★OFFICIAL DAILY★ Daily Q&A Thread August 21, 2024

[u/AutoModerator]

Got a question? We've got answers!

Do you have question but don't want to make a whole post? That's fine. Ask right here! What is on your mind? Everyone is welcome to ask questions or provide answers. No question is too minor or small.

TIPS:

• Include your stats if appropriate/relevant (or better yet, update your flair!)
• Check the FAQ and other resources in the sidebar!

Due to space limitations, this may be a sticky only occasionally. Please find it daily using the sidebar if needed.

Don't forget to comment and interact with other posters here, let's keep the good vibes going!

Daily Threads

• US Accountability Challenge: Stay accountable with friends from North America.
• EU Accountability Challenge: Stay accountable with friends from the EU.
• Daily Q&A Thread: Post your questions, receive answers.
• SV/NSV Feats of the Day: Share your scale victories and non-scale victories.

Weekly Threads

• Day 1 Monday: Introduce yourself and share your goals and strategies.
• Tantrum Tuesday: Share your complaints, vents and gripes.
• Weigh-In Wednesday: Share your weigh-in progress and graphs.
• Track with Me Thursday: Make new friends and find accountability buddies.
• Foodie Friday: Share your favorite recipes and meal pics.
• Century Club: For those who have lost or would like to lose 100lb+.

[u/icameasathrowaway]

not really a question but I was doing exercise and CICO for over a month and not losing any weight. my boyfriend and i broke up, i stopped counting calories or exercising and i've lost (and maintained) 5lbs off. what did i do right lol

i definitely have been eating less bc of grief but i also think it's hormonal or even energetic, like obviously this relationship was holding me back somehow?

[u/funchords → u/icameasathrowaway]

Who knows? Random in, random out.

[u/Born_Rule_2364]

I'm pretty sure I binge ate just now. My wife and I have been doing well for a month, and I've lost 8 lbs so far. I'm proud of myself. Today has been a stressful day, and I was really craving a certain food. So I asked my wife if I could have a little cheat, and she agreed that we deserved it. I decided to have one meal, but it quickly turned into 1,700 calories. Now I have 500 left for the rest of the day. I can't change what happened or beat myself up about it, but I'm not sure how to stay on track for the rest of the day without going over. I understand that using food as a stress relief is not healthy, and I will work on changing that. Does anyone have any advice on how to finish the day?

[u/funchords → u/Born_Rule_2364]

It happens.

So I asked my wife if I could have a little cheat

Next time, avoid the idea that there is a cheat. There is no cheating, nor need for cheating or strictness or restrictions that would create such a need. We have freedom, data, and choices. Sometimes we choose to indulge. It's fine.

I decided to have one meal, but it quickly turned into 1,700 calories.

Not a clinical-sized binge. I wouldn't worry about it. Remember that your weekly deficit is likely between -3500 and -7000 for the week. This isn't nothing, but it's not going to slow down your weight loss very much in the long run.

To avoid the clinical terminology, I call my excursions like this a "spree" or something else none-clinical. You can even call it an indulgence meal. Just don't call it cheating and don't call it "deserved." Let's not turn our food choices into moral choices, or reward ourselves with food. Let's enjoy our freedoms and choices and eating. We're learning here, we won't be perfect, and that's okay because perfect people don't learn -- by making progress over time, we're doing it right. It's okay. Perfect is not expected.

Does anyone have any advice on how to finish the day?

As if nothing at all happened. Don't fix, adapt, work-around, or regret. This is about habit change and reconditioning, so we want to spend all of our time and all of our reps teaching ourselves the skills and expectations of living as we will live to keep this weight off.

If lack of hunger later causes a reasonable change of plans, fine. If you need more calories today, also fine. The main point is to make good choices, tempered by moderation, and not attempting to fix or catch up or cheat or reward. We're working on living a healthier lifestyle and getting better with our habits/choices.

[u/Born_Rule_2364 → u/funchords]

I ended up going 600 over my maintenance.

[u/funchords → u/Born_Rule_2364]

That's okay. It's between 0.1 and 0.2 lbs worth of fat change on the scale -- if you were on track to lose 1 pound this week, you'll still lose 0.8 or 0.9.

