Weight gain at 1400 a day
Replies
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Hi, OP. I think you've gotten great advice from nutmegoreo and kimny, as well as some others, and would just second what they've said.
Consistency is more important than doing the exact right thing, and once you stick to something for a month or so it will be easier to adjust in a way that works for you. What I'd recommend -- building on what others have said -- is to forget about the last few months of frustration and start over today. Weigh yourself today (or tomorrow morning depending on what time it is for you) and take any measurements that might be worth comparing later -- waist is a good one. If journaling helps you (it's incredibly helpful for me since I struggle with mindfulness, including about eating), maybe put down your goals for the week (forget weight loss, goals like just stick to calories, check in with how the day went daily, write down feelings and struggles, maybe sticking to your IF plan, since you want to try that, getting in some walking if that interests you, weighing food).
Then start over. Set a calorie goal (since you are worried about going under 1800 and 1800 should work fine for you, do 1800). Log as accurately as possible -- this means log everything, get a scale and weigh (if it takes a few days to get a scale no biggie, but it's a good tool for people who are frustrated). Be consistent, never don't log, even if you are embarrassed or angry about overeating or it's a write-off days -- and also DO NOT beat yourself up if you go over, it's a learning experience, and you will get there.
The reason I love keeping a journal for this is that it reminds me to write down daily what was easy, what was hard, how my food plan worked, why I think I overate if I did, and also if I am wanting to eat when I don't need to to write about what's going on. You can also keep notes on how the IF is working, whether it makes things easier or harder, etc. I also use it as a workout journal and it's motivating there too, but you don't need to exercise if you don't want to (I'd advise trying to get in some walking, however -- I also struggle with depression and anxiety and just having some physical activity that can help bring you out of your head -- listen to music, if outside, look around -- can be really helpful).
Anyway, I hope some of this helps.
I'd say weigh however often you want but don't overreact. Be consistent at your chosen goal (1800?) for one month and then check on results -- amount you actually ate given over and under days and any binges, how often you binged if at all, and weight loss and waist measurement. Then re-assess with that really good data.11 -
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The mathematical and logical reason you're having issues losing weight is because you're consuming too many calories on a consistent basis. It *is* really that simple.19 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The mathematical and logical reason you're having issues losing weight is because you're consuming too many calories on a consistent basis. It *is* really that simple.
Not to pile on, but this. You're NOT not losing weight on 1400 calories per day, because you aren't reliably and consistently eating only 1400 calories per day.
Sometimes we ask the wrong question and don't like the answers we get to the question we didn't ask (even if they are correct). I hope you're able to appreciate all this advice in the long run, though.19 -
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you16 -
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
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A couple of thoughts for you. First, as I was looking through your diary, it looks like you've been well above 1,400 for a while. Second, it looks like you rely a lot on fast food for your meals. Your body probably isn't getting the nutrients it needs and because their is so much salt and so many carbs, your body is probably holding on to extra water weight. (For the record, I'm a not a "carbs are evil" person, but I've noticed in my own journey that too many refined carbs for me blow me up.) Third, it also looks like you are inconsistent in how you eat and tend to have one big calorie binge for lunch or dinner. For a lot of people, their metabolisms tend to work best when their fires are stoked with smaller meals consistently throughout the day. That usually also helps with blood sugar crashes, which can trigger binge eating for lots of people. (Diabetic speaking here--blood sugar crashes are no fun!) Fourth, are you consistently weighing stuff and adding in extras like condiments, oil to cook food, etc?11
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I'm a 6'4 male. I currently weigh around 220 pounds but I've tipped the scales at 285 lbs.
Tough Love time. You are not eating 1,400 calories a day. Maybe you set that as a goal, but you aren't eating it, by the admission of your own diary entries. Some days you are eating in excess of 2,000 calories in one meal. SOme days aren't logged at all. I'm not judging, I've done the same. I only say these things because the two most important factors you are going to need to have with youself is CONSISTENCY and BRUTAL HONESTY. I know all too well how easy self deception is when it comes to losing weight.
When I first started i ate 2,000 calories a day. That seemed like a lot to me. But i ate that amount every single day, weighed everything that went into my mouth. Lifted about 3 days a week, did probably 4 hours on the treadmill a week. I was losing 2-3 pounds a week. It was too fast, I was too hungry. I lost the rest of my weight between around 2,500 and 2,750. About a pound to a pound and a half a week.
