Busting my butt but the scales not moving

MoreBean13

I know I understand the difference between weight and density, but then again I went to school and have a degree in a field where this information is relevant. Do people really not understand the difference?

stumblinthrulife

If OP has found a way to build muscle on negative 800 calories a day, I know a lot of body builders that will pay good money for her system. Just imagine the money saved on protein powders, chicken, tuna and eggs alone! :laugh:

stumblinthrulife

I know I understand the difference between weight and density, but then again I went to school and have a degree in a field where this information is relevant. Do people really not understand the difference?

Everyone on both sides of the 'debate' understands the difference. It's just that people on one side choose to believe that the people on the other side are idiots, instead of taking the logical leap and appending "for an equal volume of each" to the statement.

twinketta

To the OP..in my opinion, if you are eating at 1200 cals a day and you are exercising and burning 2000 cals a day then you are eating at an 800 calorie a day deficit?

Correct me if I am wrong in these figures please?

In which case, I really think you are under eating, and if you carried on at these figures then you would die?

No one could fuel their body/brain/skin/hair at minus 800 cals a day.

I applaud you for wanting to lose weight and be the person you want to be...but what works for me is eating at 1200 cals a day and adding some if not all of my exercise cals for extra fuel. This way I can lose weight in a structured way and I also add vitamin/calcium etc. supplements as it is hard to get it all on such a low calorie diet.

I wish you well and hope you take on board some of the replies that you have had x

shellbatronic

Can you make your exercise diary public? Maybe we can help figure out where the numbers are coming from.

marsha3x

I'm 5'2" and 154 and 44. it's not going to be a quick process. for women our size its much slower....a pound a week (or even .5) is the recommendation and should be your goal. I suggest you dont weigh yourself every day - just once a week (same time and same day). did i mention it is a ssss llll oooo wwww process? Believe me, I get it.

And remember, all things in moderation.

Agreed! I usually do a weight measurement once a month, around the same time, every month!

stumblinthrulife

To the OP..in my opinion, if you are eating at 1200 cals a day and you are exercising and burning 2000 cals a day then you are eating at an 800 calorie a day deficit?

Correct me if I am wrong in these figures please?

In which case, I really think you are under eating, and if you carried on at these figures then you would die?

No one could fuel their body/brain/skin/hair at minus 800 cals a day.

I applaud you for wanting to lose weight and be the person you want to be...but what works for me is eating at 1200 cals a day and adding some if not all of my exercise cals for extra fuel. This way I can lose weight in a structured way and I also add vitamin/calcium etc. supplements as it is hard to get it all on such a low calorie diet.

I wish you well and hope you take on board some of the replies that you have had x

Deficits are measured from your TDEE, not zero, so assuming she has a fairly average daily burn of 2000 calories, and is then doing the reported 2000 calories of exercise on top, she is running a massive 4,800 calorie deficit. In theory, if the body were able to support it, she'd be losing a pound and a half a day. Of course, in reality there is no way the human body could withstand that, unless perhaps you were 400+ pounds. So instead, if the reported numbers are correct, which I doubt, her metabolism has probably completely shut down and is jealously hoarding every last ounce of stored energy against an assumed famine.

rjmudlax13

I know I understand the difference between weight and density, but then again I went to school and have a degree in a field where this information is relevant. Do people really not understand the difference?

Well as someone who has a degree in engineering it is pretty much second nature to me. I guess if you really break the English down then the saying "muscle weighs more than fat" is poorly worded. Unless there is a context around that saying such as when talking about weight loss. People want to lose weight not because they want write a smaller number on their medical forms, but because they want to look skinnier (aka take up less volume). The context is built in. In fact if you really want to nitpick, the correct verbiage should be: "1 cubic inch of muscle weighs more than one cubic inch of fat at sea level elevation, at the equator of the planet earth, during a full moon during the summer solstice as the Hale-Bopp comet passes by earth at a range of 123,485,333 miles."

acurington

Ok I'm confused, if we eat 1200 a day then workout it gives us more calories remaining but if we choose not to eat more we will lose weight? I pretty much avg 1200 or a little less and then workout so I always have remaining calories but I've only lost 8lbs since Jan 3rd. Should I exercise more? And sometimes I find myself hungry should I increase my cal as long as I workout?

marsha3x

By the way, muscle and fat weight the same. I don't know why people keep saying muscle weighs more. Muscle does light up your metabolism and you burn more calories at rest with more muscle mass. Eat girl, you have to eat to lose!

I think you're confused... yes, 1lb of muscle weighs the same as 1lb of fat or feathers because the measurements are based on...wait for it... WEIGHT!

