I'd be interested in comments – not losing weight

This topic contains 5 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Cakey42 9 years, 9 months ago.

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pewe

1:07 pm
10 Mar 15
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Hi.

This post is a bit detailed – so be warned. Its the background to a situation where my weigh loss has not stalled – it just never started.

First about me. I am a 65 year old Male currently weighing 110kg (242lbs / 17.3stone)and at 6’1″ tall my BMI is 32. Until 4 years ago I weighed less than 95kg, but my weight has increased gradually since then as a result of 1) stopping smoking and 2) reduced activity due to feet problems.

In November last year I had an operation which cured my feet problems and although I have not fully recovered hope to get back to being more active in due course. So at the moment I class my activity as Sedentary for the purposes of weigh reduction calculations.

So – what am I tying to achieve.

In January, weighing in at between 110 and 110.5kg (depending on the time of day I weighed myself) I decided that I wanted to start shedding some pounds and did a bit of research before embarking on a conscious weigh reduction exercise.

What did my research come up with?

1. At my age weight, gender, height, life style (using sedentary as a measure point) my BMR (basic metabolic rate) is between 1950 and 2470 depending on which calculator is used – and what they regard as ‘sedentary activity’.
The calculator here suggests a BMR of 1939 and a TDEE of 2327 which falls in line with my other findings.
2. Most weight-loss advice suggests that dieting should be done at a rate of loss of no more that 1kg (2lbs) per week to stay healthy, and never to drop below 1200 to 1300 calories per day to avoid starvation mode and to stay healthy.
3. A weight of 1lb (0.45kg) body weight loss/gain is equivalent to 3500 in/out calories.
4. Burn more calories than you consume and weight will reduce.
5. The content of your diet is not as important as the number of calories it contains as long as your diet is balanced and not heavily weighted towards fat, or sugar or carbs. Our diet is well balanced – we never eat quick ready cooked foods, little red meats (about once a month at most) and only have the likes of fried foods once in a while and on the odd occassion we do they are fried in oil never fat.

So on 28th Jan, using a BMR level of 2200 (a balance of the figures calculated) I started to monitor my food intake and the associated calories aiming at an average of 1400 calories per day -less than the 1800 suggested by 5:2.

My intake was similar to the 5:2 method but did not exactly replicate it in that some days my intake on the ‘2’ was lower or higher than the suggested 600, but the difference was spread over the other ‘5’ to compensate by taking more or less, thereby equating to a weekly equivalent calorie intake as suggested for the 5:2.

So with a guide of 2200 as my BMR, over the 42 days from 28th Jan to yesterday (9th March)my total BMR would be 92,400 calories. My total intake was 61,523 calories (an average of intake of 1,464 calories per day) which is a deficit on BMR of 30,877.
At 7714 calories per kg (3500 per lb) I should have lost 4kg (8.8lbs – 0.6stone).

BUT yesterday I weighed in at 110.2kg – 110.7kg (depending on time of day again). In otherwords I have lost nothing.

So why is this?

Either I am wrong about my food intake or my metabolism is so slow that my BMR (TDEE as it is referred to on this site) is in fact only 1400.

Well –
I can guarantee that my food recording is not wrong – every morsel that passes my lips is accounted for with the relevant dietary breakdown (calories, fat, carbs, sugar etc). I have a spread sheet created from a daily record held on MyFitnessPal, and a wife who laughs every time she hands me the food wrappings to note what and how much I have eaten.

I cannot see that my BMR is as low as 1400 – and my doctor agrees (saying that starvation mode kicks in for a male at around 1200, so with a BMR of only 1400 I would not be a well person.
So I asked my doctor what tests he can arrange for me to try and determine if I have a metabolic or other problem, and all he has come up with so far is to arrange for me to have a blood test for diabetes whilst he ‘thinks about it’.

So that’s my story – and for those still reading I would be grateful for any constructive comments, points, suggestions etc that me help point me in the direction of any solutions as the whole situation is driving me (let alone my poor other half) to distraction.

TracyJ

1:41 pm
10 Mar 15
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Hiya,
I’m finding the interchangeable use of BMR and TDEE a bit confusing in your details above, so I’m going to just stick to a simple approach. If this is correct: “The calculator here suggests a BMR of 1939 and a TDEE of 2327” for your current activity level then I would say you should be eating between 1939(min)-2327(absolute maximum)kcal per non-fastday and 600kcal on fastdays. If you’re not currently doing that then start and see how that goes.

Also, you mentioned that you’d had foot issues and they’ve been sorted now but you don’t mention if you took up any other exercise alongside starting 5:2? If you did then fat-muscle conversion and the redistribution of your weight could account for no losses. Another thing that could affect your lack of losses is if that fat-muscle conversion and redistribution is having an effect on your measurements but not your weight. That happens to a LOT of people starting out on 5:2 and it can be annoying but personally I’d take a measurement drop over a weight drop any day.

