military retired, 2.5 weeks, doing so-so

traveler5769 · July 2014

Hello everyone,

I'm Joe. I retired after 22 years from the military.

2.5 weeks ago I weighed 241. 6'2, 45 years old.

weigh in at 2 week mark 229, so 12 lbs lost.

I was on a plateau for 99% of week 2.....a dietician at the local base told me cardio wasn't enough, and to eat 1500 calories minimum a day as a man, so I added in 30 minutes of strength training on the Nautilus equipment, and kept net calories at 1500.day. 2 lbs came off in 2 days, then plateau #2 hit

So, I am now doing 1 circuit on 26 nautilus machines....20 reps per OR until the muscle group is burning or starting to feel tired. 30 minutes on the elliptical machine, and I have been walking at a 3mph pace for 60 minutes every night.

plateau #2 has hit at 229. I have a sneaking suspicion it is because I am going off of "net calories" instead of total calories. I have been keeping net calories at 1500-1700 per day and no movement. I am thinking that I need to go with 1500 TOTAL calories a day to get the fat burning to be a bit more aggressive.

I have another 40 lbs to lose and I admit I am being very aggressive about it. I'm physically in good enough shape to take the aggressive approach...I feel fine, blood pressure is 114/72, pulse 66, and I'm not starving. Week #1 I was getting less than 1000 net calories a day and lost 10 lbs in ONE WEEK, then plateau, so I amped up the calories.

I'm wondering if I need to go real low on caloric intake for 2 days to drop, then recover with more calories for a couple days, then cut them back out for 2 days, just go back and forth......trying to figure out what MY body needs to get it done.

Goal is 190 lbs @ 6'2, 45 years old, with a resting pulse in the 50's.

Comments?

anyway that's a bit about me.

5stringjeff · July 2014

Joe,

Former Army here. Congrats on the retirement.

At this stage, you need to figure out the right number of calories to eat. To figure out what your body needs, I recommend you go here: http://www.fat2fittools.com/tools/ and do the basal metabolic rate (BMR) tools. Just based on what you wrote, it looks like your BMR is in the neighborhood of 2000-2100 NET calories a day. Eating 1500 per day is not sustainable, regardless of your mindset. You should be aiming for a weight loss of 1 to 1.5 pounds per week, or a 500-750 daily calorie deficit. This is a marathon, not a sprint - don't think you can work it all off in a month. I went from 211 to 180 on the 500 cal/day deficit plan, as have many others around MFP.

traveler5769 · July 2014

If BMR is 2100, with a 500-750 calories eficit, that IS 1500 cal/day, is it not? Please explain where I am wrong here. my NET caloric intake right now (including exercise) has been 1500 and the pounds just WON'T come off.

EDIT: I went to the site my BMR is 2129. TDEE is 2758.

help!

sparklefrogz · July 2014

If BMR is 2100, with a 500-750 calories eficit, that IS 1500 cal/day, is it not? Please explain where I am wrong here. my NET caloric intake right now (including exercise) has been 1500 and the pounds just WON'T come off.

BMR = basal metabolic rate = what your body burns if you were in a coma
TDEE = total daily energy expenditure. It is equal to BMR + your exercise + your regular daily activity + incidental body processes.

In order to lose weight, you need to eat below TDEE, not necessarily BMR. There is a lot of discussion on the boards as to whether it's a wise idea to eat below BMR.

Also, it sometimes takes a bit of time to see weight come off. It won't come off linearly.

You may find this thread useful to get you started with how to use this site to best help you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

traveler5769 · July 2014

okay.....thanks.

I edited my post above. Apparently my BMR is 2129 with a TDEE of 2758

Anniebotnen · July 2014

Thank you very much for your service! It sounds like you are confused about the BMR - this is the number of calories your body needs to operate when you do nothing. You should not try to create a deficit from your BMR, but from your total calorie expenditure from your daily activities plus exercise. This will be a higher number. I'm a woman, and much smaller and older than you are, and I lose weight on 1900 calories a day. Check out the calculator suggested be Jeff. Once you figure out how many calories to aim for, make sure you are logging your food correctly, i.e. weight and measure everything. If you are not losing on 1500 calories, chances are you are not logging accurately.

