hair loss and stall out

JMJ1983

At the beginning I was losing hair quite a bit and I used Garnier Fructise Fall Fight shampoo and coniditoner and it really seemed to help...

I didn't know about the protein, thing and I do get an adequate amount of protein, so maybe doing the two things together really helped.

I have not had loose/fall out hair in several months.

I'd give it a try and see if it helps.

cindyjoesousa

I am very confused about this TDEE/BMR..I read a reponse on here re: TDEE/BMR that was so lengthy and confusing I was totally lost by the time I got to the end..Im 5'6 196 pounds light activity level..I was on 1440 calories/ day for quite awhile..then increased to 1530 a day for a few weeks..then went to 1780 a day for 2 weeks.no weight loss no matter what I do...as of today I went back to 1530 a day which is whats recommended to lose 1 pound a week for my height and weight..If you can show me an easy to understand way to calculate this TDEE/BMR AND I can still lose 1 pound a week, please tell me how?

cindyjoesousa

My weight loss has not been rapid..It has taken me 16 months to lose 85 pounds..thanks for your response

rowanwood

2 weeks isn't long enough to decide if something works.

Also, if you are on thyroid meds and lost 85 lbs, your dosage is probably wrong. You need to see an endo to have your levels checked.

deksgrl

I am very confused about this TDEE/BMR..I read a reponse on here re: TDEE/BMR that was so lengthy and confusing I was totally lost by the time I got to the end..Im 5'6 196 pounds light activity level..I was on 1440 calories/ day for quite awhile..then increased to 1530 a day for a few weeks..then went to 1780 a day for 2 weeks.no weight loss no matter what I do...as of today I went back to 1530 a day which is whats recommended to lose 1 pound a week for my height and weight..If you can show me an easy to understand way to calculate this TDEE/BMR AND I can still lose 1 pound a week, please tell me how?

You need to give it longer than two weeks at the new calorie level. You should be able to eat the 1780 and lose weight, after your body adjusts. This can take 6 weeks sometimes.

The thyroid issue complicates things.

AbsoluteNG

Losing hair is normal and a sign that you have a healthy scalp. It's only bad if your hair doesn't grow back. Take for example, dogs and cats shed a lot of hair in a day but they're not bald because it grows back.

Bettyeditor

I am very confused about this TDEE/BMR..I read a reponse on here re: TDEE/BMR that was so lengthy and confusing I was totally lost by the time I got to the end..Im 5'6 196 pounds light activity level..I was on 1440 calories/ day for quite awhile..then increased to 1530 a day for a few weeks..then went to 1780 a day for 2 weeks.no weight loss no matter what I do...as of today I went back to 1530 a day which is whats recommended to lose 1 pound a week for my height and weight..If you can show me an easy to understand way to calculate this TDEE/BMR AND I can still lose 1 pound a week, please tell me how?

It takes some time to understand these concepts, but don't give up! It's worth it! :flowerforyou:

Also, realize that there is a difference between online estimations based on formulas and actual data. For example, I can run the numbers to estimate your BMR. But you can also get it tested and know for sure. I had my RMR tested on Wednesday. Most gyms do an RMR test. Also, when it comes to your "daily living calories" you can do estimates or get real data by wearing a device like a Fitbit or a BodyMedia Fit. So..... if you don't get results with the estimates, then go after hard data. Everyone is unique you know!

Here is the TDEE/BMR thing as simple as I can make it.

The calories that your body burns in a day is made up of BMR + Daily Living + Exercise calories.
1) BMR -- this is what you burn lying in bed all day not eating (sustains vital organs, etc.)
2) Daily Living -- this is what you burn walking around, getting the mail, eating, doing laundry, etc.
3) Exercise -- this is what you burn working out

BMR + Daily Living + Exercise = TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)

To lose weight, eat 15% below your TDEE. So to do this, you need to know your TDEE. However, since #2 and #3 can vary every day (depending on how much you sit in front of TV/computer and whether you worked out or didn't exercise), your TDEE varies each day too. So, there are two approaches:
1) You can estimate your average TDEE (i.e., "lightly active and work out 3x per week")
2) You can track your TDEE variations each day (by wearing a Fitbit/BMF for Daily Living and by logging and eating back exercise calories) and vary the calories that you eat to match (I use this approach -- its more accurate)

Since I assume that you don't have a Fitbit, we'll go with the first option.

Also, knowing your bodyfat percentage will make this calculation a LOT more accurate. Muscle burns more calories than fat and increases your BMR dramatically.

