Frustrated and Upset!! Please Help!
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blairlondon87
Posts: 3
Yet another melodramatic cry for help, but I really don't know what else to do or who to turn to.
I lost around 25kg after I turned 18 gradually over a few years, and have not really lost any weight since I hit 63kg around two years ago - massive, massive plateau, despite exercising, not exercising, eating, eating less, I can't shake that 63. Through increasing strength training, I know my body shape is different from my shape 2 years ago, but I'm still bigger than I should be for my height and frame, and it does not make sense that I can't budge the weight.
As for exercise, my usual routine is:
Monday - Bodypump or strength for 1 hour and then cardio for approx 40 mins = approx. 700-800 calorie burn
Tuesday - cardio, usually 1 hour 20 mins, approx 600-700 burn
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - Same as Monday, 700-800 burn
Friday - same as Tuesday, 600-700 burn
Saturday - alternates between 2 hours strength/cardio to hit 1000, or spending all day walking around the city (approx 30k steps)
I've recently purchased a Fitbit (I also own a heart rate monitor, which I wear during exercise). I input my exercise as per the HRM into MFP and sync with the FB, which tells me that I burn 2800 - 3000 calories per day on average (I know the inherent problems with this device). Whilst my work involves sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day, I usually walk 30 mins to and from work each day, and spend my hour lunch break walking around my part of town looking in stores etc. On weekends I'm usually out from 8am - 6pm, and spend all day walking or on my feet.
I ran the numbers with every website out there - IIFYM, Scooby, Fit2Fat, and Haybale's spreadsheet. Prior to eating as per what will be outlined below, I have done some VLCD and the like, definitely done the 1200 calories-per-day, but never for an extended period of time. I know I've undereaten in the past but I've also binged at night, and it has never produced the same gain as I've had recently. Prior to increasing my cals, I guess I was at a loose 1500 per day.
Here are the stats:
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Weight: 63kg (or was, anyway!), or 139 lb
Height: 163cm or 6"4
BMR: 1431
TDEE: Moderately Active = 2218
Strenuous = 2468
Scooby 7-21 hours = 2718
I've been eating at a cut around 2000 calories for 3-4 weeks now, and each time my burns exceed the 2000, I eat to make sure I net my BMR.
Problem is, I've gained around 5-6kg, my clothes are tight or not fitting, and I'm not exaggerating words when I say that at my absolute wits end. I know the 'it's water weight or glycogen stores, wait it out' argument, but my clothes don't seem to lie and it's only increasing the feeling of being upset and alienated, despite the work I put in.
Please, please, please help me.
I lost around 25kg after I turned 18 gradually over a few years, and have not really lost any weight since I hit 63kg around two years ago - massive, massive plateau, despite exercising, not exercising, eating, eating less, I can't shake that 63. Through increasing strength training, I know my body shape is different from my shape 2 years ago, but I'm still bigger than I should be for my height and frame, and it does not make sense that I can't budge the weight.
As for exercise, my usual routine is:
Monday - Bodypump or strength for 1 hour and then cardio for approx 40 mins = approx. 700-800 calorie burn
Tuesday - cardio, usually 1 hour 20 mins, approx 600-700 burn
Wednesday - rest
Thursday - Same as Monday, 700-800 burn
Friday - same as Tuesday, 600-700 burn
Saturday - alternates between 2 hours strength/cardio to hit 1000, or spending all day walking around the city (approx 30k steps)
I've recently purchased a Fitbit (I also own a heart rate monitor, which I wear during exercise). I input my exercise as per the HRM into MFP and sync with the FB, which tells me that I burn 2800 - 3000 calories per day on average (I know the inherent problems with this device). Whilst my work involves sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day, I usually walk 30 mins to and from work each day, and spend my hour lunch break walking around my part of town looking in stores etc. On weekends I'm usually out from 8am - 6pm, and spend all day walking or on my feet.
I ran the numbers with every website out there - IIFYM, Scooby, Fit2Fat, and Haybale's spreadsheet. Prior to eating as per what will be outlined below, I have done some VLCD and the like, definitely done the 1200 calories-per-day, but never for an extended period of time. I know I've undereaten in the past but I've also binged at night, and it has never produced the same gain as I've had recently. Prior to increasing my cals, I guess I was at a loose 1500 per day.
Here are the stats:
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Weight: 63kg (or was, anyway!), or 139 lb
Height: 163cm or 6"4
BMR: 1431
TDEE: Moderately Active = 2218
Strenuous = 2468
Scooby 7-21 hours = 2718
I've been eating at a cut around 2000 calories for 3-4 weeks now, and each time my burns exceed the 2000, I eat to make sure I net my BMR.
