For all Begginers - Why the scale lies *read!*
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Thanks for this!
I told my husband yesterday I felt smaller so, of course, I jumped on the scale. But there was no change at all in my weight. I still feel better though. Not have as pudgy as I've been feeling.0 -
Thanks for posting - really needed to read this as I'm having a love /hate relationship with the scales which r up and down like a to yo at the mo with the same 2 lbs
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I shouldn't have stepped on the scale this morning, but I did. I'm up of course. Today is day 5 of eating more and I'm feeling good. In a way I see the "gain" as being on the right track as my body is adjusting to this new way of eating. I did eat a lot of sodium yesterday and had trouble putting my rings on this morning. I'm guzzling water and tea right now! I think it's time to put the scale in the closet.0
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thank you 0
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I know the scale lies! All of what you say here is true. But for me it's also true that all my clothes are tighter and I look fat in my most recent pictures. I'm in week 5 of attempting my metabolic reset so I expect the lies from the scale. I still hate how I look and am not at all sure I will lose weight when it's over. I wasn't losing before anyway, so why not do this ? I do wish I had a way of explaining away the fat pictures.
Well one thing to understand (especially for the people who put on 5+ lbs quickly) is that water does take up space. The more water you retain, you might see gains in inches. 5+ lbs of water takes up quite a bit of space.
Good analogy of this is to look at sports where people have to cut weight (wrestling/UFC ect). They cut 10-15lbs of water weight off there body. You see them 24 hours after they re hydrate and they are noticeably bigger.0 -
Amen, I so needed this today. I was how in the heck did I gain overnight when I know I didn't eat 3500 extra calories in a day. I'm ditching my scale and am going to start weighing myself once a week. Thanks a bunch!0
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This is definitely the kind of thing I need to read today. Yesterday I ran a trail half-marathon (13.1 miles...with 1500' of climbing) and didn't even manage to eat all the day's calories. (I gave it my best shot, honest, but I gave up with something like 500-700 to go.) And today I'm up 2 lbs from my lowest weight. Given how slowly this has been going, I'm getting frustrated and wondering what's going on. So it's good to read that there might be actual explanations. 0
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I always like to remind even myself that a jump in weight is almost always reflective of the last couple days activities; sodium, lifts, high cardio, even dehydration, TOM...so many factors. I stop and think did I eat 3500 x lbs gained...not! That's why I like the tracker in the tdee sticky, if you have to look at the scale daily, when you start noting what is happening with you, you learn your trend. Now I don't track because I know a week before Tom I will start easing up a few pounds peaking 3rd day into Tom and then after it is over take at least five days to lose the water, I gain 2lbs after heavy lifts, high sodium weekends take a couple days to flush...so said all that to say... I don't bother with the scale. My body fat has continued downward even with the higher weight. So I pass the scale most days now...lol.0
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I know the scale lies! All of what you say here is true. But for me it's also true that all my clothes are tighter and I look fat in my most recent pictures. I'm in week 5 of attempting my metabolic reset so I expect the lies from the scale. I still hate how I look and am not at all sure I will lose weight when it's over. I wasn't losing before anyway, so why not do this ? I do wish I had a way of explaining away the fat pictures.
This is EXACTLY what I was thinking! Not sure what this will lead to, but I'm doing it cause I have nothing to lose...figuratively, of course 0 -
I really look terrible and my thighs rub together again and the hot humid summer is coming.
I didn`t want to be insane any more and struggle to lose and gain the same two lbs for months and months. I am committed to the 8 weeks. But man, it sucks to be tracking your calories for months and have your ticker stay the same. I am still not actually eating TDEE. because my activity level was much higher than I thought.
I walked all weekend on a trip. My pedometer was at 20,000 steps one day and 15000 another. I didn`t over eat and tried to get to my TDEE but was about 500 under. This is my TDEE at 7 lbs less than I am now after starting the reset.
Gained 2 cm in my waist and 2 cm on my hips. I know it's short term, I so wish it would go down at all.
All I can see is my failure. Technically I`m not even getting enough calories but am not limiting too much. Just walking where I need to go and working at home burns a 1000 cal a day. 4 weeks in. Still feeling really skeptical. I have tried all kinds of diets in my life. I really just want to live. I vowed this week to enjoy life and not sweat the scale. But I still have my ticker screaming 0 at me. And the tape measure telling me I`m fatter. And my clothes.
It seems to be going well for you Mike. What`s your secret?0 -
I really look terrible and my thighs rub together again and the hot humid summer is coming.
I didn`t want to be insane any more and struggle to lose and gain the same two lbs for months and months. I am committed to the 8 weeks. But man, it sucks to be tracking your calories for months and have your ticker stay the same. I am still not actually eating TDEE. because my activity level was much higher than I thought.
I walked all weekend on a trip. My pedometer was at 20,000 steps one day and 15000 another. I didn`t over eat and tried to get to my TDEE but was about 500 under. This is my TDEE at 7 lbs less than I am now after starting the reset.
