Getting lots of steps in + ruining my metabolism???
nickelpickle
Posts: 55
I got a Fitbit a few months ago, and right when I got it, my husband also made me a treadmill desk. Since then, I've been trying to max out my steps every day, and thus walking on my treadmill for 2+ hours and burning (what my treadmill says) around 1,000 calories.
BUT, I'm not losing weight. At all. Like not a bit. My diet has stayed the same.
Recently, I've dropped my calories a bit (around 1,800 to 1,400ish) and I'm still not losing weight.
After searching around a bit, I read about how large amounts of low intensity cardio can ruin your metabolism, and I'm terrified that I've done this to myself.
I also have a history of gaining and losing the same 10-15lbs every year (I've done it about 5 times now - I know, awful).
Does anybody actually know anything solid about this who can give me some insight as to what might be happening with me?
BUT, I'm not losing weight. At all. Like not a bit. My diet has stayed the same.
Recently, I've dropped my calories a bit (around 1,800 to 1,400ish) and I'm still not losing weight.
After searching around a bit, I read about how large amounts of low intensity cardio can ruin your metabolism, and I'm terrified that I've done this to myself.
I also have a history of gaining and losing the same 10-15lbs every year (I've done it about 5 times now - I know, awful).
Does anybody actually know anything solid about this who can give me some insight as to what might be happening with me?
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Replies
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You didn't ruin your metabolism. How many miles do you walk in the time you're on it? 1000 calories implies >10 miles, which would take longer than you mentioned, assuming you're walking slowly and not running.0
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Since your diary is private, we can't provide much help. Do you weigh all solid food on a digital scale?
Weighloss = calorie deficit.0 -
Do you log all your food? Do you weigh your food? Are you eating back those questionable 1000 calories that you burn?0
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The treadmill calorie readout is bogus. They almost always are. (Mine does not even have the option to change weight, gender, etc.) Even the machines that allow you to edit your profile give high #s. If you're eating back 1000 exercise calories but only burning an extra 200-300 (over what you'd have burned if you were sitting for those hours) then the problem is: no deficit.0
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I do log all of my food, normally... since cutting my calories to attempt to lose the weight, I just began tracking in MFP again.
No, I am not eating back 1,000 calories that I'm burning - should I be? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose completely?0 -
How long ago did you start logging your calories in? And do you use a food scale? If not how do you determine how much food you're eating?0
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I basically start off running and run anywhere from a few minutes to 30min, and then I walk very slowly (so that I can work on my laptop) until the treadmill says 1,000 calories.
OH I should have said this - I know that the calorie readout on the treadmill is not accurate, it's just a way I am choosing to be able to say - okay I've walked enough. I'm not eating back my calories, and I'm not actually thinking I burned 1,000 calories, it's just a way to measure the length of time I've been on there.
Thank you all for your help!0 -
I started logging in MFP again last week, but I've been consciously adding up the calories to limit myself for a few weeks with no weight loss.
I log in MFP using the iPhone app and barcode scanner.0 -
I see what you mean, about using the 1000 readout as a gage.
What about the digital scale, or how else do you determine your portion sizes?
I asked how long you've been at it, as it can take more than 1-2 weeks to see results on the scale.
And last, how much are you looking to lose - and have you researched to learn your BMR or TDEE?0 -
You didn't ruin your metabolism. How many miles do you walk in the time you're on it? 1000 calories implies >10 miles, which would take longer than you mentioned, assuming you're walking slowly and not running.
My HRM said 974 calories with an hour of walking yesterday. I did about 2 1/2-3 miles. I am very overweight and out of shape.0 -
So am I correct to assume that you are not using a scale? That you are estimating portions and therefore calories? The end result? You're eating more than you think, not eating at a deficit, and therefore not losing weight.
Its great that you've increased activity. But weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out. If you are estimating calories in any way, then you don't know how many you're consuming. If you only have a small amount of weight to lose - this is a hard way to be successful. If you had more, you would have some wiggle room. But if you're going for a 250-500 calorie deficit, being off in your estimation by 50-100 calories multiple times each day: no deficit.I started logging in MFP again last week, but I've been consciously adding up the calories to limit myself for a few weeks with no weight loss.
I log in MFP using the iPhone app and barcode scanner.0 -
You are more than likely underestimating your calories in your food intake and possible overstating the calories you burn on the tedmil. Unless you're tracking your heart rate, inputting your weight and age into the tredmil I'd treat the calories burned as a pure estimate.