[u/Ok_Range_3037 → u/Born_Rule_2364]

one day does NOT ruin all your progress. So whether you end up eating 2,200 calories or 3,000 calories on that ONE day is irrelevant. As you said you are aware that dealing with stress eating more food was not healthy choice but that's done and you know next time you'll work on a new strategy. Your weight will spike tomorrow but as you go back to your usual routine quickly it return to your "pre cheat" state. It's all good. Don't overthink it.

[u/Horrorlover656]

What exercise can achieve belly fat loss?

[u/dota2nub → u/Horrorlover656]

The answer is either every exercise or no exercise.

Belly fat loss is achieved by eating at a calorie deficit. Every exercise is going to help burn calories.

[u/megthomasx]

I am 23F I currently weigh 95kgs and am 5’10, I go to Pilates four times a week and am attempting a calorie deficit for the first time. Is 1800 even going to do anything, will I see results or should I be more restrictive? I am worried if I restrict myself more too soon I will end up binge eating

[u/funchords → u/megthomasx]

TDEE Calculator	Imperial	Metric
SEX (BODYFAT OF)		F
AGE		23
HEIGHT	70 in. or 5'10''	178 cm
WEIGHT	209 lb	95 kg
BMI		30
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR		1783 Cal/kcal
Not Very Active Day TDEE (BMR*1.25)		2229 Cal/kcal
Active Day TDEE (BMR*1.4)		2496 Cal/kcal
Average TDEE (mix of rest and activity)		2362 Cal/kcal

1800 is a good goal for you. You'll lose about 2 kg a month on it. You'll maybe notice results in 4-5 months (others may notice first, before we see it ourselves). That's a healthy and respectable rate of weight loss.

When you lose 10 kg, then drop it to 1700 to keep the speed up. Your smaller body will need less food so it won't make you hungry.

See our Quick Start Guide for tips on how to think about your deficit. https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/quick_start_guide

That's the method to start. Follow that guide and that timing, using your regular and normal food, and using portion control as your main tool for change. In later weeks, use the data to figure out if any foods need to be adjusted. All foods can fit, but sometimes we have to juggle or learn a new way to make an old favorite.

[u/dota2nub]

I'm male, 178cm, and 78 kg. I'm eating about 1600 calories a day, so I'm at a deficit no matter what.

I've been exercising pretty heavily however. Say I end up burning 3000 calories a day instead of the sedentary 2000, that puts me at a pretty big deficit. Should I eat more to compensate for what I'm burning off so I don't get a nutritional deficiency or is this just okay and a fast track to losing weight?

[u/funchords → u/dota2nub]

If you're confident about your 3000 average of all your recent days, then you should eat more so that your deficit is not steeper than -1000 from your total metabolism (but keep it above 1500). All of this presumes you are a healthy adult male (not in puberty). 2000 should be your intake target.

If 3000 is just a few days a week, and 2000 other days, you can average a weeks worth of those days together and eat one steady number, such as if the average of 7 days comes out to 2600, then 1600 would be okay.

[u/mincers-syncarp]

If I'm 350lb now, does ~300lb by Christmas seem a realistic goal? Started 2 weeks ago; my initial goal was ~320 by Christmas but since then I've dropped 9lb (I know a lot of this will be initial water weight).

[u/Yachiru5490 → u/mincers-syncarp]

So fast safe weight loss is 1% of body weight per week, once the initial water weight drop evens out. But it'll be a hard deficit to do that (each lb lost a week requires you drop ~500kcal a day). I would say that you have a chance to make some fantastic headway by Christmas, maybe even get there, but don't do something that is unsustainable or unhealthy for you just to reach a goal.

Edit: and don't go below 1200 (women)/1500 (men) calories a day!

[u/_Aspagurr_]

How can I lose weight and get rid of/reduce my belly fat as a 19-year old?

[u/funchords → u/_Aspagurr_]

https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/quick_start_guide

That's the method to start. Follow that guide and that timing, using your regular and normal food, and using portion control as your main tool for change. In later weeks, use the data to figure out if any foods need to be adjusted. All foods can fit, but sometimes we have to juggle or learn a new way to make an old favorite.

[u/_Aspagurr_ → u/funchords]

Thank you for this comment!

[u/funchords → u/[deleted]]

Our souls are dyed the color of our thoughts. If we want our souls dyed the color of food, we'll be filling our time with all things food. If we want our souls to be on other interests, we'll spend our time on those interests.

[u/funchords → u/[deleted]]

Soul, mind, thoughts ... whatever makes you YOU and not just a fleshy body.

