Any insight into whether this is too much or too little calories?

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burtsr7
burtsr7 Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone. I'm looking for some help losing weight. I used to lose weight fairly quickly whenever I added more exercise or watched what I ate but the past three weeks haven't shown much progress. I'm bummed because I only wanted to lose 6 lbs over a course of 8 weeks but I only have 4 weeks left. Here's a little about me:
  • I love lifting weights, I hate cardio. But since I've been getting physical therapy for my shoulder I've stopped lifting because he wants me to rest my upper body. Because of this, I've been doing more cardio. Usually I do a Turbo Fire HIIT or 40 minutes between the elliptical and the bike at the gym. My HR is usually around 145 so I'm pushing pretty hard but nothing crazy. I usually work out a second time and do a class from Brazil Butt Lift or an ab workout (maybe a 20 min walk/jog)
  • I have a job where I am constantly on my feet rushing around. I work as a phlebotomist at a fast paced plasma center and when I'm at work my HR is usually around 110 (according to my fitbit and confirmed by me). I take about 15,000 steps each day. Shifts are 8-10 hours long.
  • Because of the workload at my job, my fitbit says I burn 3000 calories a day. This seems like a lot
  • As of a month ago I completely cut soda out of my diet and I expected to see instant weight loss because I've been addict to cola for at least 6 years.
  • I've been eating lots of raw, homecooked foods now too, although I will usually eat some kind of sweet treat every day. I know that's bad, but before I used to live off candy so I've cut a lot out.
  • I am 5'5, 158 lbs and 25 years old. I am rather comfortable with my body but I am built like a softball player. I have pretty big muscles so the layer of fat I have over them make me look a little bulk.y

During this whole journey over the past 4 weeks I've been eating about 1800-2100 calories. Usually at least 110 g protein and around 220 g carbs. I am hesitant to go low carb because I am on my feet all day and don't want to lose energy. According to my fitbit this is a lot less than the calories I expend but I'm hesitant to eat 3000 at maintance because I feel like after working this job for many months my body is accustomed to the workload and must be gradually burning less each shift.

I don't think I'm eating too few because if that's the case I usually quickly drop 3-4 lbs and then plateau until I up my calories a bit, and I never dropped much of anything.

What do you guys think, eating too less, eating too much? I'm drinking 5 water bottles daily now (instead of a bottle of coke and one water bottle last month). Should I try low carb? Is my occasional candy splurge screwing me over even though I've cut back? Am I still at that stage where I'm just retaining water because I was fairly inactive (with the exception of work) before the past few weeks.

Replies

  • Amber_hanson27
    Amber_hanson27 Posts: 66 Member
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    Are you using a food scale?
  • burtsr7
    burtsr7 Posts: 11 Member
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    Yup! I just bought one a few months ago and didn't pull it out until I made the goal to lose 6lbs. I realized I had a hard time estimating portion sizes so it's been very helpful when logging my intake
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Maybe you can do some weight machines for lower body or Body Weight Exercises on youtube while the upper body is resting. The fitbit (as is the case with other apps) is over estimating your activity. You might be burning only 30% of what it says you burn. Stopping the diet soda makes no difference. If you miss it, go back to drinking it.
  • Amber_hanson27
    Amber_hanson27 Posts: 66 Member
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    Give it time I think you are on your way.
  • burtsr7
    burtsr7 Posts: 11 Member
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    I've been doing the Brazil Butt Lift program about 3-4 times a week to work on my lower body (lots if squats/lunges/etc.) actually much harder than I was expecting considering I lift a lot.
    Sorry if my first post was confusing, I was drinking regular cola, so about 500 calories a day was from soda intake.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    When you input your stats into MFP, with a lightly active activity level, what was the figure it gave you?
  • burtsr7
    burtsr7 Posts: 11 Member
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    At lightly active (and maintanence.....no goals set) it has me recommended to eat 2050 calories.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    burtsr7 wrote: »
    At lightly active (and maintanence.....no goals set) it has me recommended to eat 2050 calories.
    So to lose weight (half pound a week), you would need to eat less then that, except for the days you exercise. Work is normal daily activity. I usually get around 15k steps a day and have my activity level set to sedentary and let my jawbone do the rest (enable negative adjustments).

  • AnnaBellQ14
    AnnaBellQ14 Posts: 109 Member
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    I'm 5'7" and around 180 lbs. My fitbit tells me I burn around 2600 calories for 15,000 steps. Maybe the fitbit with hr monitor is givig you too high of a burn for the day. I have been steadily loosing weight relying on my fitbit. Although I don't eat all my exercise calories back.

  • burtsr7
    burtsr7 Posts: 11 Member
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    So would you recommend I try dropping to 1500 or so calories? That seems so small considering my maintanence level is at 2050 and I exercise every day.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    edited July 2015
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    burtsr7 wrote: »
    So would you recommend I try dropping to 1500 or so calories? That seems so small considering my maintanence level is at 2050 and I exercise every day.
    IF that is what MFP recommended, then yes, 1500 would be a base and you would earn more through exercise. Are you using a food scale? Can you open your diary?
  • burtsr7
    burtsr7 Posts: 11 Member
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    I guess my confusion lies in the fact that adding my exercise calories back to the 1500 puts me in the range that I'm currently eating at (I usually burn 300-500) in exercise everyday so that pits me in the 1800-2000 range which is what I'm currently eating when eating back exercise calories. I'm sorry if I'm missing something blatantly obvious here.
    Yes I do weigh and measure my portions using measuring cups and/or my food scale. I could open up my diary, may involve playing around on the app for a few min and figuring out how though.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    Keep doing what you're doing and give it time. It will all work.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    burtsr7 wrote: »
    I guess my confusion lies in the fact that adding my exercise calories back to the 1500 puts me in the range that I'm currently eating at (I usually burn 300-500) in exercise everyday so that pits me in the 1800-2000 range which is what I'm currently eating when eating back exercise calories. I'm sorry if I'm missing something blatantly obvious here.
    Yes I do weigh and measure my portions using measuring cups and/or my food scale. I could open up my diary, may involve playing around on the app for a few min and figuring out how though.

    Remember, most burns are over estimated, therefore you should be eating only a portion of them. Most eat half.
  • AnnaBellQ14
    AnnaBellQ14 Posts: 109 Member
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    I was thinking about your fitbit burns, does that include your exercise on top of your 15,000 steps? If so, it might be correct. When I go swimming that adds another 3 or 400 calories onto my daily burn. So if you enter any exercise into MFP it will be reflected in fitbit if they are synched.

    Another thing, I have been seeing post where if you are close to your goal weight you should be set to lose half a pound a week, which would be only a 250 calorie deficit. So, you should be eating pretty close to your maintenance calories and expect your progress to be slow.

    Also, if you just stared an exercise program, water retention may be masking your progress.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    burtsr7 wrote: »
    I only wanted to lose 6 lbs over a course of 8 weeks but I only have 4 weeks left.

    I'm afraid your body doesn't really care what you want or understand your desires.

    Personally, I think the problem here is ultimately you failing to manage your expectations. Be patient, Be consistent. Relax and keep going.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    burtsr7 wrote: »
    Because of the workload at my job, my fitbit says I burn 3000 calories a day. This seems like a lot.

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. If you eat at a reasonable deficit from that, you will lose weight. (But you still need to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly.)

    Connect your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/fitbit

    Enable negative calorie adjustments in your diary settings: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided

    You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    The less you have to lose, the more slowly it comes off. That's just the way the human body works. You are not going to lose 6 lbs. in four weeks. A healthy, sustainable loss at your size is .5 lb. per week.

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