1 Atkins bar, simply b/c I get busy). I am still tweaking. I am sure that I"ll find the right balance soon. At least, I hope so!0 -
I have raised my calories to 1500 since 16 April from a four year total of 800-1200 net per day.
I'm not brave enough yet to go higher, as I'm just not sure my metabolism is fast enough yet to cope with more calories. So far, I gained a few pounds at the beginning, but for the past 3 weeks, I've been losing more or less a pound a week of weight that I gained over Christmas. I have still to break into "new territory" which is still 5 pounds away yet...
But here's the thing. I feel bigger. My trousers feel a bit tight and yet my torso is looking more defined.
Not sure I like this as yet as I was hoping my clothes would all become much loser by now - but I've always been impatient.
I'm exercising 5-6 days a week and on those days, I'm eating about 2,000+ per day. Last week I had 1600 NET so I'm slowly increasing the calories. But this "fat" feeling is making me want to run back to 1200 a day (where I was stuck on a plateau for a year).0 -
I have raised my calories to 1500 since 16 April from a four year total of 800-1200 net per day.
I'm not brave enough yet to go higher, as I'm just not sure my metabolism is fast enough yet to cope with more calories. So far, I gained a few pounds at the beginning, but for the past 3 weeks, I've been losing more or less a pound a week of weight that I gained over Christmas. I have still to break into "new territory" which is still 5 pounds away yet...
But here's the thing. I feel bigger. My trousers feel a bit tight and yet my torso is looking more defined.
Not sure I like this as yet as I was hoping my clothes would all become much loser by now - but I've always been impatient.
I'm exercising 5-6 days a week and on those days, I'm eating about 2,000+ per day. Last week I had 1600 NET so I'm slowly increasing the calories. But this "fat" feeling is making me want to run back to 1200 a day (where I was stuck on a plateau for a year).
Hi there! Here is the problem with this method. 1500 still isn't near enough...so if you don't find your TDEE and they would probably recommend you eat there for a few weeks first before you cut....so you may just gain at 1500 because your body is still starving for more energy and it going to hold on. Go to this website and put in your stats. The number they give you in step 6 is where you should start eating every single day.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/0 -
I have raised my calories to 1500 since 16 April from a four year total of 800-1200 net per day.
I'm not brave enough yet to go higher, as I'm just not sure my metabolism is fast enough yet to cope with more calories. So far, I gained a few pounds at the beginning, but for the past 3 weeks, I've been losing more or less a pound a week of weight that I gained over Christmas. I have still to break into "new territory" which is still 5 pounds away yet...
But here's the thing. I feel bigger. My trousers feel a bit tight and yet my torso is looking more defined.
Not sure I like this as yet as I was hoping my clothes would all become much loser by now - but I've always been impatient.
I'm exercising 5-6 days a week and on those days, I'm eating about 2,000+ per day. Last week I had 1600 NET so I'm slowly increasing the calories. But this "fat" feeling is making me want to run back to 1200 a day (where I was stuck on a plateau for a year).
Hi there! Here is the problem with this method. 1500 still isn't near enough...so if you don't find your TDEE and they would probably recommend you eat there for a few weeks first before you cut....so you may just gain at 1500 because your body is still starving for more energy and it going to hold on. Go to this website and put in your stats. The number they give you in step 6 is where you should start eating every single day.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
I just did this this morning and feel alot better about myself now. 1888 is a 15% cut and thats a lot for me to not feel deprived.
AND I am one who has gained in lbs and inches so we will see what happens. 0 -
I am new to this (just upped my calories from 1200 to 1900 yesterday). When you guys are talking about eating your cut are you talking about your TDEE - 15%?
Just wanted to make sure what that is and if Im doing this right.0 -
I am new to this (just upped my calories from 1200 to 1900 yesterday). When you guys are talking about eating your cut are you talking about your TDEE - 15%?
Just wanted to make sure what that is and if Im doing this right.
Yes 0 -
I am new to this (just upped my calories from 1200 to 1900 yesterday). When you guys are talking about eating your cut are you talking about your TDEE - 15%?
Just wanted to make sure what that is and if Im doing this right.
Yes 0 -
I've been with this group for awhile but lost my way for a few weeks. I'm back to eating 1900 calories a day.
According to Fitness Frog
My BMR is 1526
My TDEE is 2365 (at moderate)
* I used moderate because I'm lifting 4x a week for 60 min and then I usually do 2-3 days of cardio for 30 to 40 min.
At a 15% cut I should be eating around 2000
At a 20% cut I should be eating around 1892
So if I lift and burn an average of 300-400 calories it shouldn't matter because that is already figured into my TDEE correct? So I don't need to eat back unless I burn an insane amount of calories. Correct? So far I haven't been eating any back and I'm staying steady at 1900 but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thanks!
