Calories over suggested limit but net calories well under. No weight loss.

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amluckhurst
amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,
I have been exercising really well and consistantly, for a month now.. I have reduced my waist measurement and feel fitter. However it would be really nice to see some weight loss on the scales as I have a stone to lose.
I am 5'8" and weight 11st 4. I have been this weight for 4 years, my previous weight was around 10st 7, which I felt was more comfortable.
My question is, should I keep to the 1400 calories this app suggests. As the amount of calories it adds back in for the exercise I do sometimes equals this. I'd end up with negative calories, which surely can't be right and wouldn't seem sustainable.
Any help and suggestions very much appreciated.
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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,906 Member
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    There are mistakes that people commonly make that cause them to not lose weight that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    How do you determine how much you're eating? Are you weighing all solids and measuring all liquids, and using accurate database entries?

    How do you determine you calorie burn for exercise? These are often exaggerated - many people suggest only eating a portion of exercise cals back.

    Hi Living lean, You look great, and exactly like someone who would be good to ask about body fat reduction.
    Thanks for your reply. I do weigh my foods and import recipes via URL and make sure I divide per portion suggestions. I'm assuming the intake of calories is fairly accurate, or accurate enough.
    Regarding the exercise, I appreciate that these can be wildly inaccurate, so I have been cautious about eating all these back.
    I have not been so attentive to calorie consumption at the weekends, but not over eating especially either. No exercise at the weekend though.
    I've no Thyroid or health problems, but am in my mid 50's.
    What would you suggest about my sticking to the 1400 calories suggested, even if my exercise calories burn 50%to 75% of this. I'm prepared to try it, but still want to build muscle and stay healthy.
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    There are mistakes that people commonly make that cause them to not lose weight that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    Thank you so much, I've changed the settings. Please help if you are able.
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    premxu3r40pw.jpg

    Thank you for your reply. Much appreciated.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    What rate of loss did you choose? With only a stone to lose (14 lbs) you should be aiming for about 0.5 lb/week or a deficit of 250 cals. With such a low deficit it’s important to be as accurate as possible, so not logging on the weekend could wipe out any deficit you have had earlier in the week. Similarly, with a conservative deficit and slow rate of loss you may not see the weight loss on the scale as easily as it can be masked by water retention and other normal fluctuations.

    Lastly - you may want to look into body recomp instead of weight loss if your goals are more related to your overall fitness, body fat, etc. This also requires a very small deficit or usually eating at maintenance calories and focusing more on macros and fitness goals.
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    What rate of loss did you choose? With only a stone to lose (14 lbs) you should be aiming for about 0.5 lb/week or a deficit of 250 cals. With such a low deficit it’s important to be as accurate as possible, so not logging on the weekend could wipe out any deficit you have had earlier in the week. Similarly, with a conservative deficit and slow rate of loss you may not see the weight loss on the scale as easily as it can be masked by water retention and other normal fluctuations.

    Lastly - you may want to look into body recomp instead of weight loss if your goals are more related to your overall fitness, body fat, etc. This also requires a very small deficit or usually eating at maintenance calories and focusing more on macros and fitness goals.

    Hi,
    Thanks for your reply. I set my weight loss to 1lb per week. I will need to be more accurate by the sounds of things. I will sort out my weekend food logs. Its very interesting what you say about body recomp, this is new to me but I agree that I've gained muscle and strength, but maintained weight. I feel like a light bulb has come on.
    I'm sure your advice is going to make a real difference to me. So really, thank you.
    I'm going to try to stay within 25% of my 'exercise earned calories', whilst not relying on the gym equipment estimate of calories burned. I'll probably halve those estimates and see how I feel and get on.
    Have a great day!
    Angela
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    PAV8888 wrote: »
    You've said you have a reduced waist measurement.

    By definition this is either a measurement artefact (you didn't measure right, your stomach was bloated and affected measurements, not the server spot, etc) OR you actually lost fat.

    You said you didn't lose weight. The likelihood of this being a measurement artefact is substantially larger.

    How often do you weigh? Location? Timing? Consistency? Same or no clothing? Are you using a weight trend app? Are you sore from exercise, recently are sodium, at a time of the month where you may be retaining more water?

    Smaller fat losses are often lost in larger water weight variations. Hence weight trend apps and comparing yourself to the same point of your previous cycle, not to last week.

    No, it is not a good idea to eat as much or less than you burn.

    While both input and output have problems when it comes to getting accurately determined, your body burns most of its calories just living and your MFP goal is already an appropriate deficit from that.

    So, yes, you are supposed to eat back the actual calories you expended in deliberate exercise because exercise was not included in your goal.

    I think you actually need to try less hard on a daily basis but give it much much more time!

    P.S. after three years of daily logging including taking a scale with me to a fish and chip shop I can guarantee you that you cannot log accurately if you log AFTER you eat.

    When I was concerned with my actual accuracy nothing would be eaten until it had been weighed and recorded.

    Often overlooked even when pre logged: condiments, cooking supplies, licks and tastes, success.

