Calories, Fitbit, and exercise

cc3833
cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so I'm sure everyone is sick of these questions but I just need a little assistance. I've been on here actually logging since about July. I've played around with some things and I just want to know what I am doing right and what I'm doing wrong.

So my current situation:

5'0, 28 yrs old, 180 lbs
MFP set to sedentary, syncing with my fitbit (I do have negative adjustments enabled)
Calories from MFP is 1360 for 1 lb a week weight loss
Eating back at least 50% of exercise calories
I try and use my food scale as much as possible but I do eat out here and there and have to guess what I am eating
I use Libra to trend my weight

I have been progressively gaining weight (prior to September) so I decided to get the Libra app and well last month I didn't lose and I didn't gain. A win for me since I have been gaining about a pound a month. This month I would like to see a loss. I have a desk job and I try to get up as much as I can and just walk around the office. As far as my activity level goes I get between 10.5k-15k steps a day, I ride my horse 5-6 days a week, and I try and get to the gym 2-3 times a week, not exactly sedentary but I sync my fitbit and only use the steps I don't add in any of the other exercise I do (I don't log the gym or horseback riding). But when I sync my fitbit my calories go from 1360 up to about 2000 or more. I have been lifting weights with my friend at the gym for about a month now and I can tell I am getting stronger, and since I have been using my food scale and trying to be as diligent as I can with my logging my stomach and body feel significantly less bloated (I'm guessing my salt intake is much less than before and I have been a lot better about drinking more water).

Any advice on what I should do? Should I just stop syncing my fitbit so I don't think I have as many calories to eat as it says? Should I just use the fitbit to count my steps to make sure I'm moving as much as I should but then manually log my workouts in MFP so that the number isn't so inflated? I'm glad I stopped the trend of gaining but I am trying to figure out how to fix the calorie situation.

If there is any other information that I could provide to give more insight just let me know. Thank you!

Replies

  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Just keep at it. Introducing weights has most likely caused you to retain more water weight. You should begin seeing a drop again soon.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    You're basically starting with estimates and your real-life results are going to be your best guide to what you need to do. Since you know -- from your results -- that you're eating more than you need to lose weight, that's what I would address.

    It sounds like you're eating back around 600 calories a day from your activity adjustments. I would cut that in half and only eat half of the calories I was getting from my Fitbit, evaluate your results, and go from there.

    (This is based on the assumption that your logging is good. I can't see your diary, but if you open it up we may be able to help troubleshoot there too).
  • cc3833
    cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
    As scary as that is for me, I set my dairy to public. (Note: I am only eating Nutrisystem at the moment because my sister was on it decided to go for WLS and gave me the leftovers... I live on my own so it saves me on grocery money! But once it's gone I'm going back to cooking... which I love and makes measuring even that much easier) As far as the foods I scan the package and then put the amount on my food scale. I'm thinking I am just eating too many of my exercise calories back.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    cc3833 wrote: »
    As scary as that is for me, I set my dairy to public. (Note: I am only eating Nutrisystem at the moment because my sister was on it decided to go for WLS and gave me the leftovers... I live on my own so it saves me on grocery money! But once it's gone I'm going back to cooking... which I love and makes measuring even that much easier) As far as the foods I scan the package and then put the amount on my food scale. I'm thinking I am just eating too many of my exercise calories back.

