Not Losing Weight

[SunsetRunner]

Good afternoon!

I've been going at this by myself, but I finally decided to stop in and see what others may say.

In the past (while I was in college), I was very active, but a couple of years ago I got a full-time job, marriage and all the fun responsibilities, so I stopped working out like I used to (7 days a week, with breaks only if I had a cold).

I've been bringing myself back into it, but the weight doesn't seem to be coming off. It's frustrating! I only weight myself once a week on a Monday, to log it before I start the week off. For the past 3 of those, I barely saw any change, apart from 2 pounds initially.

Hence, a question of how accurate is FitBit tracking. I tend to presume it's not AWFULLY accurate, in terms of calorie burn during exercise, but what about other aspects?

I work out 6 days a week for 1.5 hours (intensive circuit for 30 minutes & elliptical for 30 minutes before and after that), my average calorie intake for a day is around 1500, which is a comfortable range for me, and allows me the benefit of eating a bit more on the weekends, when I want to have a meal out with family, for example.

Still, the fact that the weight isn't coming off is frustrating. What could be an issue? Just looking for feedback from people who've been through the process.

My averages / day:

Steps - 12000

Floors - 7

Miles - 5.2

Calorie Burn - 4000

Active Minutes - 125

Stats:

Height - 6ft

Weight, atm: 262lbs

To note after all that: I do have a lot of muscle. I did close combat martial arts for a while, so I have absolutely zero issue with exercise in terms of intensity (it's hard as hell, but my body can manage it still). Obviously, it's not perfect and I want to die after each workout, but I don't feel like I'm working at max capacity, yet.

I don't feel restricted with food, either, but I am wondering if FitBit tracks calories well. I eat almost the same thing every day though, and it's fine accourding to MyFitnessPal, as well.

Any ideas?

[Daves_Not_Here]

Hi @pjf53 - I had several thoughts after reading your last 2 posts.

• Exercise, while great for health and a sense of well-being, can lull you into justifying eating junk as part of "recovery" (at least it does for me).
• I find that the struggle with moderation is exacerbated by the cravings brought on by sugar and grains.
• I was prediabetic, but reversed it with diet.  A friend reversed his type 2 diabetics (A1C > 13) after reading and acting on The Diabetes Code by Jason Fung.  I don't know how far your diabetes has progressed, but it might be worth checking out.

[Crutchbender]

My advice, for what it's worth, is throw your scales away. Weighing yourself can get obsessive and as I see it not very informative.

Thus instead of using scales get a mirror. Better still a camera. Look at yourself? Better? Worse? Fatter? Thinner?

If you're exercising them the view in the mirror and your selfies should improve. That's better than constantly checking the bathroom scales.

I've always thought they should rename Weightwatchers and call it Flabwatchers instead. 

[Dominique]

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@Crutchbender wrote:

Thus instead of using scales get a mirror. Better still a camera. Look at yourself? Better? Worse? Fatter? Thinner?

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The mirror and photos can be useful progress indicators. However, they won’t detect the tiny changes that take place in the short term (day to day, week to week, or even month to month). Even if there are changes, you (and people who see you everyday) may not detect them. Have you noticed how it’s people you know that haven’t seen you for a long period of time (several months) who make comments on how different you look?

The mirror/photos and the scales don’t need to be mutually exclusive, they can be complement each others. Same with body measurements, btw. You can look at averages and trends instead of individual weigh-ins. I personally would be in the dark if I only had the mirror as a way to assess whether things I progressing the way I want. Stepping on the scales every morning (which I’ve been doing for 5.5 years) now feels as natural as brushing my teeth. And not being able to do it (e.g. when travelling out of town) feels as awkward/disturbing as not being able to brush my teeth.

[SheriOnTheGo]

I can tell you from experience that I was averaging what I thought was that, however until I really started tracking and I mean faithfully I never saw all the hidden calories, and I was really just fooling myself.  The calories were much higher than I thought, try tracking everything for one week and really see what it is, oh and weigh your food, it's far more accurate. Hopes this helps.

