BURN MORE CAL. THAN YOU TAKE IN RIGHT? WHY ISN'T IT WORKING
KKOLB1
Posts: 53 Member
So we all know the only way to lose weight is to burn more than you take in. When I started MFP I would add in most of the workout calories but then when I had a 3 wk plateau I thought that was kinda silly to eat back what we're trying to lose. I read somewhere that we should be eating the calories x10 of the weight we want to be, for example I want to be at 145, so I eat 1450 cal, not the 1200 suggested. I workout on a daily basis. I've changed it up about every 4 wks or when I get stuck. SO, my question is, I'm burning at least 3500 calories a week so why am I not at least losing a pound. In the beginning it just came off like it was melting.
** I should add that when I started I worked out doing a cicuit training 25 min a day for a month, then after that started elliptical for a month doing an hour daily & now I do circuit training & half hr elliptical. I workout at home, I'm limited to what I have. I eat 5/6 meals a day. I just started eating higher protein & that right away helped but now it's slowing again. Yes I do eat a cupcake here & there but not everyday, I have never deprived myself.
** I should add that when I started I worked out doing a cicuit training 25 min a day for a month, then after that started elliptical for a month doing an hour daily & now I do circuit training & half hr elliptical. I workout at home, I'm limited to what I have. I eat 5/6 meals a day. I just started eating higher protein & that right away helped but now it's slowing again. Yes I do eat a cupcake here & there but not everyday, I have never deprived myself.
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Replies
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I am having the same problem. Hope someone answers your question!!!0
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same here!!!0
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I heard you x your weight by 7 to get your daily calories. I thought why would I eat what I just burned off working out? I never understood that too. I just don't want my body to go into starvation mode.0
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The beginning is always easiest because you lose a lot of water weight. You may need to try something to change your metabolism, Try a new workout routine. I also read somewhere eating every 2 hours will speed up your metabolism of course eating very small meals.0
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The first weight is always the easiest. I imagine you've begun to build more muscle, which would cause you to lose inches, not pounds. You might even gain weight because muscle does weigh more. Plateaus are sucky. Try eating more of a variety of calories, not the same amount daily. I hear its good for your metabolism.0
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The theory of the x10 of the weight you want to be is flawed. It doesn't take into account your activity level. I would make sure you a have the correct info on your goal page, that goes by your height and weight and what you want to lose. It does work. I have never lost weight like I have on this site.So we all know the only way to lose weight is to burn more than you take in. When I started MFP I would add in most of the workout calories but then when I had a 3 wk plateau I thought that was kinda silly to eat back what we're trying to lose. I read somewhere that we should be eating the calories x10 of the weight we want to be, for example I want to be at 145, so I eat 1450 cal, not the 1200 suggested. I workout on a daily basis. I've changed it up about every 4 wks or when I get stuck. SO, my question is, I'm burning at least 3500 calories a week so why am I not at least losing a pound. In the beginning it just came off like it was melting.
The other thing is as you get closer to your goal weight the weight loss slows down. If your photo is you now, it's only a face shot, but you look like you might be close. You have a skinny face. Make sure your goals are realistic.
Best wishes0 -
1) Are you drinking enough water? Water is a HUGE deal in weight loss
2) Are you being completely honest about what and how much you are eating
3) Are you taking measurements- the tape measure is more accurate than the scale
4) Are you accurately tracking the amount of calories you are burning- MPF can over estimate
5) are you eating too few? below 1200 is unexceptable, and if you are eating 1200 but working out intensely that won't work either.
For more detailed answered I'd have to see what you're eating to provide better pointers, stay away from sodium, increase protein, don't eat 2 hours before bed.0 -
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I just went and glanced at your food journal and I think part of the reason you aren't losing weight is not the number of calories you are eating, but the type of calories. It looks like you enjoy fruit and sweet things. My body type loves those... and by loves those, I mean loves to store those as fat. If I go on a lean protein, low carbohydrate diet similar to the South Beach Diet, my body drops weight... (I've dropped 4 lbs this week since I started it) Now, the only way for that to truely work is to eat enough calories still... I have this conversation with my S-I-L every day about eating Enough calories to keep your metabolism up. It's counter-intuitive, but it's the only way your body really knows how to work.
