fear of 213.8 lbs and all muscle
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Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, you didn't build significant muscle in a couple weeks, drop about 2 hours a day of exercise and lower your food intake. Quit eating exercise calories back.
You're kidding right? Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat? That's possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Do drop your exercise, take two rest days in a week, adjust your food intake appropriately, and DO eat back your exercise calories.
Stick to the plan, the rest will happen with time.
Muscle indeed DOES NOT weigh more than fat. 5 lbs is 5 lbs. no matter what it is. Muscle is indeed DENSER than fat and takes up less space. It's heavier by volume. Is why we can burn fat, lose inches, be smaller in size but still weigh the same due to body recomposition.
Of course 5 pounds is 5 pounds, you're really trying hard to split hairs here. You yourself have agreed that muscle is heavier by vloume, which is the point of the saying "muscle weighs more than fat."0 -
FYI I use a body bugg to calculate all of my calories I burned. ONE OF THE MOST ACCURATE calorie counters out there. IT is the amount of calories I burn in an entire day... not just the 3 hours I work out.
If you're entering the entire amount you burned in an entire day into MFP as exercise (instead of entering just the exercise), and then you're eating back the cals MFP tells you to eat, you're double counting a whole bunch of calories burned and will end up eating too many calories. Just enter your exercise cals and that's it.0 -
There really is lots of good advice on this post, from everyone. I appreciate all of it! I am going to not use my body bugg. I think I rely on it too much, very OCD about it. I think this will also help me eat a little bit less. I really dont want to change the amount I am eating yet, just because I have just started, but part of me thinks I am eating too much since I have been maintaining. I am not sure what to drop my calories down to... just 100 less a day, or 200 less a day? I dont weight/strength train on weekends, but I still walk and sometimes run.
You dont need to drop your body bugg or your calories.. just your activity. But if you dont want to stop exercising that much, you need to eat a lot more. What does your body bugg say your average calories burned per day is? From that number cut 20% if you want to maintain your current lifestyle..0 -
There really is lots of good advice on this post, from everyone. I appreciate all of it! I am going to not use my body bugg. I think I rely on it too much, very OCD about it. I think this will also help me eat a little bit less. I really dont want to change the amount I am eating yet, just because I have just started, but part of me thinks I am eating too much since I have been maintaining. I am not sure what to drop my calories down to... just 100 less a day, or 200 less a day? I dont weight/strength train on weekends, but I still walk and sometimes run.
Stick to what you are doing for a couple more weeks - it will give you a base line that takes water weight fluctuations out of the equation. If the loss is still not as predicted, drop your calories by 100 - 200 (depending on your energy and hunger) and then stick to that for another 4 weeks and see how that goes. It is far too early to tell whether your calorie intake is at the right level at the moment.
Quoting my own post as I cannot edit it:
As many others have said, you should cut back on your exercise as it will end up being counter-productive. Bear in mind, if you cut back exercise, you will need to cut back calories to maintain the deficit.0 -
You work out a lot....have you been doing this just the past 12 days (longer now I'm sure, didn't notice the posting date). You are possibly retaing water in your muscles, be patient, it will come off. I would also take a rest day every four days....workout 3, reset 1, you need more recovery, IMO, with that intesity. I workout 6-8 hours per week and my weight loss is non existent most weeks but then I drop 3.... Weight loss is not linear, lots of ups and downs on the scale so you just have to stay the course. Good luck!0
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Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat, you didn't build significant muscle in a couple weeks, drop about 2 hours a day of exercise and lower your food intake. Quit eating exercise calories back.
You're kidding right? Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat? That's possibly the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Do drop your exercise, take two rest days in a week, adjust your food intake appropriately, and DO eat back your exercise calories.
Stick to the plan, the rest will happen with time.
Muscle indeed DOES NOT weigh more than fat. 5 lbs is 5 lbs. no matter what it is. Muscle is indeed DENSER than fat and takes up less space. It's heavier by volume. Is why we can burn fat, lose inches, be smaller in size but still weigh the same due to body recomposition.
Of course 5 pounds is 5 pounds, you're really trying hard to split hairs here. You yourself have agreed that muscle is heavier by vloume, which is the point of the saying "muscle weighs more than fat."
The point? The same as saying "lead weighs more than feathers". When we talk about weight, the volume thing is understood. If someone tells you that lead weighs more than feathers do you argue with them? Probably not. I don't know why it drives people on this site so crazy when someone says muscle weighs more than fat. If they say "a pound of fat weighs more than a pound of muscle", sure, that's wrong, but just "muscle weighs more than fat"? Clearly, the "by volume" is understood just like it is with other weight comparisons.
