3 weeks low calories, high exercise, no weight loss?????

Georgebennett106
Georgebennett106 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 30 in Motivation and Support
Hi, i am usually a fairly inactive person and weight 91-93kg, 6 foot.
But for the last 3 weeks i have been trying really hard to lose weight.
According to the app, i needed to cut my calories to 1500 per day to lose 1kg per week. I have been doing this but also on top i have been running 10k, 4 times per week.
According to nike running app, i am burbing 935 calories per run.

So my net calorie intake after excercise has been 500-1200 calories per day and i am not loosing any weight!

Please help this is crazy, i have started playing football instesd of one run as my knee is getting painful and i will also substitute a run for a swim soon. But please help. This is killing me.
Thanks
George
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Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    edited March 2016
    Hi, i am usually a fairly inactive person and weight 91-93kg, 6 foot.
    But for the last 3 weeks i have been trying really hard to lose weight.
    According to the app, i needed to cut my calories to 1500 per day to lose 1kg per week. I have been doing this but also on top i have been running 10k, 4 times per week.
    According to nike running app, i am burbing 935 calories per run.

    So my net calorie intake after excercise has been 500-1200 calories per day and i am not loosing any weight!

    Please help this is crazy, i have started playing football instesd of one run as my knee is getting painful and i will also substitute a run for a swim soon. But please help. This is killing me.
    Thanks
    George


    ??? net 500-1200? im suprised you are still alive. your net should be 1500 or more since you are so active.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Hi George,

    Do you use a food scale to get accurate calorie counts? Do you select the right foods from the database? How do you know your calories burns? Do you use a HRM?
  • Georgebennett106
    Georgebennett106 Posts: 5 Member
    Hi all, thanks for the info but it now seems to be a debate over a flow chart, so hoping i might be able to get back on topic.
    I dont use a food scale but go by the weight on the packet.
    I am eating really simply, probably too much meat and not enough veg but i have always been like that, i am a guy.
    My typical day
    Breakfast
    3 eggs and a coffee., little milk no sugar.

    Lunch,
    Usually 200-250g meat. Maybe a teaspoon of home made paleo mayo.

    Dinner
    Chicken breast (100g-150g) and veggies, small bowl.
    And a english tea with little milk.

    Fyi, i am a 33 y/o male.
    25% body fat, 51% water, 63kg muscle.

    As for calroies burned on my runs, this is just a rough idea given by my nike run app.
    I run for 60-65 mins and cover 10km. Almost every calorie burn calculator roughly agrees with this. I am also in hk so temp is around 20c now so i sweat a fair bit too.

    I figure, i am so far under my calorie required, i should at least see some change to my body fat%. I actually had more sucess a year back when i ate even less and did no exercise.

    I always thought it was a numbers game and if i was at a deficit, i would lose weight but it seems not to be the case.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited March 2016
    As long as you know your calorie intake and calorie out are accurate, I would say you just need patience.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1

  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    Just hang in there. IF you really are eating at a deficit, you WILL lose the weight. Perhaps something is masking the weight loss. Some people here weigh themselves every day so that one high-sodium day shortly before their weekly weigh-in doesn't skew the picture too much. You may want to give that a shot
  • Georgebennett106
    Georgebennett106 Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks, i think your right and maybe i am expecting too much too soon.
    I just really want to get to 83.
    At the moment i am considered overweight, and nearly obese according to the fat% charts.
    I have uploaded a photo on my profile, so hopefully you can see i am not obese. But even still 90kg is still a lot for my height. I yearn for the days when i was lean and in shape. Being in hk there are a lot of times spent in trunks and most of the time i hate it. Luckily I still have a few months left this year to sort my look out.
    Anyway hopefully i will see sone better results soon.

    Fyi i am using a tanita bc 541n electro scale that does
    fat%, bone mass, water %, muscle mass, etc, not sure how accurate it is. Just a floor scales
  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
    edited March 2016
    The less you have to lose the slower it's going to be. Make sure you're logging is as tight as you can get it (weighing ALL foods will ensure this happens) and keeping that deficit and the weight will eventually come off, good luck :)
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Just keep going, this is a lifelong pursuit. Once you reach your goal, you keep going. right? Perfecting you. I think you look great.
  • Georgebennett106
    Georgebennett106 Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks again, yep this is a life change, and i will definitely be keeping it up.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    You mentioned pain. Pain is usually accompanied by inflammation, which is one if many forms if retaining water, which can mask weight loss.

    If you went from inactive to running 10k a couple if times a week and basically undereating, I am surprised you haven't passed out or injured yourself.

    It sounds like you are already at a healthy weight. To slim down, you should go gently (.25kg/week) and carefully - ie, measure and weigh your food.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Dear Posters,

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  • M30834134
    M30834134 Posts: 411 Member
    Op, I dont know your height, but by assuming 5'10" (177 cm) at your weight (93 kg, 205 lb) your BMR is around 2000 calories - that's how many calories you need if you were lying down the entire day with no activities! When you severely restrict your intake, your body has to adapt in one way or another. Undereating your BMR by a lot and for too long will not stop your weight loss but it will make it more difficult and unpredictable. It's hard not only physiologically but also emotionally - aren't you tired always being hungry?

