Cals in vs Cals out? WTF is the problem!!??

lisamarie2181

Hey all, was wondering if you can help me out. I see all over the boards how this is what matters, but why does this not seem to be the case where I am concerned? I wear a body media fit so I have my calorie burn daily and I figure out my deficit daily and then for the week, and it always says I should lose X amount, and it isn't happening!! What gives!!?

*I do understand that the armband is only 95% effective, but way more effective then guessing*

If cals in vs cals out will guarantee weight loss, then can someone tell me what the problem is? I will clarify, as of now I have been stalled out for about 6 weeks or so, so I figured that may be why there is no progress at the moment, but I have been tracking my cals burned and deficit this way for a year (before MFP) and it has always been this way. In the past I had huge deficits a day, around 1000 to 1500, and I never had the losses like it said I should, but I found out here that there is such a thing as too BIG of a deficit. I did lose but not what it said I should be around, but I still had a loss so didn't think much of it. I have lowered my deficit amount to between 500-1000 (at most, usually no higher then 900) and still nothing.

I am in the 3rd week of upping my cals, am I expecting a loss when it hasn't been enough time? Went from 1600 and below to around 2000-2200 now. I weighed this morning (not my normal weigh in day) and I was still the same. I've tried not to let it bother me these last 3 weeks because I know I have to be patient when upping my cals, but this has been going on since before this. I also have PCOS, which I do follow more low carb, try to always get below 100g net, but still nothing. I eat a whole foods diet the majority of the time (by that I mean lots of veggies, meat and dairy, do not each much grains and fruit because of the sugar, will get low carb bread at times) and cook the majority of my meals.

Here is an example, these are my numbers from last week -

Monday - - - 2563 cals burned - 1923 cals eaten = 640 deficit
Tuesday- - - 2479 cals burned - 1850 cals eaten = 629 deficit
Wed - - - - - - - 2801 cals burned - 2067 cals eaten = 734 deficit
Thursday - - - 2600 cals burned - 1623 cals eaten = 977 deficit
Friday - - - - 2723 cals burned - 2154 cals eaten = 569 deficit
Saturday - - 2926 cals burned - 2114 cals eaten = 812 deficit
Sunday - - 2840 cals burned - 2008 cals eaten = 832 deficit

Total Cals burned for week = 18,932
Total Cals eaten for week = 13,739

Total deficit - 5,193 which means I should have lost 1.4/1.5 pounds


My point in this post is what do I do when cals in vs cals out is not working properly!? I do take my inches and I was up 8 inches overall last week, which my wellness coach said could be from water weight, but within these six weeks there has not been really any weight or inch loss of significance. I don't know how to try and break a stall if I am consistently eating at a deficit and it still isn't enough! Has anyone else been stuck and found something that worked for them?

By NO MEANS am I giving up or going to eat myself into oblivion but I can't help but get frustrated by this. I follow the rules, do what I am supposed to and it still doesn't work, I am at a loss and don't know how to get my body moving on the scale again. I had a steady loss for 4 months, lost the 42 pounds shown below and haven't been able to lose a damn pound since.

Is there something else I need to tweak? Any suggestions on how to get things moving again? I don't want to say this 6 weeks has been wasted time, but I feel like it is such a setback and if I just continue doing what I have been, when am I supposed to know if its not enough? How do I break a plateau when I consistently have a deficit and it still isn't good enough? GRRRRRR frustrated beyond belief, please help if you can

Jxnsmma

You might want to open your diary so people can critique what you are eating. You will then get 100 different opinions of 100 different people telling you 100 different things, but take what you want to from it and leave the rest behind

i am in exactly the same boat (BMF band and all!) and just this week have decided to drastically change my diet. Eating clean all the way. I got stuck in a bit of a convenience food "eat whatever you want as long as it fits into your calories for the day" flop that SO DOES NOT WORK for me. We will see what happens

good luck!

LorinaLynn

Not an expert by any means, but I know a lot of people say that when you up your calories, it takes up to six weeks for the body to adjust to the changes.

I also don't know much about low carbing, but don't they suggest a refeed every so often where you go high to moderate carb for a while, then back to low carb again?