[u/whatisabaggins55]

Is rice's nutritional information measured by when it's dry or when it's cooked (i.e. if the nutritional panel says 100g = X kcal, is that dry or cooked)? Can't seem to find a straight answer on this.

[u/funchords → u/whatisabaggins55]

In almost all of the jurisdictions, the nutritional panel on the package is as packaged. If the rice is in a pouch that you simply heat up without adding any water, then the nutritional facts and the weights per serving (or per 100g in some areas) given on that package would be true in that case. If the rice is in a container and you're expected to add water, then the nutritional facts and weights per serving would apply to the dry rice.

[u/whatisabaggins55 → u/funchords]

Ok, thanks for the reply!

[u/Mix_Active]

So yesterday morning I weighed 186 lbs, that's cool that's fine, I'm only starting out and I'm attempting to lose 60lbs. Today I weigh 180. I understand that weight can fluctuate depending on where a person is in their menstrual cycle, but 6lbs seems like a lot? I've been on a 1200kcl diet along with 20:4 IF in order to shift the weight so if its accurate then yay I guess, has this happened to any other people that menstrate?

[u/funchords → u/Mix_Active]

As you are just starting out, you can expect some water weight losses along with the fat losses. This will show up on the scale as a lot faster weight loss than you are arranging for in your deficit.

A 1200 target for someone who is 186 and a female adult would be reasonable. Does this fit you?

[u/Mix_Active → u/funchords]

Yeah 1200 is easy enough to hit with the fasting, I sometimes get crabby and dizzy but if I feel really terrible ill literally just eat something. Thanks for the answer!

[u/DangerSnake1]

I'm 22F and currently 67kg, 160cm. Over the last 8 months, I've only managed to lose 7kg - nowhere near as fast as I'd like. Most days I eat in a calorie deficit, and if I don't, I'm usually just over my maintenance. Yet I can't seem to lose weight! Just over 1kg a month isn't a lot, and I've also started going to the gym in that 8 months. What am I doing wrong? Why is my weight loss so slow?

[u/funchords → u/DangerSnake1]

Yeah, it's a little slower than most. Not sure I'd label it as too slow. If you're living life enjoyably and flexibly, and not gaining weight but gradually losing -- in this food environment that we have today -- perhaps you're actually doing well.

Sometimes we have poor completeness and accuracy in our tracking. Compare this generic advice to your tracking to see if it needs improvement:

• Be a complete tracker. Do not forget the 'forgettables' such as condiments, cooking oils, small bites of this or that, or things that you would add to a salad like dressings or seeds. Log all the way to the end of the day, even if you go over your goals. Even log your exceptional days, skipping nothing.

• Buy and use a digital kitchen food scale and good measuring cups to measure portions, at least for the first couple months of counting. You can also use your hand to estimate portion sizes as well as common objects. You will be calibrating your eyes to do this more quickly later, but for several weeks use these tools as often as you are able.

If your weight loss has been steady, you're losing about 200g a week, which is an average daily deficit of about -220 during that span of time.

You are not as heavy as most of the posters here, and your expectations may have been set to lose faster by those people who are starting from a much higher weight than you are. People with only a few kilos to lose tend to lose slower because they have less wriggle room and flexibility to create big deficits.

There really is no such thing as too-slow weight-loss progress. In the long-term, the weight-loss phase of taking off the weight and keeping it off is the shorter phase. Keeping it off forever is the future, so there's no hurry.

[u/DangerSnake1 → u/funchords]

Thank you so much! It's just frustrating watching people lose 20kg in like 5 months when I'm losing less and slower.

I worked out my basal metabolic rate as 1443 calories, and my sedentary maintenance as 1732 calories (I don't go to the gym very often, I don't have the time). Unfortunately that means I can't really have a deficit of more than 300 calories :( unless, is it safe to eat below my bmr?

[u/funchords → u/DangerSnake1]

You can safely go down to 1200. There's no particular reason that we have to stay above our BMR for its own sake (contrary to some tok-logic, no our systems won't starve or die or anything like that). If your 1200 is from a wide variety of different foods through the week, it should be good enough nutritionally for safe weight loss.

[u/DangerSnake1 → u/funchords]

Thank you so much for telling me! Seems I got misled by a friend who told me that was the case :( I'll start doing that

[u/Yachiru5490 → u/DangerSnake1]

Some people find eating under BMR makes them intolerably hungry; some people can eat under and be okay. I've seen anecdotes of both. You're welcome to try it (don't go below 1200kcal though) and see how you feel. No shame if you find it intolerable and need to eat a bit more though.

