So irritating...
jesika0731
Posts: 22 Member
I started at 343 back in February and now at 278. 5’7 and 37 years old. I do not exercise. With that said weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise, right? Not exactly because I just don’t lose. MFP says I should lose 2 lbs a week and I lose about 2 lbs a month. I go 3 weeks and lose 2-3 lbs and then gain a little back and then go another 3 weeks and the same and over and over until I’m annoyed as hell. I’ve tried the food scale and I’m pretty spot on and realistically I don’t eat foods that are bad for me so if I’m a little over on chicken breast I’m not worried. I try to switch things up and eat fewer carbs, more protein, less sugar, less calories, more calories, lol driving myself crazy! Do I really have to exercise?
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Replies
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jesika0731 wrote: »I started at 343 back in February and now at 278. 5’7 and 37 years old. I do not exercise. With that said weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise, right? Not exactly because I just don’t lose. MFP says I should lose 2 lbs a week and I lose about 2 lbs a month. I go 3 weeks and lose 2-3 lbs and then gain a little back and then go another 3 weeks and the same and over and over until I’m annoyed as hell. I’ve tried the food scale and I’m pretty spot on and realistically I don’t eat foods that are bad for me so if I’m a little over on chicken breast I’m not worried. I try to switch things up and eat fewer carbs, more protein, less sugar, less calories, more calories, lol driving myself crazy! Do I really have to exercise?
"healthy" or "unhealthy" a calorie is a calorie, If your not accurately tracking dont act surprised if your not losing as the math says you should. You just stated exactly why, Tighten up the logging ESPECIALLY if your strictly counting on the eating portion to lose weight.
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JaydedMiss wrote: »jesika0731 wrote: »I started at 343 back in February and now at 278. 5’7 and 37 years old. I do not exercise. With that said weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise, right? Not exactly because I just don’t lose. MFP says I should lose 2 lbs a week and I lose about 2 lbs a month. I go 3 weeks and lose 2-3 lbs and then gain a little back and then go another 3 weeks and the same and over and over until I’m annoyed as hell. I’ve tried the food scale and I’m pretty spot on and realistically I don’t eat foods that are bad for me so if I’m a little over on chicken breast I’m not worried. I try to switch things up and eat fewer carbs, more protein, less sugar, less calories, more calories, lol driving myself crazy! Do I really have to exercise?
"healthy" or "unhealthy" a calorie is a calorie, If your not accurately tracking dont act surprised if your not losing. You just stated exactly why, Tighten up the logging ESPECIALLY if your strictly counting on the eating portion to lose weight.
I concur.
This 10x over!
Being accurate with logging and staying consistent is the way to get the results you want.5 -
I get the whole weighing thing but when I weighed nothing changed so what’s the point. Plus I’m way under my calorie goal 99% of the time so again, how off could I really be to have me going over so much? I would bet money I’m not off by more than 100 calories and my deficit has enough cushion to cover that. Even if I was over like 300 calories I should still lose a lb a week. Something!4
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I can't imagine not exercising. I actually enjoy it as a stress release, as an antidepressant and it makes me feel stronger and more confident.5
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Weight loss isn't linear and it's a marathon rather than a sprint. You've lost 65 pounds in 9 months. That's great!
Your weight loss pattern sounds completely normal. You need to look at the general trend rather than day-to-day or even week-to-week fluctuations. Here's a 3-month trend for me where I was at or below my calorie goal every day:
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Weight loss isn't linear and it's a marathon rather than a sprint. You've lost 65 pounds in 9 months. That's great!
Your weight loss pattern sounds completely normal. You need to look at the general trend rather than day-to-day or even week-to-week fluctuations. Here's a 3-month trend for me where I was at or below my calorie goal every day:
Agreed but id like to add in you say you keep changing your diet up how do you expect to see results working if you keep changing everything. Stick to what you decide to stick to at a deficit and tracking accurately4 -
If you are able to eat I'm guessing about the 1500 calories daily, and be satisfied with that and adhere to it, then right now the exercise would mainly be about transforming the body more than mere weight loss would cause.
And from those that end up skinny fat, the effort to keep muscle mass compared to attempting to gain it after the fact, former is much easier.
Right now your 1000 cal deficit is reasonable still, hopefully enough protein, and it shouldn't be a problem.
If adhering to 1500 calories daily with no exercise is difficult because you want to eat more, or you binge frequently - then exercise would allow you to eat more and still keep that 1000 cal deficit.
Later this will become more important - though as you have less to lose, that deficit should be smaller so the body isn't stressed and fighting you.
Better to purposely slow the rate of loss, than to have the body force it on you along with effects of extra stress.
In fact - for that long period of time, and the fact hormones start messing up rather quickly - have you ever taken a diet break in that long bigger deficit time?
Probably in order.1 -
Weight loss isn't linear and it's a marathon rather than a sprint. You've lost 65 pounds in 9 months. That's great!
