The Fitbit Community is a gathering place for real people who wish to exchange ideas, solutions, tips, techniques, and insight about the Fitbit products and services they love. By joining our Community, you agree to uphold these guidelines, so please take a moment to look them over.
I've read a lot of forums across more than just the FitBit site that all say "it's as simple as burning more than you eat." Well, I do. I probably eat excessively one to two days per week but even then, I usually eat what I burn where all the other days I maintain a 100-700 calorie deficiency.
In December, I had some medical issues in play where I couldn't eat enough to not lose weight. Then suddenly, in the last week of January (so not over holidays or anything), my weight shot up by 16 pounds and has been moving up and down in an 8 pound range since then but never back down to where I was consistently from August to January.
You might think it is a new medicine I am on, but I have had this problem for years whenever I'm not on a medication that causes weight loss. You might think it is a thyroid issues, but apparently my standard thyroid test comes out perfect (although that doesn't mean the more in-depth test would).
Hi @JustJill - When referring to Real Salt are you referring to the brand name i.e., the Real Salt mined in Utah? I always thought that salt, whatever the brand name, was absolutely NOT good for you; and that a well-balanced diet already provides sufficient salt. What is it with this salt that makes it so diffirent and good for you?
In order to have your Thyroid fully tested, you should see an Endocrinologist. Your PCP won't do a full thyroid panel, just the basic test. I have a thyroid problem and have had it for the last 30 or so years. I see an Endocrinologist and she monitors my numbers. Do you have family history of thyroid disease? I have a very strong history of it and that is why I was tested. If it is thyroid, just because you take medication for it does not mean the weight will fall off (as some like to think). There are certain things it is advised not to eat when taking thyroid medication, because there are interactions. Hope you will see an Endocrinologist and just not take your doctor's word for it that your thyroid is normal. Good luck!
I had a similar problem. I was on the treadmill, machines, and eliptical for an hour every morning Monday through Friday and gaining weight. Sometimes 2 to 3 pounds for the week. I had lost 60 pounds and had gained back 30 trying all the time to stop the gain. I joined a boot camp at the gym that changes around the kinds of activities I do. I am now concentrating on adding in more weight/strength training. This past month I have finally seen a 5 pound loss. My muscles had apparently gotten used to what I had been doing for 3 years and were working very efficiently. The change around did it for me. Also I quite drinking the diet cokes I was on. I am feeling better and hopefully the weight will continue to come off.
I had a similar problem. I was on the treadmill, machines, and eliptical for an hour every morning Monday through Friday and gaining weight. Sometimes 2 to 3 pounds for the week. I had lost 60 pounds and had gained back 30 trying all the time to stop the gain. I joined a boot camp at the gym that changes around the kinds of activities I do. I am now concentrating on adding in more weight/strength training. This past month I have finally seen a 5 pound loss. My muscles had apparently gotten used to what I had been doing for 3 years and were working very efficiently. The change around did it for me. Also I quite drinking the diet cokes I was on. I am feeling better and hopefully the weight will continue to come off.
Good for you @ljkee , congrats! This is so true - doing the same exercise day after day is never a good idea, at least not in the long run. By shifting to another regimen, you actually sparked your metabolism into high gear again. The key for me was to switch from walking to walk/jog intervals; and to add another type of exercise one day, another the next, and cycle through. For example, if I bicycle today, I'll do walk and walk/jog intervals the next day. If I do upper body resistance bands and weights one day; I'll target a different muscle groups the next day. If I just go for a walk workout, no jogging at all, I'll walk at my normal brisk walk speed for two or three minutes; and then walk as fast as I can for one minute, and cycle through like this for the whole duration of the walk. These peaks and valleys will help you fool your metabolism and lose the pounds.
I had a similar problem. I was on the treadmill, machines, and eliptical for an hour every morning Monday through Friday and gaining weight. Sometimes 2 to 3 pounds for the week. I had lost 60 pounds and had gained back 30 trying all the time to stop the gain. I joined a boot camp at the gym that changes around the kinds of activities I do. I am now concentrating on adding in more weight/strength training. This past month I have finally seen a 5 pound loss. My muscles had apparently gotten used to what I had been doing for 3 years and were working very efficiently. The change around did it for me. Also I quite drinking the diet cokes I was on. I am feeling better and hopefully the weight will continue to come off.
I wasn't going to say anything, but this is such a common myth and misconception that I just have to.
Efficiency on the elliptical may improve a bit, but not that much, not compared to the less you burn because you weigh less. Unless you started out totally uncoordinated on it, which is possible, almost falling off.