I tracked a few of my bad days. Turns out I can put down around 6,000 calories before I get uncomfortably full.
My guess is if you CONSISTENTLY eat between 2,500 - 2,800 calories (and ACCURATELY track), and made a point to get 10,000 steps a day, I would be shocked if you weren't losing 1 - 2 lbs a week, if not more.15 -
The number one thing that jump-started my weight loss was accurate, honest logging, using a food scale to weigh everything that passed my lips.
@neonmage0 You seem like a guy who likes facts and science. From a scientific viewpoint, weight loss is simple. Eat fewer calories in a day than your body uses. Although it's simple, it definitely isn't easy!
Treat it like a science experiment. Control as many variables as possible. Document everything! No guessing, eyeballing, or cheating.
These threads have some great info to get you started! Good luck!
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p112 -
I am a male 5”7’ 340 lbs and no matter how little I eat I struggle to loose weight even going as low as 1200 I lose very slowly is it possible me rmr is just that low? I am largely sedentary but have done daily exercise in the past with no results. This whole process is becoming very disheartening.
Hey! I feel your struggle. I have similar issues with feeling like I should be losing more than I am. So don’t give up, you’re not in this alone! Also, congratulations on the weight loss so far! I know it’s hard to be proud when you are seeing result but you’ve come a long way already, so be proud.
So after reading through what you’ve been going through, I have a few ideas that might help. I have my bachelors in dietetics so I know a little about all this haha
First of all, even if you’re only eating 1400 calories a day, it definitely matters where those calories are coming from. If you’re only eating a bunch of carbohydrates and then you don’t use them through exercise, that can lead to fat gain. So be mindful of what you’re eating too, not just how much.
Also, I would start to exercise. I know this is easier said than done but it’s so important. Not just for losing weight but your overall health. Exercise has been proven to increase lifetime and the quality of life. Even just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a few times a week. I would start with walking and keep working up from there. Resistance training and weight lifting are also excellent ways to lose weight. The more muscle you have, the easier it is to lose weight.
I know these are the easy answers but losing weight isn’t easy as I’m sure you know. The body plateaus and gets used to the changes we make. However, if you push past that and keep throwing new things at yourself, you’ll keep losing weight.27 -
gracekrice1594 wrote: »I am a male 5”7’ 340 lbs and no matter how little I eat I struggle to loose weight even going as low as 1200 I lose very slowly is it possible me rmr is just that low? I am largely sedentary but have done daily exercise in the past with no results. This whole process is becoming very disheartening.
Hey! I feel your struggle. I have similar issues with feeling like I should be losing more than I am. So don’t give up, you’re not in this alone! Also, congratulations on the weight loss so far! I know it’s hard to be proud when you are seeing result but you’ve come a long way already, so be proud.
So after reading through what you’ve been going through, I have a few ideas that might help. I have my bachelors in dietetics so I know a little about all this haha
First of all, even if you’re only eating 1400 calories a day, it definitely matters where those calories are coming from. If you’re only eating a bunch of carbohydrates and then you don’t use them through exercise, that can lead to fat gain. So be mindful of what you’re eating too, not just how much.
Also, I would start to exercise. I know this is easier said than done but it’s so important. Not just for losing weight but your overall health. Exercise has been proven to increase lifetime and the quality of life. Even just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a few times a week. I would start with walking and keep working up from there. Resistance training and weight lifting are also excellent ways to lose weight. The more muscle you have, the easier it is to lose weight.
I know these are the easy answers but losing weight isn’t easy as I’m sure you know. The body plateaus and gets used to the changes we make. However, if you push past that and keep throwing new things at yourself, you’ll keep losing weight.
I don't know what "dietetic" school you went to, but the source of calories does not change the energy balance.
The bolded part? The only way "eating a bunch of carbs" and then not using them for exercise (whatever you mean by that) would lead to fat gain is if the CALORIES were above what is needed. It's about calories. Full stop.
I'll let someone else tackle your fallacious "plateau" statement.
21 -
gracekrice1594 wrote: »I am a male 5”7’ 340 lbs and no matter how little I eat I struggle to loose weight even going as low as 1200 I lose very slowly is it possible me rmr is just that low? I am largely sedentary but have done daily exercise in the past with no results. This whole process is becoming very disheartening.