Acg67

Weight loss is not linear and stop weighing yourself weekly

twinketta

If you want to open your diary you will get criticism to hell and back lol!

Your deficit looks great. All I can suggest is that you are not logging all (I mean everything you eat) I am saying this not knowing for sure??

My suggestion is that you try to add carb days every few days.

So here is what works for me eat really protein for 3 or 4 days, and low carb. still eating some carbs of course lol"

then have a day where you eat a lot more carbs and very low protein.

rinse and repeat lol!

I lose between 1/2 to 2lbs a week

rodneyderrick

Patience is so important.

twinketta

Weight loss is not linear and stop weighing yourself weekly

It may not be linear, but there is no reason to stop weighing weekly?

lisamarie2181

My diary is only open to my friends for that reason lol According to the cals in cals out, it shouldn't matter what I am eating as long as my cals are where they are supposed to be. I know how these boards can get and I don't want people picking apart my diary to try and find something I am not eating "right". Like I said, I eat more low carb, which alot of people don't agree with, but I do it for medical reasons, so I don't want to get harped on for it.

I eat healthy, very rarely eat processed convenient food. I do not have the mentality eat whatever you want as long as it is in your cals. I am not knocking anyone that does, but this is nothing something I believe in for myself. I try my best to get nutrient dense calories, not empty ones. Not saying I am perfect, I do on occasion have something that is not the greatest, but it is not a normal part of my daily or weekly diet.

I don't know what scientifically constitutes a plateau, maybe not exactly the right word, but the scale has not budged in over six weeks, just bouncing back and forth between one pound, and I just don't know what else I can do to break this, if the cal deficit isn't enough, then what else can I do? I don't want to get stuck for month without moving forward, it is hard enough to stay completely dedicated when you are losing and so much worse when you put the work in and it still isn't working. Feel like pulling my hair out sometimes lol

secretlobster

On paper, yes it does look like you should be experiencing some kind of loss with six weeks of that kind of eating/exercise schedule.

But I'm finding it really, really hard to believe you are regularly burning between 2500 and 3000 calories a day. I do realize that this is taken cumulatively from your body media fit, as TDEE, but I'm wondering what kind of activities you're doing to see this kind of calorie burn?

From your profile, you lost a significant amount of weight in August, and overall. I think it's possible you are overestimating your caloric needs, but it's hard to say exactly. After a 40lb loss, I'd expect your weight loss to plateau at some point, which it seems to have. Happens to almost everyone.

Edit: I don't think 1600 calories a day is unreasonable if you're not doing heavy lifting. You should theoretically be able to lose weight at that caloric intake. But you ask if three weeks is long enough to wait after making a change to your diet before you see results - Usually, it's not. I'd say wait 6 weeks before you decide it's not working

fallonrhea

Are you drinking plenty of water? Fat is is broken down by hydrolysis which requires plenty of water for the reactions to take place. Also, if you're not drinking enough water you could be holding a significant amount of water weight. You should be drinking 32 oz of water for every 700 mg of sodium you consume AT LEAST

hollywoodguy99

I may have missed this, but assume you are doing cardio training only. I have found that adding resistance training may help you through your plateau. That doesn't mean necessarily going to the gym, but adding squats, pushups, ab exercises, etc... is an excellent way to assist weight loss.

Pedal_Pusher

keep on keepin' on

Skinny_minny_mo

Patience is so important.

and THIS is unhelpful. she's been at it for 6weeks. we all want to see SOME change, some result of the hardwork we've put in.

EccentricDad

Do a weigh in after a 12 hour fast and do it in the nude. Only weigh in once a week. If you are weighing yourself between meals and not a 12 hour fast then you aren't getting an accurate scale victory. I weigh every Monday and I stop eating/drinking at 7pm each night, that way by 7am the next day I can weigh myself and get an accurate reading of what I weigh since everything will be digested and I will have had all my "movements" necessary to expel the rest. Also, wait to drink water until after your weigh in as water can break a fasting too.

jofjltncb6

Weight loss is not linear and stop weighing yourself weekly

Hey, I weigh myself daily...but I have a good relationship with my scale and don't let a daily fluctuation of 1-4 pounds affect my overall plan, so I'll keep doing that.