But no, muscle and fat are not the same. Muscle has more density than fat. You can fit more muscle into a gallon bucket than fat - that's why muscle weighs more. Your body measurements for clothing are based on VOLUME, therefore when you add fat, your waist line expands = bigger size clothing, but when you add muscle (muscle burns body fat) you start to slim down. - This is the difference between being 150lbs and a size 18 and 150lbs and a size 6.

shellbatronic

Ok I'm confused, if we eat 1200 a day then workout it gives us more calories remaining but if we choose not to eat more we will lose weight? I pretty much avg 1200 or a little less and then workout so I always have remaining calories but I've only lost 8lbs since Jan 3rd. Should I exercise more? And sometimes I find myself hungry should I increase my cal as long as I workout?

If you're eating 1200 then exercising you should probably eat back most of those exercise calories. 1200 is the net goal, so if you're not eating them back that's probably why you're hungry.

stumblinthrulife

Ok I'm confused, if we eat 1200 a day then workout it gives us more calories remaining but if we choose not to eat more we will lose weight? I pretty much avg 1200 or a little less and then workout so I always have remaining calories but I've only lost 8lbs since Jan 3rd. Should I exercise more? And sometimes I find myself hungry should I increase my cal as long as I workout?

Don't go below 1200. It's really not healthy. Your body needs those calories to keep you standing up, breathing and digesting your food. You can survive at less for a while, but it will have a negative impact on your body. If the body perceives an extreme food shortage, it will reduce it's energy expenditure, effectively slowing your metabolism and making it harder, not easier, to lose weight.

A healthy way to lose weight is to figure out all the calories you burn in a day - including all activity, exercise and non-exercise, commonly referred to as TDEE - and then eat 20% fewer calories.

For example, my TDEE is anywhere from 2,500 to 3,000 Calories. So I eat between 2,000 and 2,400 Calories. If I have a really busy day, running before breakfast, taking my daughter to the park in the morning, lots of DIY in the afternoon, then playing on the Wii with my stepson in the evening, perhaps I'll burn as much as 3,500 Calories - in that case I adjust my intake to compensate - eat around 2,800 Calories.

I still lose weight. I eat well. I feel healthy.

Kennkaru

Why do people without a grasp on correctly using > and < use them at all?

Faye_Anderson

I am 29. 5'2" and 157 lbs. I eat >1200 calories a day and exercise three times a day burning approx 3000 calories but the scale has only moved three pounds since 1/17. I have lost approx 11 inches over all ( thrilled!!) but why isnt the number on the scale dropping?

go to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ work out your TDEE WITH your exercise calories added in, set it to lose fat - 5% as you have so little to lose and eat your calories :flowerforyou:

CarmenSandiegoInVA

Eating less than 1200 cals a day is not healthy, unless directed by a doctor you are not losing weight because your body is holding onto everything that you are eating. Be careful with that or you will wind up in the hospital.

Cese27

I'm honestly not sure if this is a serious thread,for the op sake I really hope it's a wind up

stumblinthrulife

Ok I'm confused, if we eat 1200 a day then workout it gives us more calories remaining but if we choose not to eat more we will lose weight? I pretty much avg 1200 or a little less and then workout so I always have remaining calories but I've only lost 8lbs since Jan 3rd. Should I exercise more? And sometimes I find myself hungry should I increase my cal as long as I workout?

If you're eating 1200 then exercising you should probably eat back most of those exercise calories. 1200 is the net goal, so if you're not eating them back that's probably why you're hungry.

^^^ What she said.

If you are using the MFP system properly then you'll see the following -

Calorie intake - Exercise Calories = Net Calories

You want your Net Calories to equal your Goal Calories (1,200 in your case by the sound of it).

If your goal is higher than 1,200, then you can get away going moderately under it. But when you are operating at the baseline, you really shouldn't go lower.

stumblinthrulife

I'm honestly not sure if this is a serious thread,for the op sake I really hope it's a wind up

If it is, then they certainly succeeded. It really must be either shenanigans or someone with no clue how to track food and exercise.

Mrs_Fit

Maybe you've added a lot of muscle mass.

NO. You will only gain significant amounts of muscle eating at surplus. Which clearly you are NOT. Am I correct in understand that you are netting in the negative everyday? You are not eating enough. That's why you haven't lost much weight. Your body isn't going to shed pounds if it's afraid it may not get to eat tomorrow, or all week, or goodness knows when.

I suggest you ALWAYS net at 1200 or above. Prepare for possible health issues and an almost certain protein deficiency if you don't (splitting/cracking/peeling fingernails, bad hair and skin)

PS. Eating at such a large deficit plus your steep exercise deficit is actually going to cause you to LOSE lean body mass.

^ ^ This^ ^

LadyBirdGo

it hasn't even been 3 weeks yet. 3 lbs in less than 3 weeks is damn good. no problem with that!