    I took a look at your diary. Since you are double-checking the weight of your packaged foods, I do think it is your exercise calories. There is also the possibility that you're underestimating when you're eating out, but that's something that you already acknowledged above. I would say keep up with the logging and eat about half of your exercise calories.
  • cc3833
    cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
    Okay, thanks for taking the time! I guess what I'll do it is try to eat only 25% of the exercise calories back instead of 50%. I'll try that this month and see where to go from there. I mean I am happy to stop gaining! Which was an eye opener. But I'll try this out. Thanks again!
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    I was using a fitbit for the last couple of years, and my experience was that it overestimated calories burned. I ended up unsynching it and manually adding in intentional exercise where I could be pretty confident of the actual calorie burn, like walking and running (generally 0.3 or 0.6 times your body-weight in lbs). But as others have said, you're starting out with a really firm foundation - I think a lot of people jump into a deficit without a real sense of their maintenance calories, then get thrown off because they don't actually have a good sense of the size of their deficit or how accurate their logging is. I spent about three months around maintenance when I first started cutting calories, and although it was frustrating not to be losing right away, it actually put me in a really good place understanding my body and portion sizes. And as you said, not gaining is still a win!
  • cc3833
    cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    I was using a fitbit for the last couple of years, and my experience was that it overestimated calories burned. I ended up unsynching it and manually adding in intentional exercise where I could be pretty confident of the actual calorie burn, like walking and running (generally 0.3 or 0.6 times your body-weight in lbs). But as others have said, you're starting out with a really firm foundation - I think a lot of people jump into a deficit without a real sense of their maintenance calories, then get thrown off because they don't actually have a good sense of the size of their deficit or how accurate their logging is. I spent about three months around maintenance when I first started cutting calories, and although it was frustrating not to be losing right away, it actually put me in a really good place understanding my body and portion sizes. And as you said, not gaining is still a win!

    Thanks for your insight. Think I am going to try to eat 25% of my exercise calories back this month and then if that doesn't work then I am going to unsync my fitbit. I agree it is really frustrating but I've lost 40 lbs before and gained it all back so if it is going to take me twice the amount of time well... I guess I'll just have to live with it! It can be discouraging so I'm just trying to concentrate on how I am feeling physically along with trying to lose the weight. I can actually do real push-ups now, and I don't get as sore as easily and it has helped my riding a whole lot. So one step at a time... as frustrating as it may be LOL
  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
    You might check your settings in Fitbit since that does seem like a really large adjustment if you aren't logging your riding or gym time.

    Make both Fitbit & MFP have your age, sex, height and weight correct. I started getting very strange adjustments and realized that Fitbit had switched me to male for some reason. (Or I did it while playing with the settings - it could happen!)
  • cc3833
    cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
    RAinWA wrote: »
    You might check your settings in Fitbit since that does seem like a really large adjustment if you aren't logging your riding or gym time.

    Make both Fitbit & MFP have your age, sex, height and weight correct. I started getting very strange adjustments and realized that Fitbit had switched me to male for some reason. (Or I did it while playing with the settings - it could happen!)

    Okay, thanks. I'm going to check that now! That would make a huge difference!
  • cc3833
    cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
    Okay thanks for the advice on the fitbit! I realized that my weight loss goals were different from MFP and Fitbit. Fitbit was set to 0.5lbs a week and MFP was set to 1lb a week. And so the calorie deficit will be a lot different! Hopefully this will be helpful along with eating less exercise calories back!
  • RAinWA
    RAinWA Posts: 1,980 Member
    cc3833 wrote: »
    Okay thanks for the advice on the fitbit! I realized that my weight loss goals were different from MFP and Fitbit. Fitbit was set to 0.5lbs a week and MFP was set to 1lb a week. And so the calorie deficit will be a lot different! Hopefully this will be helpful along with eating less exercise calories back!

    Great! Let us know how it goes.
  • cc3833
    cc3833 Posts: 80 Member
    Thank you everyone for your advice! Just an update. I did struggle around the holidays and did gain around that time. But I said enough is enough, on Jan 2nd I started again...... And I joined a dietbet (money is a huge motivator for me). I followed all of your guys advice on the exercise calories. I have also noticed how certain foods effect my body so I try to account for that. I really appreciate all the advice and going through the forums which also helps. I started with a personal trainer at the gym to help keep me accountable and they were having a promotion for 3 months of training. I am also married to my food scale. I wish it was socially acceptable to bring it out with me!!!! LOL! So far in Jan I started at 191.6 and as of today I am currently down to 173.2.

    I seriously could not have done this without MFP. Yes dietbet gave me the monetary motivation to lose weight but without MFP it would be useless. I know I started trying back in July 2017. Its been a long journey of not losing weight. But I have learned so much about my body and what works for me. And all the tips and tricks everyone gave me with weighing my food has been a life changer! Thanks everyone!!
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