Sorry for going off topic OP. I wouldn't worry about becoming 213.8 pounds of muscle in any case!0 -
Just keep at it. If you've only been at it 12 days, muscle gain wouldn't show on the scale yet.0
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your calories burned are over estimated.
I would say you are probably burning around 1100 a day with that type of activity. That calorie count is around maintance level for your weight. I would probably stop eating any of my calories burned back and keep it between 1800 and 2000 calories.
If exercising that much is fun and maintainable then I would continue but imagine the calorie restriction you will have when you can no longer workout that much.
Edited to add: See if you can borrow a HRM with chest strap (Polar makes good ones) and see where that calorie burn count goes too. I'm thinking the BB is way over.0 -
I am going to agree with many of the posters here. You are stressing your body out with exercising for far too long a day. My personal trainer who has a very successful weight loss group swears by one hour a day. Next your calorie intake is too high. I would drop it down to 1500. I try not to eat back MFPs calorie burn because they are way high!!!!! Also up protein and veggies and cut white refined carbs. No sodas and LOTS of water!!!!!
GOOD LUCK!0 -
PS a pound of feathers or a pound of brick....a pound is a pound. Muscle is more dense and takes up less space than fluffy fat. But a pound is a pound.0
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I would have never guessed u weighed tht by ur picture. I'm 122lbs & I think u looks a LOT better than me! I think it's possible you have quite a bit of muscle mass if that picture is recent, because you look good
If you can afford it, I suggest getting a bodymedia. It will track your calories for the day & by that you will know what to eat.0 -
I'm probably not the first person to say this, but it takes more than 12 days to get real results. There are lots of really good tips here (ie water retention, over estimating cals, etc), but I think the main thing you've got to realize is that 2 weeks isn't long enough for any real progress to occur0
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I am going to agree with many of the posters here. You are stressing your body out with exercising for far too long a day. My personal trainer who has a very successful weight loss group swears by one hour a day. Next your calorie intake is too high. I would drop it down to 1500. I try not to eat back MFPs calorie burn because they are way high!!!!! Also up protein and veggies and cut white refined carbs. No sodas and LOTS of water!!!!!
GOOD LUCK!
If her TDEE is 3,000 calories, how is her intake too high?0 -
Try tracking your sodium intake... Many foods you eat are preprocessed and often very high is sodium and excessive salt will cause water retention/bloating.0
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I'm confused about your exercise diary, 750+ cals for circuit training? Of course you don't burn as much lifting weights, etc. as you do running. Is the bodybug a hrm? What are you doing in circuit training?
I bet if you ate 1800 to 2000 and cut down on cardio (unless you want to eat higher than 2000) you would be better off.0 -
@eve7166
@mavd
@servillia
@lauriam1966
@ckmama
@short35565
thanks again everyone, just a few things to address... I am not double counting anything, I know there is a lot on here to read through now, but if you would have read it you would see that the body bugg I was using I also used to calculate my exercise activities, not MFP, I just us MFP to log what I burn. I do not burn 3000 calories in 3 hours, I burn 3000 calories in a day, that number also includes sleeping calories burnt. SO I have no double counted any calories. Also, I know for a fact I burn way more then a 1000 calories in a day, It is impossible for me to burn less then that, even if I sat on my *kitten* all day.
ALSO my profile pic is not what I currently look like, it is what I used to look like and it is for motivational purposes for myself.
I have gotten rid of m body bugg, because I believe it has been hindering me, I think it has over estimated the amount of calories I burn in a day. I feel free with out it! I really do. I think this will help me to eat less too, considering that I thought I could eat more because I had burned more, but maybe I really wasnt burning upwards of 3000, most likely it was 2500.0 -
@palmirag88
My circuit trainings are high intensity with cardio inbetween somedays. again, as I have stated in many previous responses those are the correct calculations.0 -
Youve done it before, you can do it again as long as your moving and eating good your fine.
As others said 1 hour exercise a day
Try 2000 cals for one week, or 1800 ect until you find what works for you. 12 days in is not much, usually you just shift the water weight.
