Help needed from all you veterans. To say I'm getting frustrated is an understatement! Pleeaassee

Options
minamina27
minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everybody just like to say thank you in advance for any help or suggestions. I spend half of the day reading the forums and know that many of you are veterans at this and always offer great advice.

I have been using Mfp for over a year and lost 38lb fairly quickly early last year, albeit on what I now know to be too few calories for me, around 1200-1400. I started the gym last July after I had lost most of that weight although at that time I wasn't very consistent but managed around 3 or 4 days a week mainly cardio. I got my fitbit HR at around the same time. I love my food and so was working out so I could eat more. The year ended with me having 8 weeks away from the gym and logging, and making poor food choices prior to the Xmas holidays which resulted in me gaining around 10lb.

Fast forward to now.

I am 200lb, female 5'6, with a daily expenditure averaging ~3000 - 3200 according to my fitbit HR.
I go to the gym religiously Monday to Friday 6.30am - 8 and work out for the whole time except for 15 minutes of stretching to cool down. I also walk most days and do Zumba classes etc twice a week and a run on Saturday. Infact I have visited the gym or done a 5k outside 78 times in 76 days! (I have a chart at home that I chart my workouts on).
I lost 8lb initially in about 4 weeks but nothing since. I am now trying to eat less of my exercise calories but my weekly chart showing net calories is looking really poor. This week so far I will average around 500 net a day ( eating back ~50% fitbit adjustment). Last week I averaged ~900, week before ~1100. I AM NOT DOING INTENTIONAL LOW CALORIE. I'm just adjusting the amount of fitbit adjusted calories that I am eating back. 100%, 80%, 75% and now 50%.

I know the first question on everyone's mind will be about accurate logging. I log everything and as accurately as possible using a scale, in grams. I drink only water and unsweetened tea with no milk so I don't believe that's the problem.

This is my 3rd week on stronglifts so I only do around 25 minutes of cardio now on my lifting days, 2 gym days just cardio plus a 4 mile run on a Saturday morning and walking most days and Zumba classes.

To say I'm getting frustrated is an understatement!

I am fitter and more active than I have ever been and In all honestly I am focusing on being fit and healthy but that doesn't sit right when you're classed as obese! So would like to see the scale move, and preferably downwards!
Please please please any advice? My food diary is public.
«13

Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,981 Member
    Options
    For how long has your weight loss stalled? During that time, have there been changes in how the same pair of jeans fits?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Options
    I'm confused about what exercise you are doing for how long. Could you list your exercise out (what you do and for how long) for each day like this:

    Sunday - 3 mile walk
    Monday - SL5x5 45 minutes, Zumba 25 minutes

    and so on and so forth. That would help me understand better and (theoretically) give better suggestions.
  • Dessilicious
    Dessilicious Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    If you are on any form of hormonal birth control, hormonal IUD included, it could be the culprit.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    Options
    How long have you been eating the same things and doing the same exercises? Maybe you just need to shake things up a bit.. change up your routine either eating, exercise or both? I change my routines every 30 days or so, it keeps my body guessing, keeps me from getting bored and helps me to avoid a plateau.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,834 Member
    Options
    I lost 70 pounds on just a calorie deficit (no exercise) so I don't know much about eating back exercise calories, but maybe your fitbit is wrong about how many calories your burning?

    If you really are accurate with your logging, maybe you should consider getting a physical from your doctor to see if there's any hidden reasons why you're struggling to lose weight.
  • AverageJoeFit
    AverageJoeFit Posts: 251 Member
    Options
    Well if you are eating all of your excersize calories back and you are basing those on your fit bit it isn't 100% accurate.

    I have a fit bit charge hr and I have been in maitence calories for 5 months now and I have never eaten all the calories the fit bit says I can eat.

    You might be losing fat and gaining muscle even though the scale isn't moving. How are your cloths fitting or your measurements doing?

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Options
    You really need to be consistent to offer any advise. You have added several new workouts and played with calories over and over. Each if these things can cause hormonal changes and water retention.

    Pick a plan and stick with it for six weeks, then evaluate the results.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,981 Member
    Options
    I took a look at your food diary. On Sunday, your weights for this meal are suspiciously round:

    7c07ab48f43e371ba94b03802ae47ca9.png

    Also, you are using user-created entries for the cabbage, carrots, and green beans. I get the wording for system entries from https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods

    On other days, you managed to have the exact same amount of chicken and potatoes three days in a row. That never happens to me.

    Try tightening up your logging for a few weeks.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,032 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    The obvious answers having been already given, I'll ask if you've had bloodwork done in the past year?

    My first thought is you are eating too much. Even if your device says you should eat 3000 calories, that's crazy high. I know I would have to be working out several hours a day every day to be needing that kind of fuel. I'm guessing your workouts aren't several hours a day. Heart rate devices aren't meant to be used one-for-one as a calorie using and calorie eating tool.

