So Confused and Frustrated About Macros (Please Be Kind)
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crushitkelley
Posts: 8 Member
Hi:
I've lost about 85 pounds in the last year and a half but have recently been through some type of plateau that I just can't seem to figure out. Here are the stats:
I'm 5'4 inches tall, female, 33 y/o, and weigh 323 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and 5 of those days I focus on cardio while 4 days I focus on strength training. It looks like this:
Sunday: Yoga/Stretching/Active Recovery
Monday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Tuesday: HIIT Cardio (30 minutes) **This is usually some sort of video guided HIIT workout**
Wednesday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio for 15 minutes (on a gym machine) & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Saturday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
In terms of perceived level of exertion I am working HARD and have had help from the gym trainer in structuring my strength training exercises.
I follow a macros-based approach at eat 2100 calories, 210 carbs, 70 fat, 158 protein --- my BMR scale says that I am 70% body fat and wants me to eat like 16-1700 calories to lose weight (which just seems so DRASTIC for my size). For the last several weeks I have been working out consistently and tracking my macros closely and I'm losing like 0.2 pounds a week or staying exactly the same. I feel like I should be doing more based on the activity I am getting throughout the day. What am I doing wrong?
THINGS I COULD DO BETTER:
- Drink More Water
- Get 10,000+ Steps (I get between 7-9,000 right now)
- Take my measurements
THINGS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRYING
- Super Calorie Restriction (Especially since I'm trying to build some muscle as well)
- Keto, Vegan, or any other extreme dieting protocol --- I'm trying to find some balance and sustainability
- I've tried Intermittent Fasting but that really triggered a binge eating response.
- Upping my cardio significantly --- that's not to say that I can't do more cardio, but I've BEEN the cardio queen (where all I did was cardio) and not only was I SO BORED, I felt completely run down and depleted.
If you have any suggestions about things I haven't tried please let me know.
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Replies
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How long is "several weeks"? These things happen sometimes. Trust the process!
Are those the default calories and macros that MFP gave you? Nothing wrong with them, just curious, as the fat seems really low. If you are satisfied eating this way, that is fine.
Are you weighing and measuring everything?
Are you eating 2100 total or net? That is are you eating back exercise calories?3 -
Maybe it's time for a diet break after a year and a half and 85 lost. Congratulations!
Just read the first few posts on this very long and well discussed thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1
As far as current calories: 1600-1700 doesn't sound drastic to me. I took a look at your food diary and you've been eating around that on most days anyway since you don't eat more on your exercise days. So that's about what you're eating now. Myfitnesspal would say, 1700+400 from exercise = 2100. Eat that. Are you using a Fitbit? I see your calories are different every day. You're meant to be eating more on exercise days.
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I weigh everything and 2100 calories is total. MFP didn't calculate my calories (I just do a 40/30/30 split) and I almost never eat back any of my burned calories. The last 3-4 weeks I've noticed this plateau.0
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70% bodyfat? I doubt it.
Do you weigh your food with scales?
How much weight have you actually lost in he last 6 weeks? How long have you been doing the workout routine you've written down?4 -
crushitkelley wrote: »I weigh everything and 2100 calories is total. MFP didn't calculate my calories (I just do a 40/30/30 split) and I almost never eat back any of my burned calories. The last 3-4 weeks I've noticed this plateau.
Yeah, you may need to recalculate your calories and start eating some of those exercise cals. Read that refeed thread and then adopt a more reasonable approach. Some days you're netting 500-1200 under the recommended amount.
If you're using a device, read up on how it syncs and how Myfitnesspal works with it. I think you are under-feeding and no wonder you're frustrated. I mean, I'm confused about where you got your goal calories and why some days your goal is 1700 and some days it's 2500...are you manually setting your calorie goal? What is your calorie goal?1 -
bump0
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@cmriverside — I set mine manually because I’ve been suggested by TDEE calculators and macro calculations to eat 1700, sometimes 2500 and I really am not sure what to trust. I suppose that’s why I get so frustrated. My body fat % seems to be high but to eat only 16-1700 calories with the amount I’m working out just seems low, but I don’t know if I’m just being a wimp and just need to suck it up or if I’m not eating enough.0
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crushitkelley wrote: »@cmriverside — I set mine manually because I’ve been suggested by TDEE calculators and macro calculations to eat 1700, sometimes 2500 and I really am not sure what to trust. I suppose that’s why I get so frustrated. My body fat % seems to be high but to eat only 16-1700 calories with the amount I’m working out just seems low, but I don’t know if I’m just being a wimp and just need to suck it up or if I’m not eating enough.