Problem is, I've gained around 5-6kg, my clothes are tight or not fitting, and I'm not exaggerating words when I say that at my absolute wits end. I know the 'it's water weight or glycogen stores, wait it out' argument, but my clothes don't seem to lie and it's only increasing the feeling of being upset and alienated, despite the work I put in.
Please, please, please help me.
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Replies
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I would copy and paste this post into one of the general forums so alot more people can see it and respond. Good luck
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As a means to bump this.
You are getting inflated calorie burn from the HRM for the non-aerobic steady-state stuff - which is the only valid exercise for calorie burn estimated based on HR.
Lifting is neither steady-state HR the same for 2-5 min, nor is it aerobic (if doing it right).
So if eating back exercise calories - inflated.
FitBit would on the other hand be under-estimated.
Do you weigh all foods you eat, and only measure liquids?
In my spreadsheet, how far apart were the BF% calc's?
Were you honest in the activity calc with all that walking, especially if daily activity during your 40 hr workweek is more than sedentary desk job?
When and how long was your last diet break?
Did you ever get off your VLCD by eating up around maintenance to destress your system?
You may have up to a 20% reduction in TDEE unrelated to your LBM, just suppressed metabolism. And since that could take upwards of a year to fix, you might have to continue loss with that suppression. Realizing it'll be harder at maintenance.
With Activity Calc fully filled in with everything, what is your BMR multiplier shown?
What deficit amount was the TDEG at?0 -
Thanks for your response, Sandytoes71
Haybales, thank you for responding - I'll try to answer everything best I can:Do you weigh all foods you eat, and only measure liquids?
Absolutely. I've weighed & measured all foods since hitting the plateau 2 years ago and finding MFP.In my spreadsheet, how far apart were the BF% calc's?
Were you honest in the activity calc with all that walking, especially if daily activity during your 40 hr workweek is more than sedentary desk job?
BF% calcs were 28.23 (US) and 20.71 (Bailey), average of 30.22When and how long was your last diet break?
In August, for approx. 2 weeks.Did you ever get off your VLCD by eating up around maintenance to destress your system?
Not specifically but after a few days on a VLCD I'd get bored of staying the same weight and give up. My weight has never yo-yo'ed, it has always remained 63 despite being on a VLCD or eating more calories after finishing one. I guess afterwards I would have been eating at around maintenance.With Activity Calc fully filled in with everything, what is your BMR multiplier shown?
What deficit amount was the TDEG at?
BMR multiplier was 1.73 on Simple, 1.44 on MFP tweak. Deficit amount was 20.3%.
Weighed myself this morning and I've gone up another kg. I'm now at 69, after being at 63 around 3 weeks ago.
I've no doubt I have a sluggish or suppressed metabolism; would you suggest further decreasing my 20% cut a further 20% (or whatever percentage amount) to account for the suppression?0 -
Bump 0
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What happens to the TDEE and TDEG when you mess with the bodyfat % cell on Simple Setup?
Because 28 and 20 can't have an average of 30, there may be some skinfold examples still in there you need to delete.
Now, one end of that range is usually more accurate. After some losses one side will move more than the other, the small moving side is more accurate. Of course, the average will adjust that direction anyway.
But you may already have an idea if really 20% BF, or closer to 28%.
Go ahead and use the 28% side of the range in the BF cell you enter in.
Did it change the TDEG much?
So recent diet break, but for every 6-8 weeks, time for another.
Especially with the potential stress of your very full workout routine.
I'd say 2 weeks. Takes 1 week for the hormone changes to kick in, another week to get the effect of them.
And yes, you should have about a 2 lb water weight gain, glucose stores with water. That's LBM, that's increased metabolism.
You really don't want to assume your metabolism has lowered until you give it a chance to speed back up.
Because the other thing that can be suppressed is your TDEE, not because your metabolism is suppressed, but your body in order to save enough calories for the BMR level functions causes you to be less active than you might normally be. Little things, like bouncing legs, getting up less often, not warming up when cold.
If you go for the reduction in metabolism and it's not really there, but you are suppressed otherwise - you will cause it. Because you'll be knocking off some % to your TDEE, and then an actual deficit, and while you may lose at first, you just risk burning off more muscle mass and really ruining the metabolism.
Then what direction do you move.
And the 20% is up to, in studies, worst case scenario, which you don't have. Unless somehow you were doing 500 calorie diet with exercise.0 -
Why would you want to lose more? 63kg at 6'4 is very slim. I'm 62/63kg and 5'7 . I'm looking at body composition now not the scales.0
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