Gained 2 cm in my waist and 2 cm on my hips. I know it's short term, I so wish it would go down at all.
All I can see is my failure. Technically I`m not even getting enough calories but am not limiting too much. Just walking where I need to go and working at home burns a 1000 cal a day. 4 weeks in. Still feeling really skeptical. I have tried all kinds of diets in my life. I really just want to live. I vowed this week to enjoy life and not sweat the scale. But I still have my ticker screaming 0 at me. And the tape measure telling me I`m fatter. And my clothes.
It seems to be going well for you Mike. What`s your secret?
Hey Jess,
Sorry to hear about your struggles. I know how hard it can be. I hate to suggest this but from what I can tell:
1) You work out TOO hard making it almost impossible to meet your bodies calorie goals
2) You are not eating enough.
Have you though about toning back the exercise goals a bit to make the calorie intake more manageable?
The key to this whole process is consistency and not being below your BMR at all. Going below this will slow things down dramatically.
Also what kind of foods are you eating?0 -
I read and try to understand all this, and would love to believe it. Unfortunately I have been stuck for a couple of months now, and am starting not just to creep up but to accept it and think "maybe I should be at this weight. Perhaps I should just stay here". But that way lies a return, however gradual, to being fat and unhealthy. I upped my calories to 1300 having lost a lot of weight at 1200 or less. I accepted the challenge of eating more, but it doesn't seem to work for me. How long should I keep this up. Perhaps I will drop again to 1200 or less and then maybe see some changes. Help please?0
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Hi mike,
I want to say thanks for the kindness.
You are going to think I am crazy. I don`t work out. I just walk every where. I use a pedometer, which actually doesn`t measure sitting or standing or lifting. I`m a teacher and I do a lot of running around with small kids. I average 5 km a day. On the weekend I have my own kids to run around after. I love taking walks. I love hiking. That`s something we have in common right? i am always active with my family. I don`t watch t.v. and rarely sit down during the day.
I was working out too but I stopped doing that when I saw how many calories I was burning.
I am eating 2700 a day. At 183 lbs and 5'9" is that really not enough? I was at 2400 but started adding my pedometer calories instead of just going by the fat2fit target. I never counted my incidental exercise before in my targets but now I make sure to always try to net my BMR. I probably should eat a little more since the fit bit type thing doesn`t measure everything.
I live in Japan. I eat at home every day. I eat out about once a week. I have on average 5 different veggies with every meal. Except breakfast. But I even eat veggies with breakfast about 3 times a week. I eat rice or bread with meals. I drink wine about 2 glasses a day with about 2 or three days a week off. I eat meat and sometimes make my own protein bars. I don`t open my diary because eating all those different veggies and home cooked foods is a nightmare to log. Luckily after years of calorie counting I have memorized most of the calories in things. If not, I just look it up. I think I am as accurate as possible.
When I was starving myself during the week to keep my weight down I binged and drank too much. Since upping my calories I haven`t once. I can always stay within my calorie allotment, it`s easy. I always have to eat some nuts or cheese at night to get my calories to the right level.
I will weigh myself again this Thursday. But from my clothes I know I am not back to 183. I am still up from 5 weeks ago. I just need more time huh?0 -
Hi mike,
I want to say thanks for the kindness.
You are going to think I am crazy. I don`t work out. I just walk every where. I use a pedometer, which actually doesn`t measure sitting or standing or lifting. I`m a teacher and I do a lot of running around with small kids. I average 5 km a day. On the weekend I have my own kids to run around after. I love taking walks. I love hiking. That`s something we have in common right? i am always active with my family. I don`t watch t.v. and rarely sit down during the day.
I was working out too but I stopped doing that when I saw how many calories I was burning.
I am eating 2700 a day. At 183 lbs and 5'9" is that really not enough? I was at 2400 but started adding my pedometer calories instead of just going by the fat2fit target. I never counted my incidental exercise before in my targets but now I make sure to always try to net my BMR. I probably should eat a little more since the fit bit type thing doesn`t measure everything.
I live in Japan. I eat at home every day. I eat out about once a week. I have on average 5 different veggies with every meal. Except breakfast. But I even eat veggies with breakfast about 3 times a week. I eat rice or bread with meals. I drink wine about 2 glasses a day with about 2 or three days a week off. I eat meat and sometimes make my own protein bars. I don`t open my diary because eating all those different veggies and home cooked foods is a nightmare to log. Luckily after years of calorie counting I have memorized most of the calories in things. If not, I just look it up. I think I am as accurate as possible.
When I was starving myself during the week to keep my weight down I binged and drank too much. Since upping my calories I haven`t once. I can always stay within my calorie allotment, it`s easy. I always have to eat some nuts or cheese at night to get my calories to the right level.