Good luck!

traveler5769 · July 2014

I'm logging all of my food and I am using a scale......

I lost 10 lbs week one....and could see the difference.

Then plateau for about 5 days.....added strength training and lost 1 pound each day for the next 2 days....then plateau AGAIN at 229. This is consuming a NET calorie level of 1500-1800 per day.

So, to kill a plateau, I have to cut calories again I suppose.

traveler5769 · July 2014

I've been online just now reading up on all of this. It appears if I eat AT my BMR, I will lose weight. with a TDEE of 2700, that will be a deficit.

So, since I have been eating BELOW my BMR, has the stagnation been a cause of starvation mode?

sparklefrogz · July 2014

So, since I have been eating BELOW my BMR, has the stagnation been a cause of starvation mode?

My understanding from your post is that you've only been doing this for a couple of weeks, which isn't a lot of time to see results. When I say weight loss is non-linear, here is what I mean: https://trendweight.com/u/9534137f58e14a/

That is a graph of my weight loss over the last 10 weeks. The red line is an average trend, and the little dots are actual weigh ins. You can see it bounces around a lot, even though the red trend line shows I'm definitely losing weight -- but if I just looked at my raw weigh-in data, I would get hopeful, then discouraged, pretty much every two or three days.

Weight loss is so swingy because your body has a lot of water in it, and large amounts of water come in and go out for various body processes -- like when it's hot or humid out, you sweat a lot; or when you exercise harder than normal your muscles will need to repair themselves and that causes you to retain water too; or if you eat takeout, the sodium in it can cause water retention as well. Most of the weight loss that people see in the first couple weeks of starting a diet is actually water.

A general rule of thumb that has served me well, and that I've seen given by personal trainers on these boards, is to wait at least 4 weeks at a consistent calorie intake and exercise routine before adjusting anything. That gives your body time to react to what you're doing. Your body may be a machine, but it's a complex, self-regulating one that is constantly adapting to try and maintain homeostatis in an ever-changing environment. It will take some time to see results

That said, it is typically advocated on these boards for men who are exercising to not eat less than approx 1800/day. If you create too big a deficit you can run into extreme hunger, fatigue/energy issues, reduced gym performance, brain fog/inability to concentrate, and similar issues.

This group has some very good information in it and I highly recommend you check out the "Important Posts To Read": http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress- It's a lot of information to take in at once -- it took me a couple of days to go through it all -- but it's made my journey much simpler, easier, and more painless than it would have been otherwise.

RenewedRunner · July 2014

Wait, you haven't lost weight in 5 days?? And this is after a 12 pound loss in week one?? :huh:

This is not a plateau. Five days does not a plateau make. Weight loss isn't linear. It isn't constant. And you definitely won't lose 12 pounds every week!!

Be realistic with your goals.

nutmegoreo · July 2014

So, since I have been eating BELOW my BMR, has the stagnation been a cause of starvation mode?

My understanding from your post is that you've only been doing this for a couple of weeks, which isn't a lot of time to see results. When I say weight loss is non-linear, here is what I mean: https://trendweight.com/u/9534137f58e14a/

That is a graph of my weight loss over the last 10 weeks. The red line is an average trend, and the little dots are actual weigh ins. You can see it bounces around a lot, even though the red trend line shows I'm definitely losing weight -- but if I just looked at my raw weigh-in data, I would get hopeful, then discouraged, pretty much every two or three days.

Weight loss is so swingy because your body has a lot of water in it, and large amounts of water come in and go out for various body processes -- like when it's hot or humid out, you sweat a lot; or when you exercise harder than normal your muscles will need to repair themselves and that causes you to retain water too; or if you eat takeout, the sodium in it can cause water retention as well. Most of the weight loss that people see in the first couple weeks of starting a diet is actually water.

