Why am I not losing weight?
greenbeanmama
Posts: 12 Member
So, I seem to have hit a plateau, and I'm not sure why. I haven't really lost anything in about two weeks - I know that isn't all that long, but usually when I eat at a deficit, the weight comes off really quickly (more like 3 or 4 pounds a week if I am eating to lose one pound a week). So this is odd for me.
-- I have my goal set to lose 2 pounds a week, and have my Fitbit linked to myfitnesspal - I usually eat calories according to what Fitbit says, as it's slightly less generous (a hundred or so different, daily). I start at 1200 allowed calories, but I'm comfortable eating about 1600 or 1700 a day. I usually have a couple hundred left that I don't eat, because I'm not usually hungry for them and I like a margin of error.
--I weigh just about everything, or use portion scoops. On things that I don't, like a carrot (is this a "medium" carrot or a "large" carrot?), the calorie difference should not be very significant, especially concerning a deficit of 1,000 a day. I do have a major sweet tooth, but I usually wait until evening to make sure I have calories left for a sweet treat, and have been doing much, much better than when I don't count calories. I am getting at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day, eating whole grains, etc.
--I have been consistently walking about 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day. I've been going on 3-5 bikes rides each week, about 30-60 minutes each. The pace isn't super fast, but I'm also hauling a two-year-old in the bike seat and a kindergartener on the trail-behind, so it definitely challenges me. I'm meeting my Fitbit goals for steps, active minutes, flights of stairs, and calories burned.
I did make my food log public so anyone can look it over and offer any insights they have. I'd appreciate any helpful suggestions - thank you!
-- I have my goal set to lose 2 pounds a week, and have my Fitbit linked to myfitnesspal - I usually eat calories according to what Fitbit says, as it's slightly less generous (a hundred or so different, daily). I start at 1200 allowed calories, but I'm comfortable eating about 1600 or 1700 a day. I usually have a couple hundred left that I don't eat, because I'm not usually hungry for them and I like a margin of error.
--I weigh just about everything, or use portion scoops. On things that I don't, like a carrot (is this a "medium" carrot or a "large" carrot?), the calorie difference should not be very significant, especially concerning a deficit of 1,000 a day. I do have a major sweet tooth, but I usually wait until evening to make sure I have calories left for a sweet treat, and have been doing much, much better than when I don't count calories. I am getting at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day, eating whole grains, etc.
--I have been consistently walking about 15,000 to 20,000 steps a day. I've been going on 3-5 bikes rides each week, about 30-60 minutes each. The pace isn't super fast, but I'm also hauling a two-year-old in the bike seat and a kindergartener on the trail-behind, so it definitely challenges me. I'm meeting my Fitbit goals for steps, active minutes, flights of stairs, and calories burned.
I did make my food log public so anyone can look it over and offer any insights they have. I'd appreciate any helpful suggestions - thank you!
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Replies
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Honestly if everything is accurate (which it sounds that way), the only things I can think of doing are eat more (all your exercise cals) and/or do some different kind of exercise that changes up the routine. I've heard both of those can break a plateau. Good luck!0
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I am in the same freaking boat! I have been at this plateau for about 10 months! I refuse to give up!0
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Somehow you are taking in too many calories. Could be you aren't logging accurately, are over estimating calorie burns, or not logging accurately and over estimating calorie burns.
Weigh foods and log EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth.
For exercise, go find a few online calorie burn calculators and average what they all say you burn.
If that is still an issue, go see your doctor.0 -
I am in the same freaking boat! I have been at this plateau for about 10 months! I refuse to give up!
@ Mz Vonda: 10 months doesn't sound like a plateau, it sounds like you've inadvertently slipped into maintenance.
I don't know what your stats are, but I'm 5' tall CW 126.
I've been flirting with the same 3-4 pounds for about 3 weeks. I changed my weight training program, so that can account for additional water weight, but I still have work to do :grumble:
I don't usually log calories, but I started logging as I was eating intuitively just to see what my calories were. I found that I consume roughly 2000-2300 cal per day. Since I've been maintaining my weight (126) at that level for the past week, I plan to continue to log for 1 more week. If I stay at that weight, then I know my maintenance calorie allowance is 2000-2300 cal/day at my current activity level.
Once I have a baseline, I can drop 200/day (or conversely, if I wanted to gain, increase by X amount/day) and I should begin to drop again.
If you *still* are not seeing a loss after finding that, I would then wonder about user error.0 -
Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.0
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Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.
