Weight loss (lack thereof!) Any thoughts?
Discussion
I am getting thoroughly confused by my weight, so I thought I'd see if we have any specialists in the field amongst the PH collective who might be able to help?
I'm currently weighing in at 133kg at a height of 1m76. That is clearly a lot!
Whilst I have a sedentary job, I barely ever drop below 10,000 steps for the day thanks to walking the dog, think nothing of jumping on a mountain bike for a few hours at a time and also coach/ref junior rugby, so I suspect that I'm more active than most middle-aged people.
A quick look at a metabolic calculator suggests I need around 3,800 calories to maintain this, but whilst I'm pretty liberal with my diet, I'm pretty sure I'm not getting close to this! I don't drink more than a pint or two a week, and don't drink any sugary soft drinks, so it's not coming in secretly that way. I cut out all sweets, chocolate and crisps except once a week on Fridays, and it has made no difference either.
I'm currently in my early fifties, and have no chronic medical conditions whatsoever. I'm planning to retire by the time I turn 60, and want to do that in good health to enjoy more hiking and cycling, but am worried that as things stand, just as I gain the time for leisure, I'll lose the fitness for it!
Obviously starvation would work short term, but nothing I read suggests that it works medium to long term, as the body tends to lower its metabolic rate to cope, which is obviously a race I can't win, and nothing else I've tried seems to make a dent!
I'm sure plenty of well-meaning PHers will have suggestions of things which have worked for them, which is fine, but ideally I'm hoping we might have someone in London/Surrey who looks at this sort of thing for a living who could help! I'm not fishing for a freebie, as I'd be more than willing to pay for the right help, but I just don't really have a clue what that help should look like, and my GP wasn't any help either.
I'm currently weighing in at 133kg at a height of 1m76. That is clearly a lot!
Whilst I have a sedentary job, I barely ever drop below 10,000 steps for the day thanks to walking the dog, think nothing of jumping on a mountain bike for a few hours at a time and also coach/ref junior rugby, so I suspect that I'm more active than most middle-aged people.
A quick look at a metabolic calculator suggests I need around 3,800 calories to maintain this, but whilst I'm pretty liberal with my diet, I'm pretty sure I'm not getting close to this! I don't drink more than a pint or two a week, and don't drink any sugary soft drinks, so it's not coming in secretly that way. I cut out all sweets, chocolate and crisps except once a week on Fridays, and it has made no difference either.
I'm currently in my early fifties, and have no chronic medical conditions whatsoever. I'm planning to retire by the time I turn 60, and want to do that in good health to enjoy more hiking and cycling, but am worried that as things stand, just as I gain the time for leisure, I'll lose the fitness for it!
Obviously starvation would work short term, but nothing I read suggests that it works medium to long term, as the body tends to lower its metabolic rate to cope, which is obviously a race I can't win, and nothing else I've tried seems to make a dent!
I'm sure plenty of well-meaning PHers will have suggestions of things which have worked for them, which is fine, but ideally I'm hoping we might have someone in London/Surrey who looks at this sort of thing for a living who could help! I'm not fishing for a freebie, as I'd be more than willing to pay for the right help, but I just don't really have a clue what that help should look like, and my GP wasn't any help either.
How much do you drink - booze.
How much soft drinks
How much fruit (natural sugar)
How much chocolate
Do you have natural squeezed orange juice every morning?
I stopped the squeezed orange juice and it made a notable difference.
Switched to diet soft drinks only - but still am fairly addicted to Diet Coke.
I was surprised at how much sugar in fruit really holds up the weight reduction.
We switched from potatoes to sweet potatoes (more often than not). They are really nice too which helps.
Veg - you can eat as much of that as you physically can you will not gain weight rather lose weight. Try carrot sticks or chopped peppers as snacks.
Drink water over anything else first and foremost.
Cut out chocolate/have it as a treat.
Booze I’ve not broken that habit I’m trying but it’s not working.