Oh, and OP, while the numbers geek in me likes your approach, it is difficult...(okay, impossible)...to reduce actual weight loss/gain to such a simple formula.

tryinghard71

Measure and forget the scale. I was not losing weight for two months but was losing a half inch to an inch a week.

faithchange

As they always tell me....patient...patient...be patient! I know easier said than done when your working hard and eating right. Speaking from my own experience it took me well over 2 years to lose the bulk of my weight, and I'm still not at goal. At that point I was logging my food on a different site and worked my *kitten* off working out. The changes came...not on my time...but they did.

I came to MFP faithfully in July 2012 and have lost 10 lbs and the inches (11) but as you know did P90X and I was at 1700 calories the first month or so...lost there, but then some peeps on here recommended the upping of calories because of my crazy workouts. So, I only lose .5 lbs maybe 1 lbs a week when I lose...there are maybe 2-3 wks that I stay the same and gain around TOM (sucks being a woman at times).

What are your exercises? I forgot...I'm sorry. I started Insanity this week (watching on youtube...shhhh!) and it is HIIT (high intensity). Many people will recommend changing up your workouts to trick your body. For example we get used to running or walking, or whatever we do and burn the same old calories with no change our body doesn't react.

If we kick in with some weight lifting (heavier or more reps) then we break through a plateau...or if we do something new like HIIT then we freak out and start the weight loss process all through changing our exercise. Make sense?

I also have PCOS and have done the low carbs, but probably not to the extreme you have. I think its probably good your doing it but as a previous post said...maybe add some in (healthy ones) every other day or so. Hopefully your eating the fruit and veggie ones...just staying away from the pastas and breads, sweets, ect./???

I don't know if this helped or not? sorry. Just was throwing in my two cents if its worth it Also, not sure how close you are to goal or healthy BMI, but as I get closer my loss is much slower.

twinketta

bellamarie, we all have plateaus, and you have lost a couple of lbs more than I have, but really please try what I suggested earlier in your post?


2 or 3 days high protein with low carbs. Then 1 day high carb low protein. It isn`t hard to do but I am sure 100% you will get yourself moving again :-)

lisamarie2181

On paper, yes it does look like you should be experiencing some kind of loss with six weeks of that kind of eating/exercise schedule.

But I'm finding it really, really hard to believe you are regularly burning between 2500 and 3000 calories a day. I do realize that this is taken cumulatively from your body media fit, as TDEE, but I'm wondering what kind of activities you're doing to see this kind of calorie burn?

From your profile, you lost a significant amount of weight in August, and overall. I think it's possible you are overestimating your caloric needs, but it's hard to say exactly. After a 40lb loss, I'd expect your weight loss to plateau at some point, which it seems to have. Happens to almost everyone.

When I did the TDEE calculator it gave me 2800. That is pretty close to my armband averaged out. My BMR is 1765 according to the calculators and the scale I get weighed on by my wellness coach is around 1870, so i don't see how having that high of a burn is uncommon, that is my total daily burn, I very rarely burn less then 2500, even on light days. I have a lower BF% and high Lean body mass for my weight, and was told this is why I burn so many calories. I weigh 228 and my LBM is 142 body fat % approx 37%.

I do zumba and walking for cardio and just started a strength training routine 3 to 4 days a week, full body.

lisamarie2181

Are you drinking plenty of water? Fat is is broken down by hydrolysis which requires plenty of water for the reactions to take place. Also, if you're not drinking enough water you could be holding a significant amount of water weight. You should be drinking 32 oz of water for every 700 mg of sodium you consume AT LEAST

I drink over 150 ounces of water a day, don't think that is my problem lol I honestly think my body is stuck, but I just don't know what to do to jump start it back, I have been trying everything I can think of, not sure what else I can do!! I do not want to go back to the lower cals, I am hoping that others are right in saying it may take up to 6 weeks for my body to adjust cuz if not I just don't know! lol

KLo924

For me cals in/cals out is total BS. Nutrient-dense foods are chemically different than their counterparts and your body processes them differently, which can affect weight gain/loss. For me, I can eat more if I eat better.

