Not losing, why?

Redson25
Redson25 Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
I have my net calorie limit on MFP set to 1200 which will let me lose 1.2lb a week. My setting is on Sedentary: Spend most of the day sitting, and when I figure my TDEE on http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ says it is 1909 (which I think is high). That does not include exercise. I have not been working a full time job (I want to, I just can't find one in my field) so I have the time to work out. I run 6 days a week for 45 minutes and burn around 400-450 calories and I do the 30 day shred thing 7 days a week and burn 220. Well, that is what my heart rate monitor says. So I typically burn about 600 cals from working out almost every day of the week except the day I skip the run. I also do weights, using dumbbells like bicep and triceps and some back lifting. Nothing major, every other day and it takes about 10 minutes for that whole routine. I do not add those cals into my total. My motivation for working out everyday is that I would have a hard time eating only 1200 cals, but when I eat back the exercise cals I can eat 1800, sometimes even more. So I have been doing this for 8 weeks and haven't really lost any weight. Actually I started working out 4 months ago, but only started counting calories 8 weeks ago. MFP says I have lost 10 pounds but I have really only lost 3, because when I first weighed myself I was 160 then the next day I was suddenly 155, so really I started at 155. Now I am 152ish. I try not to go by the scale, but my measurements haven't changed much either. And the tight pants I use as a test have not really gotten any larger.

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong? Should I only eat back like half the exercise calories? Also, please don't say I need to take days off working out, because then I will over eat and I want to get my resting heart rate down to 60, and I think mentally I need to. Even though I do pretty much despise it! Also, I don't eat super healthy but I get a lot of protein and I do watch the cal intake very closely and if I eat high calorie food I eat less that day. I don't binge but I do eat pizza and whatnot. Don't know if it matters but I am 5'9" and 30 years old. Any advice would be rad! thanks! Also, sorry this was so long and probably everyone asks these same questions and goes through this exact same thing. I guess I am just wondering if I shouldn't eat back the exercise calories.
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Replies

  • katrinajMiles
    katrinajMiles Posts: 71 Member
    Your diary is set to private so couldn't see what you are eating but maybe it could be that.
  • Redson25
    Redson25 Posts: 16
    Oh, yes. I changed it to public so you can see now. Sorry, I haven't really fooled around with the settings before.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    Do you think it's possible that you're underestimating your activity level? That's quite a bit of exercise.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Well for one thing, you are far from sedentary, so not sure why you have yourself on that setting. :tongue:

    And even though you said not to say it, you need to take a rest day. The body needs time to rest, repair, and heal from the hard work you've been doing.

    If you feel you MUST exercise daily just so you can eat, you might consider setting your goal to TDEE (make sure you've got the right number based on activity level, which means don't use sedentary! you're very active!), subtract 20% and eat to that number every day. You don't eat back exercise cals with this method, just eat to goal every day.

    I use this topic for setting my calorie goal and my macros and have had great success with fat loss: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 I started with my TDEE minus 20% and ate that way for about a year - lost my last 10lbs, a lot of fat and dropped a size. Since hitting goal weight, I still have some fat to lose, but I lowered my deficit to between 10-15%, so 1950 calories a day, whether I workout or not. It's easy, it's sustainable and it works.
  • Redson25
    Redson25 Posts: 16
    If I were underestimating my activity level, then wouldn't I be losing for sure? I do over an hour of cardio a day because I have the time and burn 600, but other than that the rest of my day is computer work, reading, cooking, ie - pretty sedentary. Oh, for those looking at my fitness diary, I was sick twice and missed almost a week of exercise, but I still mostly only ate 1200 calories that day.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    If I were underestimating my activity level, then wouldn't I be losing for sure? I do over an hour of cardio a day because I have the time and burn 600, but other than that the rest of my day is computer work, reading, cooking, ie - pretty sedentary. Oh, for those looking at my fitness diary, I was sick twice and missed almost a week of exercise, but I still mostly only ate 1200 calories that day.

