Why am I losing weight so slowly?

[Josh7000]

I was bulking a while and accumlated excess fat, so I thought I'd try and cut off some of it too give me some more bulking room. So I decided to cut and I was at about 4000 calories and it was enough to keep me in a slow bulk, So I dropped the calories down to 500 too start with to see if that would bring weight loss, and then every couple of days if hardly any weight loss occured I'd drop by 200 more calories. I did start losing weight and I've dropped about half an inch off my waist and lost 1.5kg but that's after getting down to 2600 calories!!! I wanted to this to be quite a quick cut so I wanted to be losing about 2 lbs a week but it seems to be much much slower than that despite dropping over 1000 calories. What's going on here? how could I have been slowly bulking at 4000 calories then hardly losing weight at 3000-?

[paulup]

I was bulking a while and accumlated excess fat, so I thought I'd try and cut off some of it too give me some more bulking room. So I decided to cut and I was at about 4000 calories and it was enough to keep me in a slow bulk, So I dropped the calories down to 500 too start with to see if that would bring weight loss, and then every couple of days if hardly any weight loss occured I'd drop by 200 more calories. I did start losing weight and I've dropped about half an inch off my waist and lost 1.5kg but that's after getting down to 2600 calories!!! I wanted to this to be quite a quick cut so I wanted to be losing about 2 lbs a week but it seems to be much much slower than that despite dropping over 1000 calories. What's going on here? how could I have been slowly bulking at 4000 calories then hardly losing weight at 3000-?

What is your LBM? 3k calories for a guy under 200lbs is high, even for maintenance, unless you're solid muscle. That is probably pretty close to your maintenance intake, so 2600cal will be a slow cut.

[Josh7000]

What is your LBM? 3k calories for a guy under 200lbs is high, even for maintenance, unless you're solid muscle. That is probably pretty close to your maintenance intake, so 2600cal will be a slow cut.

no... I was slowly gaining weight at 4000 calories. If I wasn't then what you said would be understandable <

[dbrock504]

You're caloric intake is still too high. I was intaking 4000 calories to gain as well on a 2:1 carb to protein ratio. I'm now doing 2100 on a 2:1 protein to carb ratio (cut my carbs in 1/4). I feel like I'm going slow as well, but you have to remember it's a process. These things take time. You are getting results, just not at an alarming rate.

[Josh7000]

You're caloric intake is still too high. I was intaking 4000 calories to gain as well on a 2:1 carb to protein ratio. I'm now doing 2100 on a 2:1 protein to carb ratio (cut my carbs in 1/4). I feel like I'm going slow as well, but you have to remember it's a process. These things take time. You are getting results, just not at an alarming rate.

But you were probably bulking quickly

[dbrock504]

But you were probably bulking quickly

Not really, but what does that have to do with anything? If you just want to argue with people who are trying to help you, I suggest you post elsewhere. Again, your caloric intake is still too high if you are wanting to make this a quick cut.

When it comes to nutrition, it's pretty simple. There really is no way around the numbers. Either you are at a deficit or a surplus. Trying to cut weight, you want to be at a deficit. If you aren't loosing enough quick enough, intake less calories. It's not rocket science.

[Josh7000]

Not really, but what does that have to do with anything? If you just want to argue with people who are trying to help you, I suggest you post elsewhere. Again, your caloric intake is still too high if you are wanting to make this a quick cut.

When it comes to nutrition, it's pretty simple. There really is no way around the numbers. Either you are at a deficit or a surplus. Trying to cut weight, you want to be at a deficit. If you aren't loosing enough quick enough, intake less calories. It's not rocket science.

I'm not argueing... if you look at it that way it is simple, but there's so many other things to take into account like if you cut down too quickly or too low your body an pretty much just go into homeostasis, so there's that too

[dbrock504]

I'm not argueing... if you look at it that way it is simple, but there's so many other things to take into account like if you cut down too quickly or too low your body an pretty much just go into homeostasis, so there's that too

Lol. So what do you want? Do you want to cut quickly, or b*tch about not cutting quickly enough? Instead of getting on here, how about you figure it out for your self like people used to have to do before there was internet. Mess with you numbers and see how it affects you.

[Josh7000]

Lol. So what do you want? Do you want to cut quickly, or b*tch about not cutting quickly enough? Instead of getting on here, how about you figure it out for your self like people used to have to do before there was internet. Mess with you numbers and see how it affects you.

Well I'm just trying to makesure it's normal so I don't go too far in the wrong direction...

[Josh7000]

Lol. So what do you want? Do you want to cut quickly, or b*tch about not cutting quickly enough? Instead of getting on here, how about you figure it out for your self like people used to have to do before there was internet. Mess with you numbers and see how it affects you.