A general rule of thumb that has served me well, and that I've seen given by personal trainers on these boards, is to wait at least 4 weeks at a consistent calorie intake and exercise routine before adjusting anything. That gives your body time to react to what you're doing. Your body may be a machine, but it's a complex, self-regulating one that is constantly adapting to try and maintain homeostatis in an ever-changing environment. It will take some time to see results

That said, it is typically advocated on these boards for men who are exercising to not eat less than approx 1800/day. If you create too big a deficit you can run into extreme hunger, fatigue/energy issues, reduced gym performance, brain fog/inability to concentrate, and similar issues.

This group has some very good information in it and I highly recommend you check out the "Important Posts To Read": http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress- It's a lot of information to take in at once -- it took me a couple of days to go through it all -- but it's made my journey much simpler, easier, and more painless than it would have been otherwise.

All of this. Plus:

1. I think you have really high and likely unrealistic expectations. Some weeks you will lose, some you will gain, others will stay the same. A plateau is usually 4+ weeks at the same weight, not a few days.

2. Stay off the scales everyday. The fluctuations will drive you nuts. Too much sodium one day will increase your weight by many pounds.

3. Additional complications of eating too little include not enough fuel getting to your organs, and your body also using muscle for energy. Your body will burn both fat an muscle while you are losing weight, the bigger the deficit the greater the muscle loss.

4. Weight training will help protect the muscle mass you do have.

5. Have some patience. It is not going to come off as fast as you would like, but it will come off. So be healthy about it so that you are happy with your final outcome.

6. Read the links given. They are a fantastic resource.

I wish you all the best. :flowerforyou:

traveler5769 · July 2014

Thanks for all the responses.

A little history to explain my rationale:

in 2009 I was deployed to Afghanistan. While there I spent the first 4.5 months basically eating whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted. 5 weeks before coming home I noticed I had gained A LOT of weight. I then started going to the gym every day and doing 60 minutes of elliptical cardio, and cut my food intake back DRASTICALLY. The result? 20 lbs. lost in 5 weeks!

(BREAKFAST:, applesauce, cottage cheese and mixed nuts and ONE small sausage link......LUNCH: one SMALL bag of potato chips, occasionally a Large Starbucks Mocha....DINNER:dinner applesauce, cottage cheese and mixed nuts......drank a couple cups of coffee...THAT'S IT !!)

So, I assumed if I did it then, why can't I do it now?

How was I able to pull it off 5 years ago, but not now?

silentKayak · July 2014

Give it time. Sounds like you're doing great, but you won't get anywhere if you get discouraged and give up.

Keep up your routine for 7 more days. You'll be happy with the results.

nutmegoreo · July 2014

Thanks for all the responses.

A little history to explain my rationale:

in 2009 I was deployed to Afghanistan. While there I spent the first 4.5 months basically eating whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted. 5 weeks before coming home I noticed I had gained A LOT of weight. I then started going to the gym every day and doing 60 minutes of elliptical cardio, and cut my food intake back DRASTICALLY. The result? 20 lbs. lost in 5 weeks!

(BREAKFAST:, applesauce, cottage cheese and mixed nuts and ONE small sausage link......LUNCH: one SMALL bag of potato chips, occasionally a Large Starbucks Mocha....DINNER:dinner applesauce, cottage cheese and mixed nuts......drank a couple cups of coffee...THAT'S IT !!)

So, I assumed if I did it then, why can't I do it now?

How was I able to pull it off 5 years ago, but not now?

It's not a matter of if it can be done, so much as what the cost is to your health. Several health reasons have been given. Do what you want, obviously.

sparklefrogz · July 2014

in 2009 I was deployed to Afghanistan. ....5 weeks before coming home I noticed I had gained A LOT of weight. I then started going to the gym every day and doing 60 minutes of elliptical cardio, and cut my food intake back DRASTICALLY. The result? 20 lbs. lost in 5 weeks!