I'm sure you don't just eat crap, but, If I eat 1400 calories of french fries (and I probably could lol) I'm not going to get the same nutrition as if I ate 1400 calories of a range of healthier things, and my body will react differently (chemicals my body makes in reaction will be different, I'll feel gross or not, sleep well or not, etc. and all that affects how I do everything else, including lose weight). Nutrition, not just calories, strongly affects your body's efficiency and chemical processes.

vfnmoody

If we trust the band to measure cal.s than the other variable is how accurate the food cal.s are being measured. Do you measure everything you eat and recorded it ? I hope this is not something you have over looked but it might be worth a re-examination.

lisamarie2181

If you want to open your diary you will get criticism to hell and back lol!

Your deficit looks great. All I can suggest is that you are not logging all (I mean everything you eat) I am saying this not knowing for sure??

My suggestion is that you try to add carb days every few days.

So here is what works for me eat really protein for 3 or 4 days, and low carb. still eating some carbs of course lol"

then have a day where you eat a lot more carbs and very low protein.

rinse and repeat lol!

I lose between 1/2 to 2lbs a week

My carbs daily are usually around 100-130, so I don't to low low carb, but I eat alot of fiber, so that usually puts my net below 100. And as for protein, I eat around 130-150 g a day. How would I alter this to work the way you said? Should I just lower my carbs really low for a few days or raise them even higher then the 100+?

firstsip

Wait, did I miss someone ask about measurements? Have your measurements changed at all? Have your clothes fit differently?

A plateau will be when your measurements don't budge, too. I also saw you JUST added strength training--generally when you start any new fitness program, especially weight training, your muscles will hold onto more water to repair, a.k.a, water retention.

Edit: According to your macros (without being able to see your diary), those sound fantastic. Low carb IS 50-150g. "Low, low carb" would lead to ketosis (or only be necessary right at the beginning of a low carb diet). You are actually eating low carb if your carbs tend to be around 130.

yeremeyeva

Yes it does sound like you have hit a plateau. There is such a good article I read on it! I can send you the link if you want to read it. But i would just start changing everything up. You have been doing the same thing for a while now (which lost you 40 lbs). Not it's not working for your body anymore - your body got used to whatever it is that you have been doing. Start doing EVERYTHING differently. Like if you do stair master, for example, start doing it at different levels, different intensity, do high intensity interval training (HIIT), start going sideways and backwards on it. If you eat the same types of food every day, try something different. Stick to the healthy options like you have been doing, but change things up. Try doing weight training if you aren't doing it already, like the person before me has mentioned. it WILL work. Change is what will help you break your plateau.

danasings

You lost 42 pounds in 4 months?!?! That is FANTASTIC!! Congratulations!!

Everyone's body is different, so I can't really explain why you've hit this plateau. But it could be just as one poster above said...you may not be burning as many calories as your BFM reads to you. You may not be properly weighing/logging your food. Or your body may just be saying, "WHOA, slow down!!"

My weight loss gradually went from two pounds a week to less than a pound a week. it's definitely not linear...it goes up two one week, then down three the next, then stays the same for two weeks...ahhhh!! Yes it's frustrating, but I still feel stronger and healthier. It's not easy, but try to focus on the positive changes you're making. The weight will come off, just maybe not as quickly as you'd like. Best of luck!

WendyTerry420

Depending on the exercise, you could be retaining water to support muscle repair.

lisamarie2181

If we trust the band to measure cal.s than the other variable is how accurate the food cal.s are being measured. Do you measure everything you eat and recorded it ? I hope this is not something you have over looked but it might be worth a re-examination.

I am very meticulous about logging, I log everything I put in my mouth, even the not so wonderful things lol i do have a food scale and measure. Even when I get recipes from places, I always calculate by what products I am using, not by what the recipe says the info is.

Jacwhite22

Hey all, was wondering if you can help me out. I see all over the boards how this is what matters, but why does this not seem to be the case where I am concerned? I wear a body media fit so I have my calorie burn daily and I figure out my deficit daily and then for the week, and it always says I should lose X amount, and it isn't happening!! What gives!!?

