Calories - They are driving me nuts!

Rstephano
Rstephano Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
:sad: When I started my weight loss journey I was 272 lbs. I started weight watchers for the first few months and lost some then I went on my own because I needed to count protein. The weight was melting off me like crazy. I had lost 40 lbs between Feb and June . Well now I'm down another 50 lbs or so and while other sites suggest 1700 calories, this site still suggests 1400. Why would I go higher if the weight was coming off pretty steady at 1400 and now I should not need as many calories compared to being 50 lbs heavier. On Oct. 19 I weighed 180 and not even a week later I weigh in at 184 which I've stayed at for the last week. WTF is going on??? The time between 10/11-10/19 my net calories avg was 1400. The following week my net calories avg was 1466. I've been exercing at least 3-4 times a week. Why would I gain 4 lbs? Do I need to drop down more calories? According to most websites my BMR is around 1900. I'm a female, 5'7", 40 yrs old @ 184 lbs. My food log is open. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Replies

  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Water weight, constipation, inflammation, TOM, or any number of things. You didn't gain 4 pounds OF FAT...that's for sure. You certainly do not need to decrease your calories. Be patient, give it time, 1400 net is not A LOT AT ALL. You should be losing on that amount. I'll take a peek at your diary and report back.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Depends on when you weighed in --it looks like you have high and low days. Increased sodium intake can cause pretty drastic spikes in weight. Have a few good days in a row, a good poop, and weigh in for 2 days. I can almost guarantee that consistency will show you that you are in fact losing.

    I do think that your food choices are less than ideal ...

    lots of mini candy bars, cake, starbucks lattes, take-out, etc. It would serve you well to prepare your own food since those calorie totals are estimated at best. You can't be certain that you're in a deficit when you're not accurately tracking your intake. Not that you're not tracking your FOODS properly but if you didn't make it then you have no idea what's in it.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    Lots of things can make you gain weight - which isn't fat so don't fret. Eating 1400 and working out IS going to create a calorie deficit that you will lose weight with. Sometimes in this weight loss journey we just need to be patient. I've had times where for 3 weeks the scale wouldn't budge and then suddenly I'd be 3lb down.

    Personally I think it's just a matter of continuing on the right path and making this into a lifestyle rather than rushing to a goal line which you will have to be disciplined to maintain anyway. : )
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You should be eating 100 to 200 over your BMR. Not doing that will eventually come back to bite you in the *kitten* and making better food choices with less sugar and processed foods will probably help.
  • Rstephano
    Rstephano Posts: 5
    I weigh-in first thing in the morning after I pee, naked, always. I usually eat better during the week then the weekends are good but not great. For some reason I think I can get away with it but I can't. When I say net calories that means some days my full calories are more like 1700-1900 then minus my exercise cals for net. I've tried upping my carbs, lowering my carbs but now it is what it is. I'm not going to worry about them but make sure my macronutrients are accounted for which I put at 40 /40 /20. It's good to have someone review my diary and smack me around every now and again to get me back on track, so thanks for that. :) I really mean that.
  • Rstephano
    Rstephano Posts: 5
    I've been on this journey for um, more than 1.5 yrs and have come a very long way (-90 lbs) so yes, I'm very aware it's not a race and my lifestyle has changed for the better in so many ways. I haven't been at this weight since high school so for a while my planned worked but now its not and I needed some help to figure things out. I haven't lost my way, I'm just stuck at the fork in the road. :)
  • Rstephano
    Rstephano Posts: 5
    I weigh-in first thing in the morning after I pee, naked, always. I usually eat better during the week then the weekends are good but not great. For some reason I think I can get away with it but I can't. When I say net calories that means some days my full calories are more like 1700-1900 then minus my exercise cals for net. I've tried upping my carbs, lowering my carbs but now it is what it is. I'm not going to worry about them but make sure my macronutrients are accounted for which I put at 40 /40 /20. It's good to have someone review my diary and smack me around every now and again to get me back on track, so thanks for that. :) I really mean that.

    Edit - Now that I look at last weeks diary, I really didn't do all that bad. If having a skinny sugar free vanilla latte ONCE is going to destroy my diet then I might as well quit. Wednesday was the only other day where I ate a few goodies, which is ok if done moderately, which I did AND I stayed within my calories for the day. Overall my eating habits are pretty good.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    They aren't bad but you're asking why you've gained--well, it's not fat gain but the timing of your weigh in can show a gain if you've eaten unusually high amounts of sodium or haven't had a normal sized poop. (sorry it's true)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    You need to be eating a little over your BMR. Not 500 below.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/226404-bmr-maintenance

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/510406-tdee-is-everything

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

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