Calories in vs calories out is just not working !

[noseriouslyguys]

Yes I know the principle is correct- I get it. But explain this to me then…

I’ve been weighing every bite I eat or drink for two months - PLUS exercising 5 times a week and I am not losing on the scale.

I have lost weight since the start of the year, without exercising at first, but now the scale is just standing still.

I create a deficit of 1000 calories a day and nada.

the scale teases me, it will say a certain low weight- then I get back on it and it says 2kg more the next day and it will show me that 2 kg more for another two weeks.

I have lost weight already by the way, without exercising since the start of the year- slowly. Maybe a kg a month- some months 2. I thought I would really tighten up my eating and track absolutely everything plus add in exercise. At first I thought it’s normal, water retention- but not after 2 months surely ?

I have gone to the gym a couple of times but mainly playing tennis. For 1-2 hours a day, 5 days a week. Sometimes 4. So it can’t be muscle gain from tennis.

anyway, I am not giving up- but it just makes no sense ?

I do agree with calories in vs calories out, but I have to drop down so extremely low- I mean 800 or so, to lose weight.

I currently eat between 1.200 and 1.500 a day ( max ).

All my clothes are stretchy. So I can’t tell.

Can you post your height/weight?

Are you tracking macros too, so plenty of protein and minimum 25-30g fibre a day?

Is your water intake good?

Do you track all the hidden calories - ALL drinks, like milk you put in coffee?

Are you literally measuring food to the gram?

Any medication which would impact it?

If you’re doing everything right, it might be worth a thyroid check!

I don’t really want to put my exact measurements. Yes I track my macros. I definitely struggle to get enough fibre.

I weigh everything, yes, even milk in my coffee or honey I add to Greek yoghurt. I know how it works. Even any oils. Everything.

I must be over estimating my total burn over all I reckon. I was losing more weight when not exercising and not tracking. I was just estimating roughly at the start. I do know it gets harder as you get smaller, which is why I’ve tightened things massively.

If you're working out a lot then you may not see a decrease in scales due to muscle. Perhaps you're maintaining the muscle you already have so you may be better to track your measurements weekly to see if the changes are happening in your shape. I would try this for a few weeks and ignore the scales. Don't get hung up on the numbers. I haven't weighed myself in years because the scale weight used to play with my mind. Fluctuation is normal with weight but it does funny things to our brains.

I am average height, rather active, and I would not lose on 1500. Sounds like you have managed to stabilise

Things that help me are lifting weights properly, as heavy as I can and ignoring exercise calories when deciding what to eat. I'm not trying to lose weight but that seems to maintain my weight reasonably well. I played around until my weight was stable.

That's really all you can do, drop the calories until you're ok with the weight loss rate. Give it ages each time though, see how it looks after say 6 weeks then adjust.

I currently eat between 1.200 and 1.500 a day ( max )

With the amount you exercise you're not eating enough. You're risking RED-S, osteoporosis.

Might seem contradictory but you do need to eat enough to support your daily needs to lose weight. It's a real tricky seesaw.

Check your scales. Either of them could be wrongly calibrated so giving misleading readings.

What are your macros? Eg protein, carbs, fat, fibre.

I don’t lose weight if i eat fruit (sadly). I suspect you aren’t eating enough protein or fibre. Protein has a thermal effect (eg it uses calories to digest).

i lose with roughly:

120g -130g protein (circa 500 cals)
100g (max) carbs almost all fibrous veg (circa 400 cals)
some fat for the rest eg 300 cals)

Fitbit and Apple watch massively over estimate calories burned.

Cut back on the honey, fruit and rice. Add protein and fibrous veg.

Get checked for insulin resistance. I say it on nearly every thread like this but it really was a game changer for me. Constantly reducing and reducing calories is really not sustainable or an enjoyable way to live. Obviously you can lose weight through starvation, but who would choose to live like that

I’m trying hard to eat enough protein, but you’re correct, sometimes I don’t. And I don’t get enough fibre either. Again, I try but it doesn’t work out every day.

Are you taking your BMR calories burned off the exercise burned?

I think you need to do more meal planning.

3 meals each with 40g protein (or three meals of
30g and a protein shake). Order the veg from
supermarket and plan when you’ll eat it. The current diet clearly isn’t working for you.

2500 calories a day TDEE is extremely unlikely unless you're very overweight - I used to burn that much when I was 15 stone and physically active - now I'm 11 stone and still active and my TDEE is 1900. Apple Watch calories are waaaay over. However if you're eating 1200-1500 a day you should still be losing. It's strange.

Maybe check out the book “Why Calories Don’t Count” or listen to a podcast where the author explains his view. He is a doctor who specialises in studying obesity.

People can’t help if you don’t put your height, weight, age in but based on what you have said, you aren’t in the deficit you think you are and have got it wrong. Being honest, you’re not going to be a medical marvel. 😬

I used my Apple Watch down to a T a few years ago to lose weight and it was absolutely fine. I think it’s probably off by 20 percent max. Nothing extreme. Like I said, it worked fine before when I lost weight and estimating my activity levels. I’m very active at the moment. I also walk a lot.

My maintenance is around 1500, 50s, normal BMI, in peri. It's bang on as my Samsung health thing generally estimates my calorie burn by the watch and I don't gain or lose weight

That’s nice of you.

I am not lying to myself at all. I’m doing a lot.

Calories do count 😆 a human body will always lose weight in a calorie deficit. They won't necessarily maintain their muscle or keep the weight off if they don't focus on macros and health, but calorie deficit will always cause weight loss.

So you actually believe you are in 1000 calories per day deficit and not losing weight? If so, you need to see a doctor.

Clearly not, otherwise you'd see results on the scales.

I’m not lying to myself !! For fuck sake !

I always work out my TDEE as sedentary, even though i’m not. I have a desk job but make sure I do 15k steps a day. Even if walking up and down the living room. Hard to know if your calories are correct as you’ve not said weight / height but i’m short (5ft 1) and only currently 2lbs over into overweight at 9st 7 when I started dieting and can’t eat more than 1100 if i want to lose. My most successful weight loss was covid, and I lost 24lbs. Then I was walking 20-25k steps a day, lots of home work outs. 50 miles a week equivalent. I can’t survive on 800 calories, so up my exercise. But I don’t trust the amount my Fitbit says i’ve burned and never eat back the calories burned through exercise.