Weight gain since starting Insanity!

Ok...starting to get really frustrated.

Started Insanity about 4 weeks ago at around 240 lbs.
Eat approx 1800 calories per day
Estimating that Insanity is burning around 400 calories per workout
BMR is 2146

Intake 1800 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = (-746) deficit

I'm assuming that a calorie deficit is in order to lose weight...correct? So why the hell am I not seeing it on the scale?

1/16 - 240 lbs
1/31 - 233
2/6 - 236
2/9 - 232
2/13 - 234

I know a few of you have said to increase my calories to 2900 but for the life of me can't understand that logic.

Intake 2900 - BMR 2146 - 400 workout = +354. By this logic, in about 10 days I'd be gaining a pound.

I don't know...maybe Insanity isn't the answer for me. I've been thinking about getting to the 3rd fit test then switching to P90X. I do know that I've been able to go longer during the Insanity workouts without taking a break and although I didn't tape or caliper myself, I "feel" a little slimmer and my jeans fit a little better. I'd really like the scale to drop though.

BTW, i just thought of something else. You are forgettting your TDEE multiplier. BMR is the amount of calories you would burn if you slept for 24 hours (coma state). You have to take that by a factor (see below).


Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)



So if you work a desk job, and dont' do too much walking around, it's your BMR x 1.2

2146 x 1.2 = 2575 + 400 = 2975 * .80 (20% deficit) = 2380


I have a feeling though, that your estimate is low on the calories burned but unless you have a body media or HRM, it's hard to tell. The way you beat that is simple. Start eating at 2400 calories. If you still aren't losing, then you increase your calories by 200 calories every 2 weeks until you see weight loss.

I'm listing calories burned as "Aerobics, High Intensity" for about 35 minutes a pop. I've been looking at HRM to get a more accurate count though.

Taking your advice and am going to up my caloric intake. Looking back I think I'm averaging around 1500 (with exercise incl). I'll look to find sources of quick "good" calories to add throughout the day.

I think you're already there! Or at least almost where I'd like to be!

You were right about the calories burned doing Insanity. My rockstar girlfriend bought me a HRM for Valentines Day and it showed like just over 600 calories burned as opposed to the 430 something I've been logging for several weeks. Pleasant surprise!

Felt like I ate my *kitten* off today (I guess that would be counterproductive? lol) since upping my calories....still shorted myself by 500. This isn't going to be easy trying to eat that many...at least in the beginning until I figure out what the hell I can eat during the day because I really don't want to eat prior to bed. Having a couple kiddos to get up and get ready for school, I normally roll out of bed to make some coffee, grab some b-fast and head off to work where I'm pretty much a desk jockey. Get off work at 5:00, home at 5:30, help get dinner finished, let it digest for a couple hours while the kitchen is cleaned up and homework is finished. We head downstairs to workout at around 8:30 at night and by the time it's over, it's shower time and bed. Hence the reason for not wanting to shove calories in me that late. So I have to figure out some decent high calorie snacks/meals during the day.

Thanks for the tips psulemon! Friend request sent!