How much soft drinks
How much fruit (natural sugar)
How much chocolate
Do you have natural squeezed orange juice every morning?
I stopped the squeezed orange juice and it made a notable difference.
Switched to diet soft drinks only - but still am fairly addicted to Diet Coke.
I was surprised at how much sugar in fruit really holds up the weight reduction.
We switched from potatoes to sweet potatoes (more often than not). They are really nice too which helps.
Veg - you can eat as much of that as you physically can you will not gain weight rather lose weight. Try carrot sticks or chopped peppers as snacks.
Drink water over anything else first and foremost.
Cut out chocolate/have it as a treat.
Booze I’ve not broken that habit I’m trying but it’s not working.
You have worked out your calories wrong, 3800 maintenance calories would be if you were extremely active, 6-7 times a week exercise, and had a physical job, not sure of your age, but your a similar height and build to me.
You ideally want to be around the 2200 - 2500 calories a day mark for weight loss.
You ideally want to be around the 2200 - 2500 calories a day mark for weight loss.
If you aren't losing weight then you aren't in a calorie deficit.
If you aren't tracking your calories then you have no idea how much you're really consuming,daily, weekly, as a general average.start tracking
If you are tracking your calories then you're doing it incorrectly.
It doesn't matter if you're eating all junk 50% junk, or 0% junk, you still need to be in a calorie deficit is what loses weight.
Go for around 2000-2500cals a day and see how you do. Add a little exercise here and there. As you get closer to your goal weight your daily calorie requirements will get lower, so you'll either have to consumer fewer calories or move more.
It's no good saying 'oh i dont think i eat anywhere near that much'. until you know how many calories you're consumer you have no idea. You have to track your calories because its calories in/out that loses weight. Fluctuations happen from water/salt/bloating/when you weigh yourself
calories
calories
calories
If you aren't tracking your calories then you have no idea how much you're really consuming,daily, weekly, as a general average.start tracking
If you are tracking your calories then you're doing it incorrectly.
It doesn't matter if you're eating all junk 50% junk, or 0% junk, you still need to be in a calorie deficit is what loses weight.
Go for around 2000-2500cals a day and see how you do. Add a little exercise here and there. As you get closer to your goal weight your daily calorie requirements will get lower, so you'll either have to consumer fewer calories or move more.
It's no good saying 'oh i dont think i eat anywhere near that much'. until you know how many calories you're consumer you have no idea. You have to track your calories because its calories in/out that loses weight. Fluctuations happen from water/salt/bloating/when you weigh yourself
calories
calories
calories
You'd be shocked at many items you eat. 1 empty tortilla wrap for example is 200 calories. Let's say you have 4 for your fajitas, thats 800 without all the actual filling. Depending on your meals you could smash your daily allowance in one sitting while thinking your being healthy.
There's an app where you put in what you eat and it'll track calories for you, makes it easy to realise you just had more calories in your healthy fajitas than a big fat papa John's lol
Its do-able. 6 months into eating healthier and im down over 3 stone. 2 stone until abbs.
There's an app where you put in what you eat and it'll track calories for you, makes it easy to realise you just had more calories in your healthy fajitas than a big fat papa John's lol
Its do-able. 6 months into eating healthier and im down over 3 stone. 2 stone until abbs.
You're eating more calories than you think. Walking the dog burns less calories than you think.
As a general rule one pound of fat is around 3,500 calories. To lose 3-4 pounds a week you need to be eating half what you're eating now.
Also note that as you lose weight your body needs less calories to maintain its BMR so you need to decrease calorie intake.
As a general rule one pound of fat is around 3,500 calories. To lose 3-4 pounds a week you need to be eating half what you're eating now.
Also note that as you lose weight your body needs less calories to maintain its BMR so you need to decrease calorie intake.
There’s a big myth that 10,000 steps helps you lose weight, or that 10,000 steps a day is adequate exercise.
I’m also confused as to whether OP thinks he needs 3800kcal to maintain current weight, or 3800kcal to exist.