    Note that you do NOT actually need to be absolutely accurate to see results.

    Thank you so much for your detailed answer. Lots for me to consider. I do weigh naked on Monday mornings, but will move this to the end of the training week ie Friday Morning to see if the weekend 'non exercise days' are causing fluctuations on Monday mornings.
    I will keep going and be more patient. I've the fat stores a long time so they will take time to burn off I presume. I am careful with my weighing. I am defo seeing a trimmer less 'fat' torso so I guess if the waist reduction holds I can assume that is an achievement : - )
    Thanks again for your reply.
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    greypilgrimess wrote: »
    Your Insanity burn is definitely less than you think. Also I see you log running at 5.5 min mile... that's crazy fast, are you sure it wasn't a 5.5mph, meaning 11 min miles?

    Eta: I'm doing Insanity too, I wish it burned that many, it definitely feels like it sometimes! Keep going at it! I've been logging it as circuit training, but I expect that is still overestimating.

    I have been sceptical about the calorie burn that this app gives. Though I'd love to think its right!! I know its not. I couldn't find a run option to reflect the mph I was actually doing. To compensate for this I just logged 500 calories for a 35-40min run of 5k. As you can see I am not fast at all. I do work hard to achieve this so I just guessed the 500.
    I've decided to halve the calories 'in my mind' that this app allocates. I am happy to report that I do feel fitter and therefore I assume the weight loss will follow on the scales later. I will be counting my calories at the weekend too now, and monitoring my weighing accuracy.
    Many thanks for your kind help. Well done on your Insanity progress....
  • greypilgrimess
    greypilgrimess Posts: 353 Member
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    amluckhurst wrote: »
    I've changed my Insanity to Calisthenics which has significantly reduced the assumed calorie burn. Also changed down my running speed to a more accurate figure. Now my net calories are much closer to my 1400 allocated calorie allowance.
    My Gross calorie intake was higher 4 out of 6 days.
    Now I can see why I have got fitter but not seen the benefit on the scales.
    Phew, its back to the diet drawing board.
    Thanks everyone! You all Rock! I'm sorted now for until I review at the end of April.

    Glad you figured it out! Feel free to add me, since we're both doing Insanity and we're a similar weight :-)
  • amluckhurst
    amluckhurst Posts: 40 Member
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    greypilgrimess wrote: »
    amluckhurst wrote: »
    I've changed my Insanity to Calisthenics which has significantly reduced the assumed calorie burn. Also changed down my running speed to a more accurate figure. Now my net calories are much closer to my 1400 allocated calorie allowance.
    My Gross calorie intake was higher 4 out of 6 days.
    Now I can see why I have got fitter but not seen the benefit on the scales.
    Phew, its back to the diet drawing board.
    Thanks everyone! You all Rock! I'm sorted now for until I review at the end of April.

    Glad you figured it out! Feel free to add me, since we're both doing Insanity and we're a similar weight :-)

    Hi,
    Thanks, I've sent you an Invite. Look forward to mutual encouragement : - )
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited April 2018
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    amluckhurst wrote: »
    I've changed my Insanity to Calisthenics which has significantly reduced the assumed calorie burn. Also changed down my running speed to a more accurate figure. Now my net calories are much closer to my 1400 allocated calorie allowance.
    My Gross calorie intake was higher 4 out of 6 days.
    Now I can see why I have got fitter but not seen the benefit on the scales.
    Phew, its back to the diet drawing board.
    Thanks everyone! You all Rock! I'm sorted now for until I review at the end of April.

    High five! It can take time to get your counting sorted out, but once it clicks it really works! I lost about 10 pounds when I first started here, then stalled for three months because of counting errors, but I figured it out and I'm down more than 50 pounds now. You can do this!
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    amluckhurst wrote: »
    greypilgrimess wrote: »
    Your Insanity burn is definitely less than you think. Also I see you log running at 5.5 min mile... that's crazy fast, are you sure it wasn't a 5.5mph, meaning 11 min miles?

    Eta: I'm doing Insanity too, I wish it burned that many, it definitely feels like it sometimes! Keep going at it! I've been logging it as circuit training, but I expect that is still overestimating.

    I have been sceptical about the calorie burn that this app gives. Though I'd love to think its right!! I know its not. I couldn't find a run option to reflect the mph I was actually doing. To compensate for this I just logged 500 calories for a 35-40min run of 5k. As you can see I am not fast at all. I do work hard to achieve this so I just guessed the 500.
    I've decided to halve the calories 'in my mind' that this app allocates. I am happy to report that I do feel fitter and therefore I assume the weight loss will follow on the scales later. I will be counting my calories at the weekend too now, and monitoring my weighing accuracy.
    Many thanks for your kind help. Well done on your Insanity progress....

    I'm glad you figured out the running thing.

    It's highly unlikely that you burned 500 for a 5K -- usually, the theory for running is 100 calories or less per mile (there's a more formal calculator somewhere, but I use 100 per mile as an estimate). I mean, there are some days that I don't even burn 500 when I run five miles. ;)

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