Cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Not Losing Weight

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?

Best Answer
270 REPLIES 270

@MountainBoy wrote:

When I was body building my BMI classified me as obese but I had almost zero body fat.


What is the proportion of this particular group (people so muscular and so lean they’d be classified as obese, or even overweight, as per BMI), out of the total group of people deemed obese (or overweight) as per BMI? Maybe 0.5%, at most? These would indeed be people like bodybuilders, elite athletes etc. Should we dismiss BMI as irrelevant and useless, because it "only" works in 99.5% of all cases?

 

As to "almost zero body fat", this is what very low body fat percentages look like for males (taken from this link😞

 

BF_3-7.png

 

 

Again, how typical such a level of leanness would be among the total population? Even among competitive bodybuilders, it’s only found during the very last days of their contest prep and on the day of their show. The rest of the year, they would be closer to 10%, or even higher. No one can sustain such low levels of body fat for very long, it’s both unnatural and unhealthy.

Dominique | Finland

Ionic, Aria, Flyer, TrendWeight | Windows 7, OS X 10.13.5 | Motorola Moto G6 (Android 9), iPad Air (iOS 12.4.4)

Take a look at the Fitbit help site for further assistance and information.

Best Answer

@janeshmoe52 wrote:

thanks for the advice! I'm mostly looking on making small changes in lifestyle I can maintain over time: my first change being, "less fast food". Eventually I will turn into a proper meal prepper, I'm sure. I'm currently logging food, just to see how I do nutritionally, on a regular basis. I don't put a whole lot of stock in weight, as I heard many times before I started that muscle was a more important goal.


@janeshmoe52 — I’m a big fan of the small sustainable lifestyle changes approach to weight loss/maintenance.  Eating less fast food is a good one, assuming by that you mean fewer burger/fries/soda type meals.  But you gotta each something, and if you aren’t prepping your own meals (best option), salad bars at grocery stores and other places can be a fast way to load up on veggies with some good lean protein on top.  

 

Sounds like you’ve got a good handle on what works for you.

Scott | Baltimore MD

Charge 6; Inspire 3; Luxe; iPhone 13 Pro

Best Answer
You are correct in your observation but miss the point. Individuals who
have not exercised will have a high percentage of body fat and low muscle
percentage. Exercise will build muscle but you won't get a 1:1 exchange of
fat for muscle thus the possibility of no loss, slow loss or a gain of
weight when first starting an exercise program.
Best Answer

I agree with you, @MountainBoy, that BMI doesn’t say much about the ratio of fat and muscle (though in average, a high BMI will tend to correlate with excess fat more often than not). I guess I was also addressing @SunsetRunner’s post on 19-Sep-17, in which he said: "BMI is generally a very poor measurement, especially if you have a more then average amount of muscle mass, which makes BMI calculations meaningless."

 

BMI was never meant to be an indicator of muscular development or of fitness. It’s meant to be an indicator of healthy weight, and generally (= once you have eliminated the few outliers like bodybuilders, elite athletes and otherwise very muscular and lean people), it is a rather good indicator, especially since everyone can easily calculate it. There are other simple indicators of healthy weight, for instance waist circumference (80 cm for women, 94 cm for men). It most likely correlates pretty well with BMI: in other words, most males with a waistline > 94 cm will fall into the overweight or obese group as per BMI, while those with a waistline < 94 cm will likely be considered normal weight per BMI.

 

I guess most people would agree that at any given weight, one is better off carrying a bit more muscle and a bit less fat, rather than the other way round.

Dominique | Finland

Ionic, Aria, Flyer, TrendWeight | Windows 7, OS X 10.13.5 | Motorola Moto G6 (Android 9), iPad Air (iOS 12.4.4)

Take a look at the Fitbit help site for further assistance and information.

Best Answer

that's some good advice that I had not yet thought of! Thanks! I eat a lot of panera salads, I usually go for the greek with quinoa, or the green goddess, and usually take it easy on the dressings. That does a number on my budget though, I'll check local grocers for cheaper options. Unfortunately my diet still contains a quite a bit of diet frozen meals, I'm aware of the massive salt content, and I'm trying to work in better budget options as often as possible. It's still a step up from chicken nuggets and fries every day. I just have to keep going up.

