Not eating enough? metabolism messed up? eating too much? help!

[vermonter2016]

Hello, I am a 27 year old female, 5'6" 162 lbs. I have been unhappy with my weight for as long as I can remember, which led to intense undereating in middle and high school and a battle to love myself which has gone better at some times than others in my adulthood thus far.  A few years ago I gained stepped on the scale (which I generally try to stay away from for mental health) shortly after a breakup (thinking, I wanna get/stay in shape, i'm single now!) and I was 153 (I had sat relatively comfortably and effortlessly at 149-152 range for about 5 years). A week later I was 157. I reacted by eating nothing but fruit and raw veggies. A week later i was 161. Over the next few weeks it rose to 163 and stopped there. I have never been able to get back down since. I should mention that when this weight was put on was during a time in whcih I had started to drink more regularly/habitually (not just out on the weekends).

Now, here I am 3 years later and I still feel so uncomfortable in my body. My weight hasn't changed despite periods of heavy drinking and carb loading during my time in Italy, but also despite months on end of VERY healthy eating, rare drinking, and daily working out in grad school. My dad recently gave me a fitbit (my brother had given it to him and he wasnt interested) so i decided to try it out, even though I have had bad experiences in the past with scales and calories and obsessing. I was looking mostly to monitor heart rate, sleep, steps, and not so much calories. For the first few days I didn't enter in any food or pay much attention to calories burned. 

However, I noticed that my calories burned on average is higher than I had ever imgined in my life (avg. 2400- I workout every day, bike all over campus, get 10,000 steps or close every day). So, for the last few days I have been eating as normal (which is how I ate the whole last school year too- I spent the summer in Rome with my boyfriend so definitely ate and drank more than normal, but the 20,000 steps/day seem to have kept that from affecting my weight) and then logging afterwards, just to get a sense for about where I am at. I should add that I cook everything at home, grad stipends do not allow for much eating out. I set my goal to 1 lb weight loss a week, because i wanted to get a sense for what that amount of eating would look like. At this moment, I am 800 calories UNDER my goal which is 500 calories UNDER my TDEE/estimated total calorie output for today and I am not hungry and have no interest in eating anything else tonight. Yesterday I was also about 300 under my goal of a 500 calorie deficit so i did make myself eat a snack (yesterday i ended up eating about 1700, even though my goal was 1800-1900-- it felt like a lot of food). The day before I would have been at about 1400 calories for the day (remember, goal 1900, TDEE about 2400) BUT i had a beer that was 280 calories so it brought me up to almost 1700.

I purposefully did this this way (counting afterwards/not planning around calories allowances from fitbit) to get a true snapshot of how I normally eat. I thought I was eating a normal amount or maybe even a bit too much. According to the Fitbit, though, I am eating 800-1000 calories under and feeling full. This is the same kind of diet I ate all of last year, and I was discouraged I could not lose weight despite being more active and rarely drinking. I am not so overweight that a 1000 calorie deficit is healthy (from what I have read). Is the fitbit grossly overestimating? Do I need to eat more? I also might mention that I rarely feel hungry--- I am lucky if once a day I experience that sensation. Did I screw up my metabolism as an adolescent? I have had periods of my life in which, because of job schedules, I ate well and regularly 3 meals a day and weighed less than I do now. Do I just start eating more? How do I do that? I hardly think running out and buying a pint of ice cream is going to help me feel better either. I am terrified of gaining any more weight. I do not want to obsess over each and every calorie, but if I generally need to work a few hundred more calories into my diet to make myself healthier and perhaps also help with my weight, it would be good to know.

[A_Lurker]

I have a Charge HR and I posted earlier today that it seems to take about 4100 calories to lose a pound.  This kind of makes sense as I feel no matter how diligent you are on tracking you may be off a little.  So, when I combine that with the tracker being an 'average' based on BMR formulas and such... well, it makes sense.

