To lose or not to lose, that is the question.

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heidimmto
heidimmto Posts: 52 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm having trouble lately. I started losing weight pretty well, but now I think I am stalling. I am 5'0" (153 cm), 34, SW 240, CW 212,5 GW 140. Last three weeks I have lost measly half pounds. I know this will be a long process and I don't want or need a quick fix. I just want to know what am I doing wrong to correct it and continue losing steadily.


I'm trying to eat low carb because I noticed my cravings decreased tremendously when I was off them. I think this has made this new life change more bearable, because I am not craving food all the time. I eat lots of protein, usually beans and grilled chicken breast, mostly because most meats are highly processed in the cafeteria. Before I hear complaints about this, let me tell you I am here studying on a scholarship with a hectic schedule that doesn't allow much free time or funds to cook.

I have also finally established a meal routine which I didn't have for most of my adult life. I usually have eggs, oatmeal, fruit, coffee for breakfast. At lunch, I have chicken or burger grilled patties with salads from the bar. Finally for dinner, I juice some spinach, watermelon, cucumber, celery, apples or carrots (not all of them, but a 4 combination of what's available) plus some chicken and sauteed vegetables

I exercise daily, doing cardio most days, the weights intimidate me and I really don't know what to do. I don't know if my TDEE/BMR/BMI numbers are correct, but I got a DEXA scan and my body fat level is 56% (Yay me, not!!!). There are days when I exercise that I get really hungry coming late night. I calculate my TDEE with 6x60min wo a week, sometimes I do more.

Could it be that the change has been too drastic? Is my food tracking off (I eat cafeteria food most of the time, usually avoiding highly processed stuff, but hey I am human too!!!).

Diary is open, knock yourselves out, any good advice will be well received -No fat shaming please, I think we're all here for the support we can't find anywhere else-

Replies

  • KMasz
    KMasz Posts: 2,670 Member
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    Based on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ your BMR is about 1700 (a number you should not NET below) and a TDEE of 2930 to maintain your weight, this includes your exercise. If you were to take a deficit of 15% - 20% you need to be eating between 2340 - 2490 calories a day as long as you do not have any other medical issues. You also would not eat back any exercise calories doing it this way.

    I know you eat in a cafeteria a lot so a food scale might not be possible, but that really is the best way to measure your food (not with measuring cups, spoons, estimating 1 "medium") with the most accuracy.

    I hope this helps. Good Luck!


    & some other good reads:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Based on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ your BMR is about 1700 (a number you should not NET below) and a TDEE of 2930 to maintain your weight, this includes your exercise. If you were to take a deficit of 15% - 20% you need to be eating between 2340 - 2490 calories a day as long as you do not have any other medical issues. You also would not eat back any exercise calories doing it this way.

    This seems way high. Are you taking her body fat into account?

    Using the calculator at IIFYM.com for convenience, the Katch-McArdle calculation says (even with 6 days of exercise) BMR of 1286 (which seems way more likely given her height, in that body fat doesn't do much to increase BMR), and TDEE of 1937.

    I don't know what she's figured or what her actual results are, but if it's in line with that I wouldn't tell her she must eat much more based on a different calculator, despite her results.

    OP, losing 30 lbs reduces your numbers, so that could be part of it, and also switching to low carb comes with a big water loss which may have ended (although the time lag might be too much for that to matter). It could just be the kind of stall that happens occasionally. Are you tracking calories despite doing low carb? Edit: I see you are--I failed to notice your diary was open, so I'll try to comment more later. (Definitely no fat shaming! I'm in no position to do so, and wouldn't anyway. This is just a matter of finding what works.)
  • maddyk91
    maddyk91 Posts: 193 Member
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    Based on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ your BMR is about 1700 (a number you should not NET below) and a TDEE of 2930 to maintain your weight, this includes your exercise. If you were to take a deficit of 15% - 20% you need to be eating between 2340 - 2490 calories a day as long as you do not have any other medical issues. You also would not eat back any exercise calories doing it this way.

    This seems way high. Are you taking her body fat into account?

    Using the calculator at IIFYM.com for convenience, the Katch-McArdle calculation says (even with 6 days of exercise) BMR of 1286 (which seems way more likely given her height, in that body fat doesn't do much to increase BMR), and TDEE of 1937.

    I don't know what she's figured or what her actual results are, but if it's in line with that I wouldn't tell her she must eat much more based on a different calculator, despite her results.

    OP, losing 30 lbs reduces your numbers, so that could be part of it, and also switching to low carb comes with a big water loss which may have ended (although the time lag might be too much for that to matter). It could just be the kind of stall that happens occasionally. Are you tracking calories despite doing low carb? Edit: I see you are--I failed to notice your diary was open, so I'll try to comment more later. (Definitely no fat shaming! I'm in no position to do so, and wouldn't anyway. This is just a matter of finding what works.)

    yeah, i was astounded at how high Kmasz said it was too. ^^This seems more accurate.

    OP--I used to live in the same town as you until i moved a couple years ago! (Yeee!)
    Anyways, do you weigh your food? I found that before weighing, I was at times eating double or triple what I should have been (Cheese being the biggest eye opener, unfortunately) And instead of measuring your onions, for example, as "sauteed", measure them raw and make sure youre adding in any cooking oils you're using. 1 tbsp of olive oil is over 100 calories in itsself!!

    But, you should be losing more weight. Are you weighing at specific times? I usually do my weigh ins before breakfast, before a shower, but after a work out (cheating a little because of the sweat loss, but it helps me stay positive heeheeh), around 11am about every other day. But it might be better to do it once a week, honestly.

    Keep up the good work, though! All bodies are different and you just might have to be more patient with yours as you get healthier!
  • KMasz
    KMasz Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I did not take her body fat into account, and that may be why the numbers are so high. I was thinking they were high as I typed them, but I put all the info in that she put out there (aside from BF%)
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    I am 5'0" (153 cm), 34, SW 240, CW 212,5 GW 140.
    According to BMI, you should be 100 - 125 lb. http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf
    To maintain your current weight, you'd need 212 x 15 = 3180.
    To lose 2 lb per week = 2180. Adjust down as you lose weight.
    Or you can eat 10x your goal weight (1200), which would be a huge difference from your current intake, so come at it gradually. As you get close to goal, nudge your calories up until you're at 15/lb to maintain.
    (My doctor & dietician use the 10x goal weight method.)
    Last three weeks I have lost measly half pounds. I know this will be a long process and I don't want or need a quick fix. I just want to know what am I doing wrong to correct it and continue losing steadily.
    You're still losing, so you're doing something right.
    Sometimes weight loss just stalls. Could be having more sodium, or coming up on TOM, or building muscle, or underestimating what you're eating... all sorts of reasons.
    You could try cutting 50 calories, or upping your workout slightly (increase time, incline, or duration of cardio, start doing weights).
    the weights intimidate me and I really don't know what to do
    Find an employee and have them explain how the machines work, or how to use free weights.
    Look up videos on youtube.
    Search exercise videos: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/
    Ask someone who seems to know what s/he's doing.
    Put up an ad & find someone to show you what you need to know.

    For the very basics of "what do I do?", see the last half of my blog post about exercise.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-exercise-667080

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