We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!
Eating 1,500 cal a day with exercise and still not loosing weight...
ajsandham11
Posts: 8 Member
Hey MFP peeps,
I was wondering if anyone can help me. Over the last year, I embarked on a fitness/weight loss journey. To date, I have lost 20kg down from 101kg to 81kg. I'm 5ft 4 and 30 years old.
My issues are, at the moment I'm eating 1,500 cals a day with exercise at least 5 times a week (mix of gym, 5k run and rugby) and I can't seem to drop any more.
Weight in KG isn't really a problem as I am happy at 81kg but I want to keep losing size from my chest and waist and seem to have hit a wall
Any recommendations?
Thanks, everyone.
Adam
I was wondering if anyone can help me. Over the last year, I embarked on a fitness/weight loss journey. To date, I have lost 20kg down from 101kg to 81kg. I'm 5ft 4 and 30 years old.
My issues are, at the moment I'm eating 1,500 cals a day with exercise at least 5 times a week (mix of gym, 5k run and rugby) and I can't seem to drop any more.
Weight in KG isn't really a problem as I am happy at 81kg but I want to keep losing size from my chest and waist and seem to have hit a wall
Any recommendations?
Thanks, everyone.
Adam
3
Replies
-
How long has your weight stayed the same? How are you counting calories? How are you counting exercise?
Open your diary for more helpful feedback.2 -
Typically if your weight hasn't changed over an extended period of time, that means you're eating to maintain. For an active person to maintain at 1,500 would be unusual, so that opens up the possibility that you might be eating more than you think you are through some logging errors (which can be pretty common).
When you say you "can't drop anymore," how long has it been?
If you open your diary, we may be able to provide some helpful feedback there as well.5 -
Hi both,
It has been about 2/2.5 months with no change. I have been focusing on 6 days 1,300-1,500 and one cheat day to have a frozen pizza and crisps. it's really the only way to keep myself motivated to stay on course throughout the week.
I count cals through myfitnesspal and track my exercise through my fitbit.
Thanks for your help
p.s. I think my diary is open now..2 -
Addressing another thing here. You can't choose where to lose from. You will lose all over of you lose more, not just your chest and waist.2
-
When you were losing steady - what was the rate of loss weekly?
Or pick the last 4 weeks of normal loss, what was the total loss for that chunk of time?
Is the activity level all included about the same now as then?
And that was a total of 1500 calories no matter the level of activity?
Of course as you weigh less you burn less doing everything, so not sure if you played the end game out as to where you plan to go as you come closer to goal weight - the game of how low can you go never seems to work well.1 -
It took me nine months to lose the last 15 pounds.
It's very slow going when you're already at a healthy weight.
Are you doing any weight lifting? That would give you the shape you're after without having to lose any more weight.2 -
Yes, hitting the gym twice a week, one 5k run and two rugby training sessions. I would stick to 1,500 cals no matter the cals burned.
I was loosing on average 1/2 kg a week.0 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »Yes, hitting the gym twice a week, one 5k run and two rugby training sessions. I would stick to 1,500 cals no matter the cals burned.
I was loosing on average 1/2 kg a week.
What I meant was weight lifting...that's how you can reshape your physique. The running and rugby are good cardio, but the weight lifting would give you a more fine-tuned physique especially for decreasing your waist. Of course, some of it will be genetic but a lot of it is muscular and core work.3 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »Yes, hitting the gym twice a week, one 5k run and two rugby training sessions. I would stick to 1,500 cals no matter the cals burned.
I was loosing on average 1/2 kg a week.
0.5 kg x 7716 cal fat/kg / 7 days = 551 cal apparent deficit daily.
If truly eating 1500, you would have been only burning 2050 on average.
Perhaps you are very sedentary outside that activity.
Perhaps that activity isn't burning nearly as much as I'd think.
But I'd sure think you are burning more than that on average.
Which means you were actually eating more than that on average.
Your food logging is probably not that accurate.
Once you get accurate, I'd suggest 250 deficit too, or .25 kg weekly, this close to the end.
7 -
cmriverside wrote: »
What I meant was weight lifting...that's how you can reshape your physique. The running and rugby are good cardio, but the weight lifting would give you a more fine-tuned physique especially for decreasing your waist. Of course, some of it will be genetic but a lot of it is muscular and core work.
Yeah, weight lift two full body days per week1 -
0.5 kg x 7716 cal fat/kg / 7 days = 551 cal apparent deficit daily.
If truly eating 1500, you would have been only burning 2050 on average.
Perhaps you are very sedentary outside that activity.
Perhaps that activity isn't burning nearly as much as I'd think.
But I'd sure think you are burning more than that on average.
Which means you were actually eating more than that on average.
Your food logging is probably not that accurate.
Once you get accurate, I'd suggest 250 deficit too, or .25 kg weekly, this close to the end.
Out of curiosity, what amount of cals would you suggest? And if I workout, I don't add these cals on to the day?0 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »I have been focusing on 6 days 1,300-1,500 and one cheat day to have a frozen pizza and crisps. it's really the only way to keep myself motivated to stay on course throughout the week.