Good luck, you will do it!0 -
PLEASE READ
Thank you all. I am lowering my calorie intake to 1700, and just logging my work outs and my walks, and always going to try and burn more then I eat. the weight has to come off sometime! I am just worried about cutting my calories so much.... I have been told numerous times, by many different professionals that I need to eat that amount... 2000. I know I need to give it more time, lots more time of course, and I very well understand weight loss is not linear. AS I stated before though, mathematically some weight should have come off, but because it didnt this leaves me with having to change something so soon, but then is my body in shock? shoudl I give it more time at this rate? AM I really eating too much? has my body just held on to all the water I have been drinking? all good advice... BUT WHAT IS RIGHT? How do I know what to do and what to change? 0 -
I am the same height as you, and was 208. Weighed in this morning at 193.5 and have been working hard for 3 weeks. CARDIO CARDIO CARDIO, you will drop weight faster. I do not eat back ALL of the calories that I burn during a workout. Typically I eat about 1200-1400 calories per day. I do about an hour of cardio and about 3 times a week I will do some abdominal exercises and some arms. But I was told to lose weight first by more cardio and then work on toning with weights.0
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So much misinformation- jesus!
It sounds like you are over-training to me. How on earth can your body rebuild broken down tissue and repair itself when you are working out THREE HOURS A DAY for NUMEROUS DAYS IN A ROW!
This seems like way too much to me. Way too much. You have quite a bit to lose. I say slow it down, focus on your diet and getting that right, and then train 3-4 days a week and keep them short but intense.0 -
I am 5'4, 213.8 lbs. ( used to be 135 lbs 6 years ago ) I work out 3 hours a day, one hour running, one hour walking, one hour strength training. It has been 12 days since I started, and I eat clean, rarely have junk. I burn about 3000 calories a day, and eat about 2100. My BMR is 1700. I have not lost any weight yet. I am a bit nervous since it has been almost 2 weeks.. I know muscle weighs more then fat, and so on and so forth, but I have like 90 lbs to lose! mathematically I should be losing weight.. but I am not! How is this possible? I also drink a **** ton of water everyday, no less then 15 cups. I am doing everything right... so what am I doing wrong?
BodyBugg will be great for the running and walking calorie burn estimates.
But useless on the lifting.
Now, here's where it can mess up your entire day estimate.
It has to start somewhere as a basis for calculating calories - your BMR.
Your Harris estimated BMR to be specific, the least accurate most inflated when overweight BMR calc.
If you know your bodyfat% or can estimate it within 5%, you can get a much better Katch BMR estimate. If there is a 200-400 calorie difference like I've seen many have, then the foundation of the calculations is inflated by a decent amount.
Your walking/running is still probably decently estimated since that is just calculations on steps and moving your mass, but the other 21 hrs of the day, majority of which is probably non-moving enough to count, get's the BMR usage for calorie burn.
That could be explaining how you don't really have a 900 calorie deficit.
Also, that much exercise is actually counter productive.
Diet is a stress, extended or frequent intense exercise is a stress, stressing over your weight, got any other stresses?
All that stress will mess with hormones that will fight fat and weight loss.
Try the spreadsheet in this link, because you got the right idea of eating enough for your activity.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm
After you get your stats in the Simple Setup tab (how does that TDEE compare with BodyBugg?), go over to the TDEE Deficit tab.
Section on TDEE calculator 1B.
Find 3 non-exercise days you can enter in there, and see what happens when the Katch BMR is used rather than the Harris BMR estimate. May be significant, may not be.
Might also confirm the running day after a leg strength day is kept easy to allow proper recovery.
And you don't workout sore muscles intensely, right, but allow rest to rebuild?
I would listen to my friend right here, he knows what he is doing and what he is talking about! You can't listen to people telling you eat more, eat less - YOU NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT CALORIES FOR YOU!! No one's bodies are the same. Use the spreadsheet he attached here and figure out where your calories should be. it takes the guess work out of it and your exercise is already included so you don't have to play around with your numbers.
I have a body media fit, which is pretty much the same as the body bugg and my numbers come out pretty close to what the calculators give me. Like heybales said, strength training is different, but your cardio should be accurate.0 -
OH the one thing I have not done is gone to the doctor for blood work, etc. I know I do not have any such thyroid condition. I have gained and lost weight before. 40 lbs here, 50 lbs there. I have yo-yoed for 6 years. I lost weight before by starving myself, and I refuse to eat the least amount of calories possible, it is not healthy.