[u/DangerSnake1 → u/Yachiru5490]

Thank you :)

[u/BigBoyYumSauce]

Are 3 eggs a day too many in terms of cholesterol?

I am currently eating 3 scrambled eggs every morning as my protein source. I’m worried I’m getting too much cholesterol from this.

I eat very well other than this

[u/funchords → u/BigBoyYumSauce]

The advice on this has been evolving. Of everything I've read on it, and it's not super clear, the latest advice up to 2 eggs. Now what you can do is to get a carton of egg whites (inexpensive) and use some of that with your two whole eggs for the additional protein and volume of your 3-egg breakfast.

Another tactic would be to -- before changing your diet -- ask your healthcare provider for a lipids test that would include cholesterol, LDL, HDL, ratios, and triglycerides. If those are cool, then make no changes until such time that something comes up. (Frankly, the egg whites would be less trouble.)

[u/trapezoid- → u/BigBoyYumSauce]

I eat a minimum of 2 eggs per day, every day, & sometimes up to 5-6 eggs per day (I really like eggs lol). & my bloodwork looks great. It depends on the person. Some people believe dietary cholesterol is fine to eat.

[u/Capable_Database6794]

Ive been seeing vidds of ppl using this infinity hooploop stuff to loose weight and it seems like a fun way to not lose the excitement and keep up with the loss weight journey . Yet I'm still wondering if anyone have tried this and if it really works ?

[u/funchords → u/Capable_Database6794]

The main thing about the best fitness activity for you is that you enjoy it so much you'll do it just for fun. It's that activity that you'll do voluntarily 300 times a year versus one that you find a bore or a chore and will force yourself to do 100 times a year.

The main way to lose weight is food. Physical activity is a secondary helper, the only activity that doesn't help for that is inactivity.

[u/gr33nhand]

I'm looking for a bit of a sanity check; I recently picked up a peloton and started using cronometer and so far it's been great. I feel like I have a lot more energy from the workouts, I'm being pretty diligent about tracking calories in and not exceeding my daily total in the app, and I'm starting to notice a difference in my body shape. All that being said, I've only lost about 10 pounds in 9 weeks. I set my goal in cronometer to lose 1lb per week, so I'm a little behind the pace I should be at. I'm excited by the progress and I want to accelerate it, should I just set my goal higher in the app? Should I be happy with the current rate and just keep it up? Part of me wants to take this motivation and up the challenge a bit, but part of me worries that if I don't see a corresponding increase in benefits, I'll get discouraged. Is it normal to experience a little impatience after a couple months of building good habits?

[u/funchords → u/gr33nhand]

Stay in the comfortable groove. Go long, not hard. Don't dare yourself to edge failure. A great use of this time is teaching us what good portions and patterns of eating look like -- not to maximize the rate of weight loss but to contribute time and reps of good habits that will ensure our success in keeping it off.

[u/gr33nhand → u/funchords]

Thanks, I think this is what I needed to hear.

[u/Embarrassed_Tough512]

Im a 16 year old guy who is 6'2 and weighs 98 kilos I want to know is it possible to loose 10 kgs by the end of the year or is it to unrealistic as I'm new a calorie deficit and workouts and is the diet really the key for weightloss and muscle gain (if recommending a diet so so u know I'm south indian ) any advice helps

[u/FourChanSMH]

am i cooked?

i ate like a third of this bag of party sized hot cheetoes and WHEW theyre like crunchy fentanyl. i wish there was a second calorie count on all bags for the entire amount and not just the serving size. i used to think a small bag of hot cheetoes was 160; but im pretty sure its 300. 5'2 154.7lb.

[u/funchords → u/FourChanSMH]

Look at the bright side... you stopped at a 3rd!

15 oz. is their Party Size, you ate 5 oz x 160 Calories = 800 Calories

My tip is to portion out 1 ounce (28 grams) into a small bowl and then seal up the bag. My own practice is not to bring party-size bags home but know that I can get single-serving size bags of most snacks at the convenience store. That way I'm not totally deprived as they're minutes away, but they're not in reach in a weak moment.

[u/Aggravating-Tax9021]

hey guys so ive lost about 20lbs since mid may but i feel like i look the exact same. why could this be?

