So I'm losing way more than my plan...

I know I know, my diamond shoes are too tight, waaaaaa.

But really. I'm only set for a pound per week and a lot of times I end up with less of a deficit than that and I'm not worried about it. But over the last 4 weeks I've lost 8.5lbs.....

I use a Fitbit and a food scale so I know things are pretty accurate. The only real unknown is how many calories I actually burn in my Bar Method classes because the Fitbit can't calculate it, so I estimate 350 which I really thought was on the high side. How is this even possible? Am I going to suddenly shoot back up in weight? I drink plenty of water so it's not dehydration. I'm highly confused?

Replies

  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    How intense and how long is the bar method?
    When I run, I burn (from some pretty reliable calculations that use my eight, time, distance and hill profile) close to 1000 calories an hour (about 6 miles).
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    If you've only been at it for 4 weeks, just keep with it. Most people see a big drop in the beginning due to a lot of factors. Once your body gets used to the changes you've made, it will level out and probably be pretty close to your goal weight loss rate since you are weighing food and using a fitbit.

    If you still are losing double your goal after another 4-6 weeks, then you will need to make an adjustment to eat more, but not yet. Give it more time to stabilize.

    As far as your bar class goes, think about this - in order to lose an unexpected EXTRA 1 lb/wk solely from your bar class, you would have to be burning an extra 3500 calories a week on top of the 350/class that you already allocate for it. If you go 4 times a week, that would mean you are burning 1225 calories/class. I will just say - if you are burning that much during a class, you would know it!
  • Irkalla
    Irkalla Posts: 9 Member
    Yes your shoes are too tight! LOL.

    Because the Bar Method utilizes interval training and works the major muscle groups, I'm not surprised by your weight loss. What you're doing is working out like a ballerina; simultaneously building and toning (ever wonder how they're so strong despite being so tiny?).

    And the more muscles your body has the more calories it has to spend to maintain them.

    What you can do to find out approximately how much you burn each workout is see a specialist to get your RMR and BMR (resting metabolic rate and basal metabolic rate), AKA the amount of calories that keep you alive in a coma and the amount that will maintain your weight while going about a normal day without exercise.

    Hope this helps! Now go and celebrate!
  • shush...you might jinx yourself
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    My fitbit underestimates my calorie burns. It doesn't recognize my standing job well and I have to enter that manually. I still thinks it's low based on how I'm losing and the cals I'm eating.
  • missshyeviolett
    missshyeviolett Posts: 310 Member
    Thanks for the responses. I calculated the 350 for the classes based on the 300-500 range I'd seen online so I don't think I'm TOO far off.

    I will just keep doing what I'm doing and if it levels off, I'll still be happy! I'm mostly worried about losing muscle with this rate of loss but I'm eating like 1800 per day and lots of protein.
  • pluckabee
    pluckabee Posts: 346 Member
    2lbs a week is still in the range of healthy weight loss which means you wont be losing too much muscle.

    You'll be losing some, everyone loses some but at 2lb a week it's probably mostly fat
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    I would recommend increasing your protein by a LOT.
    Seriously, losing weight is such a rush...BUT..You do not want to lose muscle.
    It will creep up on you. Your moving right along and bam all of a sudden your muscles aren't their to support your skin.
    It happens rather quickly. Also increase your cals a bit.
  • missshyeviolett
    missshyeviolett Posts: 310 Member
    I would recommend increasing your protein by a LOT.
    Seriously, losing weight is such a rush...BUT..You do not want to lose muscle.
    It will creep up on you. Your moving right along and bam all of a sudden your muscles aren't their to support your skin.
    It happens rather quickly. Also increase your cals a bit.

    Right now I'm averaging 1800 cals per day with about 120g of protein. That's enough ya?
  • staplebug
    staplebug Posts: 189
    Whaaaat? That is awesome! Congratulations! Sounds like you're eating enough, I don't think you need to up your cals until you get closer to your goal weight.
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Did you just start? Your first few weeks in a calorie deficit, you lose your body's glycogen stores which are mostly water. Everbody loses crazy fast at the beginning for that reason, then begins the slow slog.
  • missshyeviolett
    missshyeviolett Posts: 310 Member
    Did you just start? Your first few weeks in a calorie deficit, you lose your body's glycogen stores which are mostly water. Everbody loses crazy fast at the beginning for that reason, then begins the slow slog.

    Started 4/30. That's probably it then.
  • jsquash
    jsquash Posts: 19 Member
    I kinda wish this was my problem, I seem to be stuck right where I'm at :(
  • Annamal0326
    Annamal0326 Posts: 8 Member
    I don't think 8.5 lbs over four weeks is too much. You can safely lose around 2 pounds a week, and it looks like this coincides with your first month of going at it, so you probably lost some water weight too. I say don't worry about it and keep up the awesome work!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Did you just start? Your first few weeks in a calorie deficit, you lose your body's glycogen stores which are mostly water. Everbody loses crazy fast at the beginning for that reason, then begins the slow slog.

    Started 4/30. That's probably it then.

    I tend to agree. If you keep losing faster than you want to, just customize your calorie goals up a bit. I ultimately had to do that when I was losing...I gave it a good 6 weeks and I was still losing at a rate of 1.5-2 Lbs per week and only wanted to be 0.5 - 1 Lb per week so I just upped my calories by about 250 per day and that did the trick.
  • MrsGriffin67
    MrsGriffin67 Posts: 485 Member
    Wish I had this problem...I haven't even lost 10 lbs this entire year.
  • Get a heart rate monitor and wear it to your Bar Method class. This will tell you exactly how many calories you have burned.