Good luck!0 -
There are various reasons why you weight loss has stalled but they all point back to the same answer, you are no longer burning more than you are eating, that is the one and only reason you dont lose fat. BMR calculations are statistical averages so you might not need 1450 calories a day for your BMR. You could be recording your calories consumed or burned innaccurately. You could possibly be retaining water or building some muscle mass. Are you going by scale weight or are you actually measuring your body fat %? Verify the calories you are eating and make sure you dont forget to record a snack. Verify your burned calories and if you are sure about those than you will need to continue to reduce your intake or burn more.0
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A suggestion would be to zig zag to jump start the plateau. You may eat 1700 calories one day, then 1200 the next. Keep it varying for a week and then go back to normal schedule. It keeps the body guessing. Just make sure that overall you aren't exceeding the typical week in calories by too much. Good luck.
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You're not alone. I too, am not losing. I have been watching the calories, exercising, burning more calories than ever before, and I quit smoking. I am overweight by about 50 pounds. I should be able to lose at least 2-3 pounds per week. I have been exercising for 8 weeks and have only lost 4 pounds. Its very frustrating for me.0
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I eat 5 meals a day, bkst, lunch & dinner with a snack in between each one & sometimes a snack at night. changed my worked out every few weeks-started out doing half an hour, after a month worked up to a full hour.The beginning is always easiest because you lose a lot of water weight. You may need to try something to change your metabolism, Try a new workout routine. I also read somewhere eating every 2 hours will speed up your metabolism of course eating very small meals.0
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I see three areas that could be changed:
- How much water do you drink per day? You need at least 6, but preferably about 8 cups per day to wash out the fats and the protien bi-products produced each day.
- Might want to reduce your fat intake--have it at about 25-30% of your calories.
- Good idea to increase your fiber consumption to about 25-30g of fiber per day.
Your sodium was under 2500 calories for the day, so that is good.
Do you think that is doable? Have fun with it. :drinker: (lots of water)0 -
I probably don't have the answer for you, but I can share what has worked for me. I hit a plateau for about a month. I upped my calories and tried to lower my carb intake. It seems to be working because I have lost two pounds since then.0
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You will lose weight burning more than you take in but if you aren't taking in enough it can have the opposite effect. I want to be around 118 so I would eat 1180 but that is too low and will put me into Starvation Mode (My "comatose" BMR is only 1188). So maybe set up your Daily Goal for 1200 and eat all of your exercise calories. You want your NET calories to stay above 1200. This way you are getting the fuel you need but not going too low on calories.
It's not silly eating your exercise calories because the deficit to lose is already there. Eating what you burned during exercise will bring your NET calories back you to your Goal Calories. It's your NET calories that are important.
The amount of weight you have to lose might not let you get enough of a deficit to lose a pound per week. I tried that in the beginning but could only get a 280 calorie per day deficit without going too low in calories and chance my metabolism slowing down (Starvation Mode causes a metabolic slowdown and your body stops burning fat and starts burning lean muscle mass which in turn decreases your metabolism more). So I had to pick .5lb per week and that is how it has pretty much happened.
Unless you are weight lifting like crazy you are not gaining muscle. Diet and cardio cause lean muscle mass loss, not gain. And it's very, very hard for women to gain muscle.0 -
I swear my body is screwed up. I haven't lost any inches in weeks. Well I normally just measure waist & hips. I also have done spike days in the past & normally would change up what I ate everyday, never eating the same amount.The first weight is always the easiest. I imagine you've begun to build more muscle, which would cause you to lose inches, not pounds. You might even gain weight because muscle does weigh more. Plateaus are sucky. Try eating more of a variety of calories, not the same amount daily. I hear its good for your metabolism.0
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You're not alone. I too, am not losing. I have been watching the calories, exercising, burning more calories than ever before, and I quit smoking. I am overweight by about 50 pounds. I should be able to lose at least 2-3 pounds per week. I have been exercising for 8 weeks and have only lost 4 pounds. Its very frustrating for me.