So, yes, it could be off by a bit.  Your tracking could be off by a bit.  You don't need to add tons of food to increase your calories (high density items - nuts, peanut butter, oils, etc.).  As to if you need to reset your metabolism, I'm not sure anyone knows.  I tend to use this link for people to read:  http://eatmore2weighless.com/the-metabolism-reset-guide/

However, like everything else, finding out where you are isn't necessarily a bad thing.  You're aiming for a 500 calorie defecit.  How long have you been tracking.  I'd say maybe don't worry about a 750 calorie defecit and do it for a number of weeks (3-4) and see where you are.  Then adjust and see what happens.  At your age don't forget that your monthly cycle can also cause water retention.  ie. don't freak out if you gain just before it, that's not uncommon.

[vermonter2016]

Thanks, I will check that out.

I have only logged for a few days thus far, but i have used MFP in the past (going on an extra walk at the end of the day if i went over by even 100 calories, regardless of if id already worked out a lot that day--- i was set to 1310 at the time) and I never lost a pound.

I'd also like to add that when I have tracked I have been very sensitive to underestimating calories-- so if I think I had a tablespoon of olive oil, I enter 2 tablespoons, 2 ounces of cheese I enter 4 ounces, etc.

[A_Lurker]

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@vermonter2016 wrote:

I'd also like to add that when I have tracked I have been very sensitive to underestimating calories-- so if I think I had a tablespoon of olive oil, I enter 2 tablespoons, 2 ounces of cheese I enter 4 ounces, etc.

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I'd work on getting a true picture.  Doubling high calorie items could mean you're eating less than you think.  If you're eating out that's what I do - always assume there's more in the meal than you would put in yourself.  As I said, knowing where you actually are for a couple of weeks minimum can help with your decision about what to do.  I'm probably not the person to help you with losing a smaller amount (well, not yet).  I'm sure others will chime in with their help.

[GershonSurge]

I suggest reading this article by Dr. McDougall on setpoints.

[SunsetRunner]

Something seems wrong about your numbers. My TDEE according to my fitbit is 2,200-2,400 depending on what errands I'm doing for the day and that's when I don't exercise. I'm hardly what you would call an active person. I know height, age, etc. can effect how much a person burns, but it's usually not that much of a difference unless you're like an olympic athlete.

Lets try process of elimination. Assuming you are accurately weighing and measuring your food, try cutting back calories by about 300 for a couple weeks. If you usually do not feel hungry then it shouldn't be a problem for you. It's possible you are eating at maintenance and not relizing it.

If you still are not losing weight, take a look at what you are eating. Does your food mainly consist of pre-packaged food items? Do you eat foods/drinks with a lot of sodium? Do you eat junk food? Do you drink enough water?  There was a point when I stopped losing weight. I was watching my sodium, sugar, calories, and drank plenty of water. I kept my sodium down to 1,500 mg - 1,700 mg. Turned out I wasn't getting enough potassium to help flush out the sodium in my system. After I started taking potassium suppliments along with magnesium, potassium can't get through the cell membrane wihout magnesium, I started losing weight again. Go through your food diary and see if there are any areas you could improve.

If you still are not losing weight, eat at maintence calories for a while (about 2 weeks) and then go back to your deficit. People also have had success with breaking plateaus using intermittent fasting.

If you still are not losing weight, see a doctor. There could be something else going on.

[Dominique]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I know height, age, etc. can effect how much a person burns, but it's usually not that much of a difference unless you're like an olympic athlete. 

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Sorry, but size, age and activity level do make a big difference. For instance, I burn roughly twice my BMR (3000 vs. 1500) because I’m quite active (though definitely not an olympic athlete). If I were 15 cm taller and 10 kg heavier (same BMI), I would burn about 400 calories more at my activity level.

[vermonter2016]

Thank you for all the responses, but I feel I need to clarify a few things.

I drink lots of water, have never been a soda or other sugary drinks drinker at all, and I have been to McDonald's and the like PERHAPS 5 times in my entire life (the last time I would've been like 12). I grew up in a household where red meat and white flour were no no's. I eat mostly vegetarian out of habit/ease/budget as much as preference.  I cook everything at home from scratch. Occasionally I will buy a snack size bag of smart food popcorn on campus from a vending machine.

I do not think I have ever eaten at maintenance consistently. Now that I have had a few more days to track (again I DO NOT plan my eating around calorie goals, I just eat what I am in the habit of eating/what seems like a normal amount to me- it often seems like maybe too much to my brain) AND THEN i track it. Because I do not eat out I know exactly what goes into everything I eat. 