(BREAKFAST:, applesauce, cottage cheese and mixed nuts and ONE small sausage link......LUNCH: one SMALL bag of potato chips, occasionally a Large Starbucks Mocha....DINNER:dinner applesauce, cottage cheese and mixed nuts......drank a couple cups of coffee...THAT'S IT !!)

So, I assumed if I did it then, why can't I do it now?

How was I able to pull it off 5 years ago, but not now?

As nutmegoreo mentioned, a caloric deficit will eventually lead to weight loss. The speed at which that weight is lost, and the side effects it will have on your health and general wellbeing, will depend on your current metabolism and overall stress levels.

I'd be curious to know what that typical day's meal you mentioned adds up too calorically. Nuts are pretty high in calories, and depending on what size your "small" bag of chips was, how much cottage cheese, and how many nuts, I could see that menu still being over 2k calories/day. Nutritionally varied, not so much, but all that matters for weight loss (barring metabolic or endocrine issues) is caloric deficit.

millerll · July 2014

Hi, Joe. Congrats on your retirement. I'm retired military myself.

A couple of pointers: First, as already said, a true plateau takes several weeks. Normal weight loss isn't linear - there will be some days where you don't lose, of even gain a little. This is mostly due to water weight and is nothing to worry about. Be patient, and eventually, you'll lose again.

Second, a healthy weight loss goal for you is about 2 pounds a week. I know you're inpatient, but faster loss results in muscle loss, which I'm sure you'd like to avoid.

Third, eat above your BMR. Way above. Figure out your TDEE, then subtract about 20%, and that's a reasonable calorie goal for you. I know you lost weight before eating way less, but this isn't healthy nor sustainable, as you've found. Make this a lifestyle change you can stick with, not a crash diet.

Finally, as to your exercise, I'd recommend you take up heavy weight lifting. Twenty reps is overkill - that's just more cardio. To build strength, use a 5-7 rep range. To build mass, use an 8-10 rep range. Make sure you get adequate protein. This site's settings are normally way too low for protein, especially for men. Your weight times 0.8 (or 80% of your body weight) is a good target. (The recommended is 1 gram for each pound of lean body mass, but since most people don't know their LBM, 80% of total body weight is an adequate guesstimate.)

If you can, try ditching the machines for free weights. I recommend squats, bench press, deadlifts, and overhead press. If you want to add some assistance exercises on the machines after that, that's fine. Just don't overdo the machines. I think you'll be happier with the results you get from a heavy lifting routine as you'll see improved body composition, and you'll retain more muscle mass as you lose fat.

Best of luck!

traveler5769 · July 2014

Thanks a lot for the replies.

I started eating more yesterday, and today I work my way towards getting to at least my BMR (2126).

The big obstacle mentally is believing that eating more will work.....but I now understand that my muscles need that extra fuel, and without it, my metabolism just shuts down.

Again, THANKS!

traveler5769 · July 2014

I ate more starting yesterday, and I noticed my hunger came back!

80% of TDEE for me at this weight is 2200 cal. As I write this I am at 2175 for the day.

So, We'll see if this all works for me.

nutmegoreo · July 2014

I ate more starting yesterday, and I noticed my hunger came back!

80% of TDEE for me at this weight is 2200 cal. As I write this I am at 2175 for the day.

So, We'll see if this all works for me.

This makes me happy. :flowerforyou:

ETA: You can do this.

traveler5769 · August 2014

So far so good....eating at 2200 cal/day and 2 days after doing that, my metabolism shot right back up and I dropped another pound!

momma_wore_army_boots · August 2014

Great job, Joe!
I'm former Army. So is my husband. He's retired. I didn't stay to retirement. Keep up the motivation. That's half the battle! :-)

momma_wore_army_boots · August 2014

My weight loss usually looks exactly like a sine curve, but though there are small increases in weight the general trend is downward. I agree that two weeks is not enough time to really see that trend. It'll take time.

military retired, 2.5 weeks, doing so-so

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