[pjf53]

Thanks.  I too am a Type 2 diabetic.  I came off my meds after a year of healthy eating.  I drifted back to bad habits and ended up back on my meds.  I'm now focusing on healthy eating again and anticipate good results although I worry the yoyo may wear out if I don't permanently focus on healthy eating.

[Jamesbach21]

hello I really want to lose weight but I do not know where I want to start yesterday someone sent a site to me where I can fall in 2 weeks with a diet called the 2 weeks diet I'm going to get it I think.

 
Moderator edit: word choice. 

[SheriOnTheGo]

Hi,

So I reviewed the link. After looking at it I think it will be another version of the Keto diet. Have you actually tried Keto? I have the entire program from Drew at fit to fat, I can send it to you and save you some money!

I am finding it hard to eat clean, so I try to reward myself from time to time with foods that aren't good, but it's about a balance, not something you can eat every day, but say Saturday or Sunday is your treat day. Limit it to one thing you really like.  So if you like ice cream go out to a shop and have one, but just one. Don't buy it and have it in the house, that's not a weekly treat it becomes the norm.  Hope that helps.

It's still a struggle for me. I've lost 30 pounds in the last year and have been maintaining it. I have 15 more pounds to go to be where I was 15 years ago. It's not easy when everything is so readily available and quick, but those things are processed and designed to keep us over weight and sick.

Moderator edit: updated post. 

[Dominique]

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@SheriOnTheGo wrote:

So I reviewed the link.

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That link will likely be removed by a moderator, as it redirects to a site promoting a commercial product (which is in violation of the Community guidelines). Relevant part of the guidelines: Please refrain from posting content that would constitute advertising, spam, or any other form of unauthorized solicitation.

I have the entire program from Drew at fit to fat, I can send it to you and save you some money!

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Your offer may be well-meaning, but it looks like that program is protected by copyright and offering to give it away for free is in violation of their terms & conditions. I’m sure there’s plenty of information on keto freely available on the internet, so there’s no need to steal anyone’s intellectual property.

[bourby]

from what i have seen and experienced myself, i believe diets dont work. you might lose weight for awhile but unless you change the food, habit, or that caused the weight gain, it will eventually return. the term diet also has a very negative impact on the mind, which does not help. a few years ago i stopped smoking. i did not quit smoking. in my mind quitting is a failure and negative. i had tried quitting a few times and failed. this time i did not try to quit. i just decided to stop smoking.
it might sound like a trivial view point but your mind is very powerful and very fragile at the same time. i dont diet....i eat better and excersize more. what will be will be. i didnt quit smoking , i stopped. i havent lost any real weightbut added alot of muscle. i have lost 15 inches off my gut, added 5 inches to my chest, i am fitter, i eat better, health issues are gone, and i am 45 , stating to play cricket again......all without a diet.
let your mind help you.

[pjf53]

I recommend you use the Fitbit website to log everything you eat with a daily calorie limit.  I'm a 65 year old male, 195 pounds, 5'9" and mine is 2000.  At that calorie level I have to be careful what I allow into my body focusing on good proteins, fats, fruits and vegetables.  I am avoiding processed food and added sugar.  Added sugar makes it very difficult to stay on track as changes in blood sugar cause hunger.  French fries are out too.  And so is alcohol.  I feel great.

Of course daily activity and exercise is also necessary but what you consume is far more important.

[MonsterRawr]

Hey there! I like to workout at anytime fitness. I make sure the calorie count is on when I use the treadmill. The main issue I've noticed is that while the calorie count is the same on both the treadmill and my fitbit when I run, the calorie count on my fitbit is significantly higher when I walk than what is shown on the treadmill. I'm not sure why this is, as I don't hold onto the treadmill at all (my hands are always swinging).  I've tried changing treadmills and it makes no difference. I actually think the treadmill is more accurate, or at least act that way because if I am wrong then I tend to eat more calories than if I assume I have a lower calorie budget. I hope it helps answer your question. 

[PappyJ]

Morning!

