Inconsistent Loss - What Gives?

mommyshortlegs

How is it possible to be generally staying under my daily calorie goal, and exercising per my commitment to MFP (20 min. at least 3 days/wk.), yet be maintaining between 7-9 lbs. lost rather than consistently losing? Am I wrong in assuming calories are calories, regardless of nutritional value; or should I be avoiding such foods as last night's white rice, even when such foods fit within my daily allotment of calories? Could my "I have enough calories in the bank to afford it" approach to some food choices be stalling my progress?

Notes: 1) My food diary over the past 2 weeks (Burger King, Chinese Express, sugar cookies; yikes!) is not an accurate representation of my usual habits; I have been sick since Thanksgiving and the whole household has been thrown off-kilter. 2) Moments ago I reduced my goal weight from 120 lbs. to 118 and MFP thus adjusted my daily calorie goal from 1,300 cal. to 1,220 to reflect this change.

cedarghost

So you are wondering if those Whoppers, etc. in your diet are screwing up your progress? Hehe. Understandable. I am a supporter of the IIFYM philosophy, which is what I think you experimenting with or trying to follow.
The big thing I notice about your diary is that your protein is REALLY low. I basically eat anything I want as long as I hit my protein macro. With the IIFYM method, some people make sure they hit protein, fat and carb goals then eat anything they want.

I just make sure I hit protein. AND I eat a lot of junk AND I am consistently losing body fat and making strength gains. Notice I didn't say I am consistently losing weight. I am, but the scale doesn't tell half the story when I lift heavy.

Which brings me to my other question, what kind of exercise are you doing? Sometimes, changing up your exercise program can get you going again, however whether or not you should do that also depends on how long you have been stalled. Sometimes I don't see a measured difference for 4 to 6 weeks then it kind of all happens at once.

So to answer your question of "Could my ""I have enough calories in the bank to afford it" approach"" be messing up your progress? Yes, but in my opinion it is more because your macro-nutrients are out of whack.

cedarghost

Notes: 1) My food diary over the past 2 weeks (Burger King, Chinese Express, sugar cookies; yikes!) is not an accurate representation of my usual habits; I have been sick since Thanksgiving and the whole household has been thrown off-kilter. 2) Moments ago I reduced my goal weight from 120 lbs. to 118 and MFP thus adjusted my daily calorie goal from 1,300 cal. to 1,220 to reflect this change.

Don't apologize for what you eat. Eat what you want. Just make sure to hit those macro-nutrients and stay under your calorie goal. How did you figure your calorie goal, by the way?

lily653

I am of the belief that not all calories are created equal. I sort of agree with the previous poster saying that you should make sure you're getting those macros, but I don't think it's a good idea to then use the rest of your calories for junk food. I'm not saying you should never eat junk food. I am saying that food is fuel and you should consider what you're fueling your body with.

mommyshortlegs

Heh, I feel compelled to apologize for my recent consumption because eating Whoppers while claiming to be in pursuit of weight loss generally receives an eye roll, at best.

Thank you for your feedback, O Knowledgeable Fellow Junk-Eater cedarghost, I will aim to up my protein.

My calorie goal was automatically determined by MFP, reflecting a weight loss goal of 1 lb. lost/wk. Too much too soon with "only" 9 lbs. to left lose?

Acg67

Weight loss is not linear

mommyshortlegs

lily653, I typically have the same leaning -- hence my suspicion. Junk food is called "junk food" for a reason, though there are apparently the lucky few (e.g., cedarghost) who can thrive on it. Again, my food choices lately have not been typical (you would need to backtrack to October for a more accurate representation); typically I aim for fruits, veg, and from-scratch meals, and ideally, I limit refined carbs.

Or, perhaps my atypical choices are my typical than I'm realizing, which would explain a lot...

mommyshortlegs

cedarghost: My exercise lately consists of jogging in place 20+ min. (lame, but a mother does what she can where she can when she can), or a Jillian Michaels "30 Day Shred" workout, level 1.

monty619

the metabolism slows down when dieting.. have refeed days or drop more calories.

mommyshortlegs

Acg67 wrote:

Weight loss is not linear

Certainly not in my case, no, but some of my MFP friends do consistently lose. Then there's me. *sigh*

mommyshortlegs

monty619 wrote:

the metabolism slows down when dieting.. have refeed days or drop more calories.

"Refeed" meaning?

ETA: I searched the forums and found this definition from chrisdavey: "A refeed day is a planned day to overeat to reset hormones and refill glycogen stores (as well as psychological reasons). This is typically done with predominantly carbs and fats..."

In which case, I'm sure I've had a refeed day recently (Thanksgiving, anyone?), thus I hope this morning's calorie reset/slight drop will do the trick. The intent, as I'm understanding it, is to jostle the metabolism with a little variety, correct?

sweebum

monty619 wrote:

the metabolism slows down when dieting.. have refeed days or drop more calories.

"Refeed" meaning?

ETA: I searched the forums and found this definition from chrisdavey: "A refeed day is a planned day to overeat to reset hormones and refill glycogen stores (as well as psychological reasons). This is typically done with predominantly carbs and fats..."

In which case, I'm sure I've had a refeed day recently (Thanksgiving, anyone?), thus I hope this morning's calorie reset/slight drop will do the trick. The intent, as I'm understanding it, is to jostle the metabolism with a little variety, correct?

It depends how long you've been at a deficit how long the refeed needs to be. And the water gain from the sodium in the crap food could easily hide 3-5 lbs of loss.

cedarghost

Heh, I feel compelled to apologize for my recent consumption because eating Whoppers while claiming to be in pursuit of weight loss generally receives an eye roll, at best.

Thank you for your feedback, O Knowledgeable Fellow Junk-Eater cedarghost, I will aim to up my protein.

My calorie goal was automatically determined by MFP, reflecting a weight loss goal of 1 lb. lost/wk. Too much too soon with "only" 9 lbs. to left lose?

That last nine pounds will likely be the slowest nine pounds. I would definitely set my goal lower. Maybe start at .5 pounds a week.

cedarghost

cedarghost: My exercise lately consists of jogging in place 20+ min. (lame, but a mother does what she can where she can when she can), or a Jillian Michaels "30 Day Shred" workout, level 1.

Try to throw in some lifting. It is better for fat loss anyway. A warning however......you may find that the scale doesn't change as much as you would think with lifting, however body composition will. You may even find that you like the weight you are at right now with less fat. Or (heaven forbid) you may even like how you look after gaining a pound or two with less fat.
Weight isn't everything. I'd rather weight 250 pounds at 12% body fat than 175 pounds at 30% body fat.
I'm just saying......
Look into Stronglift 5x5's if you are interested in lifting, I think the website is Stronglifts.com
It is a great program for beginners through advanced (with a few changes).

cmriverside

With 9 lbs to lose, you should be set at "Lose 1/2 lb per week". You need to be eating your caloires eanred by exercise. If you have a job or care for children, do not set your Activity Level to "Sedentary".

Go to

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/804485-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12