    Unfortunately, creating too much of a deficit can backfire. This happened to me and I've been eating more to correct it. I wanted fast results and ended up getting almost no results after a while. I agree that you are far from sedentary and you need at least one rest day. Maybe a walk will give you the feeling of being active but it's not as taxing on the body.
  • haymancm
    haymancm Posts: 280 Member
    If I were underestimating my activity level, then wouldn't I be losing for sure? I do over an hour of cardio a day because I have the time and burn 600, but other than that the rest of my day is computer work, reading, cooking, ie - pretty sedentary. Oh, for those looking at my fitness diary, I was sick twice and missed almost a week of exercise, but I still mostly only ate 1200 calories that day.

    Last year, I went on a juice fast & got frustrated because I wasn't losing any weight...it was as if I had plateaued. I found that I needed to eat more calories than what I was doing. I would change the activity to either lightly active to active, definitely not sedentary, especially w/ you working out. If you don't eat enough calories, your body will go into "starve mode" & not lose weight. Have you looked into lowering your carbs & raising your protein? Found this article. I adjusted my ratio to 30/30/40% for carb/protein/fat. http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/articles/how_protein_helps_weight_loss/
  • katrinajMiles
    katrinajMiles Posts: 71 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist or studied anything but just from my personal experiences the only advice I can give you is.

    Eat healthy vegetables, fruit and lots of protein and try stay away from processed foods.

    When I first started out I used to make sure all main meals had at least 100g of protein and snacks had 50g of protein.

    -I found snacks were really important and speed up my metabolism and would snack on boiled eggs, ham and foods high in protein. I tried to limit my carbs to before 12noon. All I can say is up protein and snack more see how you go.

    Remember it's 80% Food 20% exercise so if one is lacking then you won't get the results you want.
  • Redson25
    Redson25 Posts: 16
    Thanks Amy, good advice. The site where I calculated my TDEE might be wrong (http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/). I changed it and included that I do 80 minutes of hard exercise a day and it said my # was 2025. Before, when I put that I sat at a desk all day it said 1905. I would think that the 1905 is too high and the other too low. Anyways, if I eat 20% less than 2025 I should eat about 1600. Maybe I will try that like you said and always eat that no matter how much I work out. Right now I eat 1800, but burn an extra 600 to net 1200. But I think I will try just always eating 1600, that is manageable for me I believe. Thanks!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    If I were underestimating my activity level, then wouldn't I be losing for sure? I do over an hour of cardio a day because I have the time and burn 600, but other than that the rest of my day is computer work, reading, cooking, ie - pretty sedentary. Oh, for those looking at my fitness diary, I was sick twice and missed almost a week of exercise, but I still mostly only ate 1200 calories that day.
    Not necessarily - over-training and under-eating can backfire on you and give you the opposite of what you're striving for: http://www.shapefit.com/overtraining-exercising-too-much.html

    Food is fuel! Work hard, push your body through workouts and then under-fuel it and you're giving your body a reason to store fat rather than burn it.

    I'm a stay at home mom, pretty sedentary compared to when I worked full time and was on my feet all day. My kid is a teenager, so it's not like I'm chasing little ones around all day long. But my activity level is at LEAST lightly active, maybe closer to moderately active based on my workouts. That's how I figured my settings and I've lost fat/weight eating 1800+ calories a day, no problem. Even when I overeat occasionally now (hellloooo St. Patrick's Day! LOL) I don't gain, possibly because my metabolism is good and healthy and I keep it that way by eating well and doing a reasonable amount of exercise.
  • daydream_believer
    daydream_believer Posts: 332
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk
    this link is about calorie restorations after VLCD and towards the end he talks about why doing excessive low intesity cardio can actually stall weightloss because your body lowers your rmr to adjust to the calorie deficit. instead high intestity interval training is suggested. hope it helps. x
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 567 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist or studied anything but just from my personal experiences the only advice I can give you is.

    Eat healthy vegetables, fruit and lots of protein and try stay away from processed foods.

    When I first started out I used to make sure all main meals had at least 100g of protein and snacks had 50g of protein.

    -I found snacks were really important and speed up my metabolism and would snack on boiled eggs, ham and foods high in protein. I tried to limit my carbs to before 12noon. All I can say is up protein and snack more see how you go.