You will lose weight if you eat at a calorie deficit. Also, weight loss is not linear and can bounce around. Try tracking your weight over a 4-6 week period rather than weekly or daily. If you notice a consistent upward trend, you're eating too much, time to lower your calorie goal / re-visit your calorie estimates for food and exercise.0 -
You're not losing g weight because you are not eating at a calorie deficit. If you are staying the same weight, you are eating at maintenance. Please open your diary if you want specific feedback.
By the way, your treadmill number is way overestimated. Are you allowing fitbit to adjust your calories based on burns? I think with a fitbit you don't eat calories back per se but eat what fitbit gives you.0 -
Also you still need to weigh even if items have a per each listng. Such as the bread in my sandwich for lunch today: 2 slices were supposed to be 41 grams. But when I weighed it, 2 slices were actually 48 grams. That happens often and this time, 17% higher in calories. Not a big deal as 2 slices went from 70 to 82, but on other foods it a more significant difference. Like logging all bananas at 90 calories when some larger ones can be 120 or more. (Example as I can't see your diary.)
Also remember that oils for cooking, condiments, etc. have calories. They add up.0 -
Well...
I find it hard to swallow that even though I'm spending 2+ hours on my treadmill - running and walking, which you'd think would be at least 500cals - that having a couple of discrepancies about a cucumber being 8" or 9" long shouldn't really affect me much - right?!
I mean, I should still be losing something shouldn't I?!
I feel like I'm nuts with this!0 -
Also you still need to weigh even if items have a per each listng. Such as the bread in my sandwich for lunch today: 2 slices were supposed to be 41 grams. But when I weighed it, 2 slices were actually 48 grams. That happens often and this time, 17% higher in calories. Not a big deal as 2 slices went from 70 to 82, but on other foods it a more significant difference. Like logging all bananas at 90 calories when some larger ones can be 120 or more. (Example as I can't see your diary.)
Also remember that oils for cooking, condiments, etc. have calories. They add up.
Also, not all medium bananas and Apple's and broccoli weigh the same.0 -
Yes you should be losing - if you're eating at a deficit. But since you have not bothered to answer the question about how you determine your portion sizes or how many calories you're eating, it seems you have pretty clear evidence of WHY you're not losing. You're bound to have increased your burn with the extra activity but you could have easily offset that by eating more without meaning to.
What you're doing isn't working. A) Blame the Universe, concludeyou're a scientific oddity or try something different such as use a scale to accurately weigh & log your food.
Good luck.0 -
Also you still need to weigh even if items have a per each listng. Such as the bread in my sandwich for lunch today: 2 slices were supposed to be 41 grams. But when I weighed it, 2 slices were actually 48 grams. That happens often and this time, 17% higher in calories. Not a big deal as 2 slices went from 70 to 82, but on other foods it a more significant difference. Like logging all bananas at 90 calories when some larger ones can be 120 or more. (Example as I can't see your diary.)
Also remember that oils for cooking, condiments, etc. have calories. They add up.
Also, not all medium bananas and Apple's and broccoli weigh the same.
Yes, read this, plus watch the YouTube video linked within about weighing food:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think0 -
Yes you should be losing - if you're eating at a deficit. But since you have not bothered to answer the question about how you determine your portion sizes or how many calories you're eating, it seems you have pretty clear evidence of WHY you're not losing. You're bound to have increased your burn with the extra activity but you could have easily offset that by eating more without meaning to.
What you're doing isn't working. A) Blame the Universe, concludeyou're a scientific oddity or try something different such as use a scale to accurately weigh & log your food.
Good luck.
^Yes0 -
Well...
I find it hard to swallow that even though I'm spending 2+ hours on my treadmill - running and walking, which you'd think would be at least 500cals - that having a couple of discrepancies about a cucumber being 8" or 9" long shouldn't really affect me much - right?!
I mean, I should still be losing something shouldn't I?!
I feel like I'm nuts with this!
It's more than the cucumber then.
I gained 30 pounds over a five year period running and weight lifting, and I took off 42 pounds over this last year running and weight lifting.
You can exercise yo the hilt but you won't lose weight unless you eat less than you burn.0 -
Open your diary. Inches of cucumbers don't really matter. How much did it weigh? How much of a potato did you eat? How much bread did you eat? Do you also measure your liquids? You are eating more than you are expending. Period.0
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Yes you should be losing - if you're eating at a deficit. But since you have not bothered to answer the question about how you determine your portion sizes or how many calories you're eating, it seems you have pretty clear evidence of WHY you're not losing. You're bound to have increased your burn with the extra activity but you could have easily offset that by eating more without meaning to.