I'm precise and careful with things and soak up in as much imformation as I can, that's why I asked on the thread. That's where I find most of my success. I self experiment but in the process try asking these questions to get others opinions apart from my own. And I don't argue but I question these things to once again get more imformation on it

[Josh7000]

What is your LBM? 3k calories for a guy under 200lbs is high, even for maintenance, unless you're solid muscle. That is probably pretty close to your maintenance intake, so 2600cal will be a slow cut.

So would your advice be to lower even more, and what would you reccomend lowering too?

[Josh7000]

Lol. So what do you want? Do you want to cut quickly, or b*tch about not cutting quickly enough? Instead of getting on here, how about you figure it out for your self like people used to have to do before there was internet. Mess with you numbers and see how it affects you.

So would your advice be to lower even more, and what would you reccomend lowering too?

[dbrock504]

So would your advice be to lower even more, and what would you reccomend lowering too?

You're lucky I'm bored and trying to avoid studying for this stupid test tomorrow.

So, I just put in your numbers (19 yo male 5'9 192lbs moderately active 3-5 a week workout) into a simple caloric calculator and this is what I got: 2908 to maintain, 2408 to loose 1lb a week, 1908 to loose 2lb a week, 3908 to gain 2lb a week. So going back to your OP, at 2600 calories, you aren't even loosing 1lb a week according to this simple calculator without getting detailed.

So again, your caloric intake is too high. That's why you are loosing weight slowly.

[Josh7000]

You're lucky I'm bored and trying to avoid studying for this stupid test tomorrow.

So, I just put in your numbers (19 yo male 5'9 192lbs moderately active 3-5 a week workout) into a simple caloric calculator and this is what I got: 2908 to maintain, 2408 to loose 1lb a week, 1908 to loose 2lb a week, 3908 to gain 2lb a week. So going back to your OP, at 2600 calories, you aren't even loosing 1lb a week according to this simple calculator without getting detailed.

So again, your caloric intake is too high. That's why you are loosing weight slowly.

Why would I have been gaining like 1lb a month at 4000 calories then?

[Josh7000]

You're lucky I'm bored and trying to avoid studying for this stupid test tomorrow.

So, I just put in your numbers (19 yo male 5'9 192lbs moderately active 3-5 a week workout) into a simple caloric calculator and this is what I got: 2908 to maintain, 2408 to loose 1lb a week, 1908 to loose 2lb a week, 3908 to gain 2lb a week. So going back to your OP, at 2600 calories, you aren't even loosing 1lb a week according to this simple calculator without getting detailed.

So again, your caloric intake is too high. That's why you are loosing weight slowly.

I'm not totally sure but it was definetly slower than 2lbs a week that's for certain when I was at 4000 calories anyway

[dbrock504]

I'm not totally sure but it was definetly slower than 2lbs a week that's for certain when I was at 4000 calories anyway

Probably because you are burning whatever your eating. Like I said, I just put you down as being moderately active. If you were a non stop type of person, you are going to require more input.

That's a question I can't answer accurately. I don't know what supplements you take. I don't know your sleeping habits. I don't know the stress levels in your life. I don't know your dieting habits. I don't know your workout program. I don't know how long you have been working out.

You have to realize you're answering questions that can't be answered from someone online who doesn't even know your name. Again, quit asking me and start figuring it out for your self. I can tell you the black and white "facts" that I read elsewhere, but I can't tell YOU exact what YOU need to be doing. That's on YOU.

[Josh7000]

Probably because you are burning whatever your eating. Like I said, I just put you down as being moderately active. If you were a non stop type of person, you are going to require more input.

That's a question I can't answer accurately. I don't know what supplements you take. I don't know your sleeping habits. I don't know the stress levels in your life. I don't know your dieting habits. I don't know your workout program. I don't know how long you have been working out.

You have to realize you're answering questions that can't be answered from someone online who doesn't even know your name. Again, quit asking me and start figuring it out for your self. I can tell you the black and white "facts" that I read elsewhere, but I can't tell YOU exact what YOU need to be doing. That's on YOU.

Look I appreciate your help but you're not getting my original point, you're right I'm moderately active. But I was sort of quite slowly bulking at 4000 calories so you would think that my maintenance couldn't of been too far off that, so you'd also think if my maintenance was say around 3600 then. I'm probably wrong but still why would dropping 1000 calories cause me to have slow weightloss, that was my original question because I thought maybe it might have been something to do with leptin levels lowering to quick or maybe me lowering my calories, I already know about what you were saying I just thought for ME it was abit unusual.

[Josh7000]

Probably because you are burning whatever your eating. Like I said, I just put you down as being moderately active. If you were a non stop type of person, you are going to require more input.

That's a question I can't answer accurately. I don't know what supplements you take. I don't know your sleeping habits. I don't know the stress levels in your life. I don't know your dieting habits. I don't know your workout program. I don't know how long you have been working out.

You have to realize you're answering questions that can't be answered from someone online who doesn't even know your name. Again, quit asking me and start figuring it out for your self. I can tell you the black and white "facts" that I read elsewhere, but I can't tell YOU exact what YOU need to be doing. That's on YOU.

