Caloric deficit, lots of body changes, but no "weight loss."

keyofnight
keyofnight Posts: 12 Member
edited April 2015 in Food and Nutrition
Hi folks.

I know there are so many threads on this already, but please indulge me in a thread of my own.

I'm trying to lose weight a lot of weight in a relatively short period of time—100lbs in a year—and so I'm doing so many different things at the same time. Here's what I've been doing for the last month or so.
  1. I eat at a 1000 calorie deficit. I measure and log everything I can, over-estimate if I don't have accurate measurements.
  2. I've started exercising, walking more, and volunteering to do garden work. I do some kind of (usually 30 minute) kettlebell workout 3-4 times a week. I've also started tracking my walking using the MFP step tracker and my iPhone. I don't eat back my calories if I can help it.
  3. I drink 10 cups of water a day, but I want to get up to a gallon a day. (I'm used to drinking very little water, and I was usually dehydrated.)
But after all of this effort, my weight is not going down. I figured that even if I over-estimate food and underestimate my workouts, I should still be losing a pound a week. It has been a while since I've seen any drops at all. It's a serious plateau. :neutral: I have seen a lot of body changes, though. My pants are too big, and my shirts no longer fit. My muscles are showing through a lot more, and I feel a bit stronger. For example, the heavy gardening I do on weekends doesn't feel as heavy as it did last month. My stomach doesn't protrude as much either.

Perhaps I'm underestimating my food intake. (By a 1000+ calories? Am I that terrible?) Maybe I'm overestimating my workouts? (That shouldn't matter if I don't eat back my calories, right?) Maybe it's water retention? (I was dehydrated a lot before I started this workout stuff…) Maybe I'm gaining muscle at the same rate I'm losing fat? (I do use a pretty heavy weight for kettlebell routines, and I have seen changes there…) Maybe I should forget "weight loss" and just start measuring body fat % with calipers?

Can someone help me out here? I'm losing my mind.

Replies

  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    How long have you been at this, and how long have you been at a plateau?

    Are you eating back all or part of your exercise calories?
  • keyofnight
    keyofnight Posts: 12 Member
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    How long have you been at this, and how long have you been at a plateau?

    Are you eating back all or part of your exercise calories?

    I've been at a plateau for 2 weeks. I don't eat back my calories if I can help it.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    keyofnight wrote: »
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    How long have you been at this, and how long have you been at a plateau?

    Are you eating back all or part of your exercise calories?

    I've been at a plateau for 2 weeks. I don't eat back my calories if I can help it.

    Two weeks is not a plateau. Weight loss is not linear. Sometimes I will not lose for 2 or 3 weeks and then I'll suddenly be down 3 pounds.

    Just remain consistent, and make sure you're logging accurately and eating enough to fuel your workouts. You'll get there.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    I agree, 2 weeks is too short. Continue for at least another 2 weeks then re-evaluate.

    By the way, I would think 10 cups of water per day would be plenty, unless you enjoy it.
  • keyofnight
    keyofnight Posts: 12 Member
    Ok. I'll hang in there.
  • keyofnight
    keyofnight Posts: 12 Member
    As it turns out… it was constipation. Gotta drink more water and get more fiber. :neutral:
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    You might not be getting enough fats, check your daily macros
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    well atleast u figured out ur problem lol! didnt even need anyones help. good luck on the rest of ur journey!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    OP it sounds like you've got a pretty decent handle on things :D
    Just make sure to weigh,measure and log your food as accurately as possible, try not to eat ALL of your exercise calories back, which is easier said than done sometimes, and you're good to go xx
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    keyofnight wrote: »
    Hi folks.

    I know there are so many threads on this already, but please indulge me in a thread of my own.

    I'm trying to lose weight a lot of weight in a relatively short period of time—100lbs in a year—and so I'm doing so many different things at the same time. Here's what I've been doing for the last month or so.
    1. I eat at a 1000 calorie deficit. I measure and log everything I can, over-estimate if I don't have accurate measurements.
    2. I've started exercising, walking more, and volunteering to do garden work. I do some kind of (usually 30 minute) kettlebell workout 3-4 times a week. I've also started tracking my walking using the MFP step tracker and my iPhone. I don't eat back my calories if I can help it.
    3. I drink 10 cups of water a day, but I want to get up to a gallon a day. (I'm used to drinking very little water, and I was usually dehydrated.)
    But after all of this effort, my weight is not going down. I figured that even if I over-estimate food and underestimate my workouts, I should still be losing a pound a week. It has been a while since I've seen any drops at all. It's a serious plateau. :neutral: I have seen a lot of body changes, though. My pants are too big, and my shirts no longer fit. My muscles are showing through a lot more, and I feel a bit stronger. For example, the heavy gardening I do on weekends doesn't feel as heavy as it did last month. My stomach doesn't protrude as much either.

    Perhaps I'm underestimating my food intake. (By a 1000+ calories? Am I that terrible?) Maybe I'm overestimating my workouts? (That shouldn't matter if I don't eat back my calories, right?) Maybe it's water retention? (I was dehydrated a lot before I started this workout stuff…) Maybe I'm gaining muscle at the same rate I'm losing fat? (I do use a pretty heavy weight for kettlebell routines, and I have seen changes there…) Maybe I should forget "weight loss" and just start measuring body fat % with calipers?

    Can someone help me out here? I'm losing my mind.

    First, no, you are not building huge amounts of muscle by doing kettlebell workouts 3-4 times per week and eating at a deficit. Unless you had zero muscle to begin with, which I doubt. Most probably, you are not eating at a deficit, at least not a deficit as big as you think. 2 weeks is a short time, so the scale could move in the next week or two. If nothing changes, then you have probably figured out your maintenance calories and are eating at maintenance. Hw did you estimate how much you need to eat?
  • danielamperezg
    danielamperezg Posts: 2
    I'm no expert but i've read alot on weight loss and nutrition and I think I might add a few things just to keep in mind:
    1) Don't get your body used to eating such less calories than you need to lose the weight because you're not going to be able to maintain it forever and when you stop, you might gain the weight back. I know it's alot and you should also be doing more excercise but be sure you always eat healthy and feed your metabolism so it keeps moving. It's easier and more important to lose % of body fat than weight, so I do think it's working. Keep it up and don't stress so much about the weight.
    2) Watch what types of foods you are eating. It's not enough to count calories. watch out for carbs and sugars (even in fruits) and try eating protein, the body burns calories just by digesting them. I try to have carbs in the morning only and during the day just vegetables and protein. It's not the same let's say 100 calories of bread than 100 of chicken.
    3) You might have reached a plateau because you are doing the same thing and your body got used to it. It's normal i've read. Try changing routines and adding more variety of foods to your diet though, it might help.

  • stuartrapid
    stuartrapid Posts: 2
    Two weeks is not a plateau . Scales can be very deceiving. I suggest you weigh your self on the first of each mouth . Measuring your body can give you a better idea about your weight loss. As other people have said before . It your carbs early in the day. Your dinner should be protein and veg or salad. Good luck. And remember consistent small weight loss is better
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