Why don't the numbers work out?

[V_H]

Every day, at multiple points in the day, I count the amount of cals Ive taken in and burned. By the end of the day, this is what it looks like:

cals taken in: Realistically:about 2200. Since I don't want to underestimate, I usually add 300-400 just to make absolutely sure that I'm not cheating, so instead of calling it 2200 cals taken in, I'll call it about 2500.

cals burned: Realistically: about 2800. Since I don't want to overestimate, I'll take about 300-400 off of that number, just to make absolutely sure I'm not cheating, so instead of 2800 burned I'll call it about 2500.

Realistically, my calorie deficit was around 500-600, but I'm calling it even. I've had pretty much the same results for the last 1-2 months, but my weight has stayed exactly the same. Realistically, why isn't it 4-8 pounds less? I know that I'm not calculating wrong in the first place... if something is labeled as 80 cals I'll usually count it as 100, and then even add some more in the end just to make sure that I'm not lying; same with burning them, if it says I'm burning 500, I usually call it about 450, and then even take off some more after that. I don't get it...

[Chris@UGA]

You could very well be putting on a little muscle if you're lifting weights. I once went 6 weeks straight without the scale moving at all but I looked noticably leaner in the mirror.

[quickrob]

you'll drive yourself insane by looking at the scale all the time. My advice is to hide that thing for a while

[neekz0r]

Every day, at multiple points in the day, I count the amount of cals Ive taken in and burned. By the end of the day, this is what it looks like:

cals taken in: Realistically:about 2200. Since I don't want to underestimate, I usually add 300-400 just to make absolutely sure that I'm not cheating, so instead of calling it 2200 cals taken in, I'll call it about 2500.

cals burned: Realistically: about 2800. Since I don't want to overestimate, I'll take about 300-400 off of that number, just to make absolutely sure I'm not cheating, so instead of 2800 burned I'll call it about 2500.

Realistically, my calorie deficit was around 500-600, but I'm calling it even. I've had pretty much the same results for the last 1-2 months, but my weight has stayed exactly the same. Realistically, why isn't it 4-8 pounds less? I know that I'm not calculating wrong in the first place... if something is labeled as 80 cals I'll usually count it as 100, and then even add some more in the end just to make sure that I'm not lying; same with burning them, if it says I'm burning 500, I usually call it about 450, and then even take off some more after that. I don't get it...

Your body is great at adapting to current conditions -- food, excercise, nutrition, etc. If you do the same thing over and over again, your body adapts to it and as a result you won't see much change. Law of diminishing returns at it's finest.

Change something and see what happens.

[nydude1814]

Every day, at multiple points in the day, I count the amount of cals Ive taken in and burned. By the end of the day, this is what it looks like:

cals taken in: Realistically:about 2200. Since I don't want to underestimate, I usually add 300-400 just to make absolutely sure that I'm not cheating, so instead of calling it 2200 cals taken in, I'll call it about 2500.

cals burned: Realistically: about 2800. Since I don't want to overestimate, I'll take about 300-400 off of that number, just to make absolutely sure I'm not cheating, so instead of 2800 burned I'll call it about 2500.

Realistically, my calorie deficit was around 500-600, but I'm calling it even. I've had pretty much the same results for the last 1-2 months, but my weight has stayed exactly the same. Realistically, why isn't it 4-8 pounds less? I know that I'm not calculating wrong in the first place... if something is labeled as 80 cals I'll usually count it as 100, and then even add some more in the end just to make sure that I'm not lying; same with burning them, if it says I'm burning 500, I usually call it about 450, and then even take off some more after that. I don't get it...

I did the similar back of the envelope calculations, and in general numbers do work out correctly for me.

Also I've noticed that when I only eat food I prepared and weighted myself, I lose more in lbs then my calculations indicate, which I attribute to the fact that my BMR is 2300, but walking to/from work, standing in the subway, walking around doing the day add up to additional 600 or so burned.

But, when I eat out, even healthy foods, its the other way around, weight loss is less then it should be. This is because IMHO its impossible to correctly guess calories in the foods you not prepared yourself. Any given piece of chicken can taste about the same, but in one place sauce is pure fat and sugar, or marinade is caloric, or chicken is actually fried in something (bread crambs etc).. Think about why you want to eat out. Its because food tastes better. Why something tastes better? Probably because it has more calories then you think.

So basically stick to the food you prepare yourself for a week, and numbers will start adding up.

Also things like like creatine, or Napalm can give you water retention. I had 1 entire week of huge deficit, and scales not moving, ended up being Napalm. Dropped napalm, and dropped 5lb next week.

[nydude1814]

I did the similar back of the envelope calculations, and in general numbers do work out correctly for me.

Also I've noticed that when I only eat food I prepared and weighted myself, I lose more in lbs then my calculations indicate, which I attribute to the fact that my BMR is 2300, but walking to/from work, standing in the subway, walking around doing the day add up to additional 600 or so burned.

But, when I eat out, even healthy foods, its the other way around, weight loss is less then it should be. This is because IMHO its impossible to correctly guess calories in the foods you not prepared yourself. Any given piece of chicken can taste about the same, but in one place sauce is pure fat and sugar, or marinade is caloric, or chicken is actually fried in something (bread crambs etc).. Think about why you want to eat out. Its because food tastes better. Why something tastes better? Probably because it has more calories then you think.

So basically stick to the food you prepare yourself for a week, and numbers will start adding up.

Also things like like creatine, or Napalm can give you water retention. I had 1 entire week of huge deficit, and scales not moving, ended up being Napalm. Dropped napalm, and dropped 5lb next week.

Edit: as an example, I often see people in the deli ordering salads. Just lettuce please, we are on a diet. When I do my salad, I add 20 grams of olive oil. Thats 200 cals right there, and 20 grams is very very little. You have to mix it very well to have any oil on all the salad. But the employee at the deli uses a bottle, and you can literally see its like "gulp gulp gulp". Its probably around 50 grams of oil in that salad. So people think they are eating salad and write it down as 100 calories, but they ignore that they probably getting 400 calories of oil with it.

[pats55583]

If these are truly accurate numbers you are coming up with......you are either putting on a little bit of muscle, or you should get your thyroid checked

[crupiea]

Why not count all the calories properly to get an accurate figure. This will make things much clearer for you instead of estimating it.

You obviously are eating at your maint level if you are not gaining or losing.

[neekz0r]

Why not count all the calories properly to get an accurate figure. This will make things much clearer for you instead of estimating it.

Agreed there.

You obviously are eating at your maint level if you are not gaining or losing.

Not necessarily. I was eating at around ~1K cal deficit, and I was not gaining or losing weight.