Okay, first off, I'm a senior and I have just starting using the FitBit Charge 3 (as of Oct. 12/18).  I've had a rough year health wise and I thought I had better get me arse in gear before it was too late.  So.....I started hitting the pavement! Set my goal at 10,000 steps a day but have been averaging closer to 12,000. I have been consciously trying to reduce my caloric intake and have almost hit the 850,000 steps/500 mile mark.  You would think that would result in some weight loss! Nope, hardly made a dent! Two things I noticed, my legs and um.....derriere have gotten thinner but my waist is almost the same! Very frustrating and makes it difficult to wear pants.....every try to put pants on an apple? : ) I know it has to be due to my caloric intake but hey....I expected better results.

Cheers!

Lyle

[pjf53]

I too am a senior male.

Congratulations on acquiring and using the Fitbit.  It is a great tool for measuring activity and comparing daily changes.  My step goal is 14,000.  Bear in mind the calories burned calculation may not be accurate.  For me it runs 10 to 20 percent higher than reality.

As for weight loss I can say with very high confidence your diet needs adjustment.  First I recommend you set a daily calorie limit.  Mine (for weight loss) is 2,000.  At that number you need to be cautious what you allow into your body.  The wrong foods (predominately those with added sugar) will cause hunger after you have eaten that better foods do not cause.  Essentially you want a balanced mix of protein, fat and good carbohydrates.  The Fitbit web page has a great tool for tracking what you eat.  As for alcohol I recommend you refrain during weight loss.  It is empty calories that often brings on hunger and mindless eating.  

[Mughal]

increasing strength thru weights is said to increase metabolism and weight loss because muscle burns more calories than fat

U may be toning and gaining muscle and that weighs more

 rely more on measurements and think if how U feel not what U weigh

dont restrict calories more than could slow your metabolism and also cause rebound yo yo effect

with 4000 burn U could be hoarding calories and fat because your body needs more

consult a nutritionist

[PappyJ]

Morning!
Thank you for taking the time to respond to my posting. You raised a number of important points! All valid in my opinion. At the time of the original posting, I had been using the Fitbit for just under three months. I figured if my eating habits stayed the same, I should lose something what with all the increased activity. That was not the case! So, I started recording my food intake with the thought in mind to not to exceed 2,000 calories per day. It’s still early days, but now I fully realize just how many calories I was consuming before I started tracking!!! Yikes! No wonder why I wasn’t losing any weight! I find its a real challenge to “spend” under 2,000 calories per day. It’s like buying things with cash instead of a credit card…..you have to think twice about it, do I need this food item? Can I record it properly, is there room in my “budget?” and so on! When you have to stick to proper portion control you really begin to see how one’s eating can and was out of control. I also agree that losing weight is not just about a number, but as you say, how you feel and how your clothes fit etc. I’ve started to keep a health diary as well to help keep my focus.

Cheers!
Lyle

[PappyJ]

Baserunner!
Thank you for taking the time to welcome me to the Fitbit community! I do appreciate you taking the time to respond to my post! After reading your response, I decided to start recording all caloric intake! That was a shocker! No wonder why I wasn’t losing any weight! Doh! It’s only been two weeks but already I’m starting to see results! My good wife is onboard as well which is a great help. Now the trick is to make this a lifetime habit otherwise its all for naught. It’s been interesting to observe the caloric expenditure numbers as well! Flat on my back for 24 hrs…..2,300 calories burned, next day 3,500 steps, 2,400 calories. 12,000 steps, 3,300 calories burned. As you pointed out these figures are optimistic estimates and may vary by 10-30%. So the lesson learned here, is diet control is key along with the ramping up of exercise activities. I find for me, the more I walk and get in shape, the less energy I use if I walk the same course. The body just has a knack for becoming more efficient. I have to find more and more challenging routes. The problem I am having at the moment is numbness in my left quadricep which if i go beyond 40 minutes or 2 miles leads to a crippling pain! I have to limit my waling to 3 x 30 mins segments.