Monday: I ate 1470 calories, I burned 2381

Tues: I ate 1331, I burned 2284

Wed: (I inputed all the food I have eaten/packed with me to eat today as I am on campus through the evening) 1181, so far I have burned 1348 and expect it will be similar to the last two days in total. 

I workout 5-6 days a week, sometimes it is a 1 hour walk, sometimes a 30 minute run/walk, sometimes a one hour cardio class, 45 mins resistance training twice a week, and yoga interspersed randomly within. Plus I bike every day to commute, at least 20 mins total, but sometimes more.

THIS IS NOT DIETING FOR ME, this is normal. I did not intentionally CREATE this deficit, the fitbit is what made me aware that there even was such a deficit between what i eat and what i burn.

 Also when I think I've used 1 TBSP of olive oil, for example, I input 2. So gross underestimating is unlikely.

I understand I have only been logging for a short amount of time. But what I want to know, is in an imaginary world in which you could trust that this is how I eat 90% of the time and have done so for years, would you say this amount of deficit is helpful/healthy?

Thank you for any further thoughts.

[SunsetRunner]

"Also when I think I've used 1 TBSP of olive oil, for example, I input 2. So gross underestimating is unlikely."

You keep using the phrase "I think", in other words, you're not sure. Are you acurately weighing and measuring your food or are you guesstimating? You either know how much you're eating or your don't.

[Dominique]

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@vermonter2016 wrote:

Hello, I am a 27 year old female, 5'6" 162 lbs. I have been unhappy with my weight for as long as I can remember

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On the positive side:

1) you’re young -> higher metabolism

2) you’re relatively tall (for a woman) -> again, you burn more, which means you can eat more

3) your BMI is 26.1 -> you only need to lose 7 lbs to reach the normal range (compare that to people –  especially older and shorter ones –  who need to lose 100+)

4) you cook everything at home from scratch -> you have full control over what gets into your mouth

You only need minor adjustments to your diet and exercise in order to reach  a weight you’d be happy with. Just don’t take calories burned reported by your Fitbit for granted: your Fitbit may overestimate them. Just experiment, by either slightly reducing your intake or slightly increasing your activity (or both), until things start moving in the right direction. Also use body measurements in addition to the scale.

[SunsetRunner]

@Dominique I guess it would depend on what you think is a big difference. Obviously we have different opinions about how much qualifies as a big difference. Nevermind that. That's not the point. The point is OP is active enough to burn more than enough calories and should be losing weight assuming the food logging is accurate.

[vermonter2016]

What I mean by that is if, for example, I eyeball 2 TBSP to sautee veggies in, but then I divide those veggies into two for two different meals, I log 2 TBSP just for half of those veggies.

Anything like rice/grains I have measured using measuring cups.

I am wary of measuring exactly everything I eat because of my history of becoming unhealthily obsessive.

[vermonter2016]

The thing that is strange about this to me is this is how I have eaten for years (if anything when I weight 150 I ate a bit more) but generally this is how I have always eaten and have not lost weight.

The only time this hasnt been how I have eaten has been when I was in Italy, during which time I ate a lot of pizza and pasta and more sugary thigns than I ever do here (croissants, gelato) as well as drank a lot more alcohol. During those times I never lost or gained weight (one time was for 10 months, one for 3) which I assume is due to the fact that I walk a lot more there (but do not work out in any other way like I do here)

[SunsetRunner]

It's possible the amount of walking you did there compensated for the extra calories you ate. Some people handle carbs a lot better than others too. If I ate all that I would blow up like a baloon. Sugar itself doesn't make you gain weight. It can cause other health conditions if it's a consistant thing you do. I would give the process of elimation a try and then if it still doen't work go see a doctor. Bring your history to the doctor's attention. It's likely the first thing the doctor will ask you is how much are you eating? and have you tried other weight management options?

[emili]

In my opinion and this is strictly my opinion- you are burning less and eating more than you think. I don't know how you can log at the end of the day and remember exactly how much of everything you ate. I have been counting calories for more than two years now and I still have to look up calories between blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. And I eat them every day. I completely support and understand the need to not become compulsive- I just don't think your numbers are right.