I will weigh myself again this Thursday. But from my clothes I know I am not back to 183. I am still up from 5 weeks ago. I just need more time huh?
I was just checking your stats. At your height/weight (i guessed an age of 27).
Maybe you are eating too much?
Your BMR - 1637
For someone of your size/stature, even putting in 7-21 hours of "strenuous exercise and/or physical job" I come up with these cut targets
TDEE 3111
TDEE - 15% - 2644
TDEE - 20% - 2489
However, maybe you are overestimating the amount of burn you are getting?
If you are doing 5-6 hours a week of "strenuous" activity - your numbers are:
TDEE - 2824
TDEE -15% - 2401
TDEE - 20% - 2259
I will say this about a Fitbit style pedometer. For me it was overestimating my calories. My Bodymedia fit seems to be more accurate in regards to this.
Some other things to consider. I walk 5km a day as well, but I do it in 1 40 minute shot. I burn 356 calories (measured by my HRM). I walk around a bit at work as well. With my 5km walk, and walking at work I average about 8k steps a day. However my incidental walking doesnt add too much.
There is a big difference between walking 5kM at hear rate of 100 and a heart rate of 120+
This is one of the few times I will say this but I think you might be eating to much.
Were you losing at 2400 calories a day?0 -
Hi again Mike,
I am attempting a metabolism reset. I was eating 2500 for the first 4 weeks. I only upped my cal to 2700 in the last week. I gained 5 lb the first week. And then after TOM was up 2 more at 3 weeks in. So I`m up 7lbs total in 5 weeks. Actually I am 37 years old.
I usually take one 40 min fast walk a day. Other is incidental, but to the store and to work so I am not walking slow.
I also thought that it would be more accurate because it actually measures the steps I`m taking . I sometimes use the CardioTrainer on my phone and it always registers double the steps my pedometer thingy does.
So that is definitly something to think about. That I am eating too much I mean. I actually stopped lifting, A. because I kinda hate it, and B because my burns seemed so high that since the pedometer doesn`t measure it I thought I`d have to eat too much.
I am due to weigh in tomorrow. I`m going to wait till then. Just to keep me on my schedule and stop my obsessive scale behavior. Once a week has been a negative enough experience. My clothes tell enough of a story anyway. I know it won`t be good. I`ll keep my negativity off the forums till tomorrow. But I will also know my problem.
I`ve only been eating at 2700 for a week so not too much damage done. Besides in a reset it is better to go over on your calories. If I gain I`ll just go back to 2500 till the end of the reset.
Thanks again for your response.
Good luck to you and let`s be friends. I`ll send you a request.0 -
Hi again Mike,
I am attempting a metabolism reset. I was eating 2500 for the first 4 weeks. I only upped my cal to 2700 in the last week. I gained 5 lb the first week. And then after TOM was up 2 more at 3 weeks in. So I`m up 7lbs total in 5 weeks. Actually I am 37 years old.
I usually take one 40 min fast walk a day. Other is incidental, but to the store and to work so I am not walking slow.
I also thought that it would be more accurate because it actually measures the steps I`m taking . I sometimes use the CardioTrainer on my phone and it always registers double the steps my pedometer thingy does.
So that is definitly something to think about. That I am eating too much I mean. I actually stopped lifting, A. because I kinda hate it, and B because my burns seemed so high that since the pedometer doesn`t measure it I thought I`d have to eat too much.
I am due to weigh in tomorrow. I`m going to wait till then. Just to keep me on my schedule and stop my obsessive scale behavior. Once a week has been a negative enough experience. My clothes tell enough of a story anyway. I know it won`t be good. I`ll keep my negativity off the forums till tomorrow. But I will also know my problem.
I`ve only been eating at 2700 for a week so not too much damage done. Besides in a reset it is better to go over on your calories. If I gain I`ll just go back to 2500 till the end of the reset.
Thanks again for your response.
Good luck to you and let`s be friends. I`ll send you a request.
I added you. And ohhhhhh a TDEE reset. Gotcha I would shoot for the 2850 mark for a full TDEE reset. You will gain weight during this period, especially as your muscles are storing the good glycogen for energy.
When you do you TDEE cut the wieght should start coming off. 0 -
I am new to this site but not new to MFP...It took me 5 mos. to lose 10lbs. and 2 mos. to gain them back. I literally would eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch all year long. I am excited to find out more about "eat more weigh less". Any help is appreciated.
Eava0 -
I really needed this this morning so i thank you!I am up 1.5lbs this week at my weekly weigh in bt I am not going to feel bad about it because I know my water intake has been a lot less than it should be and I am pre-menstrual .
Thanks Mike!0 -
I should read this every morning when I wake up... lol
Thank you. I knew all this already, but it helps to be told again. And again. And again!0 -
You're losing inches. I used to be a size 24 and 250 lbs. I'm a tight 18 and loose 20 at guess what 250 lbs. Not that clothing size matters, it all comes from foreign countries where they don't care.0
