Calories In Versus Calories Out = CRAP!

phee

I did not have a loss this week despite the fact that I have been eating at a calorie deficit of between 800 and 1800 per day for the entire week. I haven't worked out as much but I have still worked out moderately 3 times this week. This is what I hate about traditional weight loss advice. It is simply not a matter of calories in versus calories out! Well it sure isn't for me! I have never had any real success with WW, Jenny Craig, Gloria Marshall and even dieticians for this reason. With the dieticians advice to eat more wholegrains like brown rice and whole wheat bread, I have been twice, and both times I gained weight!! It is very disheartening.

I guess it just means I have to work a lot harder than what I have been. Which is something I have never really done. So here goes to working harder and seeing what the results bring. I just thought I would post this for others who might be in the same boat.

ChristyRunStarr

I get why you're saying what you're saying and I agree but not 100%. It's not really crap, it does make sense and work. There are weeks when I don't lose anything but did well work out wise and calorie wise and then the next week I lose 2-3 pounds. Losing weight doesn't work like we'd like, it's some give and some take. You could be retaining water, you might have had a bit more sodium than you realized and that's why the scale isn't showing anything different.

If you haven't already, I'd suggest using a measuring tape as well-inches don't lie but the scale can.

Pixi_Rex

It works, you aren't working it correctly.

I don't have the link but its in the forums - in place of a road map.

It is every informational, and it will help you figure things out.

Trust me - you are not a special snow flake, calories in Vs Calories out works if you understand your BRM and your TDEE its how I have lost 14ish pounds. I used to think it would never work for me.

chivalryder

This isn't exactly the same as what you're going through, but many of the facts still apply:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/689968-losing-1-lb-or-more-in-24-hours?hl=24+hour

It could simply be water weight. I have seen my weight fluctuate by upwards of 8 lbs in a week. If you only measure once a week, then you may not see any changes for a while.

There may also be other underlying reasons for not losing weight: thyroid problems, food allergies/intolerances, chronic illness, etc.

DanaDark

1. Water weight fluctuations can hide weight loss/gain
2. 800 to 1800 deficit is way too high unless you're around 600+ pounds and medically supervised.
3. What you eat can affect the OUT side of the equation, as malnutrition in the form of lack of protein and/or vitamins and/or minerals can greatly reduce TDEE (Protein alone seemed to reduce it by 50% to 60% in one subject I read about)

Overall, it all depends on LONG TERM. Complaining about a single week is like claiming the sun exploded simply because its no longer in view.

diver71_au

If you are running that much of a deficit your body is probably in starvation mode.

Open your diary so people can see what you have been doing to offer decent advice.

AntWrig

I did not have a loss this week despite the fact that I have been eating at a calorie deficit of between 800 and 1800 per day for the entire week. I haven't worked out as much but I have still worked out moderately 3 times this week. This is what I hate about traditional weight loss advice. It is simply not a matter of calories in versus calories out! Well it sure isn't for me! I have never had any real success with WW, Jenny Craig, Gloria Marshall and even dieticians for this reason. With the dieticians advice to eat more wholegrains like brown rice and whole wheat bread, I have been twice, and both times I gained weight!! It is very disheartening.

I guess it just means I have to work a lot harder than what I have been. Which is something I have never really done. So here goes to working harder and seeing what the results bring. I just thought I would post this for others who might be in the same boat.

Take a few steps back...

On some days you eating a deficit of 1800 calories per day. That means -1800 of your totals calories consumed for the day. That is your problem right there. You need to eat.

underwater77

nope, not crap. it is just a slower process.

but scientifically speaking, it works.

beduffbrickie

ha ha ha a week! give up now, what were you expecting 4-6 pounds???? I am not even going to offer advice on a post like this, you need a reality check calories in vs calories out= crap. hang on a pig flew by my window,

Sorry for the hard truth, no offense meant.

iAMsmiling

I did not have a loss this week despite the fact that I have been eating at a calorie deficit of between 800 and 1800 per day for the entire week. I haven't worked out as much but I have still worked out moderately 3 times this week. This is what I hate about traditional weight loss advice. It is simply not a matter of calories in versus calories out! Well it sure isn't for me! I have never had any real success with WW, Jenny Craig, Gloria Marshall and even dieticians for this reason. With the dieticians advice to eat more wholegrains like brown rice and whole wheat bread, I have been twice, and both times I gained weight!! It is very disheartening.

I guess it just means I have to work a lot harder than what I have been. Which is something I have never really done. So here goes to working harder and seeing what the results bring. I just thought I would post this for others who might be in the same boat.