[vermonter2016]

@SunsetRunner the weird thing is i literally do not know an italian who does not eat like this regularly (regarding carbs), and i also know maybe 1 who is even overweight at all and 0 who are obese. but yes i thikn i generally do better with carbs than some others. too much meat tends to mess up by digestion a bit.

i am seeing a doctor and plan on talking to him about my family history of hashimotos as well as bringing print outs of my fitbit logs.

[vermonter2016]

@emili yes i hear you and am taking that and all options into consideration. i think maybe i did not explain myself well with the calorie counting, though.

when i say after, i do not mean that i log at the end of the day. what i mean is i plan and pack my meals not based on trying to meet any sort of total calorie goal for the day. so, for example, i have been eating a frittata I made here and there. It had 8 eggs, 3 oz cheese, 1/2 zucchini and 1/2 broccoli floret. I calculated the total calories on myfitnesspal and since i have been eating it 1/4 at a time, AND since I pack all of my food for the entire day ahead of tiem, I put together all the food (which has been measured as I cooked/packed it, i.e. 1 cup of rice in this tupperware, 1 cup there, etc) AND THEN I add what I have packed for the day, which has been previously measured. THEN, if I end up needing a snack that I hadn't planned for originally, i.e. a banana or kind bar typically, then I add those in as need be. But typically my calories are all figured out before I even leave the house, based on my cooking, measuring, and packing. I know this is confusing, but before I was trying to emphasize that WHEN i cooked and packed those meals I was not doing so with a calorie intention in mind, it was AFTER i did so that i logged calories. to me this is significant because it is revealing of my thinking about what is a normal amount of food to be eating. does that make more sense?

[A_Lurker]

Carbs are not the enemy, neither is fat or protein.  Changing from high protein to high carb can mess with  glycogen, and hence water retention.  This is why people changing from high carb to high protein often drop a large amount of weight fast.  Then if they go back to higher carb they may gain some of that weight back.

I understand about the compulsive nature, but... without knowing what you're actually eating you could be way off (high or low).  I know you don't think so, but if you use 2tb of oil to cook a dish for 2 people, you should be counting 1Tb for your portion. Only because that difference is 120 calories.  Maybe be exact for a week or two, then slack off.   Knowing exactly where you are can help you decide what to do next.

I actually do a lot of my own cooking as well.  I will sometimes do a large batch, divide it up, and divide up the calories.  Maybe day one I have 5% more, but day three I may have 5% less.  That kind of stuff evens out in the end.

[theldenn]

I seem to workout more in the evening and then Iam way under my food goal.  Is it better to be 1000 calories under or to eat in the evening to catch up?

[A_Lurker]

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@theldenn wrote:

I seem to workout more in the evening and then Iam way under my food goal.  Is it better to be 1000 calories under or to eat in the evening to catch up?

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Tough one to answer.  Chronic undereating can be just as bad as chronic overeating.  Too little fuel for your body can be bad.  So, first question - are you already aiming for a deficit?  If not, then being 1000 calories under puts you in diet mode.  This is not necessarily a bad thing.  However, if you have already set 1000 calorie deficit then I wouldn't be under by 2000 at the end of the day.

Another question - is this one to three nights a week, or all of them. I'd give a different answer depending on yours.

Myself, I'm very bad at times for being under calories after dinner.  I aim for -1000 a day, but I know I personally can't do -2000 for very long.   I've done this in the past and I tend to end up with some type of illness that either derails me completely (if done for too long) or wears me out.  However, on really higher burn days I definitely have more than 1000 calories of a deficit.

When you work out in the evening, is it planned?  If it's planned try to eat a snack say mid-afternoon to bring your calories up.  Then after your workout take something as well.  You can pack a lot of calories into a smoothie if you want.  Tonight I was more than 500 calories down (wasn't sure I was going to make up my activities) so I had 110g of a trail mix.  (wheat-free tamari, raw crunchy almonds, non-roasted divine cashews, sweet cranberries infused in apple juice, energizing goji berries and flavourful sunflower seeds)