I am sorry I disagree. It also depends on how fast you walk and if there is an incline involed, what your arms are doing at the same time, how much you are sweating your butt off doing it. I walk everyday I should kinow0 -
Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.
Well, if you looked at yesterday, that was a bit unusual (my husband and I were having a friendly competition to see who could meet some step goals first, and we walked a huge distance...more than 15 miles). But often, I do have a kiddo in the backpack when I'm walking, or I'm pushing a double stroller. And I do walk very quickly. Also, those steps are not all walking - several thousand are slow jogging.0 -
Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.
Well, if you looked at yesterday, that was a bit unusual (my husband and I were having a friendly competition to see who could meet some step goals first, and we walked a huge distance...more than 15 miles). But often, I do have a kiddo in the backpack when I'm walking, or I'm pushing a double stroller. And I do walk very quickly. Also, those steps are not all walking - several thousand are slow jogging.
kiddo in stroller and backpack? has anyone asked yet if you recently quit nursing or scaled back? if you are eating the same amount but your cals arent' on demand from nursing that might explain it.0 -
Somehow you are taking in too many calories. Could be you aren't logging accurately, are over estimating calorie burns, or not logging accurately and over estimating calorie burns.
Weigh foods and log EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth.
For exercise, go find a few online calorie burn calculators and average what they all say you burn.
If that is still an issue, go see your doctor.
I plugged in a few of my bike rides into three different calorie estimators online. Fitbit actually seems a little lower than all three of them.
And I do log *everything*. It has broken me of the habit of sampling when I cook because I really don't want to figure out what one bite of this or that would be, in order to enter those calories. The only things I do not weigh are fruits (apple, nectarine, grapefruit) - I never know if the weight should include the pit/core/peel or not, so I usually select a fruit to record that is at least as big as what I ate. But again, those really aren't high calorie foods. The high-calorie cake I am prone to eat? That's weighed every single time.
I'm one of those women who simply cannot lose weight while nursing a baby. In fact, if I even maintain, my milk supply drops. I actually have to have a slow weight gain in order to maintain a milk supply. Which, to me, is worth it. So I've had to lose weight each time my baby has pretty much weaned. Only this time, I seem to be struggling even though I am more active than I was the previous two times. Calorie-wise, I am eating about the same.0 -
Oh - the other thing that occurred to me is that I have had gall bladder surgery (about six weeks postpartum with my last baby). I haven't had any problems once I healed, and really can eat whatever I like, although I do notice that it throws off my digestion if I have a sudden increase in the amount of fats/sweets I eat. Other than that, I can't think how that would be affecting weight loss if it hasn't been having some kind of effect before now. But I just thought I'd throw that out there as well.0
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Somehow you are taking in too many calories. Could be you aren't logging accurately, are over estimating calorie burns, or not logging accurately and over estimating calorie burns.
Weigh foods and log EVERYTHING that goes in your mouth.
For exercise, go find a few online calorie burn calculators and average what they all say you burn.
If that is still an issue, go see your doctor.
Possibly but not necessarily. Weight loss isn't linear. I had 2 weeks losing absolutely nothing despite having a deficit of approx 11000 cals total. The 3rd week I had a deficit of around 3500 cals and I lost 3.5lbs that week. I actually increased my cals slightly in the 3rd week as was running a lot of miles and was starving.
That said, it could also be inaccurate logging of food and over-estimating calorie burn but a 2 week plateau makes it hard to tell.0 -
Hi! I hit a plateau for about 8-9 months in my weight loss. One thing that you could try is not eating back your calories. Choose a calorie goal to fuel your body, (say 1400-1500) and stick with it. See if it makes a difference. I am down 80 pounds in the past two years. I would be happy to encourage you in your journey. Feel free to add me.0
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Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.
Well, if you looked at yesterday, that was a bit unusual (my husband and I were having a friendly competition to see who could meet some step goals first, and we walked a huge distance...more than 15 miles). But often, I do have a kiddo in the backpack when I'm walking, or I'm pushing a double stroller. And I do walk very quickly. Also, those steps are not all walking - several thousand are slow jogging.
So your logging isn't accurate. Got it. When it is, ask for help and maybe you'll provide enough information to get it.
15000 steps with a 30 inch stride is 7.1 miles ... that's it.0 -
Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.
