Question from a frustrated newbie.

doug_perry
doug_perry Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a bit frustrated and wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and can offer some advice. I started using this app on Feb. 11 of this year. My goal is to lose 20 lbs. According to the app, If I cut down to 1700 calories per day, I lose 1 lb per week. I also got the bike out and now burn about 800-900 per day so I add that to my total. The first week I lost 4 lbs. going from 195 to 191. The second week I drop 5.5, going down to 185.5. I'm thinking this weight loss thing is easy, right? The next three weeks I lose nothing! And I'm even finishing the day with an average of 300-400 calories in the bank, so to speak. I'm trying to be fair with my calorie count and the 800-900 I'm giving myself is what the app and several other online sources say I am burning. What's happening? I've heard of hitting a wall, but for three weeks? Has anybody had a similar experience? You council will be appreciated. Thanks!

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited March 2016
    800-900 for a workout sounds high (keeping in mind that I don't know the duration/intensity of your workout). I have found that the MFP app (and online sources) can give me a really inflated calorie burn. When I use a HR monitor, I often get totals that are much lower than what the app would give me for a given workout.

    That said, three weeks isn't yet a plateau. A plateau is six weeks on plan without weight loss. Since you lost so much weeks 1 and 2, your body may be "catching up."
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    You're not really burning that much....try half of that.
  • LuckyNumbers
    LuckyNumbers Posts: 208 Member
    I agree with @janejellyroll, and would add that when you're first losing weight, much of the loss tends to be water weight, which goes away much more quickly and easily than actual body fat. That is likely why you saw such dramatic losses to begin with.

    Just keep going. And instead of judging your progress on your daily weight fluctuations, it might be helpful to track your weight as an average over a period of time. For example, according to the scale, I GAINED a pound this past week. However, I know by looking at my average (I started using an app and log my weight daily), I am losing about .6 pounds per week, which is about as good as I can hope for at my height with the amount of weight I need to lose.

    Weight loss isn't linear.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    You are eating at a maintenance level...
  • envymesalon
    envymesalon Posts: 5 Member
    Also wanted to add that you should not go under your calorie limit. You have to fuel your metabolism for it to work properly.
    Maybe take a look at your quality of food. Less carbs and more proteins, veggies, and healthy fats.
    You are doing a good job. Make a few tweaks and keep going.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    envymesalon wrote: »
    Also wanted to add that you should not go under your calorie limit. You have to fuel your metabolism for it to work properly.
    Maybe take a look at your quality of food. Less carbs and more proteins, veggies, and healthy fats.
    You are doing a good job. Make a few tweaks and keep going.

    OP is under the calorie limit once the exercise calories are added to the daily total. Those calories may be inflated (they sound really high), so s/he may not really be under. For this reason (over-estimation), many people choose to eat only a portion of their exercise calories back.
  • BuccaneersFan
    BuccaneersFan Posts: 36 Member
    edited March 2016
    First, the 9.5lbs you lost over the first two weeks is probably 50% water weight or more. Second, the 800-900 calories your burning is probably not an accurate number. I know you said you got it from a few different sources, but it's extremely difficult to come up with accurate calorie burn numbers because they depend on so many different factors. Third, if you really are only netting 1300-1400 calories a day (1,700 - 300 or 400), that's too low in my opinion. Your metabolic rate is going to adapt, to some degree, to how many calories you're consuming. It's really your body using calories more efficiently (ie. not needing as many calories to function). This is why people hit plateaus when dieting and why they gain weight so rapidly when they go off a diet. Fourth, the leaner you get the harder it is to lose weight. Someone who is 250lbs and 35% body fat is going to lose 10lbs much easier then someone who is 250lbs and 12% body fat.

    The best way to break through a plateau is to cut some more calories, even as little as 100 calories can jump start weight lost. The problem is, if you start your calorie deficit too low in the beginning your going to have a hard time cutting more calories to break through the plateau.

    The most common issue newbies, and really any dieters have, is inaccurate calorie counting. Are you absolutely sure you are counting ALL of the calories you eat? Are you weighing your food? Weighing your food is really the most accurate way to determine your calorie intake.
  • alipie420
    alipie420 Posts: 39 Member
    The first couple weeks or so of losing weight will be significantly more at a quicker pace because you are first getting rid of alot of water weight that is linked with your fat. So most of your 10 or so lbs lost was mostly water and not actually fat. Now that you are past that, you will start burning more fat which does take longer. But if you stay within your calorie goals and make sure to move, create a deficit, you will keep losing the weight so dont give up :)
  • tryin2die2self
    tryin2die2self Posts: 207 Member
    Weight it an illusion. Are you seeing any drop in body measurements? What about your body fat percentages? Fixating on weight is a sure fire way to get frustrated.
  • doug_perry
    doug_perry Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks for your responses. Yes, my exercise calories may be inaccurate... I bike 15 miles for 57 to 60 minutes each morning at an average speed of 17mph. (I take a brief rest break at the half way point.) They say that should give me 800 to 900 on top of my 1700 the app tells me I need. If so, I should be able to take in 2500 per day and still see a one pound drop in weight. I'm actually eating about 2100 or so per day to be on the conservative side. I am seeing a slight improvement in toning so some progress is being made. I appreciate the reminder that weight loss isn't linear. Perhaps I need to weigh myself monthly instead of weekly...
  • missblondi2u
    missblondi2u Posts: 851 Member
    Like others have said, those first couple weeks usually include a bit of water weight. And now that you've really stepped up the activity, you're probably retaining water for muscle repair so that any fat loss is hard to see. If you're confident in your logging, I would give it some time to level out.

    Also, I like to use an app called Libra to track my daily weight and give me a trend. I find it easier to deal with the ups and downs I constantly experience.

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