1000 calorie deficit and NOT losing weight?

[Troopashd]

I’m kind of in a rut.

My stats are M, 5’7, 179lbs, Moderately Active (waiter, exercise 5-6x wk) 22% BF.

I started a cut a month ago, and weighed in at 181lbs. My TDEE is estimated to be somewhere around 2600-2800, and I’ve been on an aggressive deficit (1600-1700 cals per day, logging/weighing EVERYTHING) so I should be losing around 1.85 lbs per week (tracked cheat meal every Sunday, eating slightly below maintenance).

Why have I only gone down 2lbs in the past month when I should be losing 2lbs per week? I’m very active so I doubt that my TDEE can be as low as 2200-2400. For the past two weeks I’ve been fluctuating between 179-180.

I’ve done this before in the past, and by using the same math/methods I successfully saw the scale drop every week.

[SuffolkPunch]

These threads are always the same. It's either
1. An error in counting - either generally not measuring portion sizes, forgetting stuff like drinks and supplements, mismeasuring something specific (like dry vs. cooked weight)
2. You didn't run the calorie level for long enough to see past water retention issues. There may actually be an underlying trend which you can't see because of the noise.
3. Similar to 2 but a steep calorie deficit can cause water retention later in the diet.

Any of the above or a combination are possible. Do you have daily weigh in data for every day in that month?

[Troopashd]

These threads are always the same. It's either
1. An error in counting - either generally not measuring portion sizes, forgetting stuff like drinks and supplements, mismeasuring something specific (like dry vs. cooked weight)
2. You didn't run the calorie level for long enough to see past water retention issues. There may actually be an underlying trend which you can't see because of the noise.
3. Similar to 2 but a steep calorie deficit can cause water retention later in the diet.

So I'm guessing a combination of 1 and 2 at the moment. Do you have daily weigh in data for every day in that month?

I don’t unfortunately. I’ve been tracking cals/macros for about six years so I know all about tracking liq calories, using a scale, etc. I use MFP for everything and am 100% sure my intake is spot on so I don’t think that’s the problem.

If it’s water weight then that might make sense, which sucks dink. I’m looking a bit leaner, but the scale fluctuations are such a pain. I’ve been keeping sodium around 1700mg, water intake high, and carbs low on rest days, but I still won’t get any whooshes.

[SuffolkPunch]

I guess if you are confident it should be working then just stay the course. You will eventually have to drop the water.

Just anecdotally, if you are trying to reach a leaner point than you've reached in the past, this seems to cause more cellular water retention than just dropping recently gained weight for some reason.

[jk202]

My TDEE is estimated to be somewhere around 2600-2800.

How is sleep, stress. Can have a huge impact on what TDEE "should be"

[Troopashd]

How is sleep, stress. Can have a huge impact on what TDEE "should be"

Sleep - 6-8hrs every night

Stress - Moderate? Just started my last semester and going through a breakup but it isn’t taking too much of a toll.

[xsquid99]

At 1000 calorie deficit someone your size would likely be dragging a$$, and your gym performance would likely be suffering. If its not, its safe to assume you're probably not in a 1000 calorie deficit. Not sure why you would be trying to lose that fast anyways, 1% of your bodyweight per week max is really the sweet spot to ensure muscle retention.

Also if its a "tracked" cheat meal then why exactly are you referring to it as a cheat meal? I'm just curious, because you're not cheating if you're tracking calories and it fits into your weekly calorie targets.

[CommitmentRulz]

Well, in this thread you started on 9/11/2020 https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=178959131 you said

I’m considering doing a refeed tomorrow, with my cals and macros at 2750, 103P/521C/54F following a whole body workout to see if I’ll have a whoosh.

You state 2750 calories, then list macros totaling 2982 calories. This doesn't exactly give me confidence in your caloric totals/info. ;-)

[Luclin999]

Why have I only gone down 2lbs in the past month when I should be losing 2lbs per week?

Most likely answer?

Your daily deficit figure is off by 750 calories/day and you are really closer to a 250 calorie/day deficit.

When a person says one thing and the math says another, I tend to trust the math over the person.

[snailsrus]

Op are you subtracting the calories you think you are burning from what you think you need?
Example:
I’m at a 1,000 cal deficit
I eat 2,800 calories a day
I burn 1,000 calories a day at work and the gym and steps tracked
I’m only eating 1,800 calories then, putting me at a 1,000 calorie deficit????

If so you’re doing it wrong

[ExpSaysItAll]

dude, the law of thermodynamics doesn't lie. It's physic. No need to argue with that.

However we should try to figure what's wrong in your equation.
Have you recently lost weight at fast rate? Your body maybe trying to adapt with this new weight, thus bad metabolism (as people love to call it). Still the weight should continue losing regardless of good or bad metabolism (as they call) if you're indeed in calories deficit.

Or you really underestimate food calories? It's normal for someone trying to lose weight they will underestimate calories, while skinny people often overestimate calories. That's why fat people are always fat, and vice versa.

Math and figures are for estimate only. I highly advise you to USE FEELING as it's your body responding to surplus/deficit. When in large deficit you feel weaker, no energy etc. These indicate that you really are in deficit. Try examine your mood, your body feeling.

At 22% body-fat it's not hard to lose fat at all for male.

That's all i can help! cheers!

[Tommy W.]

You need to figure calories on a weekly basis. Some higher days will eliminate the deficit on low days.

Overestimating TDEE and under estimating calorie intake is always the reason for no fatloss “in a deficit”