Calorie deficits

[Stayfit46]

Since half-way through June I've been running calorie deficits most days of over 1000 calories. I'v egone from 243 lbs to 250. Any ideas why? I di a dedicated 3.6 mile walk every day.

[Baltoscott · Accepted solution]

According to Fitbit, what is your average daily calorie burn over the past 4 weeks?

Compare to what you calculate on this body weight planner: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/bwp

That’s the calorie burn side of the equation.  On the consume side, keep in mind that it is very hard to count calories accurately without weighing (not simply measuring) what you eat.  Food prepared by others (restaurants, etc), often have inaccurately low calorie counts, and even packaged food from the grocery store can have calorie counts that are 20% lower than actual.  And if you are logging food in Fitbit or MyFitnessPal, there are often a range calorie reports for stuff that looks exactly the same.

Bottom line is that you are eating more calories than you are burning if you weight is going up over that period of time.  You’ll need to look back at what you were doing and start troubleshooting on what foods to cut back on and on how big your portions can be.  Try to look at it week by week and try not the change too many things at once so when you weight does start going down you’ll know why.

[Juliebear1280]

The same thing is happening to me right now. I initially dropped a few pounds about a month ago and then hit a plateau, where my digital scale would literally be on the same weight, to the tenth of a decimal. I thought my scale was broken so I got out the manual scale and it read the same. I have heard that the quality of food and amount of food counts more towards fat loss than exercising. So my idea of eating whatever I want and then burning it off to reach a 1000 calorie deficit is probably the culprit. I have been seeing a difference in my appearance none of the less. I focus on upping my protein consumption and lowering carbs a bit. I will reserve heavier carb foods around my workouts or activity and follow strength training with protein. I am turning 40 tomorrow and what used to work in my 30s and 20s does not work so well anymore. I will keep doing what I'm doing and be patient, because I enjoy my bike rides, walks, and jogs and I refuse to be hungry. So in short, just play around with your macronutrients: carbs, protein and fats and see what works best for you.

[Glenda]

@Baltoscott I clicked twice to give you a vote but it didn't show that you had a vote.  I don't understand that!  Any way, I was impressed with the link you gave.  It tells you the number of calories it will take to maintain your weight with the current amount of exercise you do and what it would take to reach a goal with the exercise you are willing to do (change or not) and what it will take for you to lose the amount you want to lose in the number of days you want to lose it.  And the number of calories it will take to maintain the new weight.  An interesting fact that I have always known and that this shows is that the difference in me weighing 112 or 119 is only  66 calories a day.   So folks, a little restraint each day could result in  A DREAM COME TRUE   for you eventually.  Isn't that great to know?  Thanks Baltoscott

[Glenda]

@Juliebear1280  You are exactly right.  I have read lots of scientific studies that concluded exercise does NOT help you lose weight, it only keeps you healthy.  You can lose just as much weight with no exercise as with exercise and most people do eat more when they exercise .  I am amazingly healthy by mistake since for decades I thought exercise helped control weight, but I'm still doing it because I feel guilty wasting time reading as much as I enjoy, unless I do it on my treadmill or bike.  Go to that link and figure your weight loss calorie number for your weight for light - moderate activity.  Then maybe it would help for you to eat simple food with easier to count calories???   Skip all sugar and flour.  LOL

[Mardo4]

@Baltoscott Your link to calculate the calories burned and how change in activity could impact those calories in/calories out metrics was really helpful!  Thanks for sharing!

[DrElektra]

Great website - thanks!