[u/YesterdayOk9403 → u/Aggravating-Tax9021]

Congratulation on the 20 pounds lost so far! It takes a while for you to see changes in yourself. Without more details, it is hard to give a complete answer to this. For some people, if they are including strength training there may be some body recomposition taking place (losing fat and building muscle) in the early stages of a fat loss phase.

Taking measurements and progress photos is a great way to track progress over time, other than just the scale. It is never too late to start, and many people report wishing they had taken a progress photo much earlier than they did!

[u/Shieldedbyperfection]

How does one SAFELY omit chocolate and or candy from their diet? I know some people say you shouldn’t and that I should just have it in moderation, but I’m so fed up with feeling like a whale and not being able to show off my body like I want to…..

[u/Atuinne → u/Shieldedbyperfection]

What do you mean safely? I stopped cold turkey, that worked a while. Now I let myself have some if I have the calories for it.

The key is to not have it home if you can't stop yourself from eating it. I have some lesser candies and chocolates at home now and they can live here unscathed. I also keep telling myself, if I don't have the calories for it, I can just have it another day. They will not stop existing. It's fine.

[u/gr33nhand → u/Shieldedbyperfection]

who is saying you shouldnt cut chocolate and candy from your diet?

[u/trapezoid-]

What do you guys do with cheddar cheese? It seems so high in calories for so little volume & I'm not sure what to do with the entire Costco-sized block of cheese I've ended up with.

[u/GFunkYo → u/trapezoid-]

The harder the cheese the better it freezes. Something like cheddar won't retain its texture super well so it's not a perfect solution (esp for a nice table cheese) but it won't matter if you're going to melt it or use it in a sauce.

[u/trapezoid- → u/GFunkYo]

Hahaha yea, it's already been in the freezer

[u/whateverwhoknowswhat]

Ugh! I can't find a 1,200 meal plan anywhere. The only ones I find are 1 day, not many. Anyone know several?

[u/funchords → u/whateverwhoknowswhat]

• https://www.google.com/search?q=1200+meal+plan+site%3A.edu
• https://www.google.com/search?q=1200+meal+plan+site%3A.gov

[u/veastroboi]

I'm from Australia. I just bought some "eye of the round" steak from my local butcher, which is very lean. I'm trying to find it's nutritional information so I can track it from here but apparently there's other names for it.

What would this steak be called in Australia?

[u/funchords → u/veastroboi]

Beef, rump steak in that database

[u/veastroboi → u/funchords]

Thanks

[u/CandyLand3601]

I've recently started eating one meal a day. I usually eat some rice and curry, fruit, chips/popcorn, vitamins, and a small dessert like a granola bar or something. Then I just drink water for the rest of the day. But I've been having awful hunger pangs, I know I'll adjust to it but any advice on dealing with it?

[u/funchords → u/CandyLand3601]

Weight loss deficits should be moderate without being extreme. If it's actual hunger from not eating enough, feed it. Hunger is metabolic need and it is not sustainable or healthy to ignore it. Getting used to it is disordered.

The Hunger Scale

#	Description
1	Starving, weak, dizzy
2	Very hungry, cranky, low energy, lots of stomach growling
3	Pretty hungry, stomach is growling a little
4	Starting to feel a little hungry
5	Satisfied, neither hungry nor full
6	A little full, pleasantly full
7	A little uncomfortable
8	Feeling stuffed
9	Very uncomfortable, stomach hurts
10	So full you feel sick

If you're hungry (1-3, perhaps 4 on the scale) then eat.

If it's craving, "hungering" for something specific, hankering, then that we can experiment with. We can learn how to defer or detour those thoughts (they come more from the brain than from actual need).

Metabolic Hunger vs. Specific Craving

Metabolic Hunger	Specific Craving
Gradual onset	Sudden onset
Wide variety of foods sound appealing	Strong desire for a particular food or type of food (e.g., salty, sweet, chocolate)
Eaten to satisfaction quells hunger	Eating may not quell the craving
Focus on physical hunger cues (e.g., stomach growling, low energy, dizzy or headache)	Focus on sensory details of the craved food (e.g., taste, texture)
Can be satiated with a healthy meal	May lead to overeating or unhealthy choices
May fluctuate throughout the day	Can be triggered by emotions, stress, or external cues (e.g., advertising, time of day, other people, events)

Both are part of our appetite. Sometimes the right thing to do is to eat. Sometimes when we've eaten enough, but are being bothered by cravings, it's still strategically or tactically a good way forward to scratch that itch rather than to let it grow.

