Cut calories or increase exercise?

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eskimohugger
eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I will usually eat around 600-700 calories spread out in 6 snacks throughout the day and then come home to a 700-800 calorie dinner, plus a snack later. I have been focusing on my diet and normalizing my metabolism lately. I have lost 11 pounds so far but it seems I have hit a plateau. Is that because I need to cut calories or include exercise? I have been overbooked with work from school, but if I need to I will try to work out more than once/twice a week. Should I cut calories or increase exercise?
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Replies

  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
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    Not sure what you metabolic rate is but you can try eating a little more, I know it sounds crazy but try adding couple hundred calories of protein or CLEAN food

    just to see..
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    How long have you been stuck?
  • eskimohugger
    eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
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    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    Not sure what you metabolic rate is but you can try eating a little more, I know it sounds crazy but try adding couple hundred calories of protein or CLEAN food

    just to see..

    Thats doable! I used to have a horrible metabolism and would gain weight so easily. I started eating more and frequently and forcing my metabolism to normalize better, and I can tell that now Its working more efficiently than it used to. I have mostly been eating half healthy half flexible dieting but always keeping portions in mind. I can try to focus on cooking more lean foods! Thank you for the suggestion
  • eskimohugger
    eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    How long have you been stuck?

    About two weeks, it doesn't seem a lot but I dont want to find out later on that I have been gaining weight instead of losing like usual. Im wondering if my body is getting too used to what Ive been training it to do.
  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
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    also as you reach your bodys ideal weight weight loss slows down.. if you want to go beyond what you body thinks its Ideal is,, you must change something

    eat less be more active.. something I dropped weight SUPER FAST at first now I am focused on Inches lost FAT LOSS not WEIGHT LOSS
  • eskimohugger
    eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
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    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    also as you reach your bodys ideal weight weight loss slows down.. if you want to go beyond what you body thinks its Ideal is,, you must change something

    eat less be more active.. something I dropped weight SUPER FAST at first now I am focused on Inches lost FAT LOSS not WEIGHT LOSS

    I was heading towards being overweight at the rate I was a few months ago, I was around 175 and I am 5"5. My initial goal was to lose overall weight because I had a lot of visceral fat. Now that I am slimming down and have reached 164, my goal is to get down to at least 159 and then focus on inches/fat loss. I want to get in a healthier weight range for my body type and my BMI for my age group because I dont want to develop diabetes like my grandma haha
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    Not sure what you metabolic rate is but you can try eating a little more, I know it sounds crazy but try adding couple hundred calories of protein or CLEAN food

    just to see..

    Eating more is not the answer. bad advice

    You've lost 11 pounds which is awesome. You need to be patient, weight loss does not happen over night!

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited October 2015
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    nnnaq5rggu08.jpg
  • eskimohugger
    eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    Not sure what you metabolic rate is but you can try eating a little more, I know it sounds crazy but try adding couple hundred calories of protein or CLEAN food

    just to see..

    Eating more is not the answer. bad advice

    You've lost 11 pounds which is awesome. You need to be patient, weight loss does not happen over night!

    Youre right I need to be more patient and just continue. I like exercising and its great for the health, but I dont know if I should do it because when you exercise, you get more hungry because your body needs more fuel to feed your muscles, but I feel like that would result in weight gain if I ate more. What do you think?
  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
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    Its all Bro-Science anyways
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Exercising will make you hungrier if you are not eating enough! How accurate is your food logging? Do you use a food scale? What is your weight loss goal per week?
  • eskimohugger
    eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Exercising will make you hungrier if you are not eating enough! How accurate is your food logging? Do you use a food scale? What is your weight loss goal per week?

    I am pretty accurate, I just havent used MFP in a month because I have been busy but Ive continued with my healthier portions etc. and I do not have a food scale, why? and I said around 1 lb per week because I used to become too obsessive with my weightloss so I have been trying to keep it steady and consistent instead of dropping pounds fast
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    eskimohugger wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Exercising will make you hungrier if you are not eating enough! How accurate is your food logging? Do you use a food scale? What is your weight loss goal per week?

    I am pretty accurate, I just havent used MFP in a month because I have been busy but Ive continued with my healthier portions etc. and I do not have a food scale, why? and I said around 1 lb per week because I used to become too obsessive with my weightloss so I have been trying to keep it steady and consistent instead of dropping pounds fast

    Not everyone uses a food scale which is ok and your weight loss has been good. Keep going and practice patience.

    A food scale is good only because it gives you an accurate calorie count. So if you stuck again reconsider purchasing a food scale.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKPIcI51lU
  • tracoleman99
    tracoleman99 Posts: 51 Member
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    You have to log everything you eat. I measure everything too. I don't estimate at all. I recently got a decent food scale from e-Bay for $10. That said, MyFitnessPal doesn't allow you enough calories for your metabolic rate. I eat 700 calories more than what MyFitnessPal's default recommendations say I should eat. My goal right now is to maintain my weight, not lose any, but even still, that's what MFP recommends. Under goals, I increased my calories and adjusted my macros. Make sure you're getting in enough protein and include weight bearing exercises into your routine.
  • eskimohugger
    eskimohugger Posts: 80 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    eskimohugger wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Exercising will make you hungrier if you are not eating enough! How accurate is your food logging? Do you use a food scale? What is your weight loss goal per week?

    I am pretty accurate, I just havent used MFP in a month because I have been busy but Ive continued with my healthier portions etc. and I do not have a food scale, why? and I said around 1 lb per week because I used to become too obsessive with my weightloss so I have been trying to keep it steady and consistent instead of dropping pounds fast

    Not everyone uses a food scale which is ok and your weight loss has been good. Keep going and practice patience.

    A food scale is good only because it gives you an accurate calorie count. So if you stuck again reconsider purchasing a food scale.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKPIcI51lU

    Is there a certain brand thats good and cheap?
  • 20yearsyounger
    20yearsyounger Posts: 1,643 Member
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    I know you asked if you should cut calories or increase exercise. At the end of the day it's CICO for weight loss. However, how much exercise do you currently do?
  • feelnopain12
    feelnopain12 Posts: 10 Member
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    I havent read anyone elses reply...but the add exercise option is ALWAYS the best. Do you want to lose weight and look bad or lose weight and look good?...same kinda question..i dont get the people that go and try to loseweight it doesnt highlight your good features if you dont workout at the same time :persevere:
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Try some of both and see what works best for you. It can be hard sometimes to just exercise more since it will end up increasing your appetite.. and the extra cals you burn are always an estimation. But as many others said, your weight loss will slow down and eventually stop as you reach your equilibrium for that calorie level so you'll need to do more to get back into a deficit. You've done really well so far so there's no reason to think something is wrong, just stay patient and keep it up.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    Two weeks with no change is common under the best of circumstances. Since you haven't been logging for the past month, I would start there. The two are likely connected.
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
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    I've found that it becomes lots easier to eat less when you cram a lot of bulky vegetables into your diet. I try to have one giant leafy salad per day plus a few handfuls of baby carrots to munch on.

    Then it's like the calorie deficit just happens on its own.

    Exercise is great (particularly cardio) because then you get to pad your deficit with a bit of a cushion.

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