Diary Check?

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keithcw_the_first
keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, for a while I was attempting to bulk at about 3400 calories a day. For the last week or two of that, my weight pretty much flatlined.

Then I figured it was time to cut, which I've been trying for the last two or three weeks. Dropped my goal, eating back some portion of exercise calories; weight has pretty much flatlined. At the same weight!

The scale suggests that I was maintaining at 3400 calories and that I'm also maintaining at approx. 2700.

Does that mean I was overestimating portions during my bulk and I'm underestimating now?

Any thoughts on the matter?

Replies

  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    Can you give your stats please? (Age, height, weight, activity level)

    What kind of exercises do you do.

    Glancing at your diary, it looks like you've been doing a lot of estimating. Do you have a food scale?
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
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    I do have a good scale; for things like cottage cheese I'll weigh out 113g since that's a serving.

    Chicken breasts I'll do ounces and usually guess high if I can't weigh them. Otherwise I try to eat by serving size.

    31 y/o male; 6'0" ~197 lbs.

    Lightly active? Strength training 3x week, chores and baby wrangling 7x week, desk job punctuated with walking breaks.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    I ran your numbers on IIFYM.com and came up with a TDEE of about 2,600 calories for you. Theoretically, you can lose a lb a week by dropping to around 2100. I would try to eat at a 500-250 calorie deficit for a while if you want to lose weight (so around 2100-2350 calories) while lifting weights and getting adequate protein. Once you get to the weight that you want, you can either recomp (eat at maintenance and lift heavy - you will lose fat and gain muscle this way, but it can take a while) or bulk, but I would shoot for a slower bulk (~250 calorie surplus) and lift heavy weights.

    What sort of strength training do you do? Are you on a progressive weight lifting program?
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    Another note, try to weigh everything and log as accurately as possible. I know you said that you weigh everything that you can, but an entry such as 2 Tbsp of peanut butter can vary wildly if you weigh in grams. If you start eating at your deficit and see that your weight is stalling, you may want to see how you can tighten up your logging (maybe switching to weighing everything in grams and bringing your lunch to work). If your wife or girlfriend usually cooks dinner, maybe try to get involved with that and ask her if you can calculate your calories by weighing the ingredients. The closer you get to goal, the more accurate your logging will need to be.
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
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    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    I ran your numbers on IIFYM.com and came up with a TDEE of about 2,600 calories for you. Theoretically, you can lose a lb a week by dropping to around 2100. I would try to eat at a 500-250 calorie deficit for a while if you want to lose weight (so around 2100-2350 calories) while lifting weights and getting adequate protein. Once you get to the weight that you want, you can either recomp (eat at maintenance and lift heavy - you will lose fat and gain muscle this way, but it can take a while) or bulk, but I would shoot for a slower bulk (~250 calorie surplus) and lift heavy weights.

    What sort of strength training do you do? Are you on a progressive weight lifting program?

    A few more notes I guess; I use a FitBit to help gauge my calorie burn, so if i have a very busy day with two hours of yard work and a mile or two of incidental walking, I'll eat more than I would on a normal "rest" day.

    I've got my goal set to 2100 calories but with eating back exercise and all that, it's always more. I shoot for .6 - .8 g of protein per pound.

    I've been on a bastardized version of Stronglifts/Starting Strength for a while now. I use Fitocracy to track all of my workout so if I don't go shoot for more weight then I'll shoot for more reps or more sets. I would consider a progressive program, yes.

    It might be time to weight everything instead of most things. I tend to worry more about weighing very calorically dense things, since there's a small margin of error. Like trail mix.

    I'm willing to give it another week maybe and then I think i'm going to have to drop goal to 2000.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    keithcw_the_first wrote: »
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    I ran your numbers on IIFYM.com and came up with a TDEE of about 2,600 calories for you. Theoretically, you can lose a lb a week by dropping to around 2100. I would try to eat at a 500-250 calorie deficit for a while if you want to lose weight (so around 2100-2350 calories) while lifting weights and getting adequate protein. Once you get to the weight that you want, you can either recomp (eat at maintenance and lift heavy - you will lose fat and gain muscle this way, but it can take a while) or bulk, but I would shoot for a slower bulk (~250 calorie surplus) and lift heavy weights.

    What sort of strength training do you do? Are you on a progressive weight lifting program?

    A few more notes I guess; I use a FitBit to help gauge my calorie burn, so if i have a very busy day with two hours of yard work and a mile or two of incidental walking, I'll eat more than I would on a normal "rest" day.

    I've got my goal set to 2100 calories but with eating back exercise and all that, it's always more. I shoot for .6 - .8 g of protein per pound.

    I've been on a bastardized version of Stronglifts/Starting Strength for a while now. I use Fitocracy to track all of my workout so if I don't go shoot for more weight then I'll shoot for more reps or more sets. I would consider a progressive program, yes.

    It might be time to weight everything instead of most things. I tend to worry more about weighing very calorically dense things, since there's a small margin of error. Like trail mix.

    I'm willing to give it another week maybe and then I think i'm going to have to drop goal to 2000.

    Yeah, weighing is key - things like protein powder, peanut butter, dressings - it can all add up. Good luck!

    PS, There is a great group on here called Eat, Train, Progress that you may find useful. And of course, don't hesitate to come to the main forums for help.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    What percentage of your exercise calories are you eating back?
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
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    75% or more; depends. It's coming from my Fitbit so maybe I'm overconfident in their accuracy?

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