Looking at my food log as a week vs. a day

I always incorparate a deficit over a week for myself and the people i work with. But looking at a deficit over a week isnt going to affect your weight loss. The two things that will change your weight loss is calories or exercise. So the bigger question is what is your weight goal set at and what type of exercise do you do?

My weight loss goal is to only loose about 5 lbs. so nothing major. But I am having a tough time. I was 118 lbs in January...and now weigh 132. I realize I do not want to weigh 118 and that's why I started lifting and gaining. I'm actually happier with my appearance now but started getting somewahat bulky in my legs. I stopped weights about two weeks ago and already feel better/thinner...but love the definition lifting gives me...sooo wanna loose some weight and then start back up with weights but lighter this time.

I do 40-70minutes of either the step mill or treadmill at an 10-15 incline at about 3.0-3.5 speed..(or a combo of both).and since I have stopped lifting I also do a Jillian michaels circuit style video daily.

I always incorparate a deficit over a week for myself and the people i work with. But looking at a deficit over a week isnt going to affect your weight loss. The two things that will change your weight loss is calories or exercise. So the bigger question is what is your weight goal set at and what type of exercise do you do?

My weight loss goal is to only loose about 5 lbs. so nothing major. But I am having a tough time. I was 118 lbs in January...and now weigh 132. I realize I do not want to weigh 118 and that's why I started lifting and gaining. I'm actually happier with my appearance now but started getting somewahat bulky in my legs. I stopped weights about two weeks ago and already feel better/thinner...but love the definition lifting gives me...sooo wanna loose some weight and then start back up with weights but lighter this time.

I do 40-70minutes of either the step mill or treadmill at an 10-15 incline at about 3.0-3.5 speed..(or a combo of both).and since I have stopped lifting I also do a Jillian michaels circuit style video daily.

Well here is the thing, weight training is what burns fat and will decrease the size of your legs because you aren't gaining muscle on 1600 calories a day. And you can't build muscle with cardio and it is harder to cut fat with cardio. You may have a feeling of weight loss due to less water being stored since your muscles don't need to be repaired. Also, keep in mind that perception isn't reality. You may feel bloated or bigger, but unless you are measuring, then it's hard to say if you actually are getting bigger. Also, losing 5 lbs won't really change thing, because it's fractions of a pound from all over body, it's not a concentrated area that loses the weight.

What you should do is estimate your TDEE (the amount of calories you burn each day between metabolic rate, exercise and normal day to day activities) and then cut 20%. I would suggest you start lifting again as you can NOT gain muscle on a caloric deficit. Set you carbs to 35%, protein to 40% and fats to 25%.

I always incorparate a deficit over a week for myself and the people i work with. But looking at a deficit over a week isnt going to affect your weight loss. The two things that will change your weight loss is calories or exercise. So the bigger question is what is your weight goal set at and what type of exercise do you do?

My weight loss goal is to only loose about 5 lbs. so nothing major. But I am having a tough time. I was 118 lbs in January...and now weigh 132. I realize I do not want to weigh 118 and that's why I started lifting and gaining. I'm actually happier with my appearance now but started getting somewahat bulky in my legs. I stopped weights about two weeks ago and already feel better/thinner...but love the definition lifting gives me...sooo wanna loose some weight and then start back up with weights but lighter this time.

I do 40-70minutes of either the step mill or treadmill at an 10-15 incline at about 3.0-3.5 speed..(or a combo of both).and since I have stopped lifting I also do a Jillian michaels circuit style video daily.

Well here is the thing, weight training is what burns fat and will decrease the size of your legs because you aren't gaining muscle on 1600 calories a day. And you can't build muscle with cardio and it is harder to cut fat with cardio. You may have a feeling of weight loss due to less water being stored since your muscles don't need to be repaired. Also, keep in mind that perception isn't reality. You may feel bloated or bigger, but unless you are measuring, then it's hard to say if you actually are getting bigger. Also, losing 5 lbs won't really change thing, because it's fractions of a pound from all over body, it's not a concentrated area that loses the weight.

What you should do is estimate your TDEE (the amount of calories you burn each day between metabolic rate, exercise and normal day to day activities) and then cut 20%. I would suggest you start lifting again as you can NOT gain muscle on a caloric deficit. Set you carbs to 35%, protein to 40% and fats to 25%.

Heres some more info about me..

I started lifting in February...I was verrry low in January (118 lbs) too low I am 5'6"...I looked too thin especially in my face and size zeros were falling off me. i have always been fairly muscular geneticly but, I decided to start going to gym and start lifting and wanted to gain some...I increased my calories to maintnance and started GAINING super rapidly.........By April I was up to 132 lbs, but still in all the same clothes. Along the way I decreased my calories...and have been running a defecit for quite some time. Only now am I feeling smaller (and measuring smaller) since quiting the weights.

TDEE is somewhere between 2400-2700...knock 20% off puts me at 1920 - 2160 calories consumed in a day...I work full time, I have three kids a hubs and a house..pretty active over all plus my workouts. I get confused as to how consuming that many food calories is going to result in a loss.

My meausurements increased while I was lifting significantly...especially thighs and waist...thighs went up 1.5 inches each...waist increased from 25 to 27. lots of this is due to bloating IMO...which brings me to my macros.

Macros are set at 30p/40c/30f...I was set at 40p/30c/30f...and had the WORST stomach aches gas blaoting etc imaginable...I woke up feeling terrible from stomach aches every day. and every meal was torture afterwards. I feel MUCH better with these settings, but know they are probably not "ideal".

Im definitely not trying to give excuses..just saying what I have been doing and what my results have been.

