So Much For the Calories In - Calories Out Thing

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lap1970
lap1970 Posts: 32 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Well. I did an experiment this week. I wanted to see if I truly stuck by the numbers and did the math...would I lose weight based on the calories in/calories out methodology. I weighed and counted all of my food this week...counting out almonds...weighing apples..etc. I wanted to be as accurate as I could. I wear a bodybugg and a fitbit..I know these devices are not 100% accurate...but they give me a solid idea of what I am burning.

MFP states: my Calories Burned from Normal Daily Activity is 2020 (14,140.00 calories for 7 day period)
my Calorie Goal each day in 1550 (10,850.00 calories I can eat during a 7 day period for a 0.9 lb weight loss)

My actual numbers for the week:

14,316 calories burned per monitoring devices
9,971 calories consumed based on logging my foods as accurately as possible


The above numbers represent a 4,345 calorie deficit. Which roughly translates to a little over a pound weight loss. This week I had a two pound GAIN. Even if the numbers were a little off...they weren't that far off for a two pound gain. I did not exercise this week...I didn't want the whole gaining muscle...retaining water for muscle repair to affect this. I wanted it to be simple calories in vs. calories out. I also made sure I stayed well under my sodium goals.

I am just venting. I now know for me at least...it is not as simple as the aforementioned methodology. I have had bloodwork done..so I don't have any thyroid problems etc. This is not just a one week thing either. I have always found it extremely difficult to lose. Even when following a doctor supervised program.

Not discouraged though. There are too many other major things and suffering going on in the world to let a two pound weight gain get me down!
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Replies

  • avielosesit
    avielosesit Posts: 79 Member
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    This this this.

    I battled myself and through sheer willpower ate within mfp's set goal. Nothing happened. I appealed to these boards and was initially told I was likely not eating the 1300 calories I thought I was and was warned of the inaccuracies of using tablespoons and cups in lieu of scales. Then a shining light appeared and I learned about tdee (ipoarm, Dan, heybales, levelling obstacles, etc).

    I was terrified. Bump up to 1800 cals? I decided to go up to 1650 for 3 weeks to feel it out. I wasn't losing so why not? I've lost 2.5lbs.

    (Note my ticker says 8 lbs lost, but 5 came off months ago when I was training for a 10k race).

    Today I'm taking it up to 1750/Day. Will that stop the momentum built? Strengthen it? I truly believe in the tdee theory so I am jumping in. And excited. Because I love good food, and I love seeing the scale ticking downwards, bit by bit.
  • rabies
    rabies Posts: 62
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    A week is no time at all. You'll need to go on for at least a month before you can draw any kind of conclusion, especially if you're female. The body will retain different amounts of water depending on what you eat, and your intestines will contain different amounts of junk depending on what you've eaten.

    Calories in, calories out is pure physics. Calories out may change due to the amounts of macro nutrients you eat, but as long as you stay above 1g of fat per kg bodyweight the difference isn't very big.
  • jontay81
    jontay81 Posts: 39 Member
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    It's likely water variation.

    In the first month, my weight bounced all over. Now I lose at a consistent rate that matches my weekly deficit after 3 months. I also make sure to weigh in at the same time and hydration levels each week.


    And I'm about to eat my weekly carb refeed and lift weights which will send my weight up by 5-10 lbs. That will all be gone and then some by next weekend.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    One week is not nearly enough time to test your theory. Too many other factors play into week to week fluctuations.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    1 week? cmon brah.....
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
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    You can't go by one week! When I was losing I had a pattern of losing, then gaining, then losing again. Each losing time, though I would end up lower than the last one, so it all worked out in the end. Once I got used to the pattern, I didn't worry about the gaining. Usually it would be a 2-3 week cycle for me like that, and in the end it averaged out to 1-2 pounds of loss per week.
  • nikkohli
    nikkohli Posts: 311 Member
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    Agree that you have to give it longer. Waste in the body, water fluctuations, etc can affect your weight. I weigh every day, and overnight -SLEEPING!- I can gain a lb. It doesn't bother me because I look at the long-term, where my weight is trending down. Also, it looks like you are 15lbs from your goal? 1lb/week might be too aggressive a deficit....
  • amyljl77
    amyljl77 Posts: 43 Member
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    I get what your are saying but I think there are a lot of other factors that influence weight so you might have actually lost fat but are retaining water/gaining muscle?All I know is that I do the exact same thing almost every week since January (I was out for almost a month with the flu). Sometimes I lose and sometimes I don't but OVERALL I've lost 2 lbs per week. My weight will stay steady for awhile and then suddenly I'll drop.
  • cdover69
    cdover69 Posts: 1
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    I would also argue that a week is not a long enough trial. The body sees the sudden loss of 4500 calories for that week as starvation and would actually store calories thinking that it must for survival. Training the body to live on 1700 calories when it has lived on surplus would take a little longer than a week I would imagine.

    Last year I lost 40 pounds walking everyday for an hour and eating minimal calories, ~around 1500 daily while I burn ~2500. I also did not replenish the calories I burned from working out. I lost that weight in 2 months, but a lot of it was muscle and not enough was fat. I kept it off over the summer but hibernation mode hit in October and I ate everything getting back up to 250. I am back to tracking what I eat for accountability. This time I am actually eating more, replenishing what I burned, and so far progress is slower, around 15 pounds in 1.5 months, but focusing on eating the right foods so as to keep muscle mass.

    just my 2 cents.
  • kuger4119
    kuger4119 Posts: 213 Member
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    I agree that you have to be careful about judging a short period of time. Plus, certain foods play hell with your system in the short term and can give you crazy short term results. I was not a good kid yesterday. I had a reasonable breakfast and lunch yesterday but I snacked on chips more than I should have. My wife didn't feel like making supper so I had a McDonald's quarter pounder with cheese meal for supper. Later, we decided to go to a restaurant and have a beer with some friends. I had two chicken wings and some chips and queso while I was there.