Well, if you looked at yesterday, that was a bit unusual (my husband and I were having a friendly competition to see who could meet some step goals first, and we walked a huge distance...more than 15 miles). But often, I do have a kiddo in the backpack when I'm walking, or I'm pushing a double stroller. And I do walk very quickly. Also, those steps are not all walking - several thousand are slow jogging.
So your logging isn't accurate. Got it. When it is, ask for help and maybe you'll provide enough information to get it.
I didn't say it wasn't accurate. I said it wasn't a usual day - that's why it looked "off" - because I had a huge spike in activity that day, and my calorie burn shows that. That day was actually over 25 miles (50,000 steps). It looks unusual because it is - I don't plan on making that a regular goal, it was just a one-day challenge. That's why it's "unusual" not "inaccurate".
I'm not sure what other information you would need, seeing as I've been honest about what I eat and how I weigh/measure it, as well as how I record my activity level, including comparing with other sites to make sure Fitbit's estimation is similar to other estimations.0 -
Hi! I hit a plateau for about 8-9 months in my weight loss. One thing that you could try is not eating back your calories. Choose a calorie goal to fuel your body, (say 1400-1500) and stick with it. See if it makes a difference. I am down 80 pounds in the past two years. I would be happy to encourage you in your journey. Feel free to add me.
So, how long do you think a plateau should last before I do something different than what I'm doing? I'm not sure I would stay encouraged for 8-9 months without losing anything.
80 pounds is great! Congrats!0 -
Walking is not a big calorie burner ... figure about .3 calories per pound per mile for net burn. Your fitbit adjustments look a bit high for your walk only days ... like a 200 pound person would have to walk over 15 miles for the net burns on some days (remember, fitbits report gross calories ... not net). Start there.
Well, if you looked at yesterday, that was a bit unusual (my husband and I were having a friendly competition to see who could meet some step goals first, and we walked a huge distance...more than 15 miles). But often, I do have a kiddo in the backpack when I'm walking, or I'm pushing a double stroller. And I do walk very quickly. Also, those steps are not all walking - several thousand are slow jogging.
So your logging isn't accurate. Got it. When it is, ask for help and maybe you'll provide enough information to get it.
I didn't say it wasn't accurate. I said it wasn't a usual day - that's why it looked "off" - because I had a huge spike in activity that day, and my calorie burn shows that. That day was actually over 25 miles (50,000 steps). It looks unusual because it is - I don't plan on making that a regular goal, it was just a one-day challenge. That's why it's "unusual" not "inaccurate".
I'm not sure what other information you would need, seeing as I've been honest about what I eat and how I weigh/measure it, as well as how I record my activity level, including comparing with other sites to make sure Fitbit's estimation is similar to other estimations.
For accurate estimations little things like the the actual distance of each activity ... walking, running .. with and without external loads ... are needed.
The stride length in your fitbit needs to be set for more accurate distance estimations. Using biometric averages, your stride length matches that of a 6'2" person.
Fitbits also report gross, not net, caloric burns which needs inclusion in the math.0 -
For accurate estimations little things like the the actual distance of each activity ... walking, running .. with and without external loads ... are needed.
The stride length in your fitbit needs to be set for more accurate distance estimations. Using biometric averages, your stride length matches that of a 6'2" person.
Fitbits also report gross, not net, caloric burns which needs inclusion in the math.
Yes, I have entered my stride into my Fitbit. And yes, I take longer steps than my husband, who is 6'3". I also walk quite a bit faster than him (I have long legs and a shorter torso).
On MFP, if I enter "walking, 3.5 mph, brisk pace" for 30 minutes, it says I burned 134 calories. If I enter "pushing or pulling stroller with child" (the only "stroller" option) for 30 minutes, it says I burned 88 calories. The walking option seems much closer to what I've actually burned since I keep track of my pace instead of whether I'm pushing a stroller or not. I guess MFP assumes that I'm "strolling" with a stroller, which is certainly not the case. Also, I'd love to be able to find a calorie calculator that has an estimation for "mowing lawn with 30 pound child in backpack." Nope, I just have to settle for "mowing lawn" OR "hiking, general" (which seems less accurate than the mowing, so I don't choose that).
You have given me several areas to look at; thank you. I'm not sure how to be more accurate in recording my exercise - that's one reason I got a Fitbit, as it does keep track of when I'm walking verses when I'm jogging. But the bottom line is that I'm not losing weight when I am eating about what I have in the past and lost weight successfully, even though I am more physically active this time around.0
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