If maintaining current weight is the goal then 3800kcal oughtta do it. Lol.
If losing weight is the goal then 3800kcal is ridiculous amounts of food.
Calorie requirements decrease when you get older and therefore as most people get older they should eat less food. My parents and in laws eat tiny portions now. I’m 34 and resting calorific requirement is 1800kcal. I do roughly 800-1000kcal of sports/exercise per day. I cannot imagine eating 3800kcal in a day and I’m not surprised you’re struggling to lose weight if that’s your target. Fine for a 23 year old marine, for a 55 year old fatso doing a dog walk, not fine.
Recipe for weight loss is simple. More calories burned than calories ingested.
Stop drinking booze, stop sugary drinks (juice included), smaller portions, more water (helps fat loss).
Get a fitness tracker and enter the data honestly, and track it. It helps.
I’m also confused as to whether OP thinks he needs 3800kcal to maintain current weight, or 3800kcal to exist.
If maintaining current weight is the goal then 3800kcal oughtta do it. Lol.
If losing weight is the goal then 3800kcal is ridiculous amounts of food.
Calorie requirements decrease when you get older and therefore as most people get older they should eat less food. My parents and in laws eat tiny portions now. I’m 34 and resting calorific requirement is 1800kcal. I do roughly 800-1000kcal of sports/exercise per day. I cannot imagine eating 3800kcal in a day and I’m not surprised you’re struggling to lose weight if that’s your target. Fine for a 23 year old marine, for a 55 year old fatso doing a dog walk, not fine.
Recipe for weight loss is simple. More calories burned than calories ingested.
Stop drinking booze, stop sugary drinks (juice included), smaller portions, more water (helps fat loss).
Get a fitness tracker and enter the data honestly, and track it. It helps.
3,800 calories a day is 5.5 x McDonald’s BBQ bacon stack (meal). That’s a lot.
https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/good-to-know/nu...
https://www.mcdonalds.com/gb/en-gb/good-to-know/nu...
The simple thing that has worked for me, though I am not a nutritionist, is the realisation that you are not in calorie deficit (i.e. losing weight) unless you are feeling hungry for a lot of the day.
This is very difficult to maintain however as our modern houses are full of food, and we are not used to ever really feeling hungry.
Martin.
This is very difficult to maintain however as our modern houses are full of food, and we are not used to ever really feeling hungry.
Martin.
Martin30 said:
The simple thing that has worked for me, though I am not a nutritionist, is the realisation that you are not in calorie deficit (i.e. losing weight) unless you are feeling hungry for a lot of the day.
This is very difficult to maintain however as our modern houses are full of food, and we are not used to ever really feeling hungry.
Martin.
Smaller portions /smaller plates made a difference for me. This is very difficult to maintain however as our modern houses are full of food, and we are not used to ever really feeling hungry.
Martin.
To start with I was constantly hungry and tried to fill up on veg to leave snacks and drinking water to “fill up”
It’s also important to tell your other half what you are doing and why / they can then support you and ensure treats don’t happen.
Also shop for groceries online and have meal plans - this stops you buying crap in in the first place so nothing to nibble on.
The only thing which works for me is intermittent fasting. If I do it 2,3 or even 4 times a week I eventually start to lose weight. I seem incapable of eating less and I already feel I eat healthily (I just eat too much I guess).
The approach seems good here and they are worth a watch https://www.channel4.com/programmes/lose-a-stone-i...
The approach seems good here and they are worth a watch https://www.channel4.com/programmes/lose-a-stone-i...
NorthDave said:
The only thing which works for me is intermittent fasting. If I do it 2,3 or even 4 times a week I eventually start to lose weight. I seem incapable of eating less and I already feel I eat healthily (I just eat too much I guess).
The approach seems good here and they are worth a watch https://www.channel4.com/programmes/lose-a-stone-i...