~*~*~*~*~*~
54 years old female, 5'6" 196 lbs (bodyfat unknown):
For "lightly active" your BMR estimate is 1511, TDEE is 2078, and 15% cut target calories a day is 1766
For "moderately active" estimates are BMR 1511, TDEE 2342, and 15% cut target calories a day is 1990

I got the above calculations from this calculator (you can use it for yourself): http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

NOTE: I seriously doubt that the "lightly active" category will work for you. I am 39 years old, 70 lbs overweight, and when I got ZERO exercise, my TDEE (as measured by my Fitbit) was consistently around 2300 calories a day. So I strongly recommend you go with the "moderately active" estimate.

So if you need to be eating 1990-2000 to lose weight but you have been only eating 1700, that would explain the stall. Also keep in mind that it takes several weeks for the body to adjust to a change so stick with it. If you keep changing calories around, the body will just be confused.

Bettyeditor

My weight loss has not been rapid..It has taken me 16 months to lose 85 pounds..thanks for your response

Just so you know, your weight loss has been right on track for what is healthy and sustainable. If you lose 1-2 pounds a week, studies show a strong likelihood of keeping it off permanently. If you lose "fast" (3-5 pounds a week), studies show that you are almost guaranteed to regain it. :noway:

So "slow" is GOOD! :flowerforyou:

cindyjoesousa

How do you determine body fat?

Bettyeditor

How do you determine body fat?

You can buy calipers at a fitness supply store (I've never tried that but I've heard other people have).

Or you can buy a scale that measures bodyfat. I have a Fitbit ARIA scale. When I step on it with bare feet, it uses a small electrical pulse to measure the resistance and gives me a bodyfat %. This is the same technology used by doctors and gyms. I find it to be pretty accurate and convenient.

cindyjoesousa

If your method is correct then explain why for over a year I was losing a pound a week based on the mfp settings..

murphy612

Thyroid medications can cause hairloss. Judging from everything you've said so far your diet probably isn't the cause of hairloss, sounds hormonal.

mamasmaltz3

My hair started falling out last summer when I was eating 1420 cals. I upped my cals, upped my protein to a minimum of 100 grams a day and started taking a multivitamin with iron. It has grown back, thankfully. It is a very scary thing especially since mine was mostly coming out in the front. I had a receding hairline. Not very attractive on a girl.

huntergreene71

Not sure about the hair loss, but mine stopped coming in grey. Also, I shoved myself off that plateau by doing the "drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water". I always ignored the water thing but the pounds just fell off once I started that regimen.

deksgrl

If your method is correct then explain why for over a year I was losing a pound a week based on the mfp settings..

What were you eating with the MFP settings? 1400 + exercise calories? If so, you may have been eating 1700-1900.

People who eat less than their body requires for a long time will experience a metabolism slow down, then their weight loss stalls.

MFPgeek

~~

Bettyeditor

If your method is correct then explain why for over a year I was losing a pound a week based on the mfp settings..

Um, btw, this is not "my method" -- this is science and how your body works. I'm not trying to convince you of anything. I learned what I have about this topic because I wanted to be as healthy as possible. For me, my first priority is awesome health. My second priority is losing weight. I want to lose weight... but only a way that supports awesome health.

As for MFP settings, if you are 196 now and you lost 85 lbs then you must have started at 281. If you enter into MFP: female, 5'6" 281 lbs goal weight of 155 born in 1959 goal to lose one pound a week.... then the goal calories that MFP will give you is 2050. (If you don't believe me, then try it yourself).

So, if you have been eating 2000 calories a day then that would lead to an average of 1 pound a week loss, for sure.

But it actually sounds like you were not staying on target with the MFP recommendations (you said you were eating about 1400 calories for a long time?)

Well, its not unusual to see an average of 1 pound a week loss at 1400 calories a day too. But very different things are happening inside your body. Your body can't sustain that like it can a moderate deficit.

What is your endgame here? What is your ultimate goal? If you find your TDEE and eat at a moderate deficit, you can still lose but you won't have problems with stalling out, or losing hair, or regaining as soon as you are done losing and go back to maintenance.

ze_hombre

I was having hair loss issues and resolved them by taking iron supplements. I watched my macros and noticed that I was consistently low on iron (at the time I was averaging 10-30g/day). It was almost overnight for the hair loss to stop once I started taking the iron supplement.

Watch your macros, I bet you are low on something like iron.

nolachick

bump for later

cindyjoesousa

What does bump for later mean?