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Wondering if my figures are right & what to do next

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geordiegirl27
geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
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Hi all

I've been back tracking calories and using fitbit for about a month, with Heybales help recently I switched to eating a 15% cut of the average fitbit cal burn, however, my weight is stuck. I've been stuck at this weight for a month now, it fluctuates us 0.2kg some days other days it goes down 0.2kg but on the whole its not budged.

So my fitbit figures are currently showing that my 15% cut should be 1823 which has been quite consistent the last 3 weeks, I've got MFP set to 1772 which is what it was when I first checked and didnt think 50cals was that far out so I've not changed it yet.

What I am wondering is if I am eating at cut and not losing is the 1772 too high? Do I need to lower the cals?

Is there a reason why my weight would stick if I have been eating at a reasonable deficit?

Am I better increasing my cals to find my TDEE (been reading some of the stickies posts) and once I start to see an increase then take the cut from that?

Since the end of last year I've gone up about 3kg, but I had surgery in February to repair a hernia caused by lots of previous abdominal surgery which is why my activity levels are a lot lower at the moment. I have started to pick up and do a bit of running but not got back to doing any weights as I'm still having a bit trouble from the scar area.

I just seem to be in a tizz all the time stressing about what I'm eating, about not losing any weight and generally feeling really pants about it all.

Thanks again in advance.

Replies

  • MandaLeigh123
    MandaLeigh123 Posts: 351 Member
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    Have you ever done a full metabolism reset and stayed there for awhile to give your metabolism a chance to repair? This is a good idea if you are coming for a low calorie dieting background.
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
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    I haven't MandaLeigh, I haven't been too low calorie of late but I do have a habit of cutting cals if my weight doesn't drop which is what I was doing up until a month ago when I got back on MFP and using my fitbit.

    Therefore I don't know if its worth trying a reset - I figure if nothing else I would know where my gain weight limits were but my scales are up and down like yo-yo's if I weigh every day but over the week I stay the same.

    I know everyone who does a re-set is scared of what will happen so I'm not special in that respect. How long do people stick with the point where the cals you eat mean you gain weight?

    thanks :)
  • MandaLeigh123
    MandaLeigh123 Posts: 351 Member
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    If you are over eating by 250 calories per day, you would see a 1lb fat increase over the course of two weeks. Once you actually see your weight going up steadily over two weeks, you know you are over limit. This is different from the scale yo yo ing everyday due to water weight.
    They recommend staying at reset value (TDEE), not gain value, for 8-12 weeks.
    I stayed at reset value for a shorter period, but my body handled the rest better than most and my weight didn't go all wild all over the place. From 1200-2800ish my weight stayed around 145 (with water weight fluctuations of course... one day water weight up to 152!). It wasn't until I bumped up to 3000 that I started to see an actual gain.

    Personally, I wouldn't cut anymore right now and I would just focus on your running. If you are increasing your exercise, your body is going to need the calories to exercise properly. Make sure to start taking your body measurements as the scale can be a dirty liar. Have you seen the pictures of people who weigh more, but look fitter? It's a good habit to take measurements.
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    I'm sure more people will pipe in after the weekend, these forums tend to quiet down on the weekends.
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
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    Really appreciate your message MandaLeigh and esp the photos. I think I will try upping cals slightly and see where I get too. Worse case I have to cut back again.

    I also have to get back into my x-training and weights but need to be realistic as to what I can do when.

    I will brave the before photos and I do measurements but normally only monthly I don't imagine they'll have changed so far though as I've only just restarted exercising.

    Cheers again
  • bonniejo
    bonniejo Posts: 787 Member
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    MandaLeigh123 wrote: »
    If you are over eating by 250 calories per day, you would see a 1lb fat increase over the course of two weeks. Once you actually see your weight going up steadily over two weeks, you know you are over limit. This is different from the scale yo yo ing everyday due to water weight.
    They recommend staying at reset value (TDEE), not gain value, for 8-12 weeks.
    I stayed at reset value for a shorter period, but my body handled the rest better than most and my weight didn't go all wild all over the place. From 1200-2800ish my weight stayed around 145 (with water weight fluctuations of course... one day water weight up to 152!). It wasn't until I bumped up to 3000 that I started to see an actual gain.

    I think I'm going to start a full reset, thought I could just go up to the cut value but it's not working for me. How long did you stay at your TDEE? What did you think it would be when you started? And how did you go about increasing calories? (I was thinking of starting with a larger bump of 250 calories, which I know my body is ok with, and then increasing by 100 each week)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Look for Manda's update topics, a couple of that should be required reading for showing the possible.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    geordiegirl27 wrote: »
    Really appreciate your message MandaLeigh and esp the photos. I think I will try upping cals slightly and see where I get too. Worse case I have to cut back again.

    I also have to get back into my x-training and weights but need to be realistic as to what I can do when.

    I will brave the before photos and I do measurements but normally only monthly I don't imagine they'll have changed so far though as I've only just restarted exercising.

    Cheers again

    Only other thing would be is Fitbit daily burn accurate?

    Have you looked at the daily graph of 5 min calorie burn and steps and confirmed that no steps are showing up when they shouldn't?

    Is distance confirmed that Fitbit sees you doing?
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
    edited April 2015
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    It's definitely out when I run I did a 3.1m run earlier in week but it only gave me 2.5m on FB, maybe I should do a check on treadmill this week. I am confident that no steps add when they shouldn't i will do some extra checks though to be sure. If anything it would be under actual steps as I often forget to put it on first thing.

    I'm sure in time it will come off esp once I get back to exercising, unfortunately studying g doesn't add to my cal burn and next 7eeeks it will become more intense..

    Kitted up for a run after I've done this session.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    So you likely have a bigger deficit than you think, by possibly a decent amount.
    Because if distance is off for a run, it could be off for a walk too.
    2 different stride lengths there, running doesn't effect walking figures - both should be tested, especially since you walk more than you run probably.
  • geordiegirl27
    geordiegirl27 Posts: 307 Member
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    I will do a treadmill test when I get a chance, I've been out for a walk tonight and if I run between 2 lampposts I have 32 steps, if I walk the same 2 lampposts its 45 steps, I know thats a bit basic but I guess proves that the distance covered is out. Thanks again heybales.

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