Fitbit food plan - calorie questions

[NikiS]

HI! I just started using the food plan on Fitbit. I've been tracking my food since January and had set a 1,500 calorie a day budget but haven't lost weight. I am 5’9 and weight 187. I want to lose 37 lbs. as I don’t think 150 is an unrealistic goal for my height and body frame. I keep going up 4 then down 4 but always within that same 4 lbs. I burn about 3,000 calories a day and am pretty active. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week (1/2 hr cardio and 1/2 hr weight lifting - I try to mix it up) and ride my horse daily (competitive dressage training where I burn 500-600 calories in 50-60 minutes) – see the horse doesn’t do all the work…lol.

I then reduced my calorie intake to 1,200 calories because I was frustrated with not losing weight. I only drink water and I eat very healthy - vegetarian, no soy products or processed foods, mostly a vegan diet but some days vegetarian. Basically I make most of my meals from scratch so I know what goes in them. Then I decided yesterday to try the food plan and eat the amount of calories suggested using the 750 calorie deficit for weight loss. Yesterday it calculated that I should eat 2262 calories (WOW) and I tried but only got in 1904. Eating a lot of raw vegetables makes it hard to increase my calories so I’m going to add more raw organic nuts to my diet as well as more legumes, which should help increase the calories. I may also need more protein overall since all my fruits and veggies are carbs. Carbs turn into insulin in your body and extra insulin is stored as fat (could be part of my problem).

I got the Blaze this week as my Charge didn’t have the HR monitor. I am hoping with the HR monitor my calories burned is more accurate but so far the numbers are about the same (if not higher) then with my Charge.

How have others done using the food plan and eating what is suggested so they are in the green “zone”? I am just afraid of eating so many calories and gaining weight but maybe since I am so active my body needs more fuel. Thanks - Niki

[SunsetRunner]

I keep clear of the green zone and aim to stay in the yellow. I think there's something not quite right about their calculations. I aim for about 500-1000 deficit, burning about 2800-3000 per day. With that I've manage to lose just over 1lb / week.

[Rich_Laue]

@NikiS I've moved your post to the dashboard, because food is not entered on the tracker, but through the dashboard. This way your question will have a larger audience  

My only thoughts is that eating too little calories everyday, tends to cause the body to fight the weight loss. 

[NikiS]

Ok thanks. New to posting a new thread. Sorry it was in the wrong place. Thanks for the feedback!

[Rich_Laue]

Nothing to be sorry about, i just wanted to give your question a larger data base of recipients, and not just Blaze owners.

I'm not able to help much with your question. For me i use the tracker to help monitor my activity and active minutes. Then i use my mind to control my portions. I know if i eat less than i did before, and exercise more, the weight will come off. 

Yes it might not be as fast as some would like, but for me i see it as a lifestyle change and not a diet. In any case I've lost 35 pounds so far.

You can also lose weight, but remember, diet is the key, exercise can help. Dont just look st the scale, but take those measurements. As your body builds muscle, and losses fat, you'll find the weight loss slowing down, and your pants falling down. A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.