Cheers!
Lyle

[Dominique]

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@PappyJ wrote:

So.....I started hitting the pavement! Set my goal at 10,000 steps a day but have been averaging closer to 12,000. I have been consciously trying to reduce my caloric intake and have almost hit the 850,000 steps/500 mile mark.  You would think that would result in some weight loss! Nope, hardly made a dent! Two things I noticed, my legs and um.....derriere have gotten thinner but my waist is almost the same! Very frustrating and makes it difficult to wear pants.....every try to put pants on an apple? : ) I know it has to be due to my caloric intake but hey....I expected better results.

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@PappyJ: it’s possible to lose weight by "out-exercising" your diet, but 1) it’s very hard and 2) it most likely requires more than the standard 10k steps / day to do it. However, it’s more or less what happened to me when I started my Fitbit journey back almost 6 years ago and I switched from very sedentary to very active.

Here is how my step count evolved from April 2013 to August 2013:

II started barely hitting the 10k mark, and it felt like a huge effort at the time. However, after about one month, I was at around 15k and by week 10 I was at 20k+ and kept that for the rest of the summer.

I started at 75kg (April 2013) and by the time I got my Fitbit Aria, I was already down to 70kg. I steadily lost another 5 kg during July-August. These got recorded, thanks to the Aria’s automatic syncing ability:

This 10kg (22 lbs) drop was achieved almost entirely by "out-exercising" my diet, as I still continued to eat more or less as previously. Since then, I have educated myself on nutrition and retrospectively thinking, I could have lost the same amount of weight with far less steps, so if weight loss is your goal, you should really start paying attention to what and how much you are eating. Or you need to hit far higher step counts.

[PappyJ]

Dominque:
Thank you for your input & perspective! Hearing from someone that’s been there and done that carries a lot of um…..”weight” (pun intended!) My wife & I have embarked on a clean eating programme since January 1/19, with the intend of making everything from scratch to control sodium, sugar and fat intake. So far so good but it’s early days. I’m realizing too that on the physical activity side of the ledger, I need to be more varied and to have more challenging exercises. The body adjusts so quickly to just walking the same routes each day, soon you're hardly burning any calories. The one good thing that came out of the initial step programme was my resting heart rate dropped from 72 to 60 which is got to be a good thing. The support and insights from the FitBit community is definitely a positive thing to help me reach my objective. My goal is not just weigh loss but, more of what weigh loss can do for me…..fit my clothes better, have more energy, feel more confident….in short get more out of life! 👍

Cheers!
Lyle

[Dominique]

@PappyJ: I wouldn’t worry too much about your body "adapting" to the same exercises. First of all, burning calories isn’t the only purpose of physical activity, which (as you noticed via your RHR) has benefits of its own on your fitness, health and overall well-being. Secondly, one hour of physical activity (even if it’s the same everyday) always puts you in a better spot than one hour spent in couch potato mode. So just don’t be afraid of walking the same routes everyday: there are also benefits in establishing habits via keeping your routines the same. I’ve found the same applies to eating, btw: I see nothing wrong in eating more or less the same things on the same schedule everyday. It’s far easier and less stressful than having to eat a menu that changes everyday, just to keep my body "guessing" (as the argument sometimes goes). What you may want to do at some point is keep the walking, but add some resistance training to your regimen. This is especially important for older folks like us, as losing muscle mass is part of the aging process, so we need to do something to stop, or at least slow down, this unwanted evolution. Over the years, my mix of physical activity evolved from 100% cardio (walking, running) to 60% cardio / 40% resistance training (weight lifting), in terms of time spent doing it. 

[PappyJ]

Dominique:
You raise some valid points! I totally agree about the resistance training, I will have to find a way to work that into my regime. By the time we get to our age, I think we already know how to lose weight and get healthier, after having gone through a number of efforts over the years. The problem as I see it is, that old habits are like the tide….they just ever so slowly creep back into your daily routine until you are right back where you started! I see this as a lifestyle change and hopefully if I keep at it long enough, the new habits will stick. My wife & I realize that you can’t just hide in your house all day and count calories! You have to be involved with life. To that end, we are trying to develop strategies that will work when we go out for dinner, attend birthday parties or parties in general. In our immediate family we have 23 birthdays!! Plus all the standard holidays and also there are the times when you are away on holidays.

Cheers!
Lyle