Stay the course, tweak plan, or bail??
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summertime_girl
Posts: 3,945 Member
Sob. I am now up NINE pounds since starting NROLFW. Strictly adhering to the diet and lifting plan, and maintaining my cardio that I had been doing. Realistically, some of it is water weight, I know. But I can't fit into my pants this morning!!
I drastically upped my calorie intake. I had been sticking to a max of 1200, based on my BMR. That's very low, but I had my BMR tested by a doctor, and it's 900, extremely low. I had dropped close to 55 pounds, but had plateaued since last fall. But hey, I'll take plateau over gain any day.
Now I'm eating 1700, plus eating back cardio exercise calories.
Anyone else faced this? Did you continue on? Did you cut back on calories? Or quit entirely?
I drastically upped my calorie intake. I had been sticking to a max of 1200, based on my BMR. That's very low, but I had my BMR tested by a doctor, and it's 900, extremely low. I had dropped close to 55 pounds, but had plateaued since last fall. But hey, I'll take plateau over gain any day.
Now I'm eating 1700, plus eating back cardio exercise calories.
Anyone else faced this? Did you continue on? Did you cut back on calories? Or quit entirely?
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Replies
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If you know your BMR is 900, then you'd multiply by 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, or 1.8 to get your maintenance range in the book, using different multipliers for lifting & non-lifting days. Even multiplying by 1.8, that's 1620 max. for lifting days. So eating 1700 + exercise calories is probably too many for you.
The only other thing I can think of is that you might be losing inches. If your pants don't fit though, that doesn't sound likely, but I'd go back and re-calculate your calories from the book, using your doctor's BMR, or ask your Dr. what else might be happening.0 -
If it were me I'd try tweaking the plan, not giving up all together. If your BMR is really that low, you could just need to lower calories a bit. Your body could just be adjusting going from 1200-1700. Maybe try eating 1600-1700 and not eating back your cardio calories, unless you burn a lot, maybe just eat back half. Play around with it but don't give up if you enjoy the program.0
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As Karen pointed out, you're eating too much if your BMR is indeed only 900, which I find hard to believe. If you use MFP's "Tools" tab, what is your BMR? Just to see the comparison. What type of job do you have? What is your BMI?
If you choose to use the book's diet plan, using 900 as your BMR, age 36, and assuming your BMI is below 25:
No workout day: 1,260 calories (900 x 1.4)
Active workout day: 1,440 calories (900 x 1.6)
Strenuous job AND workout day: 1,620 calories (900 x 1.8)
Remember, the above numbers are for maintenance. Since you're trying to lose weight, the book suggests you cut 300 calories from these numbers. If your BMI is greater than 25 then your maintenance calories are even less than the calculated figures above.
In addition, if you choose to use the book's diet plan, you DO NOT eat back your exercise calories. The multipliers already account for the increased energy expenditure from exercise, whether it's from lifting or doing cardio.
Since you've been eating 1,700 calories PLUS eating back your exercise calories it's no wonder that you've gained weight. It might be helpful for you to re-read pages 62-71 as they provide valuable information on what you can expect from large swings in calorie consumption and how to assess your progress. Don't bail on the program, just make corrections and stick with it. You will see results! Good luck!0 -
I agree with the rest of the ladies! Don't bail, just lower your cals and keep up with the program.0
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MFP puts my BMR at 1483. I think the doctor's assessment is probably closer, as I also wear a BodyBugg, and I can see what I burn at rest, and multiply it out for the day. I have to work HARD to get over 2000 calories burned in a day. For example, a 5.5 mile walk at a 4 mph pace today burned less than 450 calories. An 8.5 mile run at 5.5 mph hour pace didn't even clear 800 the other day.
My BMI is about 27.
Job is sedentary.