*I do understand that the armband is only 95% effective, but way more effective then guessing*

If cals in vs cals out will guarantee weight loss, then can someone tell me what the problem is? I will clarify, as of now I have been stalled out for about 6 weeks or so, so I figured that may be why there is no progress at the moment, but I have been tracking my cals burned and deficit this way for a year (before MFP) and it has always been this way. In the past I had huge deficits a day, around 1000 to 1500, and I never had the losses like it said I should, but I found out here that there is such a thing as too BIG of a deficit. I did lose but not what it said I should be around, but I still had a loss so didn't think much of it. I have lowered my deficit amount to between 500-1000 (at most, usually no higher then 900) and still nothing.

I am in the 3rd week of upping my cals, am I expecting a loss when it hasn't been enough time? Went from 1600 and below to around 2000-2200 now. I weighed this morning (not my normal weigh in day) and I was still the same. I've tried not to let it bother me these last 3 weeks because I know I have to be patient when upping my cals, but this has been going on since before this. I also have PCOS, which I do follow more low carb, try to always get below 100g net, but still nothing. I eat a whole foods diet the majority of the time (by that I mean lots of veggies, meat and dairy, do not each much grains and fruit because of the sugar, will get low carb bread at times) and cook the majority of my meals.

Here is an example, these are my numbers from last week -

Monday - - - 2563 cals burned - 1923 cals eaten = 640 deficit
Tuesday- - - 2479 cals burned - 1850 cals eaten = 629 deficit
Wed - - - - - - - 2801 cals burned - 2067 cals eaten = 734 deficit
Thursday - - - 2600 cals burned - 1623 cals eaten = 977 deficit
Friday - - - - 2723 cals burned - 2154 cals eaten = 569 deficit
Saturday - - 2926 cals burned - 2114 cals eaten = 812 deficit
Sunday - - 2840 cals burned - 2008 cals eaten = 832 deficit

Total Cals burned for week = 18,932
Total Cals eaten for week = 13,739

Total deficit - 5,193 which means I should have lost 1.4/1.5 pounds


My point in this post is what do I do when cals in vs cals out is not working properly!? I do take my inches and I was up 8 inches overall last week, which my wellness coach said could be from water weight, but within these six weeks there has not been really any weight or inch loss of significance. I don't know how to try and break a stall if I am consistently eating at a deficit and it still isn't enough! Has anyone else been stuck and found something that worked for them?

By NO MEANS am I giving up or going to eat myself into oblivion but I can't help but get frustrated by this. I follow the rules, do what I am supposed to and it still doesn't work, I am at a loss and don't know how to get my body moving on the scale again. I had a steady loss for 4 months, lost the 42 pounds shown below and haven't been able to lose a damn pound since.

Is there something else I need to tweak? Any suggestions on how to get things moving again? I don't want to say this 6 weeks has been wasted time, but I feel like it is such a setback and if I just continue doing what I have been, when am I supposed to know if its not enough? How do I break a plateau when I consistently have a deficit and it still isn't good enough? GRRRRRR frustrated beyond belief, please help if you can

How are you measuring your food eaten/drinks? Are you weighing everything?

nphect

On paper, yes it does look like you should be experiencing some kind of loss with six weeks of that kind of eating/exercise schedule.

But I'm finding it really, really hard to believe you are regularly burning between 2500 and 3000 calories a day. I do realize that this is taken cumulatively from your body media fit, as TDEE, but I'm wondering what kind of activities you're doing to see this kind of calorie burn?

From your profile, you lost a significant amount of weight in August, and overall. I think it's possible you are overestimating your caloric needs, but it's hard to say exactly. After a 40lb loss, I'd expect your weight loss to plateau at some point, which it seems to have. Happens to almost everyone.

Edit: I don't think 1600 calories a day is unreasonable if you're not doing heavy lifting. You should theoretically be able to lose weight at that caloric intake. But you ask if three weeks is long enough to wait after making a change to your diet before you see results - Usually, it's not. I'd say wait 6 weeks before you decide it's not working

i think this is the right idea here. You also may have overestimated your calorie needs with relation to weight, if you loose weight you need less calories (your base calories). Check again your daily needs. You could throw a few 1200 deficits in there too, it won't be the end of the world (as long as it is mostly exercise deficits)

WendyTerry420

Weight loss is not linear and stop weighing yourself weekly

It may not be linear, but there is no reason to stop weighing weekly?

Weighing weekly can lead to frustration, as seen in the OP.