Why not just use the MFP settings?4 -
crushitkelley wrote: »@cmriverside — I set mine manually because I’ve been suggested by TDEE calculators and macro calculations to eat 1700, sometimes 2500 and I really am not sure what to trust. I suppose that’s why I get so frustrated. My body fat % seems to be high but to eat only 16-1700 calories with the amount I’m working out just seems low, but I don’t know if I’m just being a wimp and just need to suck it up or if I’m not eating enough.
I'd go with eat as much as you can while still losing weight. I eat 1700 cals to lose weight and I'm less than half your weight.2 -
concordancia wrote: »crushitkelley wrote: »@cmriverside — I set mine manually because I’ve been suggested by TDEE calculators and macro calculations to eat 1700, sometimes 2500 and I really am not sure what to trust. I suppose that’s why I get so frustrated. My body fat % seems to be high but to eat only 16-1700 calories with the amount I’m working out just seems low, but I don’t know if I’m just being a wimp and just need to suck it up or if I’m not eating enough.
Why not just use the MFP settings?
I'd read that they were really inaccurate. Is that what you'd suggest? It RECOMMENDS 2270 cals, 284 carbs (which is more than I've EVER eaten), 76 fat, and 114 protein (which is much LOWER than I've been eating).0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »70% bodyfat? I doubt it.
Do you weigh your food with scales?
How much weight have you actually lost in he last 6 weeks? How long have you been doing the workout routine you've written down?
I use a food scale religiously and I've lost 3 pounds in the last 6 weeks (with holiday traveling and eating on the road I'm sure there had to be some error in calculation, although I still did all my workouts during Christmas and New Years.0 -
crushitkelley wrote: »@cmriverside — I set mine manually because I’ve been suggested by TDEE calculators and macro calculations to eat 1700, sometimes 2500 and I really am not sure what to trust. I suppose that’s why I get so frustrated. My body fat % seems to be high but to eat only 16-1700 calories with the amount I’m working out just seems low, but I don’t know if I’m just being a wimp and just need to suck it up or if I’m not eating enough.
So, you know that TDEE calculators and MFP use completely different algorithms, right?
Here is how MFP calculates: (you can Google TDEE methods. Pick one and stick to it. You're all over the place with your calories.)
From Help at the top of every page comes this: How does MyFitnessPal calculate my initial goals?
As far as macros, they are suggestions.
Here is the thread for macros explanations: (from the stickies)
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
YOU are in charge of this. First of all there needs to be some consistency. I would do the diet break first. If it were me (and it was at one point) I would then come back and set MFP to lose 2 pounds per week. I would add back exercise calories and eat all of them for two months. Then I would look back at my data and figure it out for myself.
This is your experiment to run. We all start with the best guess and then dial it in. It's about consistency over a long period of time.
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crushitkelley wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »70% bodyfat? I doubt it.
Do you weigh your food with scales?
How much weight have you actually lost in he last 6 weeks? How long have you been doing the workout routine you've written down?
I use a food scale religiously and I've lost 3 pounds in the last 6 weeks (with holiday traveling and eating on the road I'm sure there had to be some error in calculation, although I still did all my workouts during Christmas and New Years.
How long have you been following that routine?0 -
Since November when I joined a gym — I was working out at home before that.0
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crushitkelley wrote: »Hi:
I've lost about 85 pounds in the last year and a half but have recently been through some type of plateau that I just can't seem to figure out. Here are the stats:
I'm 5'4 inches tall, female, 33 y/o, and weigh 323 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and 5 of those days I focus on cardio while 4 days I focus on strength training. It looks like this:
Sunday: Yoga/Stretching/Active Recovery
Monday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Tuesday: HIIT Cardio (30 minutes) **This is usually some sort of video guided HIIT workout**
Wednesday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio for 15 minutes (on a gym machine) & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Saturday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
In terms of perceived level of exertion I am working HARD and have had help from the gym trainer in structuring my strength training exercises.
I follow a macros-based approach at eat 2100 calories, 210 carbs, 70 fat, 158 protein --- my BMR scale says that I am 70% body fat and wants me to eat like 16-1700 calories to lose weight (which just seems so DRASTIC for my size). For the last several weeks I have been working out consistently and tracking my macros closely and I'm losing like 0.2 pounds a week or staying exactly the same. I feel like I should be doing more based on the activity I am getting throughout the day. What am I doing wrong?
