Can anyone explain to me where I’m going wrong please?

[StudentHelp]

I piled on the weight due to a medication I was taking for my migraines. I’m talking 3 stone in around 5 months and a combination of not moving as much (due to pain), eating more comfort food and being engrossed in studies ended up with me at 188lbs. I was going to the gym still but usually only 3 times a week and would often struggle with long walks as I’d be knackered by the afternoon due to the meds so I’ve stopped them.

I started taking the gym more seriously in from November through to January and lost around 12lbs going 5-6 times a week, I was sometimes burning 900 calories and sometimes only 200 but I was going and that was the main thing. I was also walking to/from uni (3 miles) when the weather permitted.

Anyway, fast forward to lockdown and 2 weeks ago I weighed in at 180lb which upset me so I upped the workouts and continued counting all calories. MFP recommended 1340 to lose weight and I’ve been eating around 1600-2000 but making sure I burn atleast an extra 4000 calories through workouts each week so I’ve been earning them back, I think? This is not including a daily walk.

I’m getting stronger and more toned, moving up the resistance bands I’m using and doing more sets of exercises but I’ve weighed myself today and I’m 182lb. Is it because I had clothes, Apple Watch etc on and I’ve drank 2 litres of water already? Should I re-weigh myself in the morning before eating? Are the calculations made by my watch wildly out and I’m over eating?

I just feel like no matter what I do I’ll always be heavy. My BMI is almost 27. I’m 5 foot 9 and my clothes are getting loose (I still fit into a size 10-12 jeans but my busy is 32HH so top size varies) but I’m just not shifting the weight, and I should be, because I’m overweight!

I’m not in denial, I am weighing everything, the butter on a bagel, any oats I use, my veggies, any dipping sauces, everything!

What else can I do?

What did you do today for the 520 calories burned? I think MFP and Strava massively over estimate the calories lost from exercise. I can run for an hour and probably burn around 600 calories absolute max, according toheart rate monitors or calculations. I am 5’7” and around 135lbs.

When I go to the gym for a pretty tough weights session, lifting heavy for around 40 minutes, it’s probably 200-300 calories again absolute max and depending on the muscle groups.

It is confusing. Like other posters, I did not eat my exercise calories back. You do a lot of exercise though, so you might need to eat some of them back just to not lose weight too fast/in a unhealthy way.

@PARunnerGirl

A HIIT workout with resistance bands, with skipping to get my heart rate up, used some plate weights for some of the exercises and then did some more skipping and sore extra core body things such as plank jacks etc.

Other days I've done AMRAP as the weights I'm using are much lower

I just feel like crying, I'm really struggling with being stuck in and I'm trying to focus on my degree and finding it all so hard and then to top it off I'm getting even fatter.

I'm hungry right now but don't want to eat as I feel like I'm setting myself back and I'm just really scared of becoming obsessive over every little thing I eat

You don't HAVE to add on your exercise and, if you find it confusing, then don't. I lift heavy weights during show season but I never add the burn to MFP. I know what I need to eat to get in competition shape. I don't get extra no matter what I do in the gym

Runnergirl- I agree MFP definitely overestimates the calories burned for any exercise!

It's the apple watch adding it into MFP, I'll try and turn it off

If you're hungry, go eat.

Are you getting a healthy diet? Do you use much of your intake on sweet treats, processed foods or alcohol, which have limited nutritional value?

Don't cry. Focus on your goal. And don't rush it

Does this mean I'll have to eat 1300 calories every day forever more or less when I lose weight?

I thought if you eat less than you burn you won't put on weight and if my BMR is 1900 I could eat that as long as I moved and did some exercise and that would keep my weight steady

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace that's how I think about it too. As insurance. Never eat back your calories but take it as a positive that you're toning up. Also don't weigh yourself every day. I was getting myself in such a state with that. Weight yourself once a week at the same time every week and try and make sure it is in the same situation i.e. if you have your dinner beforehand always have your dinner beforehand etc.

Also I've been doing some zoom fitness classes with my friends and I think that's been good for me as I mainly do gym classes and I've been missing the positivity from other people when doing them so that has worked well for me.

OK. So .... where did the BMR figure of 1900 come from? Just trying to understand. If that's your 'resting' requirement in the course of a normal day — ie, without accounting for exercise — then you should maintain your weight at that calorie intake.