Best Answer

I am also overweight.

Best Answer

"I am also overweight"

 

I agree with those who point out "overweight" may not be a bad thing depending on body composition (frame, muscle, fat).

 

I have recently lost a lot of weight through diet (eat smart, control calories) and exercise (mostly cardio) and am in maintenance mode.  I lost more muscle than I wanted to and still have more fat than I should but got to within a few pounds of normal  BMI.  In my mind it is somewhat clear that I should have had more resistance in my workouts and my calorie restrictions were not good enough by themselves to get rid of the all of excess fat (very little pot belly).  

 

I have Type 2 diabetes  and was just recently taken off the medication due to dramatic improvement.  It's a 90 day probation.  30 days in and I fear having to go back on the med but I'm pretty confident I will not have to.  If I have to go back on the meds it will be a failure most likely due to my inability to control sweets. I believe this is the reason I've regained all of the weight I've lost many times in the past.  

 

I also believe I am addicted and allergic to sugar.  It makes me fat (allergic) and induces cravings to consume more (addicted).  This past summer I adhered to "Whole30".  Added sugar (among other things) was eliminated from the diet.  There were physical withdrawal symptoms.   At the end of the 30 days I felt great, was healthier as evidenced by lower blood sugar) and looked better. I've suspected the addiction for some time and my personal experiences support the hypothesis.

 

The book "A Case Against Sugar" by Gary Taubes lays out a pretty compelling argument against sugar and puts some common accepted beliefs in question.  I'm less than halfway through the book and have decided permanently controlling sugar is necessary.  Control likely means eliminate.  This may sound extreme but I'm starting to think sugar is to diet what heroine is to drugs.  

 

I also recommend the books "It Starts with Food" (Whole30) and/or "The Inflammation Syndrome"  for guidance on a healthy diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Answer

 


@pjf53 wrote:

"I am also overweight"

 

I agree with those who point out "overweight" may not be a bad thing depending on body composition (frame, muscle, fat).

 

I have recently lost a lot of weight through diet (eat smart, control calories) and exercise (mostly cardio) and am in maintenance mode.  I lost more muscle than I wanted to and still have more fat than I should but got to within a few pounds of normal  BMI.  In my mind it is somewhat clear that I should have had more resistance in my workouts and my calorie restrictions were not good enough by themselves to get rid of the all of excess fat (very little pot belly).  

 

I have Type 2 diabetes  and was just recently taken off the medication due to dramatic improvement.  It's a 90 day probation.  30 days in and I fear having to go back on the med but I'm pretty confident I will not have to.  If I have to go back on the meds it will be a failure most likely due to my inability to control sweets. I believe this is the reason I've regained all of the weight I've lost many times in the past.  

 

I also believe I am addicted and allergic to sugar.  It makes me fat and sick by disrupting my endocrine system(allergic) and induces cravings to consume more (addicted).  This past summer I adhered to "Whole30".  Added sugar (among other things) was eliminated from the diet.  There were physical withdrawal symptoms.   At the end of the 30 days I felt great, was healthier as evidenced by lower blood sugar) and looked better. I've suspected the addiction for some time and my personal experiences support the hypothesis.

 

The book "A Case Against Sugar" by Gary Taubes lays out a pretty compelling argument against sugar and puts some common accepted beliefs in question.  I'm less than halfway through the book and have decided permanently controlling sugar is necessary.  Control likely means eliminate.  This may sound extreme but I'm starting to think sugar is to diet what heroine is to drugs.  

 

I also recommend the books "It Starts with Food" (Whole30) and/or "The Inflammation Syndrome"  for guidance on a healthy diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Best Answer

I lost 50 lbs over about a year and a half by walking 10000 steps a day and logging all calories eaten and BEING HONEST.  You've got to log your calories consumed.  I have found Fitbit to be quite accurate.  We often are eating more than we think.  I stopped walking about 2 years ago and have gained 7 pounds back.  I also quit logging calories.  And I am 71 years old and don't burn calories that fast anymore.  I live in Texas which is HOT in the summer.  It is getting cooler finally and I will start walking again.  Lost my walking partner which is why I quit walking.

 

Best Answer
pjf53 wrote:

I also believe I am addicted and allergic to sugar.  It makes me fat and sick by disrupting my endocrine system(allergic) and induces cravings to consume more (addicted).


On the alleged addictiveness of sugar, check this blog post by Dr. Spencer Nadolsky

 

As to sugar making us fat: what makes us fat is overeating calories. Sugar does make it easy to pack a lot of calories in a smallish volume, so it’s easy to overeat. However, there are plenty of other non-sugary foods that meet the same criteria. Bottom line: if we can fit our sugary foods within our calories allotment, they won’t make us fat.

Dominique | Finland

Ionic, Aria, Flyer, TrendWeight | Windows 7, OS X 10.13.5 | Motorola Moto G6 (Android 9), iPad Air (iOS 12.4.4)

Take a look at the Fitbit help site for further assistance and information.

Best Answer

I agree with you, at the end of the day net calories determine weight.  What varies is individual metabolism.  Plus,  some hypothesize sugar alters the endocrine system causing obesity and disease such as diabetes.    I find it easier to not overeat if sugar is strictly minimized.  Sugar is very hard to eliminate, but strictly limited is essential for many.

Best Answer

I just read the blog.  It makes sense.

Best Answer

@Dominique wrote:

As to sugar making us fat: what makes us fat is overeating calories. Sugar does make it easy to pack a lot of calories in a smallish volume, so it’s easy to overeat. However, there are plenty of other non-sugary foods that meet the same criteria. Bottom line: if we can fit our sugary foods within our calories allotment, they won’t make us fat.


@Dominique -- may I challenge you and get your opinion on the following argument?

 

I would make a distinction between getting fat and gaining weight, and would say "what makes us gain weight is overeating calories". 

 

I'm interested in the idea that the proportion of blood sugar that is converted to fat versus glycogen in the muscles and liver varies with both insulin level and sensitivity.  My impression is that people who are insulin resistant tend to convert sugar to fat at a higher rate, even if they do not have a calorie surplus.  But, more to the point, I'm becoming of the opinion that even people who are not insulin resistant will convert more sugar to fat in the presence of higher insulin (when calorie neutral) than they would with lower insulin.  

 

I think you are more knowledgeable in this area than me given the way you have been lowering your body fat percentage.

Best Answer

RE my statement

"I believe I am allergic to and addicted to sugar

 

In the interest of not spreading potentially wrong information my concerns with sugar are from personal experience influenced by other like minded people.  To my knowledge, there is no research  proving my point on sugar.

 

The link posted by Dominique hypothesizes sugar is only a problem if it is combined in certain ways.  Those combinations represent those things (in addition to fried foods) that resulted in my over consumption.

 

I have been strictly controlling my sugar and my blood sugars have been tending higher.  Yesterday I included half a liter of red wine and 100 calories of frozen Outshine popsicles sweetened with sugar and sugar alcohols.  I had never heard of sugar alcohols before.  In any event my morning glucose read was 151 versus close to 200.  I am not craving more or feeling particularly hungry after the fact.  Go figure.

 

I note Dominique is from Finland.  The book "A case against sugar" by Gary Taubes cites Europe as having accepted cyclamates while the US shunned them.  I'm wondering is Dominque includes cyclamates in her diet.

 

Best Answer

@pjf53: I must admit I even didn’t know what cyclamate was. It turns out to be an artificial sweetener. I don’t know what case Gary Taubes is making with regards to cyclamate, but it’s probably not very relevant to the matter. I personally don’t consume artificial sweeteners. Not that I have anything against them: I’m convinced they’re perfectly safe for consumption by humans, it’s just that I have no need for them. I don’t drink soda (to people currently drinking a lot of non-diet soda, I would recommend switching to the diet versions if they really can’t do without them), I always buy the unflavoured version of protein powder and the like (I prefer to flavour it with items I pick up and dose myself) and using regular sugar isn’t a problem for me. This is what I use at home: 

  brown sugar.jpg

 

A 500 grams bag probably lasts me 2-3 months, so we’re looking at 2000 calories spread over the course of 60 to 90 days: that’s 20-30 calories per day, about 1% of my total caloric intake.

Dominique | Finland

Ionic, Aria, Flyer, TrendWeight | Windows 7, OS X 10.13.5 | Motorola Moto G6 (Android 9), iPad Air (iOS 12.4.4)

Take a look at the Fitbit help site for further assistance and information.

Best Answer

@Daves_Not_Here: I don’t have a medical background, nor one in the science of nutrition, so I won’t try to make claims about what happens to substrates that enter your blood stream. I understand insulin and carbs are often presented as the "bad guys" (by people like Gary Taubes etc.), but insulin is just a hormone with a purpose (or several purposes) and carbs are just one of the macronutrients our bodies can use. It’s not like there’s a conspiracy hatched by Big Food and your insulin to make you fat. Insulin can play against you (low sensitivity) if/when you’ve messed up with it for long enough (e.g. excessive caloric intake and a sedentary life style that lead to an unhealthy weight). One of the reasons I’m trying to get leaner is to improve my insulin sensitivity, which we know is very dependent on the amount of body fat we carry: being leaner makes it easier to gain muscle rather than fat (virtuous circle), while being fatter makes it easier to gain fat rather than muscle (vicious circle).

Dominique | Finland

Ionic, Aria, Flyer, TrendWeight | Windows 7, OS X 10.13.5 | Motorola Moto G6 (Android 9), iPad Air (iOS 12.4.4)

Take a look at the Fitbit help site for further assistance and information.

Best Answer

Maybe someone has already said this,  but it sounds to me like you’re eating too few calories. If you are burning 4000 calories a day and eating 1500, that’s a 3500 calorie deficit a day which would equal one pound... except it doesn’t, because if you starve your body of more than around 1000calories a day, it’s going to go into starvation mode and cling to every carb and fat gram you eat. I notice this for myself, like if i eat 1300 calories and even 100 of those calories are sugar or bread, I don’t lose weight, whereas if I eat 1500 (which is a more reasonable target at my height and weight) then my body is actually more effective at torching calories. If you went to 2000 calories tomorrow (which is still a deficit at your height, weight, and activity level) tomorrow, your body would hang onto those calories and you might gain. I’d gradually, over maybe 2 to 4 weeks, try to up your calories to maybe 1700 to 1800 if I were you and see what happens. Good luck!

Best Answer

hey. i have been having similar problems. things i have assessed in myself is sleep hours. i get up in the night for kids. if i dont get enough sleep, i lose zero weight no matter what i do. if i get 8 hours or more...even if its broken sleep... the weight comes off.

i have also looked at ways of increasing metabolism. iced water is a good way. your body kicks into gear to warm it up when you have a drink. it needs to be a fast drink....not a sip.

the exercise that you do, you might want to work out if you are pushing yourself or if you are in your comfort zone. changing your workout routine helps alot, your body gets used to the same routine so you wont see improvements.

Best Answer

muscle weight 4 times as much as fat. if you are getting stronger, its something to consider. getting to where you feel you look good is more important than picking a specific weight.

Best Answer

Yes, I’ve had exactly the same issue. This is how I resolved my issue. 

1. During intense workouts i use a polar heart rate monitor, the type with a chest strap. 

2. On my fitbit app I’ve manually selected how many calories a day i want to eat. Eating back your burnt calories doesn’t do you any good, so don’t use the “Help me set a goal” option . 

3. Use your fitbit for general day to day counting of steps, etc or for light but steady non intensive workouts. 

 

Now, before you do all of this, it’s important that you workout how many calories you need to consume on a daily basis, you’ve said 1500, so what i would do is stick to that every day and be careful of your weekend food consumption because it’s these social events that can set you back big time. Let me knoe how you go. 

Best Answer