Low Carb Diet, Losing Inches but Not Weight

[HAlys]

I just want to make sure I am on the right sort of track and if I need to adjust either my macros slightly or workouts slightly.

I am not on any medication, although it is worth noting I do day supplements like Fish Oil, Female Multivitamin etc to help with my Ankylosing Spondylitis (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and Endometriosis symptoms.

I am eating 3 meals, and 2 snacks a day, my BMR is just shy of 1900, and depending on the day I am consuming anywhere from 1600-1800 cal on average

I work out 4 days a week, usually a 2-3 mile run around my hilly town pre-gym session, where I will focus on a core body area for the duration of my 45 to an hour session with usually 10 minutes of stretching. On weekends I usually rest, but will try to throw in a long distance run of 5 or more miles depending on my energy levels.

I walk to the train station and to work, and go for walks on my lunch break and am averaging approximately 12k steps a day but otherwise, sedentary Mon- Fri.

I am currently following a low-carb diet and my average food day is as follows:

Breakfast: Either 3 scrambled eggs with half a mashed avocado and smoked salmon or a scoop of protein with a tbsp. of natural pb, tbsp. 5% greek yogurt and 500ml unsweetened almond milk

Morning Snack: 5% greek yogurt (170g)

Lunch: Some sort of protein i.e. chicken breast (150g) and  low carb veggies (broccoli quite often)

Afternoon Snack: Beef jerky or protein shake

Dinner: Same as lunch usually as I meal prep in advance

If I'm really craving something in the evenings, usually I'll have another tbsp. of PB which gets rid of the cravings for me.

I am meeting my water goal of 2L or more of water a day, and sleep is lacking slightly (7 hours or less with usually an hour or more awake each night)

My clothes are getting looser, but despite my initial 2% bodyfat loss I have stayed at the same weight and BF % for the past two weeks, despite clothes getting looser.

Do I need to alter macros or just keep doing my thing and work on muscle tone?

[SunsetRunner]

Keep doing what you are doing. Losing fat and losing weight are two different things. You are losing fat and losing fat doesn’t always mean you will lose weight. Although I will mention if your BMR is truly 1900, I wouldn’t go below that. Are you sure you didn’t mean to say that’s your maintenance? That seems high.

[HAlys]

@SunsetRunner thank you for your input!

I had a feeling that was the consensus and I've only been back to 100% for a few weeks now post a recent surgery that had me unable to exercise for the whole month of November, and only basic exercise through December.

As for BMR- basic calculators not asking about my activity on a day to day basis bring me in at 1750 BMR. Ones that do factor in my activity, bring me in at 1800-1850. The "super scales" at my gym that measure BF % etc. bring my BMR just shy of 1900.

Quite possibly it is undereating as snacks included, I will be circa 1,400 cals by the end of today from what I've logged so far and anticipating to log later tonight... So maybe I need to add an extra protein shake?

[SunsetRunner · Accepted solution]

BMR has nothing to do with your activity. It’s just the minimum number of calories you need to live. If it’s asking for your activity level, it’s something else. These are just a list of different types of calculators. Each one has an explanation of what they are.

Calorie calculator:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutcal.htm

BMR calculator:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bmr_calculator.htm?searchTerm=bmr+calculator&bbGeoLocaleName=en-US&...

RMR calculator:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calrmr.htm

TDEE calculator:

https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calculate-your-total-daily-energy-expenditure-tdee.html?searchTerm=...

[Bill_k]

You might want to avoid beef jerky to lose weight as it has mega sodium and might keep your body retaining water.