In trying to "reset" my metabolic rate, I pretended I didn't know what my BMR was, and calculated based on the numbers in the book, and the volume of exercise I do. Per the book, my BMI is just under 1400. I workout actively every day, which puts me at a bit under 2200. Subtract 300-400, and I was at 1700.
By the logic in the book, I'm not eating enough, but it really does look like I need to drop back to a max of 1400.0 -
You can test if it is water weight by focusing on having a few low salt days and drinking lots of water and either lemon juice in water or dandelion tea. Maybe even just only do cardio on those days rather than weights.
In as little as a day, or maybe 2, or 3 you should notice a difference on the scale if it is water.
If there isn't much difference, then i guess you need to reassess your food.0 -
I'm experiencing this same thing. I'm really short so I have a BMR of 1250ish according to most calculators. I'm 39 and have a BMI of 28.3 (it was 26 before I gained some back).
According to the book I have 1500 to eat on non exercise days. 1750 to eat on exercise days. 2000 to eat on exercise + strenuous work (my job is not sedentary). I initially gained over 10 lb and I've stayed that way. My pants are tighter. I panicked and gave myself a 100 calorie deficit. If I give myself a 300 calorie deficit, that puts me right back at 1200. I'm hungry! Not really sure what to do about it now. Gonna stay the course. Just finished up Stage 1 and hoping Stage 2 brings some better results.0 -
This is what worked for me.
Totally ignore the book's diet plan and use MFP the way it's designed to be used. Check all of your settings and make sure they're accurate.
1. Choose a reasonable weekly weight loss goal (i.e. calorie deficit). For me, that was to lose 0.5 lbs. per week since I was less than 10 lbs. away from my goal weight.
2. I have a desk job so my activity setting is set to sedentary. Do not include dedicated exercise in this setting.
3. Log all exercise in MFP. For weight lifting workouts I log them under the "cardio" section and use "strength training" as the exercise name. I key in the minutes worked (only true lifting, I exclude warm-up and cool-down). I go with MFP's default for calories burned, which is MUCH lower than you would expect because lifting is very different than cardio. I've read that HRMs are not accurate when it comes to lifting. I eat back the extra earned calories.
4. For all cardio workouts, including NROL4W's interval training and body matrix, I log them under the "cardio" section and use "aerobics, general" for the exercise name. I usually go with MFP's default since it's very close (actually a little lower) to what my HRM shows. Occasionally I see a whacked number for the default in which case I overtype it to what my HRM shows. I eat back the extra earned calories.
Simple. No calculations or manual work needed; MFP does it all for me.
I did customize my macro percentages to 45/30/25 carbs/protein/fat. If I go over on protein on any given day I consider that a good thing, 30% is the minimum I need, especially on lifting days.0 -
MFP puts my BMR at 1483. I think the doctor's assessment is probably closer, as I also wear a BodyBugg, and I can see what I burn at rest, and multiply it out for the day. I have to work HARD to get over 2000 calories burned in a day. For example, a 5.5 mile walk at a 4 mph pace today burned less than 450 calories. An 8.5 mile run at 5.5 mph hour pace didn't even clear 800 the other day.
My BMI is about 27.
Job is sedentary.
In trying to "reset" my metabolic rate, I pretended I didn't know what my BMR was, and calculated based on the numbers in the book, and the volume of exercise I do. Per the book, my BMI is just under 1400. I workout actively every day, which puts me at a bit under 2200. Subtract 300-400, and I was at 1700.
By the logic in the book, I'm not eating enough, but it really does look like I need to drop back to a max of 1400.
You said the book puts you at 2200 then subtract 300-400 would put you at 1700. That is where you stay.....if you are following the books calculation you should not be eating back exercise calories.0 -
OP, your doctor said your BMR is 900, you should use that as your starting point instead of anything the book says or any other formula since it's not specific to your body.
you're essentially eating 800 calories over your BMR, which is probably like 400 over your TDEE. of course you're going to gain weight. try reducing your calories to 1300 and see what happens then0