Your weight loss pattern sounds completely normal. You need to look at the general trend rather than day-to-day or even week-to-week fluctuations. Here's a 3-month trend for me where I was at or below my calorie goal every day:
I have to figure out how To do this! It’s really cool!
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Consuming more calories won't cause more weight loss. "Clean" eating won't cause more weight loss. Weight loss is all about consuming fewer calories than your body uses no matter the source of those calories. The source is important for nutrition so I aim for about 80% of my calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats.jesika0731 wrote: »I try to switch things up and eat fewer carbs, more protein, less sugar, less calories, more calories, lol driving myself crazy! Do I really have to exercise?
No, you don't have to exercise for weight loss. I lost ~130 pounds and was almost to my goal before I started walking for exercise.2 -
It's a weight trend program. There are phone apps - Libra for Android and Happy Scale for Apple - but the above is from Trendweight.com. You can set up a Fitbit account to record your weight (you don't need a Fitbit to do so) and then link that account to Trendweight.jesika0731 wrote: »Weight loss isn't linear and it's a marathon rather than a sprint. You've lost 65 pounds in 9 months. That's great!
Your weight loss pattern sounds completely normal. You need to look at the general trend rather than day-to-day or even week-to-week fluctuations. Here's a 3-month trend for me where I was at or below my calorie goal every day:
I have to figure out how To do this! It’s really cool!1 -
Consuming more calories won't cause more weight loss. "Clean" eating won't cause more weight loss. Weight loss is all about consuming fewer calories than your body uses no matter the source of those calories. The source is important for nutrition so I aim for about 80% of my calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats.jesika0731 wrote: »I try to switch things up and eat fewer carbs, more protein, less sugar, less calories, more calories, lol driving myself crazy! Do I really have to exercise?
No, you don't have to exercise for weight loss. I lost ~130 pounds and was almost to my goal before I started walking for exercise.
It’s hard To find a balance. I try 1500 vs. 1200 and sometimes a little lower to test the scale to find what works for me. It’s doesn’t seem to matter until I hit that stupid 3 week mark lol ugh
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I concentrate on the process. I can't control what the scale says but I can control what I consume. If I eat at a deficit, the scale will eventually show a downward weight trend.jesika0731 wrote: »
Consuming more calories won't cause more weight loss. "Clean" eating won't cause more weight loss. Weight loss is all about consuming fewer calories than your body uses no matter the source of those calories. The source is important for nutrition so I aim for about 80% of my calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats.jesika0731 wrote: »I try to switch things up and eat fewer carbs, more protein, less sugar, less calories, more calories, lol driving myself crazy! Do I really have to exercise?
No, you don't have to exercise for weight loss. I lost ~130 pounds and was almost to my goal before I started walking for exercise.
It’s hard To find a balance. I try 1500 vs. 1200 and sometimes a little lower to test the scale to find what works for me. It’s doesn’t seem to matter until I hit that stupid 3 week mark lol ugh
I didn't lose quickly. I lost by eating in a way that worked with my lifestyle and kept me comfortable while at a calorie deficit. I experimented to find a good calorie intake amount and macro balance that was a calorie deficit but didn't leave me hungry. I built a way of eating that I can use forever. Maintenance is just like my weight loss phase but with a few more calories in my budget.
My suggestion is that you start from how you like to eat and make adjustments from that. Smaller portions and/or satisfying substitutions rather than big changes.5 -
OP, if you have been losing less than expected for more than a couple of months, my personal opinion is your logging must be off, if the last week is typical you are eating pretty low cal. This is not a judgement of you, just what it looks like to me. Logging is a skill to learn, we all started out doing it wrong. What I'd suggest:
1. Commit to using the food scale for all solids - whole food, packaged food, creamy stuff, fruit, meat, everything - for at least 6-8 weeks.
2. Do a gut check and make sure you are honestly logging every single thing - including condiments, beverages, nibbles - during this time.
3. Double check that you are using correct entries in the database, many are user entered and incorrect.
4. If after 6-8 weeks you still haven't either started losing as expected or figured out where you are missing calories, you now have a near perfect record of your diet to take to your doctor and request bloodwork to see if there is some kind of medical/hormonal issue that needs correcting.
Good luck and congrats on your success so far! Don't lose sight of that
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OP, if you have been losing less than expected for more than a couple of months, my personal opinion is your logging must be off, if the last week is typical you are eating pretty low cal. This is not a judgement of you, just what it looks like to me. Logging is a skill to learn, we all started out doing it wrong. What I'd suggest:
1. Commit to using the food scale for all solids - whole food, packaged food, creamy stuff, fruit, meat, everything - for at least 6-8 weeks.
2. Do a gut check and make sure you are honestly logging every single thing - including condiments, beverages, nibbles - during this time.
3. Double check that you are using correct entries in the database, many are user entered and incorrect.
4. If after 6-8 weeks you still haven't either started losing as expected or figured out where you are missing calories, you now have a near perfect record of your diet to take to your doctor and request bloodwork to see if there is some kind of medical/hormonal issue that needs correcting.
Good luck and congrats on your success so far! Don't lose sight of that
Thank you!!
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That's because your BMR literally changes through the month, and of course you well know retained water.
So making changes to eating level will take 30 days minimum to see if an effect.
But dropping to 1200 isn't needed - unless you think sloppy logging accuracy means you are in reality eating about 300 more.
But that's still not enough to prevent a 1000 cal deficit from having an effect.
And frankly - unless you are just dishonest in logging - or really slopping in even measuring - it would frankly be not real easy to wipe out a whole 1000 cal deficit.
Unless your body has already slowed down and you no longer have a 1000 cal deficit1 -
So, just to offer some guidance with respect to 'potential' maintenance caloric needs....
I ran your details through an on-line TDEE Calculator. Here are your February details:
Basal Metabolic Rate 2,273 calories per day
Sedentary 2,728 calories per day
Light Exercise 3,126 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 3,524 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 3,922 calories per day
Athlete 4,320 calories per day
And here are your current details:
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,979 calories per day
Sedentary 2,374 calories per day
Light Exercise 2,721 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 3,067 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 3,413 calories per day
Athlete 3,759 calories per day
So, as I always say, these numbers are simply a starting point as they are based on a formula. You would have to play with things to determine what really works for you. So, just a starting point....nothing more.
See how your BMR has changed over time (read: from 343lbs. to 278lbs.)? Essentially, according to this TDEE Calculator, your BMR has dropped roughly 300 calories. That is a great thing!
Also, keep in mind that the above are potential maintenance calories. You would need to reduce these numbers for weight loss. Or, increase for weight gain.
Have you considered taking a diet break? If you have been doing it for nine months, now might be a good time to just take a break....eat at maintenance (do you know what your actual maintenance caloric need is?) and hang tight for a week or so. Might not be a bad idea.
Just a thought.2 -
CWShultz27105 wrote: »So, just to offer some guidance with respect to 'potential' maintenance caloric needs....
I ran your details through an on-line TDEE Calculator. Here are your February details:
Basal Metabolic Rate 2,273 calories per day
Sedentary 2,728 calories per day
Light Exercise 3,126 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 3,524 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 3,922 calories per day
Athlete 4,320 calories per day
And here are your current details:
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,979 calories per day
Sedentary 2,374 calories per day
Light Exercise 2,721 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 3,067 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 3,413 calories per day
Athlete 3,759 calories per day
So, as I always say, these numbers are simply a starting point as they are based on a formula. You would have to play with things to determine what really works for you. So, just a starting point....nothing more.
See how your BMR has changed over time (read: from 343lbs. to 278lbs.)? Essentially, according to this TDEE Calculator, your BMR has dropped roughly 300 calories. That is a great thing!
Also, keep in mind that the above are potential maintenance calories. You would need to reduce these numbers for weight loss. Or, increase for weight gain.
Have you considered taking a diet break? If you have been doing it for nine months, now might be a good time to just take a break....eat at maintenance (do you know what your actual maintenance caloric need is?) and hang tight for a week or so. Might not be a bad idea.
Just a thought.[/quot
Thank you for the info and advice!!0 -
CWShultz27105 wrote: »So, just to offer some guidance with respect to 'potential' maintenance caloric needs....
I ran your details through an on-line TDEE Calculator. Here are your February details:
Basal Metabolic Rate 2,273 calories per day
Sedentary 2,728 calories per day
Light Exercise 3,126 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 3,524 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 3,922 calories per day
Athlete 4,320 calories per day
And here are your current details:
Basal Metabolic Rate 1,979 calories per day
Sedentary 2,374 calories per day
Light Exercise 2,721 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 3,067 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 3,413 calories per day
Athlete 3,759 calories per day
So, as I always say, these numbers are simply a starting point as they are based on a formula. You would have to play with things to determine what really works for you. So, just a starting point....nothing more.
See how your BMR has changed over time (read: from 343lbs. to 278lbs.)? Essentially, according to this TDEE Calculator, your BMR has dropped roughly 300 calories. That is a great thing!
Also, keep in mind that the above are potential maintenance calories. You would need to reduce these numbers for weight loss. Or, increase for weight gain.
Have you considered taking a diet break? If you have been doing it for nine months, now might be a good time to just take a break....eat at maintenance (do you know what your actual maintenance caloric need is?) and hang tight for a week or so. Might not be a bad idea.
Just a thought.
As he said. Update your details on mfp to get new calorie goals. Maybe eat at maintenance for 2 weeks to reset your body. Then continue. Low intensity exercise (ie walking) will be good if you can add that.
Also weigh each and everything you consume and log it accurately.0
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