Hopefully one of those suggestions might be helpful to you – best of luck 😉

pewe

2:10 pm
10 Mar 15
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Thanks for taking the time to respond Tracy

Sorry to confuse with the use of the terms BMR and TDEE.
All the online calculators use the term BMR and this site is the only one I saw that uses the term TDEE. However the bottom line is that all sites seem consistent in that they suggest the ‘maintenance’ level for my stats is between the figures quoted here (as used by you), some quoting the lower end at 1950, others the top end at 2400.

Just to clarify, I have not yet started any new exercise regime so your thoughts regarding muscle/fat replacement are not contributing to my issue, and I did record my waist level on 28th Jan, and it is exactly the same today (not even 0.5cm different) after 45 days.

As I mentioned in my original post, although my regime so far has not been exactly to the 5:2 format, my average weekly intake has been less than that of a strict 5:2 regime using the lower non-fast day figure – and although I realize that for some people the weight does not start to move immediately I would have thought that there should have been at least some loss (even if it was only a kilo) after 6 weeks.

milena

3:59 pm
10 Mar 15
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Hi, six weeks is along time, not sure if it is scientifically, but from the point of view of frustration, its a very long time. Took me three weeks to get started, absolutely fine now.

You havent gained though, so somethings working. The brakes are on. So be pleased. Must say after three weeks I got tough on myself. I use the sedentary TDEE for a woman of my height, weighing 12 stones, 2 stone less than my starting weight. Theory is I will be at that weight sooner or later, so no harm using it now.

I calorie count, fast days I stay under limit, non fast days, under TDEE. Ive done complete fasts, but prefer to eat a little. Im doing 4:3 this week, to allow a little leeway for next week.

Not enough research out there to verify the optimum strategy, but the majority of folk, men and women, are eating between 0 and 600 calories, on a fast day.

Try not to overthink it, you wont starve. If you ate nothing at all you wont starve, you might be hungry but you won’t be starving. You body has food to feed you, it has kindly held onto it, weightloss is simply your body using up that extra fat.

Strangely you might find you have more energy. Everyone tweeks 5:2 to suit themselves, but to get going, don’t tweak, just do TDEE and a quarter of TDEE. Unless you are doing lots and lots of exercise, sedentary TDEE. Doesn’t matter what you eat, but a chicken and veggies stirfry is more filling for longer than a slice of cake, but the slice of cake sometimes really hits the spot.

Evaluate after 4 weeks, it might be just enough to give you the start you need.

Let me know what you decide to do.

Ginette K

5:29 pm
10 Mar 15
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Pewe

How do you eat your calories. Throughout the day or just one main meal. Do you measure drinks if you have milk you must count this in. You really need to weigh and measure everything until you get used to it.

I don’t eat until 8 ish at night from about 8 the day before. After 12 hours your body goes into fasting and repai mode. I do count 100 calories for milk in tea. I also weigh all the other things I eat.

Try this and see if it helps. I have struggled with weight loss before, but I was using the guesswork scale…..not a good idea. I now have my meal worked out the day before fast days and all vegetables ready and weighed in the fridge. It works for me.

Good luck

Let the forum know how you progress as you will get lots of advice and it will also help others who are struggling.

Ginette

Cakey42

8:17 pm
10 Mar 15
Permalink

Hi pewe, so you like the numbers, so do I. But you do not seem to be doing 5:2 fasting.
Lets look at it the numbers way. Your bmr is 1939. Fact. The book that Dr. Michael has written, that we all follow, says that to lose weight you need to fast 2 days a week at 600 calories for a man. If you follow that premise and base it on your bmr number you would save 1339 cals twice a week = 2678 cals x 6 weeks = 16068 cals.
I think that’s your missing number. The idea of fasting kicks you into a starvation mode that starts your body into using up your fat stores. Which is exactly what you want. It also starts your body into repair mode that helps switch on the signals that mend any previous damage areas within.
The recommendation in the book is to eat foods you like on other days but only up to your bmr if possible. Do not exceed your tdee.
On the forum people have remarked that eating carbs make them continue to feel hungry and are also expensive calories. So other people cut them out on fast days and may or may not include them again on normal days.
600 calories is doable but not always easy. I Manage on 500 but sometimes feel cold or lust over something that I can’t have till tomorrow. It’s not leaving the planet.

I hope your foot is getting better, I know exercise is difficult when you’re in pain.
Have you read the Fast Diet book? There is a heap of research references in the back that could help you. Otherwise read the ,how it works, at the top of the page and the faqs.
Write again if you need more help. I will be around for a few more months yet.

(If you base my numbers on your tdee your missing calorie number comes out greater).
Keep on trying.