Oh and I'd also like to mention that I think my stomach looks a lot bigger recently. Even in a few of my dresses I feel like they don't fit as well in the stomach area. I hope that changes soon. I was 162 lbs at the beginning of the year. I'm now 168 lbs. I'm 5'2 and 31 yr old.0 -
I am new to this (just upped my calories from 1200 to 1900 yesterday). When you guys are talking about eating your cut are you talking about your TDEE - 15%?
Just wanted to make sure what that is and if Im doing this right.
Yes
Thank you0 -
I've been with this group for awhile but lost my way for a few weeks. I'm back to eating 1900 calories a day.
According to Fitness Frog
My BMR is 1526
My TDEE is 2365 (at moderate)
* I used moderate because I'm lifting 4x a week for 60 min and then I usually do 2-3 days of cardio for 30 to 40 min.
At a 15% cut I should be eating around 2000
At a 20% cut I should be eating around 1892
So if I lift and burn an average of 300-400 calories it shouldn't matter because that is already figured into my TDEE correct? So I don't need to eat back unless I burn an insane amount of calories. Correct? So far I haven't been eating any back and I'm staying steady at 1900 but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thanks!
Oh and I'd also like to mention that I think my stomach looks a lot bigger recently. Even in a few of my dresses I feel like they don't fit as well in the stomach area. I hope that changes soon. I was 162 lbs at the beginning of the year. I'm now 168 lbs. I'm 5'2 and 31 yr old.
Hi! I'm 5'2" as well! According to your activity I would change it to heavy (or strenuous) excercise and not moderate. Go to the scooby calculator. I just did the fitness frog one but the scooby has more to it.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#results0 -
I've been with this group for awhile but lost my way for a few weeks. I'm back to eating 1900 calories a day.
According to Fitness Frog
My BMR is 1526
My TDEE is 2365 (at moderate)
* I used moderate because I'm lifting 4x a week for 60 min and then I usually do 2-3 days of cardio for 30 to 40 min.
At a 15% cut I should be eating around 2000
At a 20% cut I should be eating around 1892
So if I lift and burn an average of 300-400 calories it shouldn't matter because that is already figured into my TDEE correct? So I don't need to eat back unless I burn an insane amount of calories. Correct? So far I haven't been eating any back and I'm staying steady at 1900 but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thanks!
Oh and I'd also like to mention that I think my stomach looks a lot bigger recently. Even in a few of my dresses I feel like they don't fit as well in the stomach area. I hope that changes soon. I was 162 lbs at the beginning of the year. I'm now 168 lbs. I'm 5'2 and 31 yr old.
Hi! I'm 5'2" as well! According to your activity I would change it to heavy (or strenuous) excercise and not moderate. Go to the scooby calculator. I just did the fitness frog one but the scooby has more to it.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#results
Thanks! I checked it out. And if I stay at moderate I'm right on. If I go up to strenuous like you suggested I could up my calories a little. So now what? Haha...how do you know which one to go with. Maybe I eat an average of 2000 a day and that would work better.0 -
I've been with this group for awhile but lost my way for a few weeks. I'm back to eating 1900 calories a day.
According to Fitness Frog
My BMR is 1526
My TDEE is 2365 (at moderate)
* I used moderate because I'm lifting 4x a week for 60 min and then I usually do 2-3 days of cardio for 30 to 40 min.
At a 15% cut I should be eating around 2000
At a 20% cut I should be eating around 1892
So if I lift and burn an average of 300-400 calories it shouldn't matter because that is already figured into my TDEE correct? So I don't need to eat back unless I burn an insane amount of calories. Correct? So far I haven't been eating any back and I'm staying steady at 1900 but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thanks!
Oh and I'd also like to mention that I think my stomach looks a lot bigger recently. Even in a few of my dresses I feel like they don't fit as well in the stomach area. I hope that changes soon. I was 162 lbs at the beginning of the year. I'm now 168 lbs. I'm 5'2 and 31 yr old.
Hi! I'm 5'2" as well! According to your activity I would change it to heavy (or strenuous) excercise and not moderate. Go to the scooby calculator. I just did the fitness frog one but the scooby has more to it.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#results
Thanks! I checked it out. And if I stay at moderate I'm right on. If I go up to strenuous like you suggested I could up my calories a little. So now what? Haha...how do you know which one to go with. Maybe I eat an average of 2000 a day and that would work better.
I think you are the more strenuous level than moderate. 0 -
I have raised my calories to 1500 since 16 April from a four year total of 800-1200 net per day.
I'm not brave enough yet to go higher, as I'm just not sure my metabolism is fast enough yet to cope with more calories. So far, I gained a few pounds at the beginning, but for the past 3 weeks, I've been losing more or less a pound a week of weight that I gained over Christmas. I have still to break into "new territory" which is still 5 pounds away yet...
But here's the thing. I feel bigger. My trousers feel a bit tight and yet my torso is looking more defined.