Thank you everyone for your input...I truly appreciate all advice!

With all due respect, your boyfriend either had that muscle tissue before and developed and or revrealed it by lowering his body fat and you probably did not gain any muscle tissue unless you were severely overweight before you started and then you may have gained some slight amount. More likely you developed muscle tissue that was already there and in an atrophied state or also revealed it by lowering body fat. It is virtually impossible to gain new muscle tissue on a deficit. The exceptions are obese people and some people who have not lifted before get something called newbie gains. It's great that your boyfriend is in awesome shape and you are working out too but we are not all different. Physiology applies to you and he just like it does to the rest of us.

Show me proof than, cause he didn't lose body fat, he had it measured in may of last year and again last week and it's exactly the same....

AND i'm talking from physical hard core PROOF from measurements, and everything, you're talking from a book or article you read. So get off the high horse and maybe get the picture that all articles are not 100% right.

And we can throw it back in your court and ask for hard core proof that you and your guy gained lean muscle mass. Do you have stats showing your weight and body fat % throughout your weight loss/muscle gaining journey? If I have time later, I will look but simply saying my BF is stronger and more cut without saying why you believe it makes it fact. The fact is, your body needs an excess amount of calories in order for it to grow. I do P90X2 and eat 20% below my TDEE and I have yet to gain muscle. I gain strength and cut fat, but I am not in a neighborhood to gain lean muscle mass. Below is the only link I have ever seen that suggest "athletes" can gain muscle while on a calorie deficit.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/447514-athletes-can-gain-muscle-while-losing-fat-on-deficit-diet


Also, keep in mind, that women and men are different in terms of muscle growth. It is much easier for men to gain lean muscle mass if the supply of food inhibits that. So if your BF did gained muscle is was due to a few factors: his BMR could be lower than projected and he ended up eating above his TDEE or he was over/under estimating his intake.


I am not saying he can't gain lean muscle mass, but I am saying it's highly unlikely, and even more so with you.

I always incorparate a deficit over a week for myself and the people i work with. But looking at a deficit over a week isnt going to affect your weight loss. The two things that will change your weight loss is calories or exercise. So the bigger question is what is your weight goal set at and what type of exercise do you do?

My weight loss goal is to only loose about 5 lbs. so nothing major. But I am having a tough time. I was 118 lbs in January...and now weigh 132. I realize I do not want to weigh 118 and that's why I started lifting and gaining. I'm actually happier with my appearance now but started getting somewahat bulky in my legs. I stopped weights about two weeks ago and already feel better/thinner...but love the definition lifting gives me...sooo wanna loose some weight and then start back up with weights but lighter this time.

I do 40-70minutes of either the step mill or treadmill at an 10-15 incline at about 3.0-3.5 speed..(or a combo of both).and since I have stopped lifting I also do a Jillian michaels circuit style video daily.

Well here is the thing, weight training is what burns fat and will decrease the size of your legs because you aren't gaining muscle on 1600 calories a day. And you can't build muscle with cardio and it is harder to cut fat with cardio. You may have a feeling of weight loss due to less water being stored since your muscles don't need to be repaired. Also, keep in mind that perception isn't reality. You may feel bloated or bigger, but unless you are measuring, then it's hard to say if you actually are getting bigger. Also, losing 5 lbs won't really change thing, because it's fractions of a pound from all over body, it's not a concentrated area that loses the weight.

What you should do is estimate your TDEE (the amount of calories you burn each day between metabolic rate, exercise and normal day to day activities) and then cut 20%. I would suggest you start lifting again as you can NOT gain muscle on a caloric deficit. Set you carbs to 35%, protein to 40% and fats to 25%.

Heres some more info about me..

I started lifting in February...I was verrry low in January (118 lbs) too low I am 5'6"...I looked too thin especially in my face and size zeros were falling off me. i have always been fairly muscular geneticly but, I decided to start going to gym and start lifting and wanted to gain some...I increased my calories to maintnance and started GAINING super rapidly.........By April I was up to 132 lbs, but still in all the same clothes. Along the way I decreased my calories...and have been running a defecit for quite some time. Only now am I feeling smaller (and measuring smaller) since quiting the weights.

TDEE is somewhere between 2400-2700...knock 20% off puts me at 1920 - 2160 calories consumed in a day...I work full time, I have three kids a hubs and a house..pretty active over all plus my workouts. I get confused as to how consuming that many food calories is going to result in a loss.

My meausurements increased while I was lifting significantly...especially thighs and waist...thighs went up 1.5 inches each...waist increased from 25 to 27. lots of this is due to bloating IMO...which brings me to my macros.

Macros are set at 30p/40c/30f...I was set at 40p/30c/30f...and had the WORST stomach aches gas blaoting etc imaginable...I woke up feeling terrible from stomach aches every day. and every meal was torture afterwards. I feel MUCH better with these settings, but know they are probably not "ideal".

Im definitely not trying to give excuses..just saying what I have been doing and what my results have been.

Thank you everyone for your input...I truly appreciate all advice!

So what I am concluding, you probably have a very slow metabolism due to the lack of lean muscle mass. Because if you were 117 pounds and if you were luck at 18% body fat, then you only have 96 lb of lean muscle. And considering women can generally gain 1/2 lb of muscle ever two weeks, then they can only get 26 lbs of muscle a year, and that isn't very common. Now, a lot of what you said may be true in terms of water retention. My question is, were you on a low carb or ketosis diet? Or are you coming off of a VLCD diet (HCG, post ED, etc)?

My initial estimates are to have you around 1700-1900 calories but we can look at more details.