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace
I'm veggie and do eat probably more bread than I should and I also don't like wet foods as I have some strange sensory aversion to them so all the veg I eat is raw.
I don't drink alcohol and I do sometimes eat chocolate but usually 1 small bar a day maximum.

In a typical day I'd probably have half a bagel and protein shake for breakfast using almond milk. I've drank those since I was a young teen as I struggled to get any protein.

Don't often have lunch.
But I often have an early dinner where I'd probably have a red pepper, some sweet potato (will roast this with some spices and I use one of those 1 cal spray oils), some tofu or some halloumi and then maybe a bar of chocolate (multi pack one so smaller).

I drink water a lot of water and I always have done, at least 5 litres a day. I had lots of investigations to see why but they couldn't find a reason. Been tested for diabetes 4 times but I'm just always thirsty. I also drink maybe 1 can of pepsi max each day.

I agree if you are hungry, eat. Make sure you have enough protein though. You listed very healthy foods in your OP but no protein.

Insofar as 1300 calories “forever” to lose weight. No. It will get lower as you age and your metabolism (BMR) goes down. Most people really start to notice a difference in mid30s to early 40s. It slows again once over 60 (post menopause).

Sorry x posted, have seen your protein update.

The BMR was just from a calculator I used online. I thought since I'm 5 foot 9 I'd need a decent amount of calories so it seemed right.

That’s a good point nice legs, if the BMR of 1900 was based on checking “active lifestyle” then MFP has already factored in several hours exercise per week.

If anyone has any suggestions for veggie recipes I'd appreciate it though! I won't eat soup, curry etc but I would eat a pasta sauce and will have sauces as sides. I just don't like the texture of boiled carrots etc either.

Using this calculator www.thecalculatorsite.com/health/bmr-calculator.php
It says my BMR is 1654
sedentary: 1985
Lightly active: 2274
Moderately active: 2564
Highly active: 2853
Super athletic: 3143

I assumed I'd be lightly to moderately active

I understand how BMR works in animals, I'm meant to be a bloody vet student, but I don't think I'll even get through this year, but I'm getting all muddled with how it works for me.

I don't know why I'm so confused, it's probably the stress of all the deadlines and exams looming but I feel like I'm losing mind.

So you are vegetarian and have one portion of veg a day and no fruit ? Weird!

Personally I’d cut the carbs like the bagel, potato, shake and chocolate.

And add a shit load of green veg / salad and more protein and fat to keep you full. Do you eat eggs ? Is yoghurt too wet ? Do you eat nuts ?

I don't have the same thing every day, it was just an example.
I don't eat eggs, no as I don't like them and I don't eat yoghurt either.
I like all nuts except peanuts.

In terms of green veg etc I'm not really sure what to do with it and how to make it into a meal. I always have green veg in for my guinea pigs but I need to be careful with calcium and phosphorus ratio etc to prevent bladder stones so some green veg is much better than others.
Is that the same for us?

If you are a vet student then you must know some basic science. Whatever calculations you have done, they are incorrect FOR YOU because they are not working for you.

Weight loss is at least 80% food and only 20% exercise yet you are trying to do it through exercise.

As a PP said

As a general rule, people hugely underestimate their food intake. And overestimate the calories used in exercise. Having a reevaluation on these two things may help

That’s physics.

You are eating a lot of carbs for a relatively small amount of food. That will be affecting your bodies ability to burn stored fat, because of insulin levels.

That’s biology.

I do eat apples sometimes but I live with a girl who is very into the gym and she said not to eat fruit due to the high sugar content and just have nothing at all. She said that was my issue, I like more fruit than I do veg and eating 3 portions of fruit a day (e.g. an apple, some pommegranate and some grapes/ coconut/raspberries) was my issue.

To lose fat you have to be in a calorie deficit. Don’t eat more just because you have exercised, I have a fitbit, it thinks I used 783 calories doing some weights this morning, if I ate 783 additional calories everyday I wouldn’t be in a calorie deficit so my weight would not decrease.

Could you post a typical daily menu including absolutely everything, even milk in a coffee etc.

Hunger is normal and not something to be feared if you are eating three balanced meals per day. I’m hungry, dinner isn’t until 5:30, I’ll survive.

Why are you eating a chocolate bar a day? Them being tasty is not the answer I’m after.

@I0NA

I know they're not working for me, that's why I'm asking for help.