    Remember it's 80% Food 20% exercise so if one is lacking then you won't get the results you want.

    I think maybe the numbers are off here - do you mean to say you're eating over 300 grams of protein a day???
  • Redson25
    Redson25 Posts: 16
    Thanks for all the great advice, all of you! Also, how do you set it so that the weight loss bar shows up after your post? I can't find it in the settings. Not everyone's shows up, but some do and I don't know where to look. Again thanks everyone!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Thanks for all the great advice, all of you! Also, how do you set it so that the weight loss bar shows up after your post? I can't find it in the settings. Not everyone's shows up, but some do and I don't know where to look. Again thanks everyone!
    The tickers are under the Apps tab at the top of the page, then about half way down on the right side.
  • _Lori_Lynn_
    _Lori_Lynn_ Posts: 460
    Marking this to read later. I read a few posts, great advice. It is soo frustrating and confusing, trust me I know. I am sorry, I have no advice, I am in the same boat as you. I JUST don't understand it.

    Cute raccoon!
  • Tachyonic
    Tachyonic Posts: 64 Member
    I agree with a couple other people here who have said that your calorie limit might be too low. 1,200 calories is the minimum level you are supposed to eat to be healthy, and that doesn't work for everyone (for most people, in fact!). If you are eating too few calories, your body will probably hold on to them more (starvation mode and stuff).

    Try raising your calorie limit a hundred or two hundred calories for a few weeks, and see how your body responds. That's what I did when I felt I wasn't losing anything (or when I was gaining when I shouldn't have been).

    Also, make sure you are drinking enough water. I rarely drink enough water, so it comes from experience when I say that it is SUPER important! :)

    Good luck, and keep it up!
  • Redson25
    Redson25 Posts: 16
    I'm not a nutritionist or studied anything but just from my personal experiences the only advice I can give you is.

    Eat healthy vegetables, fruit and lots of protein and try stay away from processed foods.

    When I first started out I used to make sure all main meals had at least 100g of protein and snacks had 50g of protein.

    -I found snacks were really important and speed up my metabolism and would snack on boiled eggs, ham and foods high in protein. I tried to limit my carbs to before 12noon. All I can say is up protein and snack more see how you go.

    Remember it's 80% Food 20% exercise so if one is lacking then you won't get the results you want.

    I think maybe the numbers are off here - do you mean to say you're eating over 300 grams of protein a day???

    300 grams is a TON of protein. I always thought a good but also high amount is 30g a meal, like 90 a day. Protein has 4 calories a gram, so already with just the protein you would be at 1200 calories. I guess if you only ate meat.
  • Redson25
    Redson25 Posts: 16
    I agree with a couple other people here who have said that your calorie limit might be too low. 1,200 calories is the minimum level you are supposed to eat to be healthy, and that doesn't work for everyone (for most people, in fact!). If you are eating too few calories, your body will probably hold on to them more (starvation mode and stuff).

    Try raising your calorie limit a hundred or two hundred calories for a few weeks, and see how your body responds. That's what I did when I felt I wasn't losing anything (or when I was gaining when I shouldn't have been).

    Also, make sure you are drinking enough water. I rarely drink enough water, so it comes from experience when I say that it is SUPER important! :)

    Good luck, and keep it up!

    Thank you, and I drink a ton of water. It is the only beverage I consume except unsweetened hot and ice tea. Also, I NET 1200, usually eat 1800 but have 600 cals worth of exercise. Thanks for the motivation!
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
    Just my two cents: First, you need to be certain you are consuming good carbs and good fats. You need the carbs with your activity level. Good fats, like nuts and avocados will actually help you to drop fat. These fats, unlike say vegetable oil, can be fully utilized by your body and your body loves them. If you consume them on a regular basis (all in moderation) your body will begin to drop the fat storage because it will realize it really doesn't need them.
    Secondly, you are doing the same workouts all the time. Any fitness trainer will tell you the same amount of food and the same exercises every single day is the perfect recipe for a plateau. Shake it up! Go for a hike, a bike ride, even just to the park and play with your kids or beiges/nephews (that can be a serious workout).
    Also, take that rest day. If the only thing stopping you from taking a day of is that you can't eat more, eat a little more anyways. 1800 calories then exercise on the on days, 1600 calories on the of days.
  • tiggerhammon
    tiggerhammon Posts: 2,211 Member
    Nieces/nephews* off days*