THINGS I COULD DO BETTER:- Drink More Water
- Get 10,000+ Steps (I get between 7-9,000 right now)
- Take my measurements
THINGS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRYING- Super Calorie Restriction (Especially since I'm trying to build some muscle as well)
- Keto, Vegan, or any other extreme dieting protocol --- I'm trying to find some balance and sustainability
- I've tried Intermittent Fasting but that really triggered a binge eating response.
- Upping my cardio significantly --- that's not to say that I can't do more cardio, but I've BEEN the cardio queen (where all I did was cardio) and not only was I SO BORED, I felt completely run down and depleted.
If you have any suggestions about things I haven't tried please let me know.crushitkelley wrote: »Hi:
I've lost about 85 pounds in the last year and a half but have recently been through some type of plateau that I just can't seem to figure out. Here are the stats:
I'm 5'4 inches tall, female, 33 y/o, and weigh 323 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and 5 of those days I focus on cardio while 4 days I focus on strength training. It looks like this:
Sunday: Yoga/Stretching/Active Recovery
Monday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Tuesday: HIIT Cardio (30 minutes) **This is usually some sort of video guided HIIT workout**
Wednesday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio for 15 minutes (on a gym machine) & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Saturday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
In terms of perceived level of exertion I am working HARD and have had help from the gym trainer in structuring my strength training exercises.
I follow a macros-based approach at eat 2100 calories, 210 carbs, 70 fat, 158 protein --- my BMR scale says that I am 70% body fat and wants me to eat like 16-1700 calories to lose weight (which just seems so DRASTIC for my size). For the last several weeks I have been working out consistently and tracking my macros closely and I'm losing like 0.2 pounds a week or staying exactly the same. I feel like I should be doing more based on the activity I am getting throughout the day. What am I doing wrong?
THINGS I COULD DO BETTER:- Drink More Water
- Get 10,000+ Steps (I get between 7-9,000 right now)
- Take my measurements
THINGS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRYING- Super Calorie Restriction (Especially since I'm trying to build some muscle as well)
- Keto, Vegan, or any other extreme dieting protocol --- I'm trying to find some balance and sustainability
- I've tried Intermittent Fasting but that really triggered a binge eating response.
- Upping my cardio significantly --- that's not to say that I can't do more cardio, but I've BEEN the cardio queen (where all I did was cardio) and not only was I SO BORED, I felt completely run down and depleted.
If you have any suggestions about things I haven't tried please let me know.crushitkelley wrote: »Hi:
I've lost about 85 pounds in the last year and a half but have recently been through some type of plateau that I just can't seem to figure out. Here are the stats:
I'm 5'4 inches tall, female, 33 y/o, and weigh 323 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and 5 of those days I focus on cardio while 4 days I focus on strength training. It looks like this:
Sunday: Yoga/Stretching/Active Recovery
Monday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Tuesday: HIIT Cardio (30 minutes) **This is usually some sort of video guided HIIT workout**
Wednesday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio for 15 minutes (on a gym machine) & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Saturday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
In terms of perceived level of exertion I am working HARD and have had help from the gym trainer in structuring my strength training exercises.
I follow a macros-based approach at eat 2100 calories, 210 carbs, 70 fat, 158 protein --- my BMR scale says that I am 70% body fat and wants me to eat like 16-1700 calories to lose weight (which just seems so DRASTIC for my size). For the last several weeks I have been working out consistently and tracking my macros closely and I'm losing like 0.2 pounds a week or staying exactly the same. I feel like I should be doing more based on the activity I am getting throughout the day. What am I doing wrong?
THINGS I COULD DO BETTER:- Drink More Water
- Get 10,000+ Steps (I get between 7-9,000 right now)
- Take my measurements
THINGS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRYING- Super Calorie Restriction (Especially since I'm trying to build some muscle as well)
- Keto, Vegan, or any other extreme dieting protocol --- I'm trying to find some balance and sustainability
- I've tried Intermittent Fasting but that really triggered a binge eating response.
- Upping my cardio significantly --- that's not to say that I can't do more cardio, but I've BEEN the cardio queen (where all I did was cardio) and not only was I SO BORED, I felt completely run down and depleted.