    Anyway, the above might not even be relevant as you're not using a kitchen scale and probably eating more than you think. First, try to get your intake as accurate as you can with kitchen scale and measuring cups (for liquids only). There are so much estimation going on in calorie counting - everything is estimated: BMR, TDEE, exercise calories, food calories. Try to at least get precise at what you can - your intake by weighing and measuring your food. Then, re-evaluate.
  • kimiilittrel
    kimiilittrel Posts: 1 Member
    I plateaued for a couple weeks. Increasing my calories for a few days helped.
  • mad_ras
    mad_ras Posts: 5 Member
    Eat more.......simple
  • KiraCharman
    KiraCharman Posts: 90 Member
    Hey Everyone,George I have no idea sorry hun, maybe eat more but make sure its nutritionally rich food, maybe make some food swaps and maybe mix it up a bit food wise? I am looking for more mfp friends atm, but I am looking for accountable friends, is that you? Add me ;p x
  • KiraCharman
    KiraCharman Posts: 90 Member
    ps swimming is amazing!! xx
    HUGE FAN!!!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited March 2016
    1500 calories for a tall guy is really not enough even when wanting to lose. As someone already stated you are eating under BMR. How you can run and do any activity on that amount of food...?

    e.g I'm petite at 5ft 2" and when I was trying to lose I did so eating around 1800 cals to lose 1/2lb a week.

    Also you really need to get yourself some food scales, they are eye opening! plus they're cheap to buy.

    All the best for your weight loss journey but you really don't need to be half starving yourself to lose, noone can sustain that nor is it healthy.
  • pigelet
    pigelet Posts: 37 Member
    Kudos for making changes.

    Most important thing is having a fairly accurate idea of what you are eating on a daily basis.
    More than 50/60% of folks underestimate what they eat. If you aren't using a scale of sorts in all likelihood you are eating too much or just enough that you are in maintenance right now.

    Easiest thing to do would be to grab a good scale and actually weigh your foods for a week and see what numbers you come up with.

    NOTE: For a guy @ 6', you could easily be eating 2000 calories/daily and with your runs still be losing weight. No need to eat so low (1500 calories).

    Good luck!
  • iairbrushu2
    iairbrushu2 Posts: 11 Member
    George you look great.
    I am wondering if u are simply exchanging muscle weight for fat? Though ur pic masks any fat what so ever.. U look fantastic as is.
    Anyway i believe fat takes up more space than lean muscle. Perhaps measurements would be a better way to judge over scale?
    As other mentioned be patient your bound to see the numbers change as well. Clothes fit the same? Another way to gage whats really happening.
    Again stick with it.. And you look fabulous already!! Best wishes
    Dawn
  • melissa6771
    melissa6771 Posts: 894 Member
    Hi there. I can see you are working really hard. From reading what you say you eat in a day; 3 eggs, 240 calories. 8 oz meat, maybe what, 3-400 calories, and a chicken breast is like 200. I think you are eating under 1000 calories for the day and it's all protein. I believe you need to add some healthy carbs, vegetables, a potato and some fruit, and healthy fat, nuts, avocado, olive,oil. If you starve your body it will work against you. Especially with all the running you are doing. I suggest you eat more. You might be surprised. Good luck. Keep us posted.
  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
    Three things- your calorie net may or may not be too low, but I don't have the time to figure it out.

    Second and most import things--- three weeks is hardly enough time to be able to judge your progress. Keep doing what you're doing and then if you haven't lost any weight, body fat OR inches in three MONTHS, then you can start to try to pinpoint what your issue may be.

    Third- take measurements. From your profile, you do not seem to be obese, so your weight is probably not going to jump a whole lot at one time. Use your measurements to track progress.

    KEEP AT IT.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Hi, i am usually a fairly inactive person and weight 91-93kg, 6 foot.
    But for the last 3 weeks i have been trying really hard to lose weight.
    According to the app, i needed to cut my calories to 1500 per day to lose 1kg per week. I have been doing this but also on top i have been running 10k, 4 times per week.
    According to nike running app, i am burbing 935 calories per run.

    So my net calorie intake after excercise has been 500-1200 calories per day and i am not loosing any weight!

    Please help this is crazy, i have started playing football instesd of one run as my knee is getting painful and i will also substitute a run for a swim soon. But please help. This is killing me.
    Thanks
    George

    Have you tried water jogging? All of the benefits of jogging without the joint stress.

    And the added bonus is you can work out and not get all sweaty. ;)

    The other thing I'd recommend is weighing all your food. A digital scale is the best investment you'll make. :)
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Hi, i am usually a fairly inactive person and weight 91-93kg, 6 foot.
    But for the last 3 weeks i have been trying really hard to lose weight.
    According to the app, i needed to cut my calories to 1500 per day to lose 1kg per week. I have been doing this but also on top i have been running 10k, 4 times per week.
    According to nike running app, i am burbing 935 calories per run.

