What am I missing?

I’m a little embarrassed to write this because I’m a big believer in calories in, calories out and weight loss being a math equation. But, I’m struggling to see sufficient progress and perhaps someone can offer a nugget advice that will be helpful.

Over the last ten weeks I’ve counted calories carefully. Ensuring I’m eating at a 1000 calorie deficit minimum (according to fit bit) and typically sticking close to 1200 calories though going a little up or down within the week. I’ve also been hitting the gym frequently (weights and cardio 5 days a week). And while I’m no bodybuilder, I lift as heavy as I can.

After ten weeks I’ve lost only 7 lbs and am becoming increasingly frustrated. I’ve successfully counted calories and lost weight before (I actually ate relatively poorly but stayed within my daily allocation).

I’m 5’2, 152 lbs. I have weight to loose.

What am I missing?
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Replies

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    Well you've lost weight, so you've obviously been able to maintain some sort of deficit. 1000cal depending on how much you have to get to your goal weight is likely too much, you may not have enough to try and lose at 2lbs/week. I don't know if you're weighing your food, but if you're not now's the time to start. And maintain a 500cal/day deficit.
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
    edited May 2019
    Do you measure yourself with a tape measure? How do your clothes feel? How do you look?

    Scale weight is influenced by a very broad range of things, and is not a good indicator of what you actually want, which is fat loss. Especially since those scale numbers slow their drop the closer you get to your goal.

    ETA: Fitbits (and the like) have been verified to overestimate numbers by up to 20%. I wouldn't rely on it.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,739 Member
    +1 on @MichelleSilverleaf and @Terytha. I'd +1 on @sefajane1 but you're losing weight so I wouldn't go that far yet.

    Also, weight loss isn't linear, etc. :)
  • hila_13
    hila_13 Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks. I do weigh my food. I don’t eat back any exercise calories but I make sure the arch is saying I’ve burned at least 2200 (and I aim for 2500 or more on all gym days). Maybe I’m just expecting too much.
  • burnsdanna
    burnsdanna Posts: 7 Member
    Is your shape changing ? are you actually eating enough calories? I am no expert but can share what i do for comparison, I fast 6 days a week and eat approx 1800 daily , losing approx 1lb weekly sometimes more sometimes none BUT my shape is changing. since 1 Dec 2018 I've lost 23lbs ( obvs first weeks i lost more water weight :) )and down nearly 2 dress sizes , i sleep better too .
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    hila_13 wrote: »
    I’m a little embarrassed to write this because I’m a big believer in calories in, calories out and weight loss being a math equation. But, I’m struggling to see sufficient progress and perhaps someone can offer a nugget advice that will be helpful.

    Over the last ten weeks I’ve counted calories carefully. Ensuring I’m eating at a 1000 calorie deficit minimum (according to fit bit) and typically sticking close to 1200 calories though going a little up or down within the week. I’ve also been hitting the gym frequently (weights and cardio 5 days a week). And while I’m no bodybuilder, I lift as heavy as I can.

    After ten weeks I’ve lost only 7 lbs and am becoming increasingly frustrated. I’ve successfully counted calories and lost weight before (I actually ate relatively poorly but stayed within my daily allocation).

    I’m 5’2, 152 lbs. I have weight to loose.

    What am I missing?

    If you are doing CICO and you are correctly measuring your meals, then the last variable needs to be increased.
    Increase your cardio, by 100 calories ( should =10min) until you see the scale moving.
  • hila_13
    hila_13 Posts: 44 Member
    Very helpful. I’m quite confident I’m counting calories right (I weigh everything) so it’s probably the gym. I spend most of my cardio time on the elliptical but have been throwing in some HIIT and stair climber (I just can’t keep them up more than 20 minutes). Any thoughts on which cardio is most effective?
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    hila_13 wrote: »
    Thanks. I do weigh my food. I don’t eat back any exercise calories but I make sure the arch is saying I’ve burned at least 2200 (and I aim for 2500 or more on all gym days). Maybe I’m just expecting too much.

    How are you burning this many calories, that's an awful lot. By comparison, I burn ~452 calories on a six mile run and roughly 150 calories in a lifting session.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    For me, the only cardio I can sustain for an hour is running or something fun like kickboxing or aerobics with interesting choreography and music. Whatever is interesting and sustainable for you is what will work best. It's also difficult to create a 1000 calorie deficit when we're small. I'd have to run for almost two hours to get 1000 calories.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    if you aren't losing you are consuming as much or more than you are burning. something is off. Do your clothes fit differently? are you adding muscle and losing some fat..which is extremely hard on a deficit diet.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    Just FWIW... 2200-2500 daily burn does seem fairly high and would certainly require a more active lifestyle in general as well as the cardio work.
    E.g. yesterday I went to work (desk job) as usual and then had to do a 2hr / 30mile bike ride just to reach 2,225 calories burn on my fitibit charge with HR.
    I’m a little taller than you at 5’5” but a little lighter - 120lb.

    (Also FWIW I have a Garmin too which also does wrist based optical HR readings. I have noticed both devices can vary a lot and are affected by how you wear them, daylight, if you have sleeves covering them or not, they are definitely not THAT accurate all the time)
  • hila_13
    hila_13 Posts: 44 Member
    I lift for about 40 minutes most days (10x3) for 8-10 different exercises. Then I do HIIT or the stair climber for 20 minutes before switching over to the elliptical for another 40. Most days I also walk another hour or 2 (I don’t always have time but I’ve made this a priority).
  • hila_13
    hila_13 Posts: 44 Member
    And I do think I’ve built a little muscle. I don’t look any better but I can lift a bit heavier.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    hila_13 wrote: »
    I’m a little embarrassed to write this because I’m a big believer in calories in, calories out and weight loss being a math equation. But, I’m struggling to see sufficient progress and perhaps someone can offer a nugget advice that will be helpful.