Are you measuring your food intake or estimating?
Same for your exercise and calorie burn.
Even trying to be very precise, there is a lot of room for error. You may not be at the deficit you think you are at.

Weight gain or loss is not a linear event, though a straight interpretation of the calorie in/calorie out thing would lead you to believe that it is. I popped up 4 pounds overnight a few days ago. I most certainly did not eat 3500 calories x 4 the day before.
Track everything you do in terms of weeks rather than days, then trends will start to make more sense.

Also, being patient will help.

rainbowbow

It could be user error?

1.) you are underestimating what you eat
2.) you are overestimating what you are burning with exercise
3.) you are not logging properly
4.) you assume weight loss happens overnight. (you didn't gain all that weight overnight did you?)

Also, maybe you have some medical problem? Doubtful.

You are not a special snowflake. Fix the above and go from there!

Best of luck!

Rizabees

How do you get a deficit of 1800??

Lconsla

I get why you're saying what you're saying and I agree but not 100%. It's not really crap, it does make sense and work. There are weeks when I don't lose anything but did well work out wise and calorie wise and then the next week I lose 2-3 pounds. Losing weight doesn't work like we'd like, it's some give and some take. You could be retaining water, you might have had a bit more sodium than you realized and that's why the scale isn't showing anything different.

If you haven't already, I'd suggest using a measuring tape as well-inches don't lie but the scale can.

I completely agree with you. I seem to lose in weeks. Last week I lost, this week nothing. I"m so not sweating it (like i did in the beginning) because I KNOW i'll see a loss next week. It's a long process, the weight didnt get put on overnight, it dont expect it to come off overnight

vorgas

There are a large number of reasons why you may not be experiencing a weight loss.

1: With a deficit as extreme as you are citing your body may be in starvation mode and actually holding on to everything it can.

2: Your sodium intake may be pretty high and you're retaining a lot of water.

3: Fat may be being converted into muscle which is a good thing, but won't hit the scales.

Generally speaking one week is to small of a sample period. I've often had times where I wouldn't lose anything for a week, and the next week I would drop 5 pounds, despite little to no change in diet/exercise. Give it some time, see what happens.

bpotts44

I did not have a loss this week despite the fact that I have been eating at a calorie deficit of between 800 and 1800 per day for the entire week. I haven't worked out as much but I have still worked out moderately 3 times this week. This is what I hate about traditional weight loss advice. It is simply not a matter of calories in versus calories out! Well it sure isn't for me! I have never had any real success with WW, Jenny Craig, Gloria Marshall and even dieticians for this reason. With the dieticians advice to eat more wholegrains like brown rice and whole wheat bread, I have been twice, and both times I gained weight!! It is very disheartening.

I guess it just means I have to work a lot harder than what I have been. Which is something I have never really done. So here goes to working harder and seeing what the results bring. I just thought I would post this for others who might be in the same boat.

Its not crap. Your body is probably burning fat and you could be retaining water, constipated, whatever. Your actual bodyweight is something to be measured as a trend over time. You can't take one week and draw these conclusions. The process can be extremely frustrating but you have to continue at it.

GauchoMark

so you don't have a loss after 1 week and you think that the entire basis of weight loss doesn't apply to you? No wonder you didn't have much success on those other programs...

You are making excuses for yourself.

AntWrig

How do you get a deficit of 1800??

Not eating and exercising your butt off. A lot of cardio.

Sarauk2sf

/smh

It's called water weight - or inaccurate logging.

ETA:
You have had one week of no weightloss and you have decided that the fundamental well established concept behind it is crap?

rainbowbow

There are a large number of reasons why you may not be experiencing a weight loss.

1: With a deficit as extreme as you are citing your body may be in starvation mode and actually holding on to everything it can.

2: Your sodium intake may be pretty high and you're retaining a lot of water.

3: Fat may be being converted into muscle which is a good thing, but won't hit the scales.

Generally speaking one week is to small of a sample period. I've often had times where I wouldn't lose anything for a week, and the next week I would drop 5 pounds, despite little to no change in diet/exercise. Give it some time, see what happens.

Oh my god.

1: With a deficit as extreme as you are citing your body may be in starvation mode and actually holding on to everything it can.-No. No it is not. This is not true.

2: Your sodium intake may be pretty high and you're retaining a lot of water.- Very likely.

3: Fat may be being converted into muscle which is a good thing, but won't hit the scales.- This is not physiologically possible. This is completely untrue.

Although yes, give it more time.

testease

/smh

It's called water weight - or inaccurate logging.

most people i notice who cant seem to lose weight. Really just suck at counting calories.

drmerc

/smh

It's called water weight - or inaccurate logging.

well yeah either this or the whole idea of a calorie deficit is bunk