Should I go up or down?

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  • kellyw036
    kellyw036 Posts: 58 Member
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    I've been gaining and losing the same 4 pounds for a month now. I'm wondering if I need to change my food intake. I currently eat 1700-1800 calories a day.

    My workout is as follows:
    Monday - personal trainer (1 hour), weights (30 min), abs class (15 min)
    Tuesday- swimming (1 hour), water aerobics (45 min)
    Wednesday- weights (30 min), spinning (30 min), elliptical (30 min), abs class (15 min)
    Thursday - swimming (1 hour), water aerobics (45)
    Friday - weights (30 min), elliptical/spin (30 min), abs class (15 min)
    Saturday and Sunday, walk the dog, short run, maybe back to the gym, swimming with the kids, other stuff

    I'm 63" tall, 183 lbs. female. My bmr comes out to 1451 and my tdee is about 2400. I'd think that with eating 1700-1800 a day, I should be losing, but I'm not. Should I increase or decrease my calories to try to get the scale moving?

    I do think you've underestimated your TDEE. My BMR is barely more than yours, and my TDEE exceeds 2400 most days with no actual exercise. I use a BodyMedia FIT Link, so I know my actual TDEE range, not an estimate. If I were you, I'd try the TDEE minus 20% method for a month and see what happens. I really think you've shortchanged yourself on your activity level in figuring it previously, though.

    I agree. Maybe try adjusting based on higher activity. Good luck!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    If you do your TDEE-20% it comes to about 1900 calories. Try that for a week and see if that's it.

    ^This.

    Edited to say that I think you maybe have your TDEE worked out wrongly. I'm tons shorter and only 119lbs and with just 5 or 6 days or no where near the exercise you do my TDEE is 1900. Perhapsy your activity level isn't right. What sort of day do you usually work? On your feet a lot too. You probably need to be on more than 1900. That's one heck of a lot of exercise everyday.
  • cindybpitts
    cindybpitts Posts: 213 Member
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    I usually do okay on water. I just can't bring myself to log it. But I don't think that's it, and my sodium levels are not out of control (I cook most everything myself, and so am not at the mercy of restaurants and their high salt as a general rule).

    I initially lost some inches, but even that seems to have slowed. I started at 191, and lost 4 pounds the first week. So in the last 7 weeks I've only lost 4 pounds. How can that possibly be?
    I have only lost 4 lbs in almost 5 months! I havent lost anything in a few weeks..I know your feeling!
  • valeriewxy
    valeriewxy Posts: 418 Member
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    I like to go down.

    Oh wait. Wrong thread. *backs out quickly*

    Someone was saying something about going down? ... XD

    Anyway, to OP ~ I would say go up. Track your weight and see how it goes. Also, with your workouts, maybe your body has simply gotten used to the intensity and type?
  • fausonk
    fausonk Posts: 41
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    "Anyway, to OP ~ I would say go up. Track your weight and see how it goes. Also, with your workouts, maybe your body has simply gotten used to the intensity and type?"

    I try to mix it up, like today I did tabata sprints for half an hour on the treadmill, which I haven't done in a couple weeks, some days I do steady swimming, some I do sprint intervals. My trainer workout is always different. I'm in a challenge at our gym right now and you get points for exercise, so that's partly why I do so much right now.

    I've sent a note to my Dr to see if they offer metabolism testing. I don't have a fitbit or anything, so right now I just go based on online calculators. I don't think my body has ever had a food-deprivation metabolism slow down... So it would make sense I'm in the nothing-unusual range.

    I do appreciate everyone's input so far!
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Are you eating 1800 a day or are you eating 1800+exercise calories? If that latter, thats your problem... Also, you're doing more training than is necessary.

    Your TDEE sounds like its probably close to correct, but, it may be a bit high. It sounds right due to your 10+ hours a week of training.
  • fausonk
    fausonk Posts: 41
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    Are you eating 1800 a day or are you eating 1800+exercise calories? If that latter, thats your problem... Also, you're doing more training than is necessary.

    Your TDEE sounds like its probably close to correct, but, it may be a bit high. It sounds right due to your 10+ hours a week of training.

    No, I'm eating 1800 a day. Not eating back exercise calories. I know the exercise looks excessive, but as I mentioned, I'm in a competition at the gym and you get points for every half hour of activity. I'm doing pretty well in that, but not doing well at all in the weight loss category!
  • sarahmarc
    sarahmarc Posts: 31 Member
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    Go up for sure.... TDEE minus 15% gross. Try it for a few week and see what you are at!

    I need to start to take my own advise:)

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