Walking and jogging - likely been doing that since a kid, and until you get to a fast enough pace that running form starts to matter more - no improvement in efficiency there either.
If you weigh the same, and do the same pace and effort - you burn the same calories.
Studies of marathoners and cyclist year after year (and yes, they do about only the exact same thing all the time), do not get more efficient, and the don't burn less as time goes on, except for comparing winter weight with post race weight calorie burn.
What does happen though with the activities you listed - you lost weight, but you didn't make them harder to make up for that. Either incline, pace, or tension. You burned less doing them.
The "muscle confusion" fad is based on doing complex moves, and indeed at some point you get smoother doing them and slightly less calorie burn. Plus when doing body weight or light weights, there is a max you are going to get out of it - better do something else at that point.
Stuff like Zumba has a max speed you can do most of it, get good at it, you'll burn slightly less.
But the bigger cause of burning less is when you lose weight, and you can't do it faster or harder, so now it's actually an easier workout.
That's like thinking the change in workouts effects metabolism, which it doesn't. You do lifting, you'll have an increase in metabolism for 24-36 hours potential if you do it right.
Stop adding weight to make it difficult - that will stop, and it will stop being a workout for you, you'll burn less calories.
Attempt to do a hard workout day after day with inadequate recovery (sleep or food), and your soon can NOT push your body as hard, and soon won't be burning the same calories.
Hence the wisdom from Tandemwalker to have different intensities different days. It allows a hard day to actually be hard, because you had a recovery day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help the next searcher of answers, mark a reply as Solved if it was, or a thumbs up if it was a good idea too.
I have a condition known as "Fatty Liver Disease" or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH and irregular weight gain is one of the signs, (I have put on half a stone over a weekend without doing anything to justify that weight gain) as is an inability to lose weight. Another sign is most of the weight is on the Torso, everywhere else is pretty much as it should be.
I also consistantly eat fewer calories than I burn; I consume between 1,100 and 1,500 calories per day, against a target of 2,300, burn over 2,000 a day, and I still fail to lose weight.
Perhaps your doctor can advise you
According to my Consultant this condition has only been recognised recently.
In my early twenties I started to struggle with my weight, so I believe I had this problem now for over forty years
I have a condition known as "Fatty Liver Disease" or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH and irregular weight gain is one of the signs, (I have put on half a stone over a weekend without doing anything to justify that weight gain) as is an inability to lose weight. Another sign is most of the weight is on the Torso, everywhere else is pretty much as it should be.
I also consistantly eat fewer calories than I burn; I consume between 1,100 and 1,500 calories per day, against a target of 2,300, burn over 2,000 a day, and I still fail to lose weight.
Perhaps your doctor can advise you
According to my Consultant this condition has only been recognised recently.
In my early twenties I started to struggle with my weight, so I believe I had this problem now for over forty years
I hope this helps
What is a reasonable deficit for one can very easily not be for another, even when the amount to lose is the same.
People with a stressed out body dealing with a disease are not going to be able to take the same big deficit that others could. Body too stressed already, big lack of food, it adapts and slows down, you are now eating at maintenance.
Want to make it worse - start eating even less.
So fast water weight gain from disease is bad, though symptoms are weight LOSS actually, as liver can't completely process what is eating - causing you to get less calories from food eaten, and nutrition, so even more stress on body. Well, fat gain in the liver where it normally wouldn't be.
But since it seems to be related to those already with metabolic syndromes, those side effects can happen too - which is weight gain.
So accurate food logging needed, and small deficit needed.
That means to keep the deficit from getting too big, need to accurately log any non-step based exercise Fitbit is underestimating.
Keep a reasonable deficit. And for metabolic syndrome - lifting, gotta activate those muscles. In fact heavy circuit training to drain the muscle glucose stores, and then normal healthy carb ratio meals to train insulin and receptors to fill them again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help the next searcher of answers, mark a reply as Solved if it was, or a thumbs up if it was a good idea too.
Case13 et Al: my numbers were the same. Always a deficit and I gained 10lbs from Dec to June. Jog 7-8miles a day plus weights and always on the move. Couldn't figure it out. I weigh and measure and track food. But Fitbit really made it concrete for me that something was wrong. Went to Dr and had indepth blood work on thyroid, TSH, T3, T4, hormones, etc. Everything out of whack. My thyroid numbers all Extremely Low. I had extreme fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, etc. Thought I was slowly dying. I felt lousy all the time. Fitbit helped me to pursue the issue and not just chalk I up to aging. I'm on all the thyroid.and hoone meds.I need now. Its been 4 weeks and I'm starting to be able to function Again. So if after all ur efforts, don't give up. You know your body a d you know what your taking in and what your burning. If it doesn't jive, insist on getting a.thorough medical workup. I'm so grateful I did!