    Why not plug in your numbers to Myfitnesspal's goal setting tool and use those numbers for a while? One way or the other, you have to pick a method and a number and stick with them long enough to get a baseline data set.
  • rpachigo
    rpachigo Posts: 96 Member
    Options
    I think your fitbit is incorrect.
  • rpachigo
    rpachigo Posts: 96 Member
    Options
    I would stay under 2K calories
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    Wow. Fast responses. Just going to take a while to respond, I'm a slow typer! But here goes
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    Options
    if it were me, i would stop using the fitbit calculations for a couple of months and use MFP exclusively for all data. eat back a quarter to MAYBE half of your estimated burns.

    OR, run your data through scoobys and follow a TDEE method for a couple of months and see if that helps.
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    For how long has your weight loss stalled? During that time, have there been changes in how the same pair of jeans fits?

    Since the beginning of February. Yes they fit a little better so must have lost and inch or two
    jemhh wrote: »
    I'm confused about what exercise you are doing for how long. Could you list your exercise out (what you do and for how long) for each day like this:

    Sunday - 3 mile walk
    Monday - SL5x5 45 minutes, Zumba 25 minutes

    and so on and so forth. That would help me understand better and (theoretically) give better suggestions.

    Monday am stronglifts then 20 minutes running on treadmill sprints
    Tuesday am 5k running treadmill, then either sprints/elliptical or profile inclines programme with different speeds,
    Pm Zumba 1 hour
    Wednesday am stronglifts then 20 minutes running on treadmill sprints
    Thursday am 5k running, 30 minute Hiit class, then whatever time left on elliptical or sprints
    Friday am stronglifts then 20 minutes running on treadmill sprints
    Saturday 4 mile run
    Sunday Zumba 1 hour
    Plus I walk most days usually between 30 minutes and 2 hours
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    Dessilicious wrote: »
    If you are on any form of hormonal birth control, hormonal IUD included, it could be the culprit.
    No hormones etc or medication of any kind
    cushman5279 wrote: »
    How long have you been eating the same things and doing the same exercises? Maybe you just need to shake things up a bit.. change up your routine either eating, exercise or both? I change my routines every 30 days or so, it keeps my body guessing, keeps me from getting bored and helps me to avoid a plateau.

    I sometimes do other classes such as Mma or yoga. But up until starting stronglifts I mainly did a mix of cardio with some core work etc
    AskTracyAnnK28 wrote: »
    I lost 70 pounds on just a calorie deficit (no exercise) so I don't know much about eating back exercise calories, but maybe your fitbit is wrong about how many calories your burning?

    If you really are accurate with your logging, maybe you should consider getting a physical from your doctor to see if there's any hidden reasons why you're struggling to lose weight.

    Regarding my fitbit calories, it gives me less than what I use to use with map my fitness and mfp. For my weight etc the calories from running (ok jogging!) seem quite similar to the calculators.
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
    Options
    It's adding 1,200-1,600 calories a day for exercise. Something's wrong with that. I have a fitbit and do CrossFit 5 days a week. I get at most 600 calories added per day.
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    I took a look at your food diary. On Sunday, your weights for this meal are suspiciously round:

    7c07ab48f43e371ba94b03802ae47ca9.png

    Also, you are using user-created entries for the cabbage, carrots, and green beans. I get the wording for system entries from https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods

    On other days, you managed to have the exact same amount of chicken and potatoes three days in a row. That never happens to me.

    Try tightening up your logging for a few weeks.

    Hi. I knew someone would pick up on that. However I have less than that but round it up to the nearest entry that I have previously added. I always overestimate not under. For instance if my chicken is 235g or 245 g I will log it as 250g thanks.
    cmriverside wrote: »
    The obvious answers having been already given, I'll ask if you've had bloodwork done in the past year?

    My first thought is you are eating too much. Even if your device says you should eat 3000 calories, that's crazy high. I know I would have to be working out several hours a day every day to be needing that kind of fuel. I'm guessing your workouts aren't several hours a day. Heart rate devices aren't meant to be used one-for-one as a calorie using and calorie eating tool.

    Why not plug in your numbers to Myfitnesspal's goal setting tool and use those numbers for a while? One way or the other, you have to pick a method and a number and stick with them long enough to get a baseline data set.

    No I haven't had any blood tests done. Although my fitbit says ~3000 I never ever eat that much, oh actually a party or two throughout the year. Mfp gives me 1250 a day and my fit bit is set to lose 1.5 lb a week so adjusts according to my deficit.
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    rpachigo wrote: »
    I think your fitbit is incorrect.
    rpachigo wrote: »
    I would stay under 2K calories

    Maybe, but it can't be giving me double the calories?
    I stay under 2000 most days
  • minamina27
    minamina27 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    Thanks for all your replies so far.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    Options
    You are not burnign more than 1000 calories per day on this exercise routine. And you are eating too much. I checked your diet for the last couple of weeks in February. You are around 2000 calories with several days over 3000, some closer to 4000. You need to be more consistent. And no matter what your fitbit says, I would not expect more than 500-600 calories from exercise. Assuming you have a sedentary lifestyle other than your exercise, I woudl be surprised if your TDEE is above 2500 or so.

Categories