Not sure I like this as yet as I was hoping my clothes would all become much loser by now - but I've always been impatient.
I'm exercising 5-6 days a week and on those days, I'm eating about 2,000+ per day. Last week I had 1600 NET so I'm slowly increasing the calories. But this "fat" feeling is making me want to run back to 1200 a day (where I was stuck on a plateau for a year).
Hi there! Here is the problem with this method. 1500 still isn't near enough...so if you don't find your TDEE and they would probably recommend you eat there for a few weeks first before you cut....so you may just gain at 1500 because your body is still starving for more energy and it going to hold on. Go to this website and put in your stats. The number they give you in step 6 is where you should start eating every single day.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
I just did this this morning and feel alot better about myself now. 1888 is a 15% cut and thats a lot for me to not feel deprived. AND I am one who has gained in lbs and inches so we will see what happens.
And can I just check that we are aiming for NET calories? So if my TDEE states say, 2019 per day this is NET? Surely not!!0 -
I have raised my calories to 1500 since 16 April from a four year total of 800-1200 net per day.
I'm not brave enough yet to go higher, as I'm just not sure my metabolism is fast enough yet to cope with more calories. So far, I gained a few pounds at the beginning, but for the past 3 weeks, I've been losing more or less a pound a week of weight that I gained over Christmas. I have still to break into "new territory" which is still 5 pounds away yet...
But here's the thing. I feel bigger. My trousers feel a bit tight and yet my torso is looking more defined.
Not sure I like this as yet as I was hoping my clothes would all become much loser by now - but I've always been impatient.
I'm exercising 5-6 days a week and on those days, I'm eating about 2,000+ per day. Last week I had 1600 NET so I'm slowly increasing the calories. But this "fat" feeling is making me want to run back to 1200 a day (where I was stuck on a plateau for a year).
Hi there! Here is the problem with this method. 1500 still isn't near enough...so if you don't find your TDEE and they would probably recommend you eat there for a few weeks first before you cut....so you may just gain at 1500 because your body is still starving for more energy and it going to hold on. Go to this website and put in your stats. The number they give you in step 6 is where you should start eating every single day.
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
I just did this this morning and feel alot better about myself now. 1888 is a 15% cut and thats a lot for me to not feel deprived. AND I am one who has gained in lbs and inches so we will see what happens.
And can I just check that we are aiming for NET calories? So if my TDEE states say, 2019 per day this is NET? Surely not!!
No. It's the calories you EAT, not net.0 -
I'm 2 weeks in and my pants feel a little snugger
I'm going to tough it out, still. It'll be worth it 0 -
I've been with this group for awhile but lost my way for a few weeks. I'm back to eating 1900 calories a day.
According to Fitness Frog
My BMR is 1526
My TDEE is 2365 (at moderate)
* I used moderate because I'm lifting 4x a week for 60 min and then I usually do 2-3 days of cardio for 30 to 40 min.
At a 15% cut I should be eating around 2000
At a 20% cut I should be eating around 1892
So if I lift and burn an average of 300-400 calories it shouldn't matter because that is already figured into my TDEE correct? So I don't need to eat back unless I burn an insane amount of calories. Correct? So far I haven't been eating any back and I'm staying steady at 1900 but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thanks!
Oh and I'd also like to mention that I think my stomach looks a lot bigger recently. Even in a few of my dresses I feel like they don't fit as well in the stomach area. I hope that changes soon. I was 162 lbs at the beginning of the year. I'm now 168 lbs. I'm 5'2 and 31 yr old.
I would suggest lifting heavy 3 times a week and doing HIT for 30 min ( 3 min warm up 30 sec fast 60 sec mod for 20 min then cool down). Stick with mod and eat every single day 2000 cals.0 -
I've been with this group for awhile but lost my way for a few weeks. I'm back to eating 1900 calories a day.
According to Fitness Frog
My BMR is 1526
My TDEE is 2365 (at moderate)
* I used moderate because I'm lifting 4x a week for 60 min and then I usually do 2-3 days of cardio for 30 to 40 min.
At a 15% cut I should be eating around 2000
At a 20% cut I should be eating around 1892
So if I lift and burn an average of 300-400 calories it shouldn't matter because that is already figured into my TDEE correct? So I don't need to eat back unless I burn an insane amount of calories. Correct? So far I haven't been eating any back and I'm staying steady at 1900 but I want to make sure I'm doing this right.
Thanks!
Oh and I'd also like to mention that I think my stomach looks a lot bigger recently. Even in a few of my dresses I feel like they don't fit as well in the stomach area. I hope that changes soon. I was 162 lbs at the beginning of the year. I'm now 168 lbs. I'm 5'2 and 31 yr old.
I would suggest lifting heavy 3 times a week and doing HIT for 30 min ( 3 min warm up 30 sec fast 60 sec mod for 20 min then cool down). Stick with mod and eat every single day 2000 cals.
Thank you!0
