How to make a change?
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Nerdycurls
Posts: 143 Member
I know this isn't the best word to use, but I'm experiencing a "plateau." My weight hasn't moved in 2 months, but the good thing is I'm not gaining weight 
I decided to switch things up by incorporating HIIT and more strength training. I do group fitness training for both, in addition to cardio on other days. The common wisdom appears to be exercising at 4x a week to lose weight. Unfortunately, there are days I have to be sedentary. I spend a lot of time studying and I recently experienced a job loss. A lot of time is spent sitting and using the computer.
My current calorie intake on sedentary days is 1400-1450. On more active days it's 1500-1550. I used the TDEE and BMR calculators to determine my intake. This morning my weight was 154.6 and my goal for this year is to get down to 140 lbs.
A couple of questions-- what constitutes a good workout? Do you eat back some of your workout calories, and how do you figure it out?
I decided to switch things up by incorporating HIIT and more strength training. I do group fitness training for both, in addition to cardio on other days. The common wisdom appears to be exercising at 4x a week to lose weight. Unfortunately, there are days I have to be sedentary. I spend a lot of time studying and I recently experienced a job loss. A lot of time is spent sitting and using the computer.
My current calorie intake on sedentary days is 1400-1450. On more active days it's 1500-1550. I used the TDEE and BMR calculators to determine my intake. This morning my weight was 154.6 and my goal for this year is to get down to 140 lbs.
A couple of questions-- what constitutes a good workout? Do you eat back some of your workout calories, and how do you figure it out?
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Replies
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Sounds like you're eating at maintenance. Do you use a food scale? Logging everything you eat?0
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Definitely recommend using a food scale. You're likely overeating. I was at your current weight last year when I decided to start getting serious, and bought a food scale. This morning I'm at 141.6 (after losing, I took off some time and just maintained, I'm now trying to lose another 10lbs) I do not eat perfectly and frequently go over my calories required to lose, so losing is much slower for me. If you ate 1400-1550 calories perfectly every day, even being sedentary, you should be losing. I do not workout at all and if I stick to my required about (1480) I lose. Even if I go over 100 a couple times a week I still see a losing trend. My advice: use a food scale religiously, even track when you go over. Also get a wall calendar and use symbols or something to note the days you followed your diet and days you did not (I use happy and sad faces) I like how a visual like that encourages me to fill it up with more happy faces 0
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I absolutely use a food scale, for everything. All of my meals, snacks, and when I have juice (only once a day). I use a food scale and measuring spoons for things like peanut butter, honey, butter, and sugar (eaten sparingly).
I'll admit, I'm not always perfect because of my husband. Not making an excuse here! But he gets miserable if we don't go out to eat a few times a month, and I'm sure that's hampering my effort.
One thing I've read is you have to eat more to lose weight. I find that a confusing concept, unless it applies to extremely hard workouts. Is there any science to back this up?0 -
A couple of questions-- what constitutes a good workout? Do you eat back some of your workout calories, and how do you figure it out?
Sweating is a good clue, presuming you aren't working in a hot environment. More time sweating = more calories burned. Heart rate is usually referenced and people who want to measure their burns more carefully like to use them.
The pre-set calorie values on MFP are generally believed to be overly generous, so the common wisdom on the board is to only eat back half your exercise calories.One thing I've read is you have to eat more to lose weight. I find that a confusing concept, unless it applies to extremely hard workouts. Is there any science to back this up?
No, you don't have to eat more to lose weight. The core of that concept is to eat as much as you can and still lose; or IOW to not eat at too large of a deficit.
The calories allocated to lose X pounds are based on a generic formula. For most people it is close enough. If you are truly sure that your logging is on point and you see no change for 6 weeks or so then the next step is to increase your deficit, either by eating a little less or moving a little more.0 -
Nerdycurls wrote: »I absolutely use a food scale, for everything. All of my meals, snacks, and when I have juice (only once a day). I use a food scale and measuring spoons for things like peanut butter, honey, butter, and sugar (eaten sparingly).
I'll admit, I'm not always perfect because of my husband. Not making an excuse here! But he gets miserable if we don't go out to eat a few times a month, and I'm sure that's hampering my effort.