It is healthier to lose about one pound per week. That means in one year (52 weeks) or less, you would be at your goal weight. Not bad, right? :drinker: (lots of water)0 -
First of all read the link in my signature....
Second of all... throw out the 10X your weight things... its flawed...
third.. you need to eat your 1200 calories PLUS most of your work out calories... MFP already sets you at a deficit.... so in other words... for instance my maintence calories are 1780 that is what MFP says that I burn doing daily activity, that is also the max calories I can eat without gaining weight... well it set my deficit at 500 calories less than that 500 calories x 7 days a week is 3500 calories less than your maintainence calories which equals 1 pound of fat loss per week... SOOOOO
if you eat less than 1200 that is depriving your body of food that it needs to help in this weight loss....
so you eat 1200 calories and then work out and burn 300 calories your body now only recognises that you have eaten 900 caloires... 900 calories is below your 1200 which puts your body into starvation mode... EAT YOUR WORK OUT CALORIES... or your work out is a waste of time because your body will repair its self by eating your muscle... sure you will lose wieght.. but it will be muscle weight and not fat weight... then you will become what people call "skinny fat" sure your thin but your BF% is SUper high.0 -
1) Are you drinking enough water? Water is a HUGE deal in weight loss
2) Are you being completely honest about what and how much you are eating
3) Are you taking measurements- the tape measure is more accurate than the scale
4) Are you accurately tracking the amount of calories you are burning- MPF can over estimate
5) are you eating too few? below 1200 is unexceptable, and if you are eating 1200 but working out intensely that won't work either.
For more detailed answered I'd have to see what you're eating to provide better pointers, stay away from sodium, increase protein, don't eat 2 hours before bed.
All of these are important. I was there 2 weeks ago, a month without losing a POUND, I got frustrated! I had lost 11 of my 20lbs prior to my stall. Turned out I wasn't eating enough, it wasn't like I was only eating 800 calories a day more like 1000 but with my activity level, and exercise I wasn't eating enough. I upped it by 200-300 calories (which isn't that hard, just have a little bit more of something HEALTHY), and no joke I've lost 3.5lbs in 10 days on MFP. I started with Weight Watchers, and frankly I think their plan is flawed, it actually worked at the start but as soon as I wanted to lose my last 10lbs (which is suppose to be the hardest) it stopped coming off.
Drink more water, I'm not kidding, not only will it make you feel fuller, less bloated and more energetic but it will also help you lose weight. Water is magical.
Don't give up, keep at it. Try to mix up your food choices, also maybe try doing the Zig Zag calorie thing, where one day you eat 1500 calories, then eat 1200 and so on. I did that as well and my body totally responded. I don't fall for the "Muscle weighs more than fat" theory, because it doesn't. They weight the same a lb is a lb. But my point is the exercise I choose to do is a strength/circuit training one, I do it 4-5 times a week and I've successfully lost weight on it, in turn I can see my body is getting tighter.
I'll friend you, and we can be buddies. Just don't give up ok?0 -
You also need to try and do different exercises as your body adapts to routine. You should do this as a matter of course every 12 weeks, or whenever you hit a plateau. Are you eating enough? Dont forget the importance of recovery as well.
Rick0 -
You also need to try and do different exercises as your body adapts to routine. You should do this as a matter of course every 12 weeks, or whenever you hit a plateau. Are you eating enough? Dont forget the importance of recovery as well.
Rick0 -
I am no expert but think this is worth talking to a nutrition expert about....
There may be something to the idea that you have lowered your caloric intake so much that your metabolism is slowing down, or that your body is storing the fat, calories, fuel to keep up with the exercise regimen....
Perhaps you need more foods that provide pure fuel, nothing to store.......