    So my net calorie intake after excercise has been 500-1200 calories per day and i am not loosing any weight!

    Please help this is crazy, i have started playing football instesd of one run as my knee is getting painful and i will also substitute a run for a swim soon. But please help. This is killing me.
    Thanks
    George

    (1) Get a food scale. Weigh everything (rice, cookies, bread, oats, peanut butter, butter). Only thing you can measure is liquid.
    (2) Did you go from no activity to suddenly running 6 miles 4x a week? That's probably why you hurt your knee. It's irrelevant to your weight loss, but next time you start an activity make sure to ease into it.
    (3) Change your settings back to 1 lb a week or .5 lb a week. Sounds like you set it to 2 lbs a week and that's why it dropped you down to 1500. You are probably logging inaccurately because you are hungry from eating too little.
    (4) Don't eat back all your exercise calories. In my personal experience, MFP, running apps, running calculators, and even my Heart Rate Monitor all OVERestimate calories I burn. Change your settings to 1 lb a week and eat back only 50% of what you are reporting you burn.
    (5) Give it more time. If you just started working out your muscles hang on to water in order to repair themselves. Could be masking weight loss.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    hi. this is a chart. the chart is good. the chart is helpful. read the chart. :P

    50g9hrg1z7ba.jpg
    1.jpg 135.4K
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I will second the chart being a helpful tool. Take notes on it, because it's information that should be referred back to more than once.
    Some of the ideas in this thread are not as helpful as others - if you are not losing weight, eating more is not the answer. Just be patient and use the food scale, logging your calorie intake, and sticking to your calorie goals once you've determined the appropriate NET goal for yourself. I say NET because you were eating less than you needed when you were starting at 1500 and then running off nearly another 1000 calories. you should have been at 1500 after the 1000 calorie run, if that's the appropriate goal for your height and weight.
    Again, just be patient and give it time.
  • Ineed2toneup
    Ineed2toneup Posts: 33 Member
    Running is good but you might need some strength training in there too as muscle benefits your metabolic rate - making you a fat burning machine!

    Have you considered intermittent fasting? Google it and check it out.
  • kay_norton
    kay_norton Posts: 23 Member
    George,
    You gotta "eat to compete!" Take in the maximum amount of calories that you're allotted and consume them in small, frequent meals throughout the day (with 2 of them being you pre and post workout snacks, about 20-30 min before and after you exercise).
    Also add weight training to your exercise regime! Muscle burns way more calories than fat, and continues to burn calories after you work out (while they're recovering).
    Fasting once in a while as a detox is never a bad thing, but restricting the way you are is doing more harm to your body than good.

    Cheers.
    Kay
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    kay_norton wrote: »
    George,
    You gotta "eat to compete!" Take in the maximum amount of calories that you're allotted and consume them in small, frequent meals throughout the day (with 2 of them being you pre and post workout snacks, about 20-30 min before and after you exercise).
    Also add weight training to your exercise regime! Muscle burns way more calories than fat, and continues to burn calories after you work out (while they're recovering).
    Fasting once in a while as a detox is never a bad thing, but restricting the way you are is doing more harm to your body than good.

    Cheers.
    Kay

    Not really. Eating foods that are more satiating with regular meals will eliminate the need to snack throughout the day (lean protein and fats prove satiating to most people) and can eliminate bingeing for most people.
    And 'detox' - no, just no. Detoxing is done by the liver and kidneys. Fasting can be done for different reasons, but it does nothing for 'detoxing'.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    hi. this is a chart. the chart is good. the chart is helpful. read the chart. :P

    50g9hrg1z7ba.jpg

    Great advice!
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    lstrat115 wrote: »
    rbfdac wrote: »
    Three things- your calorie net may or may not be too low, but I don't have the time to figure it out.

    Second and most import things--- three weeks is hardly enough time to be able to judge your progress. Keep doing what you're doing and then if you haven't lost any weight, body fat OR inches in three MONTHS, then you can start to try to pinpoint what your issue may be.

    Third- take measurements. From your profile, you do not seem to be obese, so your weight is probably not going to jump a whole lot at one time. Use your measurements to track progress.

    KEEP AT IT.
    hi. this is a chart. the chart is good. the chart is helpful. read the chart. :P

    [

    Not a fan of this chart. The "eat less, exercise more" can cause major health issues for some. Eating 1500 a day and burning 900+ in exercise isn't healthy. OP needs to check BMR and TDEE calculators. Chances are his BMR alone is higher than 1500.

    The chart is good information. It's the MFP user's responsibility to research and ensure that the numbers he/shes is using are correct. Knowing what net calories are is important, as is asking questions- many people are told, over and over, to eat back exercise calories. It doesn't say anywhere on this chart not to eat back exercise calories.
This discussion has been closed.