If you have any suggestions about things I haven't tried please let me know.crushitkelley wrote: »Hi:
I've lost about 85 pounds in the last year and a half but have recently been through some type of plateau that I just can't seem to figure out. Here are the stats:
I'm 5'4 inches tall, female, 33 y/o, and weigh 323 pounds. I work out 6 days a week and 5 of those days I focus on cardio while 4 days I focus on strength training. It looks like this:
Sunday: Yoga/Stretching/Active Recovery
Monday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Tuesday: HIIT Cardio (30 minutes) **This is usually some sort of video guided HIIT workout**
Wednesday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio for 15 minutes (on a gym machine) & Lower Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
Saturday: HIIT/Circuit Cardio (on a gym machine) for 15 minutes & Upper Body Strength Training (it ends up being about an hour at the gym)
In terms of perceived level of exertion I am working HARD and have had help from the gym trainer in structuring my strength training exercises.
I follow a macros-based approach at eat 2100 calories, 210 carbs, 70 fat, 158 protein --- my BMR scale says that I am 70% body fat and wants me to eat like 16-1700 calories to lose weight (which just seems so DRASTIC for my size). For the last several weeks I have been working out consistently and tracking my macros closely and I'm losing like 0.2 pounds a week or staying exactly the same. I feel like I should be doing more based on the activity I am getting throughout the day. What am I doing wrong?
THINGS I COULD DO BETTER:- Drink More Water
- Get 10,000+ Steps (I get between 7-9,000 right now)
- Take my measurements
THINGS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRYING- Super Calorie Restriction (Especially since I'm trying to build some muscle as well)
- Keto, Vegan, or any other extreme dieting protocol --- I'm trying to find some balance and sustainability
- I've tried Intermittent Fasting but that really triggered a binge eating response.
- Upping my cardio significantly --- that's not to say that I can't do more cardio, but I've BEEN the cardio queen (where all I did was cardio) and not only was I SO BORED, I felt completely run down and depleted.
If you have any suggestions about things I haven't tried please let me know.
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I’m also doing weigh watchers. It is not a diet but a management plan. Maybe try it, to help regulate what you are doing. sounds like you are not eating enough.8
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crushitkelley wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »70% bodyfat? I doubt it.
Do you weigh your food with scales?
How much weight have you actually lost in he last 6 weeks? How long have you been doing the workout routine you've written down?
I use a food scale religiously and I've lost 3 pounds in the last 6 weeks (with holiday traveling and eating on the road I'm sure there had to be some error in calculation, although I still did all my workouts during Christmas and New Years.
I think the above is the issue. Away from your normal routine, you've been eating more than you think. Plus you have still lost -- I know 3 lbs in six weeks doesn't seem like much at your weight, when you've been losing faster, but it's a pretty great result during traveling and holidays. Pat yourself on the back.
You've successfully managed to lose a lot of weight, so I'm doubting that in the past six weeks either (1) the methods you have been using are suddenly no longer sufficient for you to lose weight or (2) your lower weight decreased your BMR so suddenly that you went overnight from a satisfying rate of loss to what feels to like a plateau.
Trust the process and go back to what you were doing before the changes in your routine due to travel over the past six weeks.4 -
also if you are doing true HIIT everyday(which is very hard on the body) or close to everyday its probably putting added stress on your body which can hinder weight loss. . true hiit is less than 20 min and you go all out I mean "balls to the wall" so to speak. I will also say at your current weight(this is not a jab at you) that too much cardio/hiit along with the weight training may also be putting added stress on the body which can hinder weight loss as well.
weight loss comes down to a calorie deficit. now the weight lifting is great and will change how your body looks as you are losing but 3-4 days of that is enough.I mean its up too you but too much exercise can be a bad thing too. 2270 calories is not a lot really for you to lose weight. I was 209 lbs Im 5'6 1/2 and was 38 when I started and it gave me 2000 calories to lose which I did lose on,without exercise
I honestly also dont know how you are working out that much either I give you props for that. at my highest weight every day was too much for me. but everyone is different. as one of the others mentioned a diet break for a week or two may be key. maybe do your weight lifting on days you dont do hiit/cardio?(aside from your warm ups) and see if that makes a difference. you may be having a rise in cortisol due to possible stress on the body. I could be wrong and these are just thoughts and suggestions so no need to follow them if you dont want to.
as for your fat percentage on a scale those scales are inaccurate if you really want to know body fat percentage get hydrostatic weighing or a dexa scan as soon as you can and say 6 months down the road(they will be more accurate than the scale but still not 100% they do have a small margin of error). or find someone who knows how to properly use fat calipers and look for the trend in fat percentage to go down. But good luck either way and whatever you choose.
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I've scheduled some fitness testing -- I'll be getting my BMR tested and a 3D Body Scan so that should get me closer to the numbers I need to get more accurate.1
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