I don't get it

Could someone please help me with the maths?

I was looking at the analysis and compared the calories I've burnt. When I look at the analysis I have been eating 1789 calories in general every day (my target is 1950 according to CC). The mean became higher because of 7 munchies days. Normally I eat about 1500-1600 calories. So I have been eating less than advised, but not that low that I think I'm under eating.  

I have been visiting the gym 3x a week (that's what I have time for). I burn between 800 and 1500+ per work out session and around 350 on days I do "nothing". In total it was 16927 calories -> about 600 calories per log day.

So with a mean of 1789 calories per day and around 600 calories burnt I would expect to lose more. The 16927/3500 would have to result in 4.8 kg.... and it was exactly 1 :-)

What went "wrong"? And what can I do to change to make December a better month?

Jolanda

How long have you been working out? How are your clothes fitting? Remember it's not about the number at all...It's not about losing weight. It's about being healthy. If you do it for that reason, it's more likely something you can stick with. If you are burning between 800-1500 calories per workout session, yeah wow don't worry the weight will come off. Even if you were eating 2000 calories a day, you would still lose. You may be overworking out, but I wouldn't worry just yet.

Keep in mind, the more active you are (exercise etc) the MORE you have to eat to lose weight. Your body needs the fuel and will cling on to fat if it is being under-fed for your activity level. 1789/day doesn't seem like much if you are burning nearly 1500 with exercise sometimes.

Original Post by jcbolt: Could someone please help me with the maths?

I'm not sure I quite understand this part: "I burn between 800 and 1500+ per work out session and around 350 on days I do "nothing". " There are no days when you burn only 350. Depending on your height and weight, it might be, what, 2000 maybe? And maybe 3,000 with a 1,000 calorie workout (that's quite a workout. I run 5k several times a week and figure it's good for maybe 400-500 calories) So if you're eating an average of 1789, let's call it 1,800 calories per day, you have a calorie deficit each day of 200 - 1,200 calories. Let's say 700 per day on average between your workout days and non-workout days. You then have a weekly deficit of 4,900. A kilogram is roughly equivalent to 7,500 calories so you'd lose .65 kilograms each week. Nothing wrong with that. CC recommends you not try and lose more than .5 to 1 kg per week. What are you hoping for?

Original Post by southcarolinaguy:

Original Post by jcbolt: Could someone please help me with the maths?

I'm not sure I quite understand this part: "I burn between 800 and 1500+ per work out session and around 350 on days I do "nothing". " There are no days when you burn only 350. Depending on your height and weight, it might be, what, 2000 maybe? And maybe 3,000 with a 1,000 calorie workout (that's quite a workout. [..] CC recommends you not try and lose more than .5 to 1 kg per week. What are you hoping for?

Hi Southcarolineguy,

You are right: it is 350 above the normal sleep/breath level of 2250. So on days that I do not work out I do go to work by bike and walk to and from the buildings at work, which counts up for the 350 calories. It comes to about 2500 on those days.

I do not want to lose more than 1 kg per week, I'd even rather have it between .5 and .75kg. So I'm not asking for an unhealthy way to lose way.

When I work out I do 30 minutes of 100 watts cycling, 30 minutes of the stair thingy and 30 minutes of weight lifting. When I also go to work by bike I reach around 1000 calories in the log. If I'm unlucky at work I have meetings all day long (short ones) and I walk from meeting to meeting (our hospital is really big and it takes about 10 minutes to walk from my office (half way) to the front. So burn results can go up like mad. So yeah: that's quite a work out :-)

Hope this helps, Jo 

Okay, I think I got it now. No need for me to go back through the math because it looks like if anything, I was underestimating how many calories you burn. And your question is: Why didn't I lose more than 1 kg in November and how can I do better?

You will get a wide variety of answers from people on cc such as: Eat more of this food and less of that food. But my philosophy, based on my reading of medical literature, is by-the-numbers which means you are doing the right thing by focusing on calories and burn rate. That's assuming you're getting decent balance: Plenty of fruits, vegetables, protein, fiber etc.

From what I can see, there isn't anything you should change. Which leaves the question, why didn't you lose more in November.

In my amateur opinion, these are the possibilities:

• Your body hasn't adjusted to the lower caloric intake and is trying conserve energy, so it's fighting you. It will catch up if you keep at it.
• You could be underestimating your calories consumed and overestimating your calories burned. I have no way of knowing that, just something you might want to look at. I know if I don't write down what I eat the minute I eat it, I forget I ate it. On the burn side, I estimate low. As I said, I burn 400 calories on a 5k run 3-4 times per week. But that's a low estimate based on an average number from the CC database without regard to terrain and I run a very hilly course. It might really be 600 but I record 400.

I might be wrong, but from looking at your profile, you haven't been at this very long. My experience (since May of this year) is that keeping focused and consistent is difficult because the results can at times be inconsistent. I weigh myself every day (that's not for everybody but it works for me) but I tune out the day-to-day ups and downs. There are a lot of short-term variables, mainly water retention and then water loss. I log the daily weight in the CC weight log and the ups and downs are there but the long term trendline is down.

Congratulations on your discipline so far and good luck. It looks like you're doing well to me.

 

 

Thank you so much for your interesting advice.

I think I have a well balance "diet" these days. Lots of fiber, veggies, even fruit (wow!). I try to drink enough (but I find that hard). I log my food quite precisely. I measure and weigh and even make a note if I don't get to a computer for a longer period. But after that I log it all. You are right it is easy to 'forget' but I have been quite honest with myself lately.

Your suggestion that my body is fighting me could be a reason. In my life I've never really been NOT on a diet of some sort and I have a feeling I've ruined my body severely by overeating, no exercise and even by a decade of bulemia and a bit too much exercise. So yeah my body has an attitude. I don't blame it. But the way I look at it now is that if I just keep on hanging on and do what I'm doing now I will "win".

Thanks for your advice!!

Good luck. Just stay focused on the things you can control and let go of the things you can't and you'll do fine.