It is 100% possible to wipe out a calorie deficit with 1 cheat day. I'm actually quite good at doing just that myself, heh. Going through your diary time- are you using a food scale? Some of the items are a little suspect.- Yorkshire Tea - Tea, 500 ml Yorkshire Tea,50ml semi-skim milk 1/2 tsp(2g) unrefined sugar: is this a pre-packaged item? Otherwise, this should be tea and sugar separately with the sugar weighed.
- Aldi - Xplosade, 500 ml: 146 calories: What an odd calorie count on a drink. Are you sure this is right?
- Lidl - Vanilla & Yogurt Protein Bar, 45 g 194 calories: What an odd calorie count- are you sure this is right?
In the past 3 weeks from yesterday (21 days):- Days with 1400-1700 Calories logged: 7
- Days 1700+ Calories: 6
- Blank Days/less than 900 cals logged: 8
So--- in 3 weeks of data, you only logged 1/3 of your meals as between 1400-1700: that's 33%. Now- on days where you ate 1,700 calories, it says that you burned and earned a few hundred calories. It may benefit you to eat back a smaller % of your workout calories, particularly if you're getting any calories from lifting workouts. I typically eat back 90-100% of my workout calories if I am losing weight. If i'm not losing weight, I drop down the amount I'm eating back to 80% or even 50%.
Here's your real problem, though- Blank days. In 3 weeks there were 7 completely blank days and 1 that was 800 cals, probably not all you ate. You said "one cheat day" but 8 days in 21 is more than twice a week. Without complete data it's hard to say. I suggest logging even your "cheat day" and then calculating your calories net for the week. If I know that I want to eat more on a Saturday, have wine, etc, I will eat -200 for Thurs-Sat (or workout +200) and indulge guilt-free.17 -
It is 100% possible to wipe out a calorie deficit with 1 cheat day. I'm actually quite good at doing just that myself, heh. Going through your diary time- are you using a food scale? Some of the items are a little suspect.- Yorkshire Tea - Tea, 500 ml Yorkshire Tea,50ml semi-skim milk 1/2 tsp(2g) unrefined sugar: is this a pre-packaged item? Otherwise, this should be tea and sugar separately with the sugar weighed.
- Aldi - Xplosade, 500 ml: 146 calories: What an odd calorie count on a drink. Are you sure this is right?
- Lidl - Vanilla & Yogurt Protein Bar, 45 g 194 calories: What an odd calorie count- are you sure this is right?
In the past 3 weeks from yesterday (21 days):- Days with 1400-1700 Calories logged: 7
- Days 1700+ Calories: 6
- Blank Days/less than 900 cals logged: 8
So--- in 3 weeks of data, you only logged 1/3 of your meals as between 1400-1700: that's 33%. Now- on days where you ate 1,700 calories, it says that you burned and earned a few hundred calories. It may benefit you to eat back a smaller % of your workout calories, particularly if you're getting any calories from lifting workouts. I typically eat back 90-100% of my workout calories if I am losing weight. If i'm not losing weight, I drop down the amount I'm eating back to 80% or even 50%.
Here's your real problem, though- Blank days. In 3 weeks there were 7 completely blank days and 1 that was 800 cals, probably not all you ate. You said "one cheat day" but 8 days in 21 is more than twice a week. Without complete data it's hard to say. I suggest logging even your "cheat day" and then calculating your calories net for the week. If I know that I want to eat more on a Saturday, have wine, etc, I will eat -200 for Thurs-Sat (or workout +200) and indulge guilt-free.
Thank for this
The Yorkshire tea, I'll start adding individually but I don't have sugar it's just milk and the tea bag.
In terms of the suspect calories. All the calories are what comes up when scanning on MFP and all cross checked with the packaging and they match...
I'll start tracking cheat days too.
Really appreciate your help ☺️11 -
[*] Aldi - Xplosade, 500 ml: 146 calories: What an odd calorie count on a drink. Are you sure this is right?
[*] Lidl - Vanilla & Yogurt Protein Bar, 45 g 194 calories: What an odd calorie count- are you sure this is right?
[/list]
I'm curious, why do you think those calorie counts are odd? They look normal to me, especially the protein bar (I'm not familiar with that specific drink, though, but nothing unusual seems to stand out for me).
15 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Thank for this
The Yorkshire tea, I'll start adding individually but I don't have sugar it's just milk and the tea bag.
In terms of the suspect calories. All the calories are what comes up when scanning on MFP and all cross checked with the packaging and they match...
I'll start tracking cheat days too.
Really appreciate your help ☺️
Really the simplest explanation is that you are wiping out your deficit on your cheat days 13 -
Have you considered recomp?
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat
3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »
Really the simplest explanation is that you are wiping out your deficit on your cheat days
Yeah, if someone isn't meeting their goals and they have an unlogged cheat day, that's really the easiest and most logical place to start. It's really, really easy to eat enough on a cheat day to wipe out a deficit, especially if you're keeping yourself very low on the other days.2 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Out of curiosity, what amount of cals would you suggest? And if I workout, I don't add these cals on to the day?
A 250 cal deficit would mean eating 250 less than you burn in the day.