Have you tried to have LOTS of veg - that’s hugely filling and if not eat more veg. The approach seems good here and they are worth a watch https://www.channel4.com/programmes/lose-a-stone-i...
the MyFitnessPal app is pretty good if you want to get a decent idea of how many calories you're really eating rather than you think you're eating. The results will probably surprise you. 3800 is a lot though, I wouldn't be trusting that calculator, 2500-3000 is probably more like it.
There's been a few decent New Scientist talks on metabolism recently. The general gist seems to be that exercise doesn't contribute any where near as much to weight loss as diet. The body becomes more efficient the more exercise you do, so ultra marathon runners don't need as many extra calories as you'd expect compared to someone with a more sedentary life.
There's been a few decent New Scientist talks on metabolism recently. The general gist seems to be that exercise doesn't contribute any where near as much to weight loss as diet. The body becomes more efficient the more exercise you do, so ultra marathon runners don't need as many extra calories as you'd expect compared to someone with a more sedentary life.
Track everything you eat and drink via a calorie tracking app, such as MyFitnessPal.
You need to do this properly - weigh stuff, etc. If you guess, you will under estimate the calories.
Forget 3800cal per day. You need to be really active to use that much.
Plan on a normal bloke intake of 2500cal per day and drop it to just under 2000 honest calories.
Maintain your exercise quantity and, pound-to-a-penny, the weight will come off.
You need to do this properly - weigh stuff, etc. If you guess, you will under estimate the calories.
Forget 3800cal per day. You need to be really active to use that much.
Plan on a normal bloke intake of 2500cal per day and drop it to just under 2000 honest calories.
Maintain your exercise quantity and, pound-to-a-penny, the weight will come off.
I'm no gym god, but I do exercise and I'm conscious of what I eat, although like many have said eating say a tortilla wrap has way more calories than you would think, so food can easily be deceiving in that sense.
I use MyFitnessPal as a guid to track all of my food, scan barcodes of pre packaged items, be honest and in your profile set what you ideally want to weigh and by when and it will tell you just through diet alone what your calorific intake needs to be to achieve that. If you have a activity tracking watch you should be able to sync any exercise with MFP so it will offset calories burnt through exercise against your daily target.
I use MyFitnessPal as a guid to track all of my food, scan barcodes of pre packaged items, be honest and in your profile set what you ideally want to weigh and by when and it will tell you just through diet alone what your calorific intake needs to be to achieve that. If you have a activity tracking watch you should be able to sync any exercise with MFP so it will offset calories burnt through exercise against your daily target.
hotchy said:
You'd be shocked at many items you eat. 1 empty tortilla wrap for example is 200 calories. Let's say you have 4 for your fajitas, thats 800 without all the actual filling. Depending on your meals you could smash your daily allowance in one sitting while thinking your being healthy.
There's an app where you put in what you eat and it'll track calories for you, makes it easy to realise you just had more calories in your healthy fajitas than a big fat papa John's lol
Its do-able. 6 months into eating healthier and im down over 3 stone. 2 stone until abbs.
I've tried My Fitness Pal and been honest about it to the point of anally logging every single ingredient in everything I made at home. On 2,000 calories a day, I dropped 10kg in a year, and it's totally unsustainable.There's an app where you put in what you eat and it'll track calories for you, makes it easy to realise you just had more calories in your healthy fajitas than a big fat papa John's lol
Its do-able. 6 months into eating healthier and im down over 3 stone. 2 stone until abbs.
As for tortilla wraps, unless they're the size of crispy duck pancakes, I wouldn't get anywhere near eating 4 of them, with or without filling!
I know it's easy to lie to oneself, but I just don't have a clue where to go next with it... I eat few carbs anyway, so Atkins made bugger all difference. Strict calorie restriction did very little, and wasn't sustainable. 5/2 fasting? Nope. Only eating between 1pm and 8pm? No difference... It's just one
after another...Even my wife (a gym instructor and my fiercest critic) is now round to thinking it's time to find some sort of expert professional guidance to work out what's going on, hence starting this thread, as we weren't sure where to start.
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