Had a calorie deficit but no weight loss.

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  • bradXdale
    bradXdale Posts: 399
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    If you're really concerned about it and the scale take a few weeks off from weighing. Sometimes it helps me at least to have that mental break from weighing in. It helps me focus more on my food & doing good for myself without worrying about a number. Try it then weigh again in 3 weeks and trust me you'll see a loss by then!
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    - Water retention masking any loss (could be from sodium or workout)
    - ate more than they thought (should weigh solids and measure liquids)
    - burned less than they thought they did (inaccuracies with calories burned calculators and devices)
    - Hormonal issue (thyroid issues)
    - lower than estimated BMR (could be hormonal or just have less lean muscle than the calculators estimate)

    pretty much covers the bases
    I've found for me it's usually #1 but when we eat out and I have to guestimate I'm sure I'm suffering from #2 as well.
    For #3 unless you are getting your exercise calories from a good HRM I'd suggest not eating them all back but eat back 50 % - 75% to allow for overestimating.
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
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    1/2 pound is nothing. I fluctuate 2-3 pounds per week, some weeks with nothing lost, then a week later I will drop 3-4 pounds. Your body and weight loss is not always going to coincide with what your mind wants, it has its own agenda. If you keep going and see an OVERALL downward progression then you're good. And bread most likely did not sabotage your plan. Whether the calories are from bread, or chocolate, or string beans, a calorie is just a unit of energy in terms of weight gain and loss.
  • newteachermom
    newteachermom Posts: 22 Member
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    Have you been eating the exact same things (or pretty close to it) and doing the same exercises? Sometimes your body gets so used to the same routine that it stops the loss and regulates itself.

    Just a thought!

    Try to switch up your meals, eating under your calorie budget like you have been but eat different veggies, cooking them in different ways, eating different grains (still whole though!) and trying different grains.

    Also, try doing different exercises. I've started Pilates and normally run. If I notice my body do the same thing you're talking about, I'll work on the elliptical or bike, aiming for the same calorie burn, just in a different way.

    Hope it helps! Keep up your hard work - you're doing great!!
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
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    It's still pretty low according to calculators (using your age, weight, height). I know these aren't exact amounts for you, but as another poster above pointed out...where will you go when you have to readjust goals due to weight loss? The more you lose, the fewer calsories your body needs, so in theory the fewer you are supposed to eat. Just something for you to think about.

    i planned at just eating in this range "for life" 13-1500 calories. i wasnt going to go any lower. i havent found it difficult to eat at 1300 when i plan accordingly. b/c i do think about maintenance i dont want to crash diet at all.
    but are you saying i cannot continue to lose weight on 1300? i would naturally have to lower after time? im confused...
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,707 Member
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    im not exercising.
    This will eventually play into stalled weight loss. While the basic calculators for intake go by weight, height, age, activity, there's really no way to calculate your metabolic rate while in calorie deficit with no exercise. What you should know is that calorie deficit alone will lower your metabolic rate automatically. To what extent depends on your deficit amount and what lean mass vs fat mass you have on your body.
    This is confirmed though: people who don't exercise vs someone who does have lower metabolic rates and lose more lean muscle on calorie deficits.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ruffnstuff
    ruffnstuff Posts: 400 Member
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    It's still pretty low according to calculators (using your age, weight, height). I know these aren't exact amounts for you, but as another poster above pointed out...where will you go when you have to readjust goals due to weight loss? The more you lose, the fewer calsories your body needs, so in theory the fewer you are supposed to eat. Just something for you to think about.

    i planned at just eating in this range "for life" 13-1500 calories. i wasnt going to go any lower. i havent found it difficult to eat at 1300 when i plan accordingly. b/c i do think about maintenance i dont want to crash diet at all.
    but are you saying i cannot continue to lose weight on 1300? i would naturally have to lower after time? im confused...

    I have no idea if you will be able to continue to lose at 1300 cals. What is your goal weight? I'm guessing (based on your previous post with current weight listed, and your height), that you probably have 60-75 lbs to go still. I just know that all sites, MFP and TDEE calculator sites, have you recalculate goals every 5-10 lbs lost and this usually means the calories go down a bit. But, like many have been saying, weight loss isn't as linear as we'd like to believe. It can go up, it can stagnate, it can go down again. All I know is that I'd be miserable thinking about "life" at 1300-1400 cals. :)

    ETA: to fix my stupid typo-s!
  • JessyLovesJCS
    JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
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    Lots of good suggestions!