    Over the last ten weeks I’ve counted calories carefully. Ensuring I’m eating at a 1000 calorie deficit minimum (according to fit bit) and typically sticking close to 1200 calories though going a little up or down within the week. I’ve also been hitting the gym frequently (weights and cardio 5 days a week). And while I’m no bodybuilder, I lift as heavy as I can.

    After ten weeks I’ve lost only 7 lbs and am becoming increasingly frustrated. I’ve successfully counted calories and lost weight before (I actually ate relatively poorly but stayed within my daily allocation).

    I’m 5’2, 152 lbs. I have weight to loose.

    What am I missing?

    If you are doing CICO and you are correctly measuring your meals, then the last variable needs to be increased.
    Increase your cardio, by 100 calories ( should =10min) until you see the scale moving.

    Considering OP already is accounting for several hundred calories of exercise, it's doubtful "more exercise" is the answer. With her stats, her expectations may just be too high.

    What if her Fit bit was off?
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    hila_13 wrote: »
    I lift for about 40 minutes most days (10x3) for 8-10 different exercises. Then I do HIIT or the stair climber for 20 minutes before switching over to the elliptical for another 40. Most days I also walk another hour or 2 (I don’t always have time but I’ve made this a priority).

    This is how I calculate calories burned:
    For running the formula is body weight in pounds X .63 X miles.
    For walking the formula is body weight in pounds X .33 X miles.
    I don't bother counting lifting because there is no really good way to estimate calories burned.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited May 2019
    hila_13 wrote: »
    I lift for about 40 minutes most days (10x3) for 8-10 different exercises. Then I do HIIT or the stair climber for 20 minutes before switching over to the elliptical for another 40. Most days I also walk another hour or 2 (I don’t always have time but I’ve made this a priority).

    Is it possible for you to do some cardio in the morning?
    Is it possible instead of walking to run?
  • hila_13
    hila_13 Posts: 44 Member
    @VioletRojo , that’s very helpful. Even if I can be more realistic about calories burned it makes the slow progress a little easier to take.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    VioletRojo wrote: »
    This is how I calculate calories burned:
    For running the formula is body weight in pounds X .63 X miles.
    For walking the formula is body weight in pounds X .33 X miles.
    I don't bother counting lifting because there is no really good way to estimate calories burned.

    I used to not count lifting because I'd rest between sets, and honestly it doesn't burn that much. However a couple years ago I turned it into circuit training by switching muscle groups, or doing other exercises between sets rather than resting. I now calculate it somewhere between walking and running as far as calorie burns. Or I'll just use MFP's calculation for circuit training depending on how hard I work at it. On a good day if I go non-stop for an hour, no rest except from once muscle group to another, and the heart rate stays above 120ish I'll just use MFP's calculation for it. Otherwise I'll just log it the same as walking around 3mph or 3.5mph for the same amount of time. Seems to work out. When in doubt I adjust it down to 250 calories for an hour.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    hila_13 wrote: »
    Very helpful. I’m quite confident I’m counting calories right (I weigh everything) so it’s probably the gym. I spend most of my cardio time on the elliptical but have been throwing in some HIIT and stair climber (I just can’t keep them up more than 20 minutes). Any thoughts on which cardio is most effective?

    The most effective cardio is one that you enjoy and see yourself doing regularly. I can't stand machines or HITT so I walk around my neighborhood instead.
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    hila_13 wrote: »
    @VioletRojo , that’s very helpful. Even if I can be more realistic about calories burned it makes the slow progress a little easier to take.

    I found that calculating calories in was much easier than calculating calories out, but I was really relying on calories out for a good part of my deficit, so accuracy was critical. Especially since I didn't really have much weight to lose.
  • TrishSeren
    TrishSeren Posts: 587 Member
    edited May 2019
    hila_13 wrote: »
    And I do think I’ve built a little muscle. I don’t look any better but I can lift a bit heavier.

    Pretty hard (likely impossible) to build muscle in a calorie deficit. Stronger does not mean you've built muscle, it just means your stronger.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited May 2019


    What about running?
  • sefajane1
    sefajane1 Posts: 322 Member
    VioletRojo wrote: »
    hila_13 wrote: »
    I lift for about 40 minutes most days (10x3) for 8-10 different exercises. Then I do HIIT or the stair climber for 20 minutes before switching over to the elliptical for another 40. Most days I also walk another hour or 2 (I don’t always have time but I’ve made this a priority).

    This is how I calculate calories burned:
    For running the formula is body weight in pounds X .63 X miles.
    For walking the formula is body weight in pounds X .33 X miles.
    I don't bother counting lifting because there is no really good way to estimate calories burned.

    How did you come across that calculation please?
  • VioletRojo
    VioletRojo Posts: 597 Member
    sefajane1 wrote: »
    VioletRojo wrote: »
    hila_13 wrote: »
    I lift for about 40 minutes most days (10x3) for 8-10 different exercises. Then I do HIIT or the stair climber for 20 minutes before switching over to the elliptical for another 40. Most days I also walk another hour or 2 (I don’t always have time but I’ve made this a priority).

    This is how I calculate calories burned:
    For running the formula is body weight in pounds X .63 X miles.
    For walking the formula is body weight in pounds X .33 X miles.
    I don't bother counting lifting because there is no really good way to estimate calories burned.

    How did you come across that calculation please?

    These formulas were published in a running magazine (maybe Runner's World) years ago. I wish I could remember with certainty, but it was a long time ago and I've just used those formulas since.