What is going on (physiologically)
LTKeegan
Posts: 354 Member
To start I'll say that I absolutely want thoughts as to what is going on physiologically, but I also would like help! I've tried to answer all of your questions in the sticky! Thanks in advance!
The problem:
I've been at this since January and lost 13lbs (yay!) but for the last 6 weeks I have lost 0lbs and 2" from my waist and 2" from my hips. What is going on? Why can't I lose weight?
The background:
I'm a rock climber trying to drop weight for the upcoming rock climbing season, so weight + preserving muscle mass does matter (though I do enjoy losing inches in that I look better). I rock climb 2-3x per week in the gym and often outdoors on the weekends. I started running to help train for a long approach this summer (14 miles round trip, plus climbing, plus carrying camping gear + climbing gear) and I run about 1x per week. I do crossfit though had to take a break because my quads were hurting (from a long approach over the winter) and just started back at that 1x per week. I often double up workouts and have a solid rest day.
Also, I am vegetarian which makes getting protein a chore, though I make it happen.
The stats:
Female
26
5'6"
133.0 (as of this morning, though my normal range is from 133.0-135.4)
My average intake of calories is 1831.56 (averaged from day 75 to day 114, I'm now on day 122)
My average macros are: 205g carbs/ 68g fat / 97g protein (again day 75 to day 114)
I track everything daily with a scale/measuring cups as appropriate (dry gets weighted, wet gets measured)
I don't take cheat days/days off, I log everything, as best as I can.
I lost 13lbs between Jan 13 and March 29 and 0lbs between March 29 and now.
As described above, rock climbing (about 60 min actually on the wall, not including breaks/belaying) 2-3x per week + weekends (now that its nice weather out), running 1x per week (about 3-5k), and crossfit 1x per week (as of this week).
I'll also add my average calorie burn (per day) is 678.96 (again averaged from day 75 to 114) I know it seems high but when outdoor climbing I'll be climbing for 8 hours which from wearing a HRM I estimated to be about 200cal/hour.
As I said, I've been stalled for about 6 weeks and have lost inches, but no lbs.
The problem:
I've been at this since January and lost 13lbs (yay!) but for the last 6 weeks I have lost 0lbs and 2" from my waist and 2" from my hips. What is going on? Why can't I lose weight?
The background:
I'm a rock climber trying to drop weight for the upcoming rock climbing season, so weight + preserving muscle mass does matter (though I do enjoy losing inches in that I look better). I rock climb 2-3x per week in the gym and often outdoors on the weekends. I started running to help train for a long approach this summer (14 miles round trip, plus climbing, plus carrying camping gear + climbing gear) and I run about 1x per week. I do crossfit though had to take a break because my quads were hurting (from a long approach over the winter) and just started back at that 1x per week. I often double up workouts and have a solid rest day.
Also, I am vegetarian which makes getting protein a chore, though I make it happen.
The stats:
Female
26
5'6"
133.0 (as of this morning, though my normal range is from 133.0-135.4)
My average intake of calories is 1831.56 (averaged from day 75 to day 114, I'm now on day 122)
My average macros are: 205g carbs/ 68g fat / 97g protein (again day 75 to day 114)
I track everything daily with a scale/measuring cups as appropriate (dry gets weighted, wet gets measured)
I don't take cheat days/days off, I log everything, as best as I can.
I lost 13lbs between Jan 13 and March 29 and 0lbs between March 29 and now.
As described above, rock climbing (about 60 min actually on the wall, not including breaks/belaying) 2-3x per week + weekends (now that its nice weather out), running 1x per week (about 3-5k), and crossfit 1x per week (as of this week).
I'll also add my average calorie burn (per day) is 678.96 (again averaged from day 75 to 114) I know it seems high but when outdoor climbing I'll be climbing for 8 hours which from wearing a HRM I estimated to be about 200cal/hour.
As I said, I've been stalled for about 6 weeks and have lost inches, but no lbs.
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Replies
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I'll suggest if your body feels comfortable making improvements that cause weight gain while it's also dropping fat (keeping your weight the same) - you are eating at maintenance right now. TDEE on average.
If you want to keep losing, gotta drop calories from that average figure.