    Sorry about my typos. Typing on a small tablet is really not that easy.
  • cebiginalaska
    cebiginalaska Posts: 280 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    Read this post about figuring out your TDEE
  • katrinajMiles
    katrinajMiles Posts: 71 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist or studied anything but just from my personal experiences the only advice I can give you is.

    Eat healthy vegetables, fruit and lots of protein and try stay away from processed foods.

    When I first started out I used to make sure all main meals had at least 100g of protein and snacks had 50g of protein.

    -I found snacks were really important and speed up my metabolism and would snack on boiled eggs, ham and foods high in protein. I tried to limit my carbs to before 12noon. All I can say is up protein and snack more see how you go.

    Remember it's 80% Food 20% exercise so if one is lacking then you won't get the results you want.

    I think maybe the numbers are off here - do you mean to say you're eating over 300 grams of protein a day???

    Sorry I meant I try to make sure each of my meals contain 100g of protein and my snacks are about 50g so in one day if i have 3 main meals and 2 snacks I might have min of 400g of protein that day. I try not to snack on anything but protein.
  • katrinajMiles
    katrinajMiles Posts: 71 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist or studied anything but just from my personal experiences the only advice I can give you is.

    Eat healthy vegetables, fruit and lots of protein and try stay away from processed foods.

    When I first started out I used to make sure all main meals had at least 100g of protein and snacks had 50g of protein.

    -I found snacks were really important and speed up my metabolism and would snack on boiled eggs, ham and foods high in protein. I tried to limit my carbs to before 12noon. All I can say is up protein and snack more see how you go.

    Remember it's 80% Food 20% exercise so if one is lacking then you won't get the results you want.

    I think maybe the numbers are off here - do you mean to say you're eating over 300 grams of protein a day???

    300 grams is a TON of protein. I always thought a good but also high amount is 30g a meal, like 90 a day. Protein has 4 calories a gram, so already with just the protein you would be at 1200 calories. I guess if you only ate meat.

    All I am saying is this worked for me. I try not and look at calories more the food I'm consuming. Example you are much better to have an apple that might be 80 calories compared to a piece of chocolate that might be the same amount of calories but not have the same nutrients. I find it quite easy to stay under or around 1200 on what I am eating at the moment.

    For Women the recommended amount of protein consumed is 100g and 50g for a snack so I have always tried to stick to that.
  • cutegymbug
    cutegymbug Posts: 5 Member
    I'm not a nutritionist or studied anything but just from my personal experiences the only advice I can give you is.

    Eat healthy vegetables, fruit and lots of protein and try stay away from processed foods.

    When I first started out I used to make sure all main meals had at least 100g of protein and snacks had 50g of protein.

    -I found snacks were really important and speed up my metabolism and would snack on boiled eggs, ham and foods high in protein. I tried to limit my carbs to before 12noon. All I can say is up protein and snack more see how you go.

    Remember it's 80% Food 20% exercise so if one is lacking then you won't get the results you want.

    I think maybe the numbers are off here - do you mean to say you're eating over 300 grams of protein a day???

    300 grams is a TON of protein. I always thought a good but also high amount is 30g a meal, like 90 a day. Protein has 4 calories a gram, so already with just the protein you would be at 1200 calories. I guess if you only ate meat.

    All I am saying is this worked for me. I try not and look at calories more the food I'm consuming. Example you are much better to have an apple that might be 80 calories compared to a piece of chocolate that might be the same amount of calories but not have the same nutrients. I find it quite easy to stay under or around 1200 on what I am eating at the moment.