Hey! I feel your struggle. I have similar issues with feeling like I should be losing more than I am. So don’t give up, you’re not in this alone! Also, congratulations on the weight loss so far! I know it’s hard to be proud when you are seeing result but you’ve come a long way already, so be proud.
So after reading through what you’ve been going through, I have a few ideas that might help. I have my bachelors in dietetics so I know a little about all this haha
First of all, even if you’re only eating 1400 calories a day, it definitely matters where those calories are coming from. If you’re only eating a bunch of carbohydrates and then you don’t use them through exercise, that can lead to fat gain. So be mindful of what you’re eating too, not just how much.
Also, I would start to exercise. I know this is easier said than done but it’s so important. Not just for losing weight but your overall health. Exercise has been proven to increase lifetime and the quality of life. Even just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a few times a week. I would start with walking and keep working up from there. Resistance training and weight lifting are also excellent ways to lose weight. The more muscle you have, the easier it is to lose weight.
I know these are the easy answers but losing weight isn’t easy as I’m sure you know. The body plateaus and gets used to the changes we make. However, if you push past that and keep throwing new things at yourself, you’ll keep losing weight.
If a person is eating at a calorie deficit, they will not store fat, regardless of what they're eating. The body uses a certain amount of calories just functioning normally. By definition, if someone is eating in a calorie deficit, they are eating less calories than their body uses and there would be nothing left to create fat out of. And considering OP's stats, his body is for sure using more than 1400 cals per day to get around.12 -
gracekrice1594 wrote: »I am a male 5”7’ 340 lbs and no matter how little I eat I struggle to loose weight even going as low as 1200 I lose very slowly is it possible me rmr is just that low? I am largely sedentary but have done daily exercise in the past with no results. This whole process is becoming very disheartening.
Hey! I feel your struggle. I have similar issues with feeling like I should be losing more than I am. So don’t give up, you’re not in this alone! Also, congratulations on the weight loss so far! I know it’s hard to be proud when you are seeing result but you’ve come a long way already, so be proud.
So after reading through what you’ve been going through, I have a few ideas that might help. I have my bachelors in dietetics so I know a little about all this haha
First of all, even if you’re only eating 1400 calories a day, it definitely matters where those calories are coming from. If you’re only eating a bunch of carbohydrates and then you don’t use them through exercise, that can lead to fat gain. So be mindful of what you’re eating too, not just how much.
Also, I would start to exercise. I know this is easier said than done but it’s so important. Not just for losing weight but your overall health. Exercise has been proven to increase lifetime and the quality of life. Even just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a few times a week. I would start with walking and keep working up from there. Resistance training and weight lifting are also excellent ways to lose weight. The more muscle you have, the easier it is to lose weight.
I know these are the easy answers but losing weight isn’t easy as I’m sure you know. The body plateaus and gets used to the changes we make. However, if you push past that and keep throwing new things at yourself, you’ll keep losing weight.
Eating a bunch of *anything* will lead to weight gain if your body isn't using the calories. This isn't some unique flaw of carbohydrates, it's how energy from food works.13 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!18 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
This might need split into a separate thread, as it's derailed the OP's original question. Maybe a mod would be willing to help us out? @Nova, @4legsRbetterthan2 @justsomeem9 -
So much this! I've been sitting at 1200-1400 calories for a while now, and lost 35 lbs (then gained like 7 when I started working out and it has yet to come off). I finally decided after a lot of reading that I wasn't eating enough and increased to 1600 daily. That was about a week ago.
As a side note, I eat relatively healthy foods. I work out lightly for at about 30 minutes a day (lunch break), four days a week. I recently ended an after-work activity that kept me out late and that might help me lose weight just because I'll be getting more regular sleep and cooking at home instead of eating out --- even eating healthy at a restaurant isn't that great for weight loss due to preservatives that restaurants put in their food. When I was cooking my own food, I was losing a pound a week.
As a side note, weight loss plateaus happen! My body isn't used to operating with the weight that I'm at, and I (and you) just might have to be okay with the fact that a plateau may last even a couple of months just because your body is adjusting.
ALSO: And this is for me just as much as it is for you. Watch that sodium intake. I go over on my sodium intake on a daily basis. What can I say, I love salt! I don't ever salt my food, but I tend to go for savory foods already high in sodium, and that can hurt your goals.6 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
According to you I guess I didn't burn any fat going from 125 to 104 at 5'8 from eating a low calorie but a lot of carbs because of gastroparesis. My stick thin body must be a figment of my imagination? I definitely lost lots of fat as my bones are still very prominent even at 110 on 2800 calories a day while gaining on TPN and tube feeding which both contain more carbs than any other macro.
https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
13 -
estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
I'm not sure where you read that, but there are plenty of successful users who have carbohydrates as the most dominant macronutrient in their diet, including (but not not exclusive to) many vegans, like myself, who often have more carbohydrates in their diet. During the period I was losing weight, my calories were about 60-65% from carbohydrates.
I'm not aware of *any* supporting evidence that the body will not use fat stores for energy if the dominant macronutrient in the diet is carbohydrates. Since this is an extraordinary claim, I think it would benefit the conversation if you shared where you read it and what sources were used to support that claim.16 -
Preservatives don't cause weight gain (maybe fluid retention but not fat gain), excess calories do7
-
quiksylver296 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
This might need split into a separate thread, as it's derailed the OP's original question. Maybe a mod would be willing to help us out? @Nova, @4legsRbetterthan2 @justsomeem
I have no objection to this being a separate stand-alone post, however, I think it very well addresses the OP point which was - why he wasn't losing weight on a 1200 or 1400 calorie diet, and, the subsequent posts about the diary observations maybe not being accurate or consistent and thus giving bad information from the limited data.
Good discussion all along, in any case,12 -
I just quickly scrolled through this thread, and the further I got, the more upset I felt. Now I have tears in my eyes.
I am you, thirty years from now but female. So, kinda Mom-ish.
The depression is really coloring how you read these posts. No one here started out judging you, or being mean. That's your own feelings about yourself that you are using as a filter as you read.
I'm going to be kind. I am kind. I also started out with over 100 pounds to lose last January. Please use my filter when you read my comment.
Here's the one thing you can do to kick start faster weight loss: Make your own food.
Who has time for that???
Well, you do have time for that. You just need to allocate it, either daily and refrigerate, or weekly and freeze.
This is what I do: Once about every week and a half, I make two types of entree. One is a lunch type thing, the other is a dinner type thing. I put the recipes here, in My Fitness Pal, accounting for every single ingredient, weighed on a scale before cooking. I bake/stir-fry/crock pot the food, and I bought two compartment freezer containers off Amazon and I portion it out. Most recipes make six to eight helpings. I use the number of helpings in the MFP recipe calculator, and I get my calorie count.
Do I eat this same food every day? No. Life doesn't work that way. This is what I eat on the vast majority of days, though. Going into the holiday season is a difficult time to lose weight if you listen to cultural and familial expectations. In reality? We are talking about two days, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Eat whatever those two days, and eat your prepared food the rest of the time.
I will tell you that going off the rails and eating all the things takes about a week to get back to where you were before. I will also tell you that most of it is easily lost water weight.
This is a long term thing. You can't get to your goal by doing the same things you've always done, or even a modified version of the things you've always done. I know when I get to maintenance I will STILL have to prepare my food in advance for the majority of the time. It isn't like we lose the weight and then can just go back to eating all the things
I imagine maintenance Deb will drink more wine, though. 14 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
This might need split into a separate thread, as it's derailed the OP's original question. Maybe a mod would be willing to help us out? @Nova, @4legsRbetterthan2 @justsomeem
I have no objection to this being a separate stand-alone post, however, I think it very well addresses the OP point which was - why he wasn't losing weight on a 1200 or 1400 calorie diet, and, the subsequent posts about the diary observations maybe not being accurate or consistent and thus giving bad information from the limited data.
Good discussion all along, in any case,
If OP were really consistently eating 1200 or 1400 calories without binges that might wipe out the deficit, then he would be losing weight, regardless of the food he chooses. I have not looked at his diary, I understand that there might well be improvements for health, satiety, and ease of logging that he could make, but I also have known some people with lots to lose who did better not thinking they had to give up the foods they loved and change their diet initially and then gradually decided they wanted to do so as they lost, so if OP is feeling overwhelmed I think getting the logging straight and getting some positive feedback from weight loss might be a good thing to focus on first. If he wants to improve his diet, I certainly think that's a good idea and might make hitting his calorie goals easier, but for some people one thing at a time works best, especially if he is feeling depressed.
Setting a simple concrete goal that you can consistently hit can be very helpful. For me, things like eating vegetables or sufficient protein or getting in a walk or workout would be important components of this, but if OP wants to start with calories and just focus on that for a while that wouldn't be bad.
On why you can lose even on a high carb diet (why carbs vs. fat has 0 to do with weight loss except as it relates to personal satiety), I do think that should be a separate thread.12 -
You need to increase your activity levels. Lift heavy toward repairing metabolic function (This will take time and requires guidance) and increase heart rate to maintain inner health for the moment. Exercise 2 hours per day either at once or split into sessions. If your body is unable to reduce or use fat (and it’s not a clear medical reason) then your body it’s not put into the position it requires fat as an energy source. Just my suggestion as a fellow Fitness enthusiast 34
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cpollard26 wrote: »You need to increase your activity levels. Lift heavy toward repairing metabolic function (This will take time and requires guidance) and increase heart rate to maintain inner health for the moment. Exercise 2 hours per day either at once or split into sessions. If your body is unable to reduce or use fat (and it’s not a clear medical reason) then your body it’s not put into the position it requires fat as an energy source. Just my suggestion as a fellow Fitness enthusiast
OP is 5'7, 340 pounds. Not smart to jump into 2 hours of exercise per day from a completely sedentary lifestyle. That's a recipe for disaster and injury.27 -
janejellyroll wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
I'm not sure where you read that, but there are plenty of successful users who have carbohydrates as the most dominant macronutrient in their diet, including (but not not exclusive to) many vegans, like myself, who often have more carbohydrates in their diet. During the period I was losing weight, my calories were about 60-65% from carbohydrates.
I'm not aware of *any* supporting evidence that the body will not use fat stores for energy if the dominant macronutrient in the diet is carbohydrates. Since this is an extraordinary claim, I think it would benefit the conversation if you shared where you read it and what sources were used to support that claim.
I bolded the link i posted, above, and note that I am quite clear about my interest in better links to better data than what I was able to find.
As to my "extraordinary claims", I guess I don't know how to better express myself such that my words can be understood as 'open to revision with new facts". I think I was careful to say that I think ___ based on this _____ but am open to learning new things.
Hope that helps clarify my previous position.5 -
OP: I don't know if you enjoy books but I just finished "The Obesity Code" by Dr. Jason Fung. There are many here that don't appreciate his work however I thoroughly enjoyed it. It goes into great detail how there is an implied blame cast on obese people. I won't try to paraphrase the entire book here. Just a thought I wanted to pass along and wish you well on your journey.35
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DebCountsAll wrote: »I just quickly scrolled through this thread, and the further I got, the more upset I felt. Now I have tears in my eyes.
I am you, thirty years from now but female. So, kinda Mom-ish.
The depression is really coloring how you read these posts. No one here started out judging you, or being mean. That's your own feelings about yourself that you are using as a filter as you read.
I'm going to be kind. I am kind. I also started out with over 100 pounds to lose last January. Please use my filter when you read my comment.
Here's the one thing you can do to kick start faster weight loss: Make your own food.
Who has time for that???
Well, you do have time for that. You just need to allocate it, either daily and refrigerate, or weekly and freeze.
This is what I do: Once about every week and a half, I make two types of entree. One is a lunch type thing, the other is a dinner type thing. I put the recipes here, in My Fitness Pal, accounting for every single ingredient, weighed on a scale before cooking. I bake/stir-fry/crock pot the food, and I bought two compartment freezer containers off Amazon and I portion it out. Most recipes make six to eight helpings. I use the number of helpings in the MFP recipe calculator, and I get my calorie count.
Do I eat this same food every day? No. Life doesn't work that way. This is what I eat on the vast majority of days, though. Going into the holiday season is a difficult time to lose weight if you listen to cultural and familial expectations. In reality? We are talking about two days, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Eat whatever those two days, and eat your prepared food the rest of the time.
I will tell you that going off the rails and eating all the things takes about a week to get back to where you were before. I will also tell you that most of it is easily lost water weight.
This is a long term thing. You can't get to your goal by doing the same things you've always done, or even a modified version of the things you've always done. I know when I get to maintenance I will STILL have to prepare my food in advance for the majority of the time. It isn't like we lose the weight and then can just go back to eating all the things I imagine maintenance Deb will drink more wine, though.
This is great advice.8 -
Running your stats through this calorie calculator, which many people find accurate, your BMR is approximately 2489 calories per day and your TDEE/maintenance calories (even at sedentary) is approximately 2987 calories per day.
If you were truly eating 1200 calories per day, you'd be in a deficit of 1787 calories per day - which mathematically would result in losing about a pound every two days, or 3.5 pounds per week. So it's obvious that the math doesn't match up with the reality you're experiencing. Since the variance in BMR is 10% or less, that means that even if you do have some kind of magically slow metabolism, you should still be losing around 3 pounds per week. Since none of that is happening, it's obvious that you're not truly eating 1200 calories per day.
Again, your responses are very rude and defensive. The information is right there, staring you in the face. What you do with it is your decision.
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
Despite your rude and ungrateful response, I'll offer this as help - every possible reason why you're not losing weight, and what to do about it: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
The mathematical logical reason you're having issues losing weight is that you're not eating as few calories as you think you are. It's really as simple as that.
Don’t ever tell someone who is looking for help that they are just makeing excuses. It took a lot for me to overcome my anxiety to even make this post. Your post about making excuses is the kind of thing that pushes people into depression and causes them to just give up. You should be ashamed of yourself
I know the math doesn’t add up that’s why I’m here to figure out why and to receive encouragement. I do not need people being condescending. Even if the math doesn’t add up with a bar that high even if I was eating 600 calories over, essentially a whole meal I should still lose weight.
How has anyone been condescending to you? The reality is you're unfortunately eating way more than you think you're. It's not hard to overestimate calories burned (gym machines vastly inflate calories burned since it can't differentiate between users) & then to underestimate calories eaten. A man your size would very easily lose weight eating 1,200-1,400 calories per day. Would it be healthy? No way. Also someone mentioned earlier in the thread that you seemed to have some incorrect entries be it either calorie wise or missing meals. Sometimes that won't hinder one's progress that much if it's something tiny, but you have to remember that ultimately missing a lot of foods ate/drinks can add up to hundreds if not thousands of calories a week/month/year & that will lead to gaining weight maybe not overnight, but over time.
One of my favorite weight loss tools the first time I lost weight (300-150 pounds) & now my second time (struggled the first time in maintenance) has been my food scale. Without it I would never have known a how small a serving size of cereal really is. It was sad the first time I saw how tiny it was in the big bowl I was using. Ice cream, peanut butter, condiments/dressings, & many other calorie dense items are very easy to dole out/pour on items without realizing how much those calories pile on to your overall total. Many frozen meals & pizzas can also wildly be over what the serving size is. I also don't drink my calories since I would rather eat more food be it healthy or calorie dense. Typically I'll have a few diet sodas a day (very rarely a regular calorie soda), a Powerade Zero in the summer if I'm sweating a lot at work, & water enhancers.
I've found I was binging a lot from eating too early in the morning & pushed my first meal/snack of the day back from anywhere to 10-1:00 PM. My main meal of the day I try to eat anywhere from 2-4:00 PM & maybe a later snack. If you find you don't like to eat breakfast then skip it since meal timing is irrelevant & find something that suits your needs better.
Many users here want people to succeed in their weight loss ambitions & want to help squash false information regarding what many consider woo & help to pinpoint why someone has hit a plateau or struggling to lose weight at all.6 -
I have a a feeling OP wont be back.hope that isnt the issue and he figures this out.2
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janejellyroll wrote: »estherdragonbat wrote: »
A pound of fat burns 2 calories per day. A pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day. There would have to be a huge difference to make that significant. And if almost none of your weight was muscle, you’d be bedridden. It takes muscle just to carry your body weight around on a daily basis.If a man your size isn’t losing weight eating 1200 calories, the answer is very simple: you’re not eating 1200 calories.
I started off at 270 pounds and lost easily eating 2200 calories/day. I lost 75 pounds and my calorie goal was never below 2200.
Almost none of my weight is muscle
Your internal organs are responsible for the vast majority of your BMR calorie expenditure, the two biggest being your brain and your liver. You have a brain and a liver just like everybody else.
To be completely honest, it sounds like you’re more interested in making excuses than focusing on what you need to do to succeed at this. Unfortunately, your body won’t accept excuses.felixg1109 wrote: »Almost none of my weight is muscle
Well thats.... *censored*. As someone who was waaaay over your weight i can tell you: you have a ton of muscles. Else your body would not be able to stand, sit or do even one step.