Didn't know if anyone else had experienced the same sort of effect from such a drastic drop

[Josh7000]

Probably because you are burning whatever your eating. Like I said, I just put you down as being moderately active. If you were a non stop type of person, you are going to require more input.

That's a question I can't answer accurately. I don't know what supplements you take. I don't know your sleeping habits. I don't know the stress levels in your life. I don't know your dieting habits. I don't know your workout program. I don't know how long you have been working out.

You have to realize you're answering questions that can't be answered from someone online who doesn't even know your name. Again, quit asking me and start figuring it out for your self. I can tell you the black and white "facts" that I read elsewhere, but I can't tell YOU exact what YOU need to be doing. That's on YOU.

And I AM trying to figure out what works for me, but if anyone else has experienced this or can explain this it would help me because I can't be the only one who seems to have a body that trys to stay in homeostasis

[trankwil]

you just have a fast metabolism. Like those skinny guys that can eat a ton of food and not gain weight. They can eat 5k and stay skinny, it doesn't mean they cane eat 4k and lose weight. Your metabolism just adapts to high cals and burns them away. It doesn't mean your maintenance is just 500 or 100 less cals. Keep dropping cals til you get the weight loss you want and quit trying to understand it all. It's not rocket science, if 2600 cals keeps you at the same weight go to 2200 and so on.

[dbrock504]

you just have a fast metabolism. Like those skinny guys that can eat a ton of food and not gain weight. They can eat 5k and stay skinny, it doesn't mean they cane eat 4k and lose weight. Your metabolism just adapts to high cals and burns them away. It doesn't mean your maintenance is just 500 or 100 less cals. Keep dropping cals til you get the weight loss you want and quit trying to understand it all. It's not rocket science, if 2600 cals keeps you at the same weight go to 2200 and so on.

^^^

[Josh7000]

you just have a fast metabolism. Like those skinny guys that can eat a ton of food and not gain weight. They can eat 5k and stay skinny, it doesn't mean they cane eat 4k and lose weight. Your metabolism just adapts to high cals and burns them away. It doesn't mean your maintenance is just 500 or 100 less cals. Keep dropping cals til you get the weight loss you want and quit trying to understand it all. It's not rocket science, if 2600 cals keeps you at the same weight go to 2200 and so on.

That's my point if my metabolism is high, why would I have to drop so low, that's the answer I'm after.

[Josh7000]

^^^

What are your guys opinions on refeed days?

[AlwaysTryin]

Probably because you are burning whatever your eating. Like I said, I just put you down as being moderately active. If you were a non stop type of person, you are going to require more input.

That's a question I can't answer accurately. [b]I don't know what supplements you take.[/b[ I don't know your sleeping habits. I don't know the stress levels in your life. I don't know your dieting habits. I don't know your workout program. I don't know how long you have been working out.

You have to realize you're answering questions that can't be answered from someone online who doesn't even know your name. Again, quit asking me and start figuring it out for your self. I can tell you the black and white "facts" that I read elsewhere, but I can't tell YOU exact what YOU need to be doing. That's on YOU.

As in?

[Tai1001]

mate, just check the ratio of your diet - eating a lot of food doesn't mean your bulking but depends on your overall goal.

[AlwaysTryin]

mate, just check the ratio of your diet - eating a lot of food doesn't mean your bulking but depends on your overall goal.

The ratio? What?

[Josh7000]

mate, just check the ratio of your diet - eating a lot of food doesn't mean your bulking but depends on your overall goal.

My overall goal is to be quite big but lean, I started skinny so I went on a mass bulk and got reasonably big, I'm not cutting to try and trim off some excess fat so I can bulk again because I'm still not at the size I want to be, plus I need to give extra size on top of the size I wanna be so it can make room for the loss of size I'll have from getting leaner

[dbrock504]

What are your guys opinions on refeed days?

I have done enough research to think they are essential. I just did mine today. I do it once a week on Sunday. I will warn you though, stick to the clean carbs. I tried to eat a pizza once, bad idea. Because I wasn't used to the grease and fatty pepperoni and all that, I threw it all up. 2nd week of refeed I ate lots of black beans, brown rice, sweet potatoes, corn, etc. That felt a lot better.

As in?

...what?

[Josh7000]

I have done enough research to think they are essential. I just did mine today. I do it once a week on Sunday. I will warn you though, stick to the clean carbs. I tried to eat a pizza once, bad idea. Because I wasn't used to the grease and fatty pepperoni and all that, I threw it all up. 2nd week of refeed I ate lots of black beans, brown rice, sweet potatoes, corn, etc. That felt a lot better.



...what?

How many calories did you refeed by in comparison to your cutting calories?

[tara19]

OP drop your calories.
You were probably tracking your intake chitty on your bulk.