Are you burning calories in the workout?3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »
Really the simplest explanation is that you are wiping out your deficit on your cheat days
Nooooo! hahah, I thought it would be the case
In real terms, do I have to stop my cheat day? No more monstermunch for me lol1 -
A 250 cal deficit would mean eating 250 less than you burn in the day.
Are you burning calories in the workout?
Yes, I have 1,500 cal plan and then typically lose 500 and still stick to the 1,500. Shall I be adding more to my cals0 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Nooooo! hahah, I thought it would be the case
In real terms, do I have to stop my cheat day? No more monstermunch for me lol
Start by logging your cheat days. Based on the numbers, you can see whether you need to stop or scale down the cheat day. Alternatively, you could just eat more during the week and you might not feel the need for a cheat day.4 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Nooooo! hahah, I thought it would be the case
In real terms, do I have to stop my cheat day? No more monstermunch for me lol
no, you just have to fit your monster munch into your weekly goal.7 -
as others have said, your logging is inaccurate (including overestimating and eating too many exercise calories) and/or your cheat days are wiping out any loss you have had.
I am 43, 5'1, sedentary, and lose weight on 1500 calories a week. I will assume you are taller and younger, which automatically gives you more calories than me. And you're a male (it looks like, anyway). You are eating the very minimum for a male, and the fact you are not losing indicates one (or more) of your habits are the reason why.
by the way, i eat out, eat pizza, and chips and junk food all the time. I make it fit. I've been really sick this week so haven't logged anything, but if you go back you can see the *kitten* i eat.5 -
It always surprises me that beer is never mentioned in threads like these. Surely not everyone is teetotal.
Beer really messes up my deficits. Especially with beer snacks too.8 -
It always surprises me that beer is never mentioned in threads like these. Surely not everyone is teetotal.
Beer really messes up my deficits. Especially with beer snacks too.
I think the reason beer isn't mentioned is that there is no indication that OP is drinking it (unless I missed it).3 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Yes, I have 1,500 cal plan and then typically lose 500 and still stick to the 1,500. Shall I be adding more to my cals
Hm? This is not what your diary says. Your diary says that when you workout you typically eat back your workout calories. That's why it's also important to figure out if your workout calories are accurate Cardio tends to be most accurate: walking a mile is about 100 calories burned. (variance due to height, weight, age, hills, speed, etc).
When you look at your diary summary for a day at the bottom (desktop) you can see total vs net calories. If you are net 1500ish but total 1700 it will say below it "you earned 200+ calories with exercise" or something like that. Fitness trackers often overcalc workouts.2 -
Hm? This is not what your diary says. Your diary says that when you workout you typically eat back your workout calories. That's why it's also important to figure out if your workout calories are accurate Cardio tends to be most accurate: walking a mile is about 100 calories burned. (variance due to height, weight, age, hills, speed, etc).
When you look at your diary summary for a day at the bottom (desktop) you can see total vs net calories. If you are net 1500ish but total 1700 it will say below it "you earned 200+ calories with exercise" or something like that. Fitness trackers often overcalc workouts.
This. But I would like to question the 100 net calories per mile walked. One would need to be quite a lot overweight to achieve that. Speed has very little influence on calories burned when walking, unless you compare normal walking and Olympic speed walking. Thus better be conservative here.1 -
This. But I would like to question the 100 net calories per mile walked. One would need to be quite a lot overweight to achieve that. Speed has very little influence on calories burned when walking, unless you compare normal walking and Olympic speed walking. Thus better be conservative here.
I checked the study that number came from (It was done at UCLA Davis FYI). 100 calories per mile is for a 180 pound person. About 65 for 120lb person. So, yes. Though not necessarily quite overweight but also definitely heavier than most *women*.4 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Yes, I have 1,500 cal plan and then typically lose 500 and still stick to the 1,500. Shall I be adding more to my cals
Some things really do have to be understood to figure out, because guess what changes?
Life, the future, your numbers.
Understand and you can make those changes when needed.
Fail to understand and you'll won't when you should.
I think you understand what a 250 cal deficit means.
My question about your workouts burning calories was to make you think.
So what do you think a 250 cal deficit means?0 -
ajsandham11 wrote: »
Nooooo! hahah, I thought it would be the case
In real terms, do I have to stop my cheat day? No more monstermunch for me lol
It would be advisable to stop, yes, if it's wiping out your deficit, but first log it to see where you stand. You could be just overeating in general through logging errors and the cheat day is adding to it.
One thing you could try in place of a "cheat" day is just to eat a day or two at your current maintenance calories if you're wanting a deficit break each week. If you're truly eating 1300-1500 as a younger adult male, that is a ridiculously low and restrictive calorie goal and possibly why you're drawn to having the binge day. Once you get your logging figured out, it would be worth revisiting that goal.3
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 394.7K Introduce Yourself
- 44K Getting Started
- 260.5K Health and Weight Loss
- 176.1K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.7K Fitness and Exercise
- 444 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153.1K Motivation and Support
- 8.2K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 4.1K MyFitnessPal Information
- 16 News and Announcements
- 1.3K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.8K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions