What am I doing wrong?

dskeman
dskeman Posts: 3 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
I am not new, but this is my first post because I am getting frustrated. I have attempted to be very reasonable and educated when it comes to weight loss. Now I am trying to figure out if my calorie intake is correct. I just realized that MFP set me about 125 cal below my BMR. I exercise 6X a week, sometimes twice a day for about 30-40 min each time. I jog for 30-40 min at lunch ~5X a week and alternate strength training and cardio in the evening. I have kept this schedule for over a year and my weight loss is maybe 5 lbs. I am very frustrated. At about 5'3", 165 I want to lose 35 lbs and I cannot understand what I have done wrong. I have been logging my food and exercise and I have seen that many people are very successful. I have had my thyroid checked and it works good enough so what do I do? Eat more or stop exercising??? I set it to only lose 1 lb a week (~1290 cal a day) and I end up over that when exercise is figured in. Any advice, this is really disheartening.

Replies

  • Sandikh
    Sandikh Posts: 116
    It sounds like you are doing a lot of exercise. Are you eating back exercise calories?
  • ashfuse
    ashfuse Posts: 224 Member
    you need to eat more working out that much. Aim for at least 1600-1700 cals on workout days.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    How are you calculating calories burned (if you are not using a HRM you may be over estimating the burn)? and how are you tracking how many calories you are eating (are you weighing and measuring all your food)?
  • rachelboddy
    rachelboddy Posts: 115 Member
    Please tell me how many calories you're averaging a day. That will help me help you in determining if you're eating enough. What I'm thinking is you're not eating enough or perhaps you're not eating enough carbs and or protein. You sound like you are VERY active so therefore you would need to eat more to lose weight. Ironic I know, but your body may be struggling just to maintain its functionality with how much activity you're doing.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Open sesemeeeeeee!
    Open that diary and lets have a gander shall we?
  • teamnevergoingback
    teamnevergoingback Posts: 368 Member
    Make sure your NET calories come out to the goal that MFP has given you.

    IF you're only eating 1290 and exercising 700 that's only about 600 a day!!!!!
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    Are you eating exercise calories? 1290 is kind of low....especially if you aren't eating back any of your exercise calories.


    Also, where did you get your BMR? If it's the tool on here, that's for if you were to sleep your life away and not get out of bed at all...there is one here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html that will figure in your activity level.
  • italianissima
    italianissima Posts: 140 Member
    Hi there,

    Well, I'm no pro, but here goes:

    I think for a man of your size you need more calories, period. The issue is quality calories (of course, I haven't seen your diary).

    Also, as for your thyroid- you said it works well enough. What does that mean? I have a thyroid condition and two doctors said I was fine- the third said I'm not. I am not saying you DO have a thyroid problem, I would simply like to suggest you get it checked again (by an endocrine specialist).

    Another idea is to experiment a little. Workout less for a week and see what happens. Or add more calories for a week and see what happens. I am sure there are tons of combinations you could try.

    I wish you the best of luck!
  • Arabian♥Breeze
    Arabian♥Breeze Posts: 323
    Well just wanted to let you know. Your not alone. I work out about just as much as you and at first it was working great but now its not working. So i guess its time for us to change things around. Give our bodies a brake from working out so much. And try to eat better. then after our brakes from working out we should try a new work out to get our bodies going again.

    GOOD LUCK!! XOXOXO
  • dskeman
    dskeman Posts: 3 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor for all my exercise and I generally over estimate how much food I eat using this site. I might be trying to overdo it since I sit at a desk for 8 hrs a day. My caloric intake generally ends up being 1400-1600 ( about 300-400 more than what MFP suggests).
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    change it up. exercise less. do some sprint intervals. take a look at this blog for other ideas.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/H_Factor/view/breaking-a-plateau-170648
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,332 Member
    Let me add to the previous statements that we need to see your diary. Without being able to see it, every comment we might make is pure speculation.
  • pamarnold
    pamarnold Posts: 36
    Make sure your NET calories come out to the goal that MFP has given you.

    IF you're only eating 1290 and exercising 700 that's only about 600 a day!!!!!


    AH-HA! THAT is what I'm doing wrong! I just kept figuring the more negative I was on the calorie intake, the more weight I'd lose. I'm not fueling my body enough. No wonder I have zero to less than zero energy!! Thanks! :smile:
  • Enginette
    Enginette Posts: 123 Member
    Are you eating exercise calories? 1290 is kind of low....especially if you aren't eating back any of your exercise calories.


    Also, where did you get your BMR? If it's the tool on here, that's for if you were to sleep your life away and not get out of bed at all...there is one here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html that will figure in your activity level.

    Thanks for the website! I went there and it states my Daily Calorie Need is 2493 calories! I input Very Active since I am doing both P90X and Insanity 5-6 days a week. That just seems like a ton of calories! The way I read that is I need to eat 2493 calories + my exercise calories every day! Is that right?

    The reason I ask is I am an Insanity grad and am currently doing a hybrid of P90X and Insanity and have gained 8 pounds and lost basically zero inches! How can that be?
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    Are you eating exercise calories? 1290 is kind of low....especially if you aren't eating back any of your exercise calories.


    Also, where did you get your BMR? If it's the tool on here, that's for if you were to sleep your life away and not get out of bed at all...there is one here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html that will figure in your activity level.

    Thanks for the website! I went there and it states my Daily Calorie Need is 2493 calories! I input Very Active since I am doing both P90X and Insanity 5-6 days a week. That just seems like a ton of calories! The way I read that is I need to eat 2493 calories + my exercise calories every day! Is that right?

    The reason I ask is I am an Insanity grad and am currently doing a hybrid of P90X and Insanity and have gained 8 pounds and lost basically zero inches! How can that be?

    a quick note...when entering activity level for BMR calculation, you base it on what you normally do throughout the day...not on your exercise routine. The exercise are extra calories you burn...that's why you add them each day because they are not included in your normal BMR. soooo...if you work a desk job, your activity level is sedentary EVEN IF you do P90X, Insanity, Tae Bo and sprint intervals every night.
  • durhamity
    durhamity Posts: 174 Member
    Make sure you are drinking a ton of water! (2 -3 liters a day) and if you are drinking soda (even diet) then stop it! I don't know how, but if affects your weight loss. I would also focus on keeping you diet clean. If it wasn't created by God, then don't eat it. Me and my husband have been eating clean for 3 weeks now. He has been losing about 4 lbs a week and I am losing about 2 lbs a week. We are focusing on diet and only exercising 30 - 45 mins a day. Its working for us!
  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor for all my exercise and I generally over estimate how much food I eat using this site. I might be trying to overdo it since I sit at a desk for 8 hrs a day. My caloric intake generally ends up being 1400-1600 ( about 300-400 more than what MFP suggests).

    Well, if I understand what you are saying, this is your problem then.

    If MFP suggests that you need to net 1290 calories, but you net 1400-1600 calories you are eating more than you should and so you are not losing weight.

    Now, notice I said NET. That means calories eaten minus calories burned. MFP is telling you to NET 1290 after eating and exercise. So if you eat 1790 calories of food and burn 500 in a workout then you net 1290 (1790-500=1290). This is what MFP is telling you to do in order to lose that 1 pound a week.

    On your homepage you will see a box with 4 numbers: Goal, food, exercise, and net. Your goal number and your net number should be similar with you net number never being higher than your goal.
  • dskeman
    dskeman Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you for that BMR web site and all the advice. It is interesting to see that it suggests about 400 calories more than what this site does. That is why this is so difficult. Is my lifestyle truly sedintary? I do not believe so, but that is what I put. I do realize that I use all my exercise as a crutch to make sure I can eat a little more, and because I like to do it as well. Maybe I need to cut some out? My diet could use a little work, but I thought the most important thing for losing weight is calories in and calories out, and all my medical numbers are fantastic. So that is why i am at a loss. Which BMR is correct?
  • Enginette
    Enginette Posts: 123 Member
    Are you eating exercise calories? 1290 is kind of low....especially if you aren't eating back any of your exercise calories.


    Also, where did you get your BMR? If it's the tool on here, that's for if you were to sleep your life away and not get out of bed at all...there is one here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html that will figure in your activity level.

    Thanks for the website! I went there and it states my Daily Calorie Need is 2493 calories! I input Very Active since I am doing both P90X and Insanity 5-6 days a week. That just seems like a ton of calories! The way I read that is I need to eat 2493 calories + my exercise calories every day! Is that right?

    The reason I ask is I am an Insanity grad and am currently doing a hybrid of P90X and Insanity and have gained 8 pounds and lost basically zero inches! How can that be?

    a quick note...when entering activity level for BMR calculation, you base it on what you normally do throughout the day...not on your exercise routine. The exercise are extra calories you burn...that's why you add them each day because they are not included in your normal BMR. soooo...if you work a desk job, your activity level is sedentary EVEN IF you do P90X, Insanity, Tae Bo and sprint intervals every night.

    That is exactly what I thought! I do have a desk job and I entered sedentary to get my BMR since it specifically asks what you do each day, not how much you exercise.

    Thanks for the confirmation! I knew that was way too many calories! I would have to change my activity level to "Very high" just from running to the fridge every five minutes to eat! LOL
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Are you eating exercise calories? 1290 is kind of low....especially if you aren't eating back any of your exercise calories.


    Also, where did you get your BMR? If it's the tool on here, that's for if you were to sleep your life away and not get out of bed at all...there is one here: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html that will figure in your activity level.

    Thanks for the website! I went there and it states my Daily Calorie Need is 2493 calories! I input Very Active since I am doing both P90X and Insanity 5-6 days a week. That just seems like a ton of calories! The way I read that is I need to eat 2493 calories + my exercise calories every day! Is that right?

    The reason I ask is I am an Insanity grad and am currently doing a hybrid of P90X and Insanity and have gained 8 pounds and lost basically zero inches! How can that be?

    a quick note...when entering activity level for BMR calculation, you base it on what you normally do throughout the day...not on your exercise routine. The exercise are extra calories you burn...that's why you add them each day because they are not included in your normal BMR. soooo...if you work a desk job, your activity level is sedentary EVEN IF you do P90X, Insanity, Tae Bo and sprint intervals every night.
    Actually you can do it either way. The difference is if you include your workouts in your activity level you do not eat them back. If you label it as sedentary then you would eat them back. They way she did it is how i do it and how the katch mcardle formula is set up and i have los 7% body fat doing this so far.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Op, looking at your diary you have a lot of refined sugars and very carb heavy. I would look to reduce carbs to 40%, increase protein to 40% and fats to 20%.

    Also i might have missed it but how often do you work out?
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    Honestly, it's hard to tell because your diary is sporadic.

    seems though on most of the days that you did log that you are quite a bit over your calories which leads me to believe you're probably also over eating on the days you aren't logging...?

    All i can say is log every single day and be honest with yourself and do your best to stay just under or right at your calorie goal.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Thank you for that BMR web site and all the advice. It is interesting to see that it suggests about 400 calories more than what this site does. That is why this is so difficult. Is my lifestyle truly sedintary? I do not believe so, but that is what I put. I do realize that I use all my exercise as a crutch to make sure I can eat a little more, and because I like to do it as well. Maybe I need to cut some out? My diet could use a little work, but I thought the most important thing for losing weight is calories in and calories out, and all my medical numbers are fantastic. So that is why i am at a loss. Which BMR is correct?
    I think you are mixing bmr and tdee/ caloric needs. You increase caloric needs based on exercise and lifestyle. Bmr increases due to lean muscle mass.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    yes, in looking at your diary, it looks like you are eating too much to lose weight. aim for the net goal each and every day. its okay to go over a few calories...or have one feed day...but when you routinely go over, you're not going to lose weight. losing weight is all about calories in, calories out. if you're not running on a caloric deficit (which MFP defines for you), you're not going to lose weight.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    yes, in looking at your diary, it looks like you are eating too much to lose weight. aim for the net goal each and every day. its okay to go over a few calories...or have one feed day...but when you routinely go over, you're not going to lose weight. losing weight is all about calories in, calories out. if you're not running on a caloric deficit (which MFP defines for you), you're not going to lose weight.

    MFP is junk in junk out though. If you dont know how to set it correctly it will say 1200 calories and throw out a bunch of macros that push you in the wrong direction.
    If you Eat above BMR then train for 400 calories lost taking you below...your body will shut down that metabolism!
    If low cal doesnt work then try higher calorie with strict macros!
    High protein and essential fats with moderate carbs will help.
    Oh yea...run your *kitten* off too!

    But eat for gods sake!
  • Yori1
    Yori1 Posts: 142
    Bump
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