As it seems for me you just want to hear "oooh if you dont loose at 1400kCal it's not possible to loose weight. Just keep it that way". But you won't hear that from us ;-)
That’s not at all what I’m looking for. I want a mathematical logical reason I’m haveing issues loosing weight which others have given so you can kindly *kitten* off with your talk of excuses
The math logic is simple: calories in calories out (CICO) - which, simply stated means that eating less calories than are needed to breathe, move, eat, go to the bathroom, brush teeth, read the paper , plus any other activities done.
The associated piece of reasoning that goes with the above is: if the body doesn't get enough to fuel its minimum needs, it will hoard fat stores in the body because the balance in what is being eaten doesn't line up with what is needed.
A number of posters here have pointed out the appearance of inconsistent data and logging efforts evident in your diary. I"m a big believer in trying NEW tricks to stay on track. If you just keep trying variations on the same old same old, your lack of success may continue. TO the logging point, which I personally find hugely helpful, you might find some answers , in a round about way, by reading the posts in this thread that I started up the other day. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10707806/can-i-calibrate-my-eyes-to-portion-correctly#latest
good luck to you
Your body won't hoard fat if it's not getting enough fuel. Did you mean to say that it will start burning its fat hoards?
I said what I believed to be accurate, and, am always looking to be better informed if I learn that my beliefs are not based on facts.
I took a fresh trip out to Google today, keywords "when does the body burn stored fat" and found a number of links to dr thisone or certified thatone , and , mywayisthebest over here. I would like a science, research based link, not a link to someone who is commercially interested in my interest.
https://www.wikihow.com/Burn-Fat -: wiki isn't my favorite source, but, it's often a step up from Dr Know it all, . It does offer a bunch of different ideas towards answering the question of how the body works with fat stores.
There does seem to be a fair amount of supporting evidence, some of it from the OP experience as written here, that there is more to the fat burning idea than just low calories.
One thing I read said that the body will access carbs first for energy, and that fat stores don't get accessed at all if the dominant macro in a diet is carbs; no matter how low calorie the diet is. I think that's the premise from which my "body will hoard fat" remark comes from.
I'll welcome any useful links on the topic for my further review. thanks!
I'm not sure where you read that, but there are plenty of successful users who have carbohydrates as the most dominant macronutrient in their diet, including (but not not exclusive to) many vegans, like myself, who often have more carbohydrates in their diet. During the period I was losing weight, my calories were about 60-65% from carbohydrates.
I'm not aware of *any* supporting evidence that the body will not use fat stores for energy if the dominant macronutrient in the diet is carbohydrates. Since this is an extraordinary claim, I think it would benefit the conversation if you shared where you read it and what sources were used to support that claim.
I bolded the link i posted, above, and note that I am quite clear about my interest in better links to better data than what I was able to find.
As to my "extraordinary claims", I guess I don't know how to better express myself such that my words can be understood as 'open to revision with new facts". I think I was careful to say that I think ___ based on this _____ but am open to learning new things.
Hope that helps clarify my previous position.
Sorry, I didn't realize WikiHow was the source you were citing for this claim, my mistake. There are several discredited ideas in this list, like the claim that your metabolism "snoozes" when you're asleep, drinking water will make your metabolism faster, "white things" are bad sources of calories, and that certain foods have fat burning properties. I would be cautious about using this as a source for weight loss information.
You may want to check out the specific link they give for their claim that you cannot lose weight if you're eating carbohydrates as a dominant source of calories: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/dietary-fat-vs-carbohydrate-reducing-body-fat
It doesn't say what they represent it does, it's actually a link to a small study showing that cutting fat was more effective weight loss method than cutting carbohydrates. A technique I sometimes use when I'm checking out a new source of health or nutrition information is to look at the actual sources for their claims. If they don't match the claims being made, it's a sign that they're either careless or deliberately deceptive and that's a good thing to know about a website.20 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I have a a feeling OP wont be back.hope that isnt the issue and he figures this out.
In a way, I hope that he got his answers and doesn't come back. This has turned into a bunch of unhelpful/unsubstantiated/unnecessary stuff being posted that will likely overwhelm him, and lead him to give up.
OP, if you have come back and get to this point... I stand by the recommendation to just start with logging everything accurately. After that, then focus on the next step. You don't need to reduce carbs, you don't need to exercise for 2 hours per day, and for the love of all things holy, ignore anything by Fung.23
This discussion has been closed.
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