@julieeliz wrote: Sorry for all the typos. Fat fingers and small letters on the phone. Lol
Don't worry about the typos - the contents of your post is what counts and you sure got my vote. I've recently been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical issue which, had it not been for my insistence to look into it further, I wouldn't know anything about. Your post will find resonance with many folks here I am sure. When things don't add up, you're sooo right - look into it.
Newbie here. Finished reading this thread and now I'm totally confused on how to lose weight. 🙂 However, I did finish off a 16.9 fl oz bottle of water...that ought to count for something (other than gaining 16.9 fl oz of weight. Seriously though, it's been an interesting read.
Being a nurse.....It sounds like something else is going on. Have you had your thyroid checked? It also may be WHAT you are eating and WHEN, such as for suppere tonight I had 3 oz chicken breast, 3 oz baked potato with real butter, 1 cup skim milk which was about 366 calories. You could for example have the same amount of calories but have little to no protein. A candy bar and a pop would equal 366 calories..not saying you would eat that but it does come down to what you eat. ALso, You need to have .8 to 1 X your body weight in Protein EVERY day to continue to lose. You must also exercise cardio AND lift weights even if it is just soup cans..yes I have used green beans in the past.
Welcome Micki, I am pretty new here to this as well but you will learn great things. I bet I drink over 120 ounces a day minimum of water. I do havfe my can 150 cal, of Dr. Pepper still as I have chosen this as my daily 'treat' 🙂
Newbie here. Finished reading this thread and now I'm totally confused on how to lose weight. 🙂 However, I did finish off a 16.9 fl oz bottle of water...that ought to count for something (other than gaining 16.9 fl oz of weight. Seriously though, it's been an interesting read.
Simple - eat less than you burn by a reasonable amount. Based on amount to lose, general body health, and other stress.
Not a whole lot less, as that can then change your body to not burn as much, and the normal math goes out the window.
So Fitbit in general is giving you decent accuracy for 85-95% of your day (depending on amount of exercise).
If step based exercise, there's a good chunck more.
If non-step based, manually log it, now it knows.
Eat less than Fitbit says you burned - you lose weight.
Reasonable if no other health issues or not an abused body by frequent intense exercise or repeated yo-yo diet extremes.
under 10 lbs - 0.5 lb weekly or 250 cal deficit daily.
10 - 25 lbs - 1 lb weekly, 500 daily.
25 - 50 lbs - 1.5 weekly, 750 daily.
over 50 - 2 lbs weekly, 1000 daily.
That will cause weight loss.
To help it be only fat loss and minimize or retain muscle mass (you'll want that later), double the RDA requirements for protein, or about 0.82 grams per lb of bodyweight, and do strength training whole body more than you do cardio.
For heart health, do some cardio.
For body health, may switch up the diet more, but fat is needed, and balance is usually better, not extremes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help the next searcher of answers, mark a reply as Solved if it was, or a thumbs up if it was a good idea too.
seems funny to think INCREASING water intake prevents retention but it does. I am drinking almost 80 ounces daily and will increase that now that the weather is hot.
Maybe you are burnign fat and adding muscle which weighs more. Eventually you will lose as things stabalize and more fat is burned off.
Just gotta ask what workout exactly you think is being done that can add muscle at the same rate as fat is lost?
While that phrase is thrown out to be encouraging, and while the same VOLUME of muscle weighs more than fat, it's a bunch of bull that it's being added in a diet at that rate, doing the right thing or not.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help the next searcher of answers, mark a reply as Solved if it was, or a thumbs up if it was a good idea too.
I am following your posts. I have been Fitbitting for about three months and have seen very little change in my weght, maybe a pound or two. I have just recently hit a 400 calorie deficit for about two weeks. I am not looking for a rapid weight loss, overall, would like to be 5 pounds thinner. I am a small women, about 5'3' so my calorie intake cannot fluctuate all that much without be gaining. I have a medium build and am somewhat muscular.
Here's the thing. I walk over 10,000 steps per day and feel great. I eat fairly healthfully, I did a food profile and I my fat intake is a bit high, about 40% and my carbs are a bit low. What kind of carbs can I add that won't make me gain? I am still wedded to that thinking; carbs bad.
There is heart disease in my family, so lowering fat, even a bit, is not a bad idea and I can afford to eat more carbs, not a trace of diabetes.
Fitbit Product Experts Alumni are retired members of the Fitbit Product Expert Program. Learn more
Best Answer