I had a cyst in my thyroid that finally got large enough I had not choice but to have them remove it and of course biopsy and blah blah blah (I am cystic, I knew it was a common complex cyst just like all the others I get but whatever, they must do it, I get it). After the surgery I wasn't having any problems with my thyroid levels, according to my bloodwork. nothing in my bloodwork changed... but I had NO THYROID and NO PARATHYROID glands. it took 4 months after the removal of my thyroid for the bloodwork to show. NOT saying it is this, but have the bloodwork done. It can't hurt. then if you still have issues losing you have something to reference with your doctor.0 -
PLEASE READ
Thank you all. I am lowering my calorie intake to 1700, and just logging my work outs and my walks, and always going to try and burn more then I eat. the weight has to come off sometime! I am just worried about cutting my calories so much.... I have been told numerous times, by many different professionals that I need to eat that amount... 2000. I know I need to give it more time, lots more time of course, and I very well understand weight loss is not linear. AS I stated before though, mathematically some weight should have come off, but because it didnt this leaves me with having to change something so soon, but then is my body in shock? shoudl I give it more time at this rate? AM I really eating too much? has my body just held on to all the water I have been drinking? all good advice... BUT WHAT IS RIGHT? How do I know what to do and what to change?
I'd give it a month before you make changes. In my experience, I often lose nothing for several weeks and then five pounds overnight. Two weeks is not enough time. Too many factors effect how much water you are retaining at any given time. I don't know how often you are weighing yourself, but I recommend that you do it every morning for a while (at least a month). Then record the numbers and graph them. If the numbers don't start to TREND downwards after a month, then start changing things.
If I had gone by my first two weeks of results I would have freaked out thinking that I had gained five pounds. I hadn't. It was just that my weight fluctuates by about 5 pounds. The goal is to lower the numbers it moves between. For me I've gone from fluctuating between 230-235 to fluctuating between 195-200. But, if I weigh in at 200 tomorrow (after 196 today), I won't freak out, because it doesn't matter. If I start fluctuating between 198-203, then I might worry. Really, patience and careful tracking are the keys to success.0 -
PLEASE READ
Thank you all. I am lowering my calorie intake to 1700, and just logging my work outs and my walks, and always going to try and burn more then I eat. the weight has to come off sometime! I am just worried about cutting my calories so much.... I have been told numerous times, by many different professionals that I need to eat that amount... 2000. I know I need to give it more time, lots more time of course, and I very well understand weight loss is not linear. AS I stated before though, mathematically some weight should have come off, but because it didnt this leaves me with having to change something so soon, but then is my body in shock? shoudl I give it more time at this rate? AM I really eating too much? has my body just held on to all the water I have been drinking? all good advice... BUT WHAT IS RIGHT? How do I know what to do and what to change?
I'd give it a month before you make changes. In my experience, I often lose nothing for several weeks and then five pounds overnight. Two weeks is not enough time. Too many factors effect how much water you are retaining at any given time. I don't know how often you are weighing yourself, but I recommend that you do it every morning for a while (at least a month). Then record the numbers and graph them. If the numbers don't start to TREND downwards after a month, then start changing things.
If I had gone by my first two weeks of results I would have freaked out thinking that I had gained five pounds. I hadn't. It was just that my weight fluctuates by about 5 pounds. The goal is to lower the numbers it moves between. For me I've gone from fluctuating between 230-235 to fluctuating between 195-200. But, if I weigh in at 200 tomorrow (after 196 today), I won't freak out, because it doesn't matter. If I start fluctuating between 198-203, then I might worry. Really, patience and careful tracking are the keys to success.
This is good advice. Also, You started exercising - exercising makes you retain water in your muscle - and it can be quite a few pounds.0 -
PLEASE READ THIS AS WELL.. MORE QUESTIONS...
Thank you to the most recent posters today. MY sanity is coming back slowly.. lol. It is good advice. Give it time is what I need to do for sure. So I shouldnt lower my calories right now then? would it be bad if I did? Also I am adding in a day where I wont work out, at least try not to.. maybe a walk ... so 6 days out of the week I would be working out.
HELP ON THIS: Without my bodybugg, I have no way of knowing what calories I am burning during sleep, and mundane tasks, so I have no real idea of what I am burning in an entire day, except for the work outs that I can calculate. I am so used to having that knowledge and knowing that I did burn more then I ate. BUT now without it I feel like I am working out even more. ( not intense just walking to burn more calories ) because I need to see that I have burned more calories then I ate. TAKE A LOOK AT MY DIARY FOR TODAY. I had to work my *kitten* off to show just 1900 burned, and I set my intake at 1705, so then I am burning more then I eat. BUT like I said I feel like I am working much much harder without the body bugg then with.... I am confused on the net calories then too I guess..0 -
PLEASE READ THIS AS WELL.. MORE QUESTIONS...