    I got up this morning and I weigh 3 lbs more than I did yesterday morning. Did I take in enough calories to justify that weight gain? Did I eat 3 lbs of food? Counting fluids, it was probably in that ballpark, but it's not like I didn't use the bathroom at all. I'm sure that sodium played a huge role in that temporary gain and when I get up tomorrow morning, I will have miraculously lost most of that 3 lbs. Certain foods can have a crazy short term effect and you may want to consider if you had anything that might have caused that.
  • NaniKan
    NaniKan Posts: 4
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    While I can understand it may be frustrating, the whole point of this is to better one's health. Diet and exercise does that. When I first started I was doing exercise only and getting no where as far as weight was concerned, but I started noticing positive physical changes and that motivated me - like being able to work out for a half hour straight and not want to pass out! Now I am able to do an hour of exercise.

    Then my sister suggested we do MFP together and I learned that I was eating way too much. I'm measuring everything too and teaching myself portion control. I take it a day at a time and for the most part, can stay under my caloric allowance but I tell you, it's not by much! My suggestion to you is...keep up with the exercise and focus on the overall positive aspect of your efforts as opposed to the numbers.
  • Zomoniac
    Zomoniac Posts: 1,169 Member
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    My weight went up 5 lbs in one day this week. The next day 3 of them had gone again. A week is not going to give an accurate trend.
  • 4flamingoz
    4flamingoz Posts: 214 Member
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    Well. I did an experiment this week. I wanted to see if I truly stuck by the numbers and did the math...would I lose weight based on the calories in/calories out methodology. I weighed and counted all of my food this week...counting out almonds...weighing apples..etc. I wanted to be as accurate as I could. I wear a bodybugg and a fitbit..I know these devices are not 100% accurate...but they give me a solid idea of what I am burning.

    MFP states: my Calories Burned from Normal Daily Activity is 2020 (14,140.00 calories for 7 day period)
    my Calorie Goal each day in 1550 (10,850.00 calories I can eat during a 7 day period for a 0.9 lb weight loss)

    My actual numbers for the week:

    14,316 calories burned per monitoring devices
    9,971 calories consumed based on logging my foods as accurately as possible





    Sorry for the post quote - see below


    The above numbers represent a 4,345 calorie deficit. Which roughly translates to a little over a pound weight loss. This week I had a two pound GAIN. Even if the numbers were a little off...they weren't that far off for a two pound gain. I did not exercise this week...I didn't want the whole gaining muscle...retaining water for muscle repair to affect this. I wanted it to be simple calories in vs. calories out. I also made sure I stayed well under my sodium goals.

    I am just venting. I now know for me at least...it is not as simple as the aforementioned methodology. I have had bloodwork done..so I don't have any thyroid problems etc. This is not just a one week thing either. I have always found it extremely difficult to lose. Even when following a doctor supervised program.

    Not discouraged though. There are too many other major things and suffering going on in the world to let a two pound weight gain get me down!
  • Cassea7
    Cassea7 Posts: 181 Member
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    I joined 42 days ago.. i was accurate in logging everything..didnt lose weight and after about 2.5 weeks I lost 1 lb and then stand still for a bit and then lose.

    Try fasting for 12 to 16 hours and then eat your 1550 in a shorter perion of time..That jump started my weight loss.I have lost a total of 6.5 lbs..Also the 20 % below TDEE is working much better for me..

    Metabolism does slow if we dont eat enough. My resting TCI per day is 1608 now if I eat under that for over 3 days , then my metabolism will slow..so I do at least one day per week where I eat 1900 ..It helps the body relax and not hold onto fat.

    Stick to it it does work! The best thing for me is I have so much more energy..food choices are important in health..no processed .(little).. eat whole and clean :flowerforyou:
  • 4flamingoz
    4flamingoz Posts: 214 Member
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    I am sooooooo with you on this!!!! I have watched and weighed and exercised to no avail. I am sick of trying-I've been exercising 6 days a week, and haven't lost a pound. My body is changing, but no loss whatsoever. Very discouraging.......
  • 8897
    8897 Posts: 4 Member
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    I'm learning the ropes as well. My calories added d/t exercise on top of my daily requirements--constantly under the calorie total, usually in range for carbs, fat and fibre, but am WAY over on protein. Finding it a little difficult to find the balance yet. Keep trying
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    I have lost steadily for 90 days but I was up 2 1/2 lbs TODAY, yes in one day, it happens. It will be gone tomorrow or the next day.

    You really need to think long term.
  • heatherk0908
    heatherk0908 Posts: 50 Member
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    Losing weight has been hard for me too, so I feel your frustration. But my weight often fluctuates as much as 3 or more pounds from one week to the next, even when I stick to my calorie goal each day. There is NO way yours was a real gain with the amount of calories you ate so likely if you continued eating the way you are now within a week or less, not only will the two pounds be gone but likely a little more.

    That I also why I personally weigh myself every morning. If I only weighed once a week and it just happened to be on the day that my weight was fluctuating up it would be really discouraging. I can usually tell by how I feel what the scale will say (based on bloat or whatever) so I don't get caught up in the numbers but I've figured out quickly that my weight fluctuates greatly day to day. If you felt good with the amount you ate this week then stick with it for a month and see what the scale says then.

    Hang in there!

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