Calories in vs. calories out in weekly report

[koolfam]

I'm having trouble understanding the weekly out vs. in.... here are my numbers:

16046- cal. burned

 8230 cal. eaten

-5250 plan deficit

overall  -2566

I'm doing a low carb ( only fruit)-- no potato, pasta, rice, bread, alcohol since Jan 1st... I consume between 1200-1350 cal/day.... usually egg whites and veggies for breakfast, protein shake for lunch and lean protein with veggies/salad for dinner.  I don't drink soda, I eat 100cal/packets of almonds for snacks and drink coffee with fat free half and half and sugar free sweetener in the morning/lunch.... I even have swtiched from low fat milk to unsweetened almond milk in my protein shakes to save calories..... I've been doing the T-25 exercise videos and walking as I have knee issues and it hurts to run.  I used to run and it kills me that I can't at 44.... weight loss has been slow and it is frustrating.... am I eating enough or just more exercise?  Any help is appreciated.  thanks, nicole

[Heybales · Accepted solution]

Burned 16046 / 7 days = 2292 avg daily burn

Eaten 8230 / 7 days = 1176 avg eaten daily (if you think 1200-1350 then you are wrong or you logged food wrong)

That's over 1000 cal deficit, or 2 lbs weekly goal.

If you are not getting that result, then your body is not happy and is going to fight you for that loss amount.

If you have over 40-50 lbs to lose that can be reasonable.

If you have less, well, now you see what your body can do, it'll slow down and you aren't really burning what Fitbit thinks.

With a daily burn including exercise only being about 2300, I'm guessing you don't have that much to lose, may be wrong.

If you have 20-40 lbs to lose - be reasonable and set your goal loss to 1.5 lbs weekly.

10-20 - 1 lb weekly.

under 10 - 0.5 lb weekly.

Eat more and meet your goal. And fat in food is not the enemy, you need some actually.

Your body is only going to feel like dropping the fat if it's healthy, if you undereat too much for it, it won't be healthy.

It's better to have slow weight loss by purposeful wise choices, than have your body force it on you because of unwise choices.

[koolfam]

Thank you for your post.... I have between 10-20 pounds to lose.... I"m 5'7, 160 lbs... I currently wear a size 10 womens clothing but am happier at a size 8 which I find is around 145-150 for me......before I've done weight watchers and I found out I wasn't eating enough and my body was holding onto the weight-- I'm 44 years old and I used to run 20 miles/ week but have severe patella femoral syndrome and IT band syndrome and have been going to a physical therapist-- I even had synovial fluid injected into my knees recently without much effect.... I find it frustrating not to run and usually incline walk on the treadmill or walk the hills outside for about an hour a day.

so, you would recommend increasing my calorie intake?  

Thank you, nicole

[Heybales]

10-20 lbs, reasonable deficit would be 1 lb then.

Sounds like an increase in eating to keep smaller deficit.

You don't need this happening - or perhaps it already has?

http://skepchick.org/2014/02/the-female-athlete-triad-not-as-fun-as-it-sounds/

[grunch]

This sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with.  I still don't understand the weekly report.  It looks to me like I am overshooting my plan deficit, usually by 2,000 or more per week (if I do the math myself), but I am losing weight at a snail's pace.  I too was a runner, and now am a walker due to injury.  It's incredibly frustrating.  I am also in my 40s, weigh 160 (up from my normal 145), am 5'7" size 10, and prefer to weigh 145 and wear a size 6-8.  I feel like my body is just hanging onto the weight no matter what I try.  I know I should be happy with losing half a pound per week, but if I don't obsessively track every bite of food I eat, I gain weight, it's like one step up and three steps back.  I've had my thyroid checked, gave up alcohol, gave up refined sugar, increased my exercise and it's still very slow progress.  I have a very sedentary job though, and so I don't think my issue is undereating for my activity level.  I can't see how that could be it.  I think when you run the activity is so perfect, it burns so many calories, when you move to other types of exercise it's not as efficient.  Or maybe it's just aging.  I don't know, but I don't like it. 

[SlimPrinny]

I am also experiencing the same doubts about being on the right track or not.

Can someone interpret my numbers below and make any suggestions?   I have only just this week lost .5 kilo (approx 1lb) after at least 2 months of fitbit.  

Weekly:

15,431  cals burned

 8,087 cals eaten

 -5,250 deficit (-750 daily)

- 2,094  (could I have consumed these calories for the same or a better result???)

I am 60, weigh 83 kilos and want to lose 13 kilos as a starting point.

Any help would be appreciated.