    I'd like to ditto eating a little more based on TDEE-20%. For months I was eating 1200-1300 calories and losing nothing, sometimes even gaining. I calculated my TDEE-20% and got around 1850 calories. Turns out when I eat around 1700-1800 calories I lose! It's strange, but maybe because I feel better and have more fuel I do more? I'm not suggesting adding lots of calories, but maybe start with 100?
  • Vicxie86
    Vicxie86 Posts: 181 Member
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    I have personally had a day where i put on 2lbs the next day after consuming a lot of bread at night. Everyone's bodies are different, it's up to you to figure out what makes you retain water and then how you will deal with it but it seems to me like you're dealing with it just fine.

    For those that are panicking at your intake, i don't see where the issue lies if she can just up her intake later, she will still be eating at a deficit and LOSE the weight. I've personally done this and it hasn't hindered me. This, of course is just my opinion. I eat anywhere from 1200-2000, i just randomise how i eat.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    - ate more than they thought (should weigh solids and measure liquids)

    i do think about this. i eyeball meat (but i dont eat alot of mean anyways) and i dont weigh anything just measure cups and spoons. but I've been reading how horribly inaccurate measuring cups and spoons can be...
    however i do make sure they are level scoops not heaping scoops when i use measuring cups and spoons

    Even though you are doing this and that's a great start don't get me wrong but you are still not eating what you think you are. To be accurate you need to weigh all of your solids on your scale and measure all of your liquids. Your calories could be fluctuating by up to 500 per day.

    You also are probably losing a significant amount of lean body mass along with a lot of fat by not doing at least a little resistance training. Keeping the muscle you have will help you burn more calories throughout the day, prevent osteoporosis, and prevent a lot of other health issues women have to consider. Just my two cents.

    Why are you eating 1300? Is that because your settings are sedentary and your goal is 2 lbs loss per week? Imho that's really aggressive weight loss but I don't know what your goals are but I'm also 5'4 and when I was that weight I was eating 1800-2200 after failing miserably trying 1200 and I still lost but I'm also much more active. Just some things to think about.
  • Arranna1212
    Arranna1212 Posts: 143 Member
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    I had the same thing happen to me. I ate over a little for a couple days (still below 1.9k) and for some reason I ended up staying the same exact weight for a week, then gaining 2.5 lbs and staying there the next week... Was totally confused because I was still weighing and logging EVERYTHING and eating below my TDEE but gained some. My friend linked me this http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html . It happened this morning. Lost the weight and 1.5 inches off of my waist. A good indicator to know this is gunna happen is if your fatty areas become squishy for a couple days. I'm not a genius on this.. Just speaking from my experience.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    On a single day's weigh-in it's probably just a fluctuation.
    If it's over an extended time, then the reality is they are not on a deficit.
    Keeping the weight steady will mean calories in (about) equals calories out. That means you are not on a deficit.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
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    thanks ruff and Jessy for your feedback.

    i dont have a goal weight in mind yet. im just trying to work on 10-20% of weight at a time so i dont get overwhelmed with all i have to lose. but i imagine yes its somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-70 lbs.

    i would have never imagined being ok with 1300/day. my last attempt at weightloss (before baby #3) i was around 1500-1800/day and was losing steadily and seemed like a comfortable range. i actually cant remember why i started at 1300/day but found that it really was no big deal so i stayed there. but maybe i will bump it up and see what happens. its all trial and error and i guess there is no perfect science! ha!
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    - ate more than they thought (should weigh solids and measure liquids)

    i do think about this. i eyeball meat (but i dont eat alot of mean anyways) and i dont weigh anything just measure cups and spoons. but I've been reading how horribly inaccurate measuring cups and spoons can be...
    however i do make sure they are level scoops not heaping scoops when i use measuring cups and spoons

    Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    Note that the measuring cup, when accurate by weight, is not level but under by a quarter inch or so.
  • Egon9123
    Egon9123 Posts: 44 Member
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    Maybe you should try some light to moderate exercise at least once or twice a week.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
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    Maybe you should try some light to moderate exercise at least once or twice a week.
    i plan on it. getting started is the hardest part. ive been waiting for the weather to cooperate b/c i hate the gym. but i love to get outside. but since we've been like 25 degrees or colder most days its been hard. but i do need to figure out what to do with winters as that season isnt going anywhere anytime soon where i live! =)
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    Maybe you should try some light to moderate exercise at least once or twice a week.
    i plan on it. getting started is the hardest part. ive been waiting for the weather to cooperate b/c i hate the gym. but i love to get outside. but since we've been like 25 degrees or colder most days its been hard. but i do need to figure out what to do with winters as that season isnt going anywhere anytime soon where i live! =)

    You just need to do it, I'm no cold weather fan (and it's been frequently in the 0-2 Fahrenheit range much of the winter here - I still walk for 45 minutes a day
    not always pleasant (but dressed for it I actually have enjoyed most days - and am sure a portion of my loss is directly attributable to that)

    Good luck with the goals

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