What you're doing isn't working. A) Blame the Universe, concludeyou're a scientific oddity or try something different such as use a scale to accurately weigh & log your food.
Good luck.
It's not that I "have not bothered" to answer the question about how I determine portion sizes - I said that I use the barcode scanner. I eyeball and do not weigh everything but I do measure rice, cereal, etc. in cups.
Sorry for the delay, I was trying to open my diary to public as so many people have asked. (although, like I said, I just started tracking again last week so I'm not sure what will be helpful in there)
My diary is open (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/nickelpickle) - but like I said, I just started tracking last week.0 -
Yes you should be losing - if you're eating at a deficit. But since you have not bothered to answer the question about how you determine your portion sizes or how many calories you're eating, it seems you have pretty clear evidence of WHY you're not losing. You're bound to have increased your burn with the extra activity but you could have easily offset that by eating more without meaning to.
What you're doing isn't working. A) Blame the Universe, concludeyou're a scientific oddity or try something different such as use a scale to accurately weigh & log your food.
Good luck.
It's not that I "have not bothered" to answer the question about how I determine portion sizes - I said that I use the barcode scanner. I eyeball and do not weigh everything but I do measure rice, cereal, etc. in cups.
Sorry for the delay, I was trying to open my diary to public as so many people have asked. (although, like I said, I just started tracking again last week so I'm not sure what will be helpful in there)
My diary is open (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/nickelpickle) - but like I said, I just started tracking last week.
Using the barcode scanner is fine, but using measuring cups for solids can lead to serious underestimation of how much you're eating (yes, even though the label says "1 cup," go by the weight listed rather than the volume). Liquids should be measured by volume. That's the best you can do.
Not trying to jam this down your throat, but it really is worth the read (plus a watch of the YouTube video linked within): http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think0 -
If you are using a fitbit, I don't understand why you are following the calorie burn readout from your treadmill.
Sync your fitbit to MFP eat back 50-75% of your calories and you're golden. My guess is that you aren't burning as much as you think, and are eating more than you suspect. I don't burn 1000 calories if I run for an hour, walking on a treadmill at a desk is not burning 1000 calories in 2 hours.0 -
Another thought: you've got 20 lbs left to lose, which is self-created - for all we know you may already be at a healthy weight. Even though that sounds like a lot to lose, it's not in the grand scheme, so you should aim for a 0.5-1 lb loss/week. If you're already at a healthy weight but want to look tight and "toned," try heavy lifting. You won't get bulky, I promise! You might even gain weight but will look awesome:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/0 -
I just looked at your diary. Since you are allowing fibit to adjust your calories, you have to be underestimating calories in by not weighing food and also making general estimates on restaurant food. Also make sure you are choosing correct entries.0
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The treadmill calorie readout is bogus. They almost always are. (Mine does not even have the option to change weight, gender, etc.) Even the machines that allow you to edit your profile give high #s. If you're eating back 1000 exercise calories but only burning an extra 200-300 (over what you'd have burned if you were sitting for those hours) then the problem is: no deficit.
This!^
Steps (slow or moderate paced ones ) = an increase in activity level. Count your steps....a pedometer helps. Find your new activity level....it's more likely 200-300 calories above sedentary
If you are walking briskly, swinging your arms, and a are slightly winded....then it's a cardio workout.0 -
You should at least weigh the calorie-dense foods, like avocado and guacamole. Are you using the recipe builder tool for homemade food? If not, that's another source of inaccuracy. Finally, make sure you're choosing the most accurate entries possible. I'm not nit-picking, just using this as an example, but there's no way a restaurant burrito has 0g of sodium. When you see obvious inaccuracies like that, I wouldn't trust the entry as a whole.0
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Thank you all so, so much for all of your help. I love MFP for so many reasons - and the incredibly helpful community of people is one of them!!!0
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You didn't ruin your metabolism. How many miles do you walk in the time you're on it? 1000 calories implies >10 miles, which would take longer than you mentioned, assuming you're walking slowly and not running.
My HRM said 974 calories with an hour of walking yesterday. I did about 2 1/2-3 miles. I am very overweight and out of shape.
Even at 3.5mph and 240 lbs., average burn would be 469 for an hour. See very last cell in chart in link below. Unless you're much, much heavier than 240, I'd be skeptical of that HRM value.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/in-depth/exercise/art-200509990
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