Also, you mentioned you switch up your exercise routine but to what extreme? My trainer tells me do drastically change things on a weekly basis. Instead of strength training on the weight machines every week do it in the pool instead, or switch to free weights. Instead of Zumba twice a week do Kickboxing, instead of the elliptical go to a rower or spinner. She has also told me the pool is my best friend, no matter what you are doing in it you always have resistance and are working all muscles at the same time.
Again, no expert, just trying to give you some ideas. All the best on you journey!!!!0 -
Have you tried changing up your diet? If you're currently eating low fat, try low carb, or vice versa. I've heard a lot of people have luck switching up their eating style every week or so, especially when they get stuck.0
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I swear my body is screwed up. I haven't lost any inches in weeks. Well I normally just measure waist & hips. I also have done spike days in the past & normally would change up what I ate everyday, never eating the same amount.The first weight is always the easiest. I imagine you've begun to build more muscle, which would cause you to lose inches, not pounds. You might even gain weight because muscle does weigh more. Plateaus are sucky. Try eating more of a variety of calories, not the same amount daily. I hear its good for your metabolism.
the reason you aren't losing inches is because you arent' eating enough to fuel your muscles...when you dont' eat your exercise calories, your body will eat the muscle as energy. because it is easiest to break down.... so when it eats your muscle instead of your fat. you wont see a loss in inches.0 -
For me, having bought the BodyMedia Fit armband was worth it's weight in gold, telling me how many calories I am burning everyday and how much of a calories deficit I have. Most days I seem to have a 2700 calories deficit and I'm burning over 3500 calories everyday! I know it's alot but seems pretty accurate, the nice thing is, it takes the guess work out of figuing it all out! It also pushes you to move more to meet your goals, soemthing to think about?!0
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Thanks for the skinny face comment
) I have 10 to lose. I'd really like to lose 15 more though.
The theory of the x10 of the weight you want to be is flawed. It doesn't take into account your activity level. I would make sure you a have the correct info on your goal page, that goes by your height and weight and what you want to lose. It does work. I have never lost weight like I have on this site.So we all know the only way to lose weight is to burn more than you take in. When I started MFP I would add in most of the workout calories but then when I had a 3 wk plateau I thought that was kinda silly to eat back what we're trying to lose. I read somewhere that we should be eating the calories x10 of the weight we want to be, for example I want to be at 145, so I eat 1450 cal, not the 1200 suggested. I workout on a daily basis. I've changed it up about every 4 wks or when I get stuck. SO, my question is, I'm burning at least 3500 calories a week so why am I not at least losing a pound. In the beginning it just came off like it was melting.
The other thing is as you get closer to your goal weight the weight loss slows down. If your photo is you now, it's only a face shot, but you look like you might be close. You have a skinny face. Make sure your goals are realistic.
Best wishes0 -
since last thurs I've been eating high proteinI just went and glanced at your food journal and I think part of the reason you aren't losing weight is not the number of calories you are eating, but the type of calories. It looks like you enjoy fruit and sweet things. My body type loves those... and by loves those, I mean loves to store those as fat. If I go on a lean protein, low carbohydrate diet similar to the South Beach Diet, my body drops weight... (I've dropped 4 lbs this week since I started it) Now, the only way for that to truely work is to eat enough calories still... I have this conversation with my S-I-L every day about eating Enough calories to keep your metabolism up. It's counter-intuitive, but it's the only way your body really knows how to work.
Good luck!0 -
I heard you x your weight by 7 to get your daily calories. I thought why would I eat what I just burned off working out? I never understood that too. I just don't want my body to go into starvation mode.
This is just an example, to burn 2lbs a week you eat 1200 calories a day, after your workout you burn 300 calories, so for that day you've only eaten 900 calories, when you eat another 300 calories you've had 1200 calories for the day. So it all works out, it sounds funny I know, but you are still at 1200 calories.0 -
I started a higher protein diet since over a week ago & lost 2 lbs right away but again nothing. So that worked initially..I probably don't have the answer for you, but I can share what has worked for me. I hit a plateau for about a month. I upped my calories and tried to lower my carb intake. It seems to be working because I have lost two pounds since then.0
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