    For Women the recommended amount of protein consumed is 100g and 50g for a snack so I have always tried to stick to that.
  • cutegymbug
    cutegymbug Posts: 5 Member
    I'm confused. I thought the recommended protein was 100 grams/day, not 100 grams a meal, for a female. A 3-4 ounce chicken breast has 26 grams of protein. You would have to eat 4 chicken breasts.
  • dandelioncoach
    dandelioncoach Posts: 20 Member
    Just a thought, but at 5'9", 155, with all that working out, it seems very likely that your body has found its happy weight? I'm 5'4 and I know at my fittest and healthiest I was a solid 130, so it seems possible you're not far off.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I'm confused. I thought the recommended protein was 100 grams/day, not 100 grams a meal, for a female. A 3-4 ounce chicken breast has 26 grams of protein. You would have to eat 4 chicken breasts.

    i think the person means they eat 100g of things that contain protein. So 100g of chicken, yielding 26g of protein or whatevs.


    QUESTION - I don't liek the road map, for a start, so please don't send me there :)

    I weigh 94 kg, i'm 1.75 m tall and I work out or exercise 6 days a week. My workouts vary between walking, netball, jogging (as umpiring), gym, excercise bike and home workouts. My workouts are at least 300 cal, but can go as high as 15-1600. (Based on MFP calculations).

    My BMR is 1720 and my TDEE is hard to work out but averages out at around 2500. I have medicated hypothyroidism, and remove 200 from my TDEE before calculating how much lower than TDEE I eat, so I use TDEE of 2300. So I'm eating at TDEE less 20% technically.

    I eat 1800 and don't eat back my excercise calories. I hit the 12 kg lost since boxing day mark on March 9 but since then haven't broken under that. I don't believe I'm plateaued, as it's gone up and down again. During the last ten days I had my TOM and then changed my thyroid meds. Before that I was steadily losing 1kg ish every 6-7 days.

    Am I still doing it right given my extenuating circumstances of TOM/meds? I'm starting to look thin, fit and toned, but I want to lose another 13kg.
  • Xiaolongbao
    Xiaolongbao Posts: 854 Member
    Sorry I meant I try to make sure each of my meals contain 100g of protein and my snacks are about 50g so in one day if i have 3 main meals and 2 snacks I might have min of 400g of protein that day. I try not to snack on anything but protein.

    Unless you're mainlining protein powder I don't think you're giving us the right numbers here...
    Am I still doing it right given my extenuating circumstances of TOM/meds? I'm starting to look thin, fit and toned, but I want to lose another 13kg.

    If it's not working for you anymore then obviously you might want to change something. Although if you're starting to look thin, fit and toned then I'd say just keep doing what you're doing.
  • graciepecie
    graciepecie Posts: 135 Member
    Well for one thing, you are far from sedentary, so not sure why you have yourself on that setting. :tongue:

    And even though you said not to say it, you need to take a rest day. The body needs time to rest, repair, and heal from the hard work you've been doing.

    If you feel you MUST exercise daily just so you can eat, you might consider setting your goal to TDEE (make sure you've got the right number based on activity level, which means don't use sedentary! you're very active!), subtract 20% and eat to that number every day. You don't eat back exercise cals with this method, just eat to goal every day.

    I use this topic for setting my calorie goal and my macros and have had great success with fat loss: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 I started with my TDEE minus 20% and ate that way for about a year - lost my last 10lbs, a lot of fat and dropped a size. Since hitting goal weight, I still have some fat to lose, but I lowered my deficit to between 10-15%, so 1950 calories a day, whether I workout or not. It's easy, it's sustainable and it works.

    ^^This^^

    Really, do this, it works!

    You need to eat much more. Even if you didn't workout it all, 1200 kcals is to few. You're messing up your metabolism. It's getting slow
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    If it's not working for you anymore then obviously you might want to change something. Although if you're starting to look thin, fit and toned then I'd say just keep doing what you're doing.

    thanks...yeah i've changed shape a LOT in the past couple weeks.

    I've also had a (TMI) constipation situation since I changed my meds that is just part and parcel and will pass (no pun intended) which could be skewing things too?

    i really don't wanna juggle with 1800 one day, 2000 another etc as I'm feeling free of my ED (self-starve) . .

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