Then again, what you ate on average the last 6 weeks and maintained wasn't for the same workout you are currently doing now, right - you've increased activity?
That may take care of it itself then if that's the case, if you keep eating for a less active schedule but have really increased activity - deficit in place now.
Can you wait 4 weeks from when you started new routine?0 -
I haven't really increased activity, I've been running the whole 6 weeks and climbing the whole 6 weeks, climbing outdoors on the weekends as well. And I started back at crossfit just this past monday, so I doubt that has any bearing on what actually is going on. Sorry if that was confusing how I previously wrote it.
I would be really surprised if my TDEE including 600 exercise calories per day is 1800 (I wear a HRM). That would mean that if I were sedentary, my TDEE is 1200... Which isn't realistic (I hope?!)
Plus, if I was eating at TDEE, how would I be losing inches.0 -
Edit: I messed up my average in my excel sheet.
My average # calories eaten per day is 1724, my average NET is 1242 and my average exercise burn is 667.8
Sorry!0 -
You've lost 4 inches in 6 weeks but that's not good enough?0
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You might not be accurately logging your calories burnt. As you get better at rock climbing, you probably burn less.
I assume you've updated your new/lower weight so the site can track the calories burnt at your lower weight0 -
You've lost 4 inches in 6 weeks but that's not good enough?
Its not a matter of good enough or not good enough. I just want to know what the hell is going on inside my body. Apparently I can't be gaining muscle since I've been climbing 6 years, crossfitting 2 years, and not overweight.
My biggest question is: why am I losing inches but not weight?
The best explanation I can come up with is there are magical unicorns replacing my fat with lead weighs of equal weight but smaller volume... I just want to know what is going on!!0 -
You might not be accurately logging your calories burnt. As you get better at rock climbing, you probably burn less.
I assume you've updated your new/lower weight so the site can track the calories burnt at your lower weight
Possibly. I try to eat back 50% exercise calories and I wear a HRM. I'm sure I've become more efficient, but I'm also climbing harder things and about 3 months ago switched to climbing with a 15lb weight vest. I also spend about 3 hours at the climbing gym and give a conservative estimate to actual time spent on the wall so as to hopefully not overestimate my climbing calories. Though this might be it.
I have updated my weight so it can track calories burned and I've confirmed with a HRM.0 -
I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at0
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I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at
I've been putting this off. There is a bod pod on campus for $30. Its just only open from 6am to 8am so I've been avoiding it... I will do that today.0 -
I haven't really increased activity, I've been running the whole 6 weeks and climbing the whole 6 weeks, climbing outdoors on the weekends as well. And I started back at crossfit just this past monday, so I doubt that has any bearing on what actually is going on. Sorry if that was confusing how I previously wrote it.
I would be really surprised if my TDEE including 600 exercise calories per day is 1800 (I wear a HRM). That would mean that if I were sedentary, my TDEE is 1200... Which isn't realistic (I hope?!)
Plus, if I was eating at TDEE, how would I be losing inches.
Your body makes the best improvements from exercise eating in surplus. That would cause weight gain.
Your body can still make improvements from exercise eating at maintenance. That would cause no weight change.
That's where you are at, improvements that if you were eating above maintenance would cause weight gain.
But you aren't, so you are burning fat while making those improvements. Could be some muscle, increased blood volume as it's warmer out, if new workout coming out of winter perhaps more glucose stores, ect.
You can lose inches and fat eating at maintenance. Even increase your RMR. Slowly on all those.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/778012-potential-muscle-gain-lifting-and-metabolism-improvement
And see, you have increased activity now. If you keep eating the same amount, while increasing activity, that means a deficit now.
HRM is going to be inflated for Crossfit, some aspects more than others.
Rock climbing, I don't think that's steady-state aerobic as it's a lot of isometric contractions between bodyweight lifting. So likely inflated too.
I don't think you are burning what you might think.0 -
I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at
I've been putting this off. There is a bod pod on campus for $30. Its just only open from 6am to 8am so I've been avoiding it... I will do that today.
I hope it's early morning for you and you haven't eaten yet. Gotta have good prep for it.0 -
I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at
I've been putting this off. There is a bod pod on campus for $30. Its just only open from 6am to 8am so I've been avoiding it... I will do that today.
