calories in vs. calories out: what is too low?

[laxmom]

After 3 months of tracking and watching the progress on my fitbit, I have a pattern of having more calories out than calories in. I assigned myself the moderate weight loss plan (-500 calories per day); however, I am often around 700 to 1000 deficit a day. Over a week, I'll have a deficit of 7000 + calories. So one would think I would be losing weight, but no, I'm not. Not a pound. Not a single pound. So I wonder, at what point is the deficit too much? I eat on average 1300 a day but burn over 2100 on average.  Healthly foods plus exercise should equal weight loss. I have had all the medical tests. There is nothing wrong with me--per 3 doctors. My BMI is  32. Thoughts?

[Not_quite_fit]

Question 1: what are you eating? I find avoiding processed foods, white flour, sugar, and dairy works for me. An avocado and a bagel have the same amount of calories, but my body does not lose weight when I eat bagels. I don't know why, it probably has to do with nutrients.

Question 2: why is your deficit so high? are you hungry or not? at some point you need to listen to your body, and be a little bit hungry to lose weight, but not so hungry that your body thinks it's starving and holds on to any calories it gets for dear life.

Question 3: are you weighing your food? I just estimate and I figure that sometimes I am under, sometimes I am over - it should even out right? But I have been at this plateau for a couple of months now. Since the idea of weighing my food doesn't appeal to me at all, I'm gonna shake up my exercise routine and start training for a 10k run once the snow melts...

Hope that helps!

[laxmom]

I eat a balance between carbs and proteins. Despite my four failed attempts at WW, I do measure my food (still drive hubby crazy). I eat carbs. This morning, I had eggbeaters and 2 slices of toast with 1 tbsp margarine.  My normal is aJimmy Delight frozen sandwich. Lunch has been a can of soup with small salad, light dressing. I have a measuring spoon at my desk at work.  Dinner is more tricky as that meal varies more than others. I do estimate sometimes, but I am a creature of habit, so I usually have the same in a given two week cycle. 

The deficit is so high because my natural metabolism (which fitbit calculated based on weight and height) and my activity. I'm not hungry most days. If I am, I eat something.

I am signed up for 3 5ks this Spring. That is motivating. I may be heavy, but I'm out there! Best of luck on the 10K.

[Mary]

Do you have a deficit every week or just often?  If you have tens of thousands of deficit calories over the past 3 months and no weight loss (and no major water retention issues), I think what's happening is most likely some combo of both of these things:

1- You're underestimating your intake.  In lab tests where they trained dieters how to use a food scale and read labels and track meticulously, people still missed 25% of their calories on average.

2- Your Fitbit is overestimating your calorie burns.  This could be due to a number of things, including that the average BMR just doesn't work for you.  What tracker type do you wear and where do you wear it?  Do you also manually log activities?  Do you wear it on a rebounder or other device?  If you walk 100 steps, how many does it count?  

[laxmom]

Good thoughts! Every week, at least a 7000 calorie deficit. I didn't consider whether the tracking was off. I just tried it out. It was one step lower than what I took. I'm not sure how I can check the BMR. Generally, it's 1600 for me. So even with that number, even with a slight miscalculation of calories, I'm still negative over all, but no weight loss. So I was wondering if being so negative is causing the body to be in starvation mode. I was trying to see if anyone knows what is too much of a calorie deficiency?

[laxmom]

I wear the Flexbit on my non-dominant wrist. 

[Mary]

I'm more inclined to suspect your Flex is overestimating calories than that you're in some starvation mode at 1300, though try 1500 for a week and see what happens, maybe.  

On your calories chart, is there a lot of green bars?  How many steps do you average a day?  Do you get a lot of steps from things like typing or gesturing or do you work with your hands?  

I just looked at your steps and it looks reasonable for your calories.  

Did you recently up your workout intensity or change type?   That can make a lot of us plateau for a while.  (No, it's not 'building muscle' but it's water retention or something.)  Do your clothes feel any looser?  

Good for you for staying upbeat and positive.  It's hard when you do it all right and the scale doesn't cooperate.  

[missmarissa]

I would say your calories in are too low. You have to eat calories to burn them. If it was your fibit I think that would fluctuate each week, not be the same every single week. I think you should eat more, but continue to exercise.

[Not_quite_fit]

i would also question your fat intake - it doesn't seem like you are getting enough - and the food seems highly processed, margarine, light salad dressing, canned soup...that can't be as good for you as olive oil and fresh veggies. 

[Not_quite_fit]

but that's great about the 5k races - good luck!