Strategies and Tactics for Managing Metabolically-driven Hunger

For experiences of metabolic hunger, we should eat soon. It's time. If we're frequently getting it, we should look at our eating and schedule to make sure we're adequately being fed.

Strategies and Tactics for Managing Cravings, Wanting, Impulses

Whatever we call them, this wanting can be tough to resist, and tricky to manage. Sometimes the best thing to do is to have a little of the very thing we're not wanting to crave, but we do crave! When we do that, we're trying not to let it pent up and become an uncontrollable burst nor eating everything-but-that and still not have itch scratched. Here's a breakdown:

Before the Craving Hits: Know one is coming.... (yes, it's coming...)

• Identify your triggers: What situations, emotions, or times of day make you crave certain foods? Once you know your triggers, you can develop a plan to avoid them or have healthy alternatives on hand.
• Plan your meals and snacks: Don't wait until you're starving to make food choices. Having a balanced diet with regular meals and snacks can help prevent cravings.
• Stay hydrated: Dehydration can sometimes be mistaken for hunger. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help curb cravings.
• Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and cravings. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

When a Craving Strikes:

• Distract yourself: Engage in a different activity you enjoy for 10-15 minutes, like reading, listening to music, or taking a walk.
• Mindful eating: If you do decide to indulge in your craving, do so mindfully. Savor the flavor and eat slowly, paying attention to your body's hunger cues. (Read about mindful eating in advance so you know what to do.)
• Healthy alternatives: If possible, choose a healthier version of your craved food. For example, if you crave something sweet, have some fruit or yogurt with a drizzle of honey.
• Wait it out: Cravings are often temporary and will pass within 20-30 minutes. Wait it out with a glass of water or some herbal tea. (Read about 'urge surfing'.)

Long-Term Strategies:

• Manage stress: Stress can trigger cravings. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, yoga, or meditation.
• Address emotional eating: If you use food to cope with emotions, consider talking to a therapist to develop healthier coping mechanisms.
  
• Reward yourself with non-food treats: Celebrate your achievements with activities you enjoy, not food.

Remember, managing cravings is a journey, not a destination. Nobody scores 100% on these tests. Be patient with yourself and recognize your progress across your weeks and months of work on this!

[u/Motor_Focus1704]

Not losing weight on 1000 calorie diet?

I'm (33M) 6 foot 170 but can't seem to lose weight. I exercise 2-3 days a week, do Pilates and eat around 1000 calories. I eat the same exact meal twice a day measured out. 4 ounces of chicken thigh on the scale and 1/2 cup of cooked jasmine rice for lunch, then the exact same for dinner. No snacks or breakfast or sugary beverages. But I haven't lose a pound in a month. Any ideas?

[u/Yachiru5490 → u/Motor_Focus1704]

You're eating too little. Men shouldn't go below 1500kcal a day in order to ensure proper nutrition (btw you're even eating below the 1200 women limit). It doesn't sound like you're eating fruits or veggies either, so your vitamin and mineral intake is probably quite deficient. The stress of such low calories can make it quite hard to lose weight (before you just end up starving).

[u/Robot_Penguins → u/Motor_Focus1704]

You have a normal BMI. It's always harder to lose weight when you're at a healthy weight. 1000 calories isn't enough for you. 4 oz of chicken thigh is 200 calories and 1/2 cup rice is 120 calories. That's 640 calories a day. Youre not getting all the vitamins and minerals and stuff with rice and chicken. You may be malnourished.

[u/Motor_Focus1704 → u/Robot_Penguins]

But wouldn't there be some sort of scale movement? I look exactly the same and weigh exactly the same. Let's say I was off by a factor of 2 on calories and it was actually 1280, there should still be a difference right?

[u/Robot_Penguins → u/Motor_Focus1704]

Maybe you should focus more on nutrition and less on the scale. I think you're in "go see a doctor" territory if you're starving yourself and not losing weight. Typically people underestimate their calories but this sounds like disordered eating, so I'm unsure of what's going on.

[u/Ok_Range_3037 → u/Motor_Focus1704]

you mentioned "eat around 1000 cal" if you are eating exactly the same things every day you are pretty consistent and you are indeed eating 1,000 cal your weight would plummet as it's very low calories. So the answer is either A) you're eating more than 1,000 B) your weight tracking is not accurate. Are you hungry? I'm curious.