I hope it's early morning for you and you haven't eaten yet. Gotta have good prep for it.
No, its evening, I just bought the scan and booked it for 9am tomorrow.0 -
I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at
I've been putting this off. There is a bod pod on campus for $30. Its just only open from 6am to 8am so I've been avoiding it... I will do that today.
$30 is pretty cheap. I would have done it at the beginning of all this and again now.0 -
I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at
I've been putting this off. There is a bod pod on campus for $30. Its just only open from 6am to 8am so I've been avoiding it... I will do that today.
$30 is pretty cheap. I would have done it at the beginning of all this and again now.
Its $30 for students and you underestimate how poor students are.0 -
So I just tested 29.7% body fat, which seems high and they say my RMR is 1176 and my TDEE is 2046. Does this sound reasonable? I can attach pictures if you'd like.0
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So I just tested 29.7% body fat, which seems high and they say my RMR is 1176 and my TDEE is 2046. Does this sound reasonable? I can attach pictures if you'd like.
Why does it seem high?
Just so others are aware too.
They measured BF. They estimated the other figures just like you can do on any other site calculator or like MFP does.
From that they used a formula that uses LBM to calculate RMR, mine says they use Nelson RMR formula.
They could have use Katch BMR formula.
So BMR based on BF and LBM, not based on gender, age, weight, height.
With that figure, they then used the Harris 1919 study on TDEE levels, 5 rough levels you or they guessed from.
But at least you have a beginning figure that gives a better indication of where you could be. Because in studies I've seen where they started out with BF% and actual RMR testing, their RMR is always within 5% of expected based on BF%. But those are people that haven't been in a diet nor lost weight for usually 6-9 months to even get in the study.
So if the math of what you are eating and losing (or not) appears to say that some figure is way off base, and you are sure of the food logging being as accurate as possible, it could be very likely your RMR or TDEE in general is not within 5% of expected based on LBM.
And studies have shown people in excessive deficits can suppress their TDEE upwards of 20-25%. Once you get past that you can keep losing again by just eating less and less.
But then at that calorie level, exercise will have much less effectiveness, and can you adhere to a lower eating level until goal weight, and at maintenance? Many would rather not.0 -
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I go by BF% and inches rather than weight. Weight wise I have only lost 17lbs (was a tight size 14-16) and now I am a roomy size 10-8. I have lost a lot of inches and my BF% has decreased by 17%!! I *wanted* to weigh 140lbs but found out my LBM is 138 lbs!! So ummm...that's not gonna happen. It's important to know your LBM VS true fat and go off of that rather than weight.0
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I'm not a rock climber, but I do aerial silks several times a week, so it's using similar muscles (constant climbing and all). My stats are somewhat similar: 5'5", 130 lb, 18.9% Body Fat (measured by BodPod). My tested RMR was 1580, and my TDEE is 2150 (BodyMedia routinely put me at 2200, which is true from my experience).
Based on your exercise, I would expect your TDEE to be a little higher. However, I don't think a heart rate monitor is good for rock climbing since it's not technically aerobic. My aerial sessions tend to run about 240 calories/hour. And based on my experience, that's pretty accurate. I wouldn't expect rock climbing to burn much more than that.
ETA: Oh, and I aim for 1700-1800 cals/day M-Th. Fridays and Sat tend to be closer to 2500-3000. Sunday varies. It averages to about 2100 calories/day. Right around my expected TDEE.
I've been maintaining this weight for nearly a year. With a daily intake of 1800 I would expect you to be losing, so something must be off. I do exercise every day. Rarely cardio though. I work in an office, but am fidgety, so make what you will of that.0 -
The problem:
I've been at this since January and lost 13lbs (yay!) but for the last 6 weeks I have lost 0lbs and 2" from my waist and 2" from my hips. What is going on? Why can't I lose weight?
You are eating at or very near caloric maintenance and there's probably a small recomp effect going on.
If your goal is to lose weight I would make an adjustment to intake or activity. If you're looking for help in this area, let us know.0 -
I think you'll need to get a bodyfat test. A good one to see where you are at
I've been putting this off. There is a bod pod on campus for $30. Its just only open from 6am to 8am so I've been avoiding it... I will do that today.
That's a damned good price. The nearest one to me is about $75.0