Thank you to the most recent posters today. MY sanity is coming back slowly.. lol. It is good advice. Give it time is what I need to do for sure. So I shouldnt lower my calories right now then? would it be bad if I did? Also I am adding in a day where I wont work out, at least try not to.. maybe a walk ... so 6 days out of the week I would be working out.
HELP ON THIS: Without my bodybugg, I have no way of knowing what calories I am burning during sleep, and mundane tasks, so I have no real idea of what I am burning in an entire day, except for the work outs that I can calculate. I am so used to having that knowledge and knowing that I did burn more then I ate. BUT now without it I feel like I am working out even more. ( not intense just walking to burn more calories ) because I need to see that I have burned more calories then I ate. TAKE A LOOK AT MY DIARY FOR TODAY. I had to work my *kitten* off to show just 1900 burned, and I set my intake at 1705, so then I am burning more then I eat. BUT like I said I feel like I am working much much harder without the body bugg then with.... I am confused on the net calories then too I guess..
I would not recommend lowering your calories. You already have 1000 calorie deficit. Bigger deficit is not better. I think you should keep your calories where they are and wait. Patiently. 12 days is not enough time (or 13, today) you need a few WEEKS for your body to adjust. High initial weight loss- like the 10+ lbs you see on here or on the biggest loser, are almost entirely water, 70+%. Fat loss takes time. Be patient. If anything, I would cut your deficit DOWN, but I can understand hesitation to eat more at this point. If you're not ready for that, so be it, but don't increase your deficit!0 -
Thank You. 0
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You are making this significantly more complex by expecting to know the exact energy expenditure of every activity - which is down right impossible.PLEASE READ THIS AS WELL.. MORE QUESTIONS...
Thank you to the most recent posters today. MY sanity is coming back slowly.. lol. It is good advice. Give it time is what I need to do for sure. So I shouldnt lower my calories right now then? would it be bad if I did? Also I am adding in a day where I wont work out, at least try not to.. maybe a walk ... so 6 days out of the week I would be working out.
HELP ON THIS: Without my bodybugg, I have no way of knowing what calories I am burning during sleep, and mundane tasks, so I have no real idea of what I am burning in an entire day, except for the work outs that I can calculate. I am so used to having that knowledge and knowing that I did burn more then I ate. BUT now without it I feel like I am working out even more. ( not intense just walking to burn more calories ) because I need to see that I have burned more calories then I ate. TAKE A LOOK AT MY DIARY FOR TODAY. I had to work my *kitten* off to show just 1900 burned, and I set my intake at 1705, so then I am burning more then I eat. BUT like I said I feel like I am working much much harder without the body bugg then with.... I am confused on the net calories then too I guess..
Establish a sustainable workout routine that you will likely maintain once you reach goal weight. Something moderate like up to one hour of total exercise 3 to 5 days per week. So slowly decrease the duration and days you currently are exercising.
While decreasing exercise volume, maintain eating 1700 calories.
From there you can slowly add 200 calories each week until you hit your adjusted maintenance - where you are at a body weight equilibrium (no gain or loss in body weight).
Once you establish how many calories are needed to sustain weight while engaging in that moderate amount of exercise, you can then take a more appropriate deficit to reduce body fat - ie 500 calories less to lose approximately 1 lbs per week.0 -
I've not read the whole thread but I'll offer up two things:
1) Don't worry about the scale. I take it you've not been doing this long, based on what I have read. Be easy on yourself; the weight will drop. You won't be 213 of pure muscle. Just food for thought: Say you only lost fat during this whole thing and no muscle. Say, 30 pounds. That put you between 180-190 pounds. But say that you were a size 4 and had your ideal body at that weight. Would the number on the scale really matter? You don't have to answer this- it's a rhetorical question to a hypothetical situation.
Which takes me to:
2) Are you getting smaller? Never mind your measurements, are your clothes fitting better? If you're still new to this, you might not see this part yet, but this is what you should pay attention to. If you're getting leaner and stronger, bugger the scale and bugger your calories.
Good luck
(okay, one more- don't overthink this too much. You'll go mad. I know because I drove myself crazy the first couple weeks.)0
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