[u/Motor_Focus1704 → u/Ok_Range_3037]

The weight tracking is using the same new scale and it's the exact same foods twice a day. I only say around 1000 because there's so much variation on what calories chicken thigh has. Some people say 240 some say 200 etc. I'm honestly not hungry. I don't usually eat until 3pm anyways even before the diet. So I eat at 3, eat at 8 and in bed by 11.

[u/Ok_Range_3037 → u/Motor_Focus1704]

hi there. Thanks for the clarification. Any tracking is not accurate 100% so that's fine. Just by adding those numbers you're truly around 1,000 cal. You mentioned you exercise 2-3 x week plus doing pilates on 1,000 calories I have never seen anyone would be beyond hungry or exhausted. You may be utilizing the energy in your stored fat but for that your weight would 100% drop down quickly and pretty much week to week. Considering you're not hungry how can you body create enough energy to sustain you and top of them fuel your workouts and activities? The energy has to come from somewhere so if it's not coming from stored fat where it's coming from? Are you on any medications that would cause some dramatic water retention that would not show this weight loss on scale?

[u/greatwhitehandkerchi]

I know the thread is old. I’ve dropped my steps by 3-4K a day and my weight loss has plateaued. Does this track? Is getting my steps back up to 11K the key to resuming weight loss? Im struggling to drop my calories lower.
I do 7K steps a day, weights 4x a week, eat 1500-1680 cal and 125g protein. Female.

[u/funchords → u/greatwhitehandkerchi]

I maintain that weight-management problems tend to have food solutions. Reaching into the fitness toolbag (physical activity) is seldom the right choice.

I do 7K steps a day, weights 4x a week, eat 1500-1680 cal and 125g protein. Female.

I need your body stats and your non-exercise physical activity to respond with some numbers. Please post your stats and a general description of your daily activity...

Your stats: inclue your age, sex, height, starting weight, current weight, and goal weight, and a few words about the physical activity of your typical day (exercise and non-exercise). This helps others help you, or to get an idea about you or your effort, or to even become inspired by you. Customary and optional but helpful.

Examples:

• 25M 5'9" SW:225 CW:200 GW:160 Desk Job with jogging habit
• F/33 5'4" SW:14 stone (196 lbs), CW:14 stone (196), GW:not-sure at-home mom chasing the children
• 34F 168cm SW:73kg CW:68kg GW:whatever looks good -- full time busy retail clerk

Please add these to your subreddit flair.

[u/greatwhitehandkerchi → u/funchords]

I’m having trouble changing my flair on IOS! Can you message me to help me?

My stats are 27F 5’8” SW 80KG, CW 71KG GW 65 KG, 4 weights sessions a week and 7K steps a day, SAHM with 2 toddlers.

[u/funchords → u/greatwhitehandkerchi]

First, I think, would be to make sure you're taking periodic intervals at maintenance... which helps to refresh and keep the metabolism from settling down low. Every 10-15 weeks of deficit, for a 7-14 days, eat at maintenance calories instead of at a deficit. Do all of your normal routine -- staying active, tracking your weight and food, making wise choices, but at maintenance calories.

Most things in nature thrive not on constant strain, but on tension and release. Human bodies seem to be no exception.

Two articles that describe how and why:

• https://www.gettfit.com/diet-breaks-for-fat-loss/
• https://bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break

I think you could go lower -- if the exercise is "old hat" now...

TDEE Calculator	Imperial	Metric
SEX		F
AGE		27
HEIGHT	68 in. or 5'8''	173 cm
WEIGHT	156.5 lb	71 kg
BMI		23.7
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR		1495 Cal/kcal; 6255 kJ
Not Very Active Day TDEE (BMR*1.25)		1869 Cal/kcal
Active Day TDEE (BMR*1.4)		2093 Cal/kcal
Average TDEE (mix of rest and activity)		1981 Cal/kcal

Let's go with that since you're plateaued, and it doesn't mean that you're not putting in the work, it more means that you're used to putting in the work (your body is used to working hard and it doesn't "cost" as much as it was when it was new work to you).

1400-1550 is where I'd go. If that's a struggle, go a little at a time. Sometimes it helps to keep a 200 "in case of hunger" budget that you occasionally use if you're getting the stomach growling, cranky/weak hunger (not just craving).