One thing I've read is you have to eat more to lose weight. I find that a confusing concept, unless it applies to extremely hard workouts. Is there any science to back this up?
Measuring spoons for peanut butter, honey, butter, etc.. is not a good idea. And if you like to lick the spoon after using the measuring spoon, well then you added a lot more calories than you think.
You should read up on the stickies about weighing everything you eat. Spoons are not a good idea and will derail anyone's deficit.
edited to add: if you are not losing weight, you do not need to eat more..
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
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For things like peanut butter:
Weigh the jar.
Tare the scale with the jar on the scale.
Remove the peanut butter that you want.
Put the jar back on the scale.
If it says -27 grams, you took out 27 grams. Feel free to lick the spoon because that's part of what you took out of the jar.
If your scale doesn't have a tare function, just weigh the jar before and after you get the peanut butter and subtract to get the difference.0 -
Nerdycurls wrote: »I absolutely use a food scale, for everything. All of my meals, snacks, and when I have juice (only once a day). I use a food scale and measuring spoons for things like peanut butter, honey, butter, and sugar (eaten sparingly).
I'll admit, I'm not always perfect because of my husband. Not making an excuse here! But he gets miserable if we don't go out to eat a few times a month, and I'm sure that's hampering my effort.
One thing I've read is you have to eat more to lose weight. I find that a confusing concept, unless it applies to extremely hard workouts. Is there any science to back this up?
Measuring spoons for peanut butter, honey, butter, etc.. is not a good idea. And if you like to lick the spoon after using the measuring spoon, well then you added a lot more calories than you think.
You should read up on the stickies about weighing everything you eat. Spoons are not a good idea and will derail anyone's deficit.
edited to add: if you are not losing weight, you do not need to eat more..
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
What I meant is I will use a spoon and place it on the scale to hold the butters and whatnot for weighing. It's easier for me to weigh peanut butter using a tablespoon, and then I fill it with the pb until it hits 30 grams or the serving size (varies across brands). I don't lick the spoon. It makes more sense to me to use the spoon and tare it than to place it on a plate or a bowl. For everything else, I use bowls.0 -
Unfortunately if after 2 months you're not losing its cos you're eating at maintenance so you will need to cut again
Take 250 away from your current food intake, logging it the way you do and see how you go0 -
Unfortunately if after 2 months you're not losing its cos you're eating at maintenance so you will need to cut again
Take 250 away from your current food intake, logging it the way you do and see how you go
My current intake is 1400 a day. With -250 that brings me down to 1150. Is that healthy?? I was warned a while ago not not continue cutting my calories because I'd get frustrated and hungry. The lowest I've done consistently in the past was 1300.0 -
Nerdycurls wrote: »Unfortunately if after 2 months you're not losing its cos you're eating at maintenance so you will need to cut again
Take 250 away from your current food intake, logging it the way you do and see how you go
My current intake is 1400 a day. With -250 that brings me down to 1150. Is that healthy?? I was warned a while ago not not continue cutting my calories because I'd get frustrated and hungry. The lowest I've done consistently in the past was 1300.
I doubt you are eating what you think you are TBH0 -
I'll be honest too, comments like that are frustrating because from what I'm doing, what my husband sees, and what others see, I AM eating what I think I'm eating.0
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Hi Nerdycurls,
Would it be at all possible to cut out those "few times a month" meals out, just for a few weeks? To see if they are really wiping out any deficit you have? I know you said your husband would be miserable, but I'm sure he wouldn't want you miserable either...0 -
Nerdycurls wrote: »I'll be honest too, comments like that are frustrating because from what I'm doing, what my husband sees, and what others see, I AM eating what I think I'm eating.
Oh I completely empathise and appreciate that
But you know it's no reflection on you, it's human nature to underestimate, to forget, to make mistakes ..it's also human nature to overestimate calorie expenditure
You could go to the doctor and check you don't have a thyroid or hormonal issue
But scientifically if you are accurately logging your calories..by weight..not choosing the incorrect entries, of which there are millions in the MFP database, double checking ...adding all cooking oils, little tastes ..and sticking to your defecit across the week
if you were doing that you would be losing weight over 6-8 week cycles which allows for water weight fluctuations from hormones, change up in exercise, change in sodium and carb intake and dehydration etc
Sorry ...it sounds mean but it's true
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