Calorie deficit - ✔️ Workout all the time - ✔️ No alcohol ✔️ - eat healthy ✔️. Weight and gut keep growing
Posted by dcee101@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 248 comments
Male, 51.What the hell!!! I'm sick of doing everything right!!
misanthropymajor@reddit
Write down everything that goes in your mouth. EVERY thing.
Exercise won’t help you lose weight. It’s essential for other reasons, but not weight loss.
Migamix@reddit
Write it down like a psycho, drink water? How clean or mineral rich was that water? Wear a CPAP everywhere, be sure you have a medical grade oxemeter(sp), create a stillsuit that lets you retain all minerals and fluids lost from sweating. Consider cybenetic implants. Don't forget to poop for no more than 30 sec. Most of all, yell at your entire family for crap genetics.
misanthropymajor@reddit
Wow, you’re hilarious. OP thinks they are eating low-cal, they aren’t. You find this out when you keep a faithful food diary.
Migamix@reddit
does every post have to have a /s or is just the over insertion of the pole up your... /s is was responding to YOU, not OP, pull that stick out at least a little. you are truly without hobbies if you think anyone will be documenting anything , let alone everything just surviving and trying. its sad you are that obsessed with every molecule you absorb. to quote a great oracle "aint nobody got time for that"
/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s
RescueRacing@reddit
I did it old school. I was 5’9” and 165 lbs. Did Atkins diet for probably a month and got down to 135…I was thin but not fit. So, bought a road bike and a mountain bike. Got super fit on the road doing long rides in the country and then started lifting at the gym, racing (road) and eventually found long distance ultra-endurance MTB racing. What a gas! Ate whatever I wanted and didn’t have an ounce of fat on me. Perfect for our inner GenX…I for one lived on my bike as a kid and this was like being a kid again in my 40s and 50s. Finally hung up the race bikes, but still enjoy noodling around spotting alligators and turtles with my wife. I may have put on a few lbs., but hovering at 150 is normal.
EstimateAgitated224@reddit
GLP-1. The best thing I did for myself. And it does not have to make you look