I've had this problem every time I've tried to diet and could use some advice.
The calorie goal calculator on Livestrong seemed like it was accurate. Some online say I can eat 2800 calories a day to lose weight, which is SO not true. Livestrong said to lose 1 pound a week I need 2490 calories. To lose 2 a week, I need 1990.
The first few days of the year I averaged 2480 a day and was gaining, so I reduced the goal. Since the 4th, I've had an average of 2118 calories a day, but I gained another pound according to the doctor's scale yesterday. I've exercised every day an average of 25 minutes (walking and low impact aerobics, definitely getting my pulse up).
Any advice? Surely at my weight and with exercise, I should be losing at 2118 per day, right? I'm pretty discouraged today.
Hi stranded, yes I would expect that you would be losing at that calorie level. A few questions though.
Are you weighing your servings? Many of us have found that it is much more accurate than measuring cups (and quicker too).
Do you eat a lot of sodium or carbs? Both of these things can cause water retention.
Are you close to ovulation or your period? It is common to gain a few pounds (again that pesky water retention) around those times.
Unfortunately it's not an exact science, and with the many fluctuations that happen naturally, you can't tell the effect of a particular calorie level until you have followed it for at least a month, even two.
I am sorry you are feeling discouraged!! Hang in there. Stick with your current calories and exercise and see how it goes. Drink lots of water too!
a calory in fact is the amount of energy needed to heat 1g of water in 1 degree Celsius...For example, to raise 1 gram of water from 29C to 30C...Yet, what we use as "calory" is in fact KiloCalory, which means Kilo (1000 in greek) times one calory, therefore what we refer to as "calory" accounts for 1000 calories actually. A healthy diet for women is one of about 1500 "calories" as we call them
UGH I have this problem too... all the online calculators say I can eat like 2900 calories a day and still lose weight. SHEEYEAH, RIGHT. Finally MyFitnessPal said to lose 2 pounds a week I should eat 2,090 calories a day, but that still seemed a bit much so I usually go with about 1,800 instead. I seem to do good on that.
Thanks Juliana, maybe it IS the sodium. The produce has been really weak the last few times I've shopped, so I've eaten more soups and Smart Ones than usual. As for measuring the non-packaged foods, I sometimes weigh servings of meats, but everything else is measured in cups or teaspoons. It's easier for me to figure that way.
I get the same thing, Lunalore! When I was maintaining my weight I ate about 2600 calories a day, so I was shocked when a calculator told me I'd lose weight at 2800!
Maybe I should go lower to that 1990 goal plus drink more water, give it a week or two and see what happens.
Although it seems like you've made a decision, my experience is so much like yours that I'll throw in my 2 cents.
Everyone's metabolism is different. When I was 33, I was able to lose starting at 2200, but now that I'm 44, I had to start out at 2000, and quickly found I needed to move downward, even with daily exercise, in order to lose--and I'm still losing slowly.
Bottom line: if you were maintaining at 2600, then clearly your metabolism is slower than the calculators think it should be, so, start at 2600, subtract 500, and that's what a person with a "normal" metabolic rate should need to lose a pound a week. But since your metabolism seems, like mine, a little slow, 2000 (or that 1990 you sound like you're targeting) might be a better estimate for what it will take to lose a pound a week.
Also, remember that there's some delay between a week of calorie deficits and the weight that's lost as a result: many of us stay OP for weeks with no loss, then suddenly the scale is down 5-6 pounds (rather than coming off steadily each week).
Hang in there--as long as you're below your maintenance level, you're doing good things, at the minimum working on changing habits.
One question I have -- are you weighing yourself on the same scale in the same situation (eg. always in the morning). That can really affect the scale numbers too.
As for the calories. The best thing to do is to pick a number (like 2000), see how things go for 2-3 weeks and adjust from there. Make sure you're righting down everything you eat or drink and measuring. If you gain or maintain, lower by a couple hundred calories and track another couple of weeks.
I have extra issues like hypothyroid and PCOS/IR so the typical calculator online won't work.
What does work is not changing a THING. And food logging that week. Figuring out the daily average *I* eat to maintain.
And then -500 calories from THAT. Or doing a -250 from exercise and -250 from food log.
It is true the period hormones will cause bloat. So will sodium. Try not too panic. If the food log says it is supposed to be at X, it will usually calm back down to X once the sodium is flushed out or your are past TOM.
Thanks for the suggestions about subtracting 500 calories from what I maintained at. That's a good rule of thumb, and I think the 1990 I'm going with is close enough that I'll stick with it.
The water seems to have been a big factor. I've been measuring to make sure I get 64 oz a day, and it seems like even my digestion has improved.
My own scale is half broken, but now that you mention it, the doctor DID get a new scale. The old one weighed me 304 two weeks ago, the new digital one weighed me 306 on Thursday. I think I'm going to go to the store tonight and get a new scale and use it exclusively so I get consistent readings. I wish I had remembered they had a new scale! I feel kind of silly now.
Try taking your measurements too. I always see a change in the measuring tape before the scale moves. I'm not sure if I retain water or build muscle quickly or what, but that darn scale hates me and refuses to budge, even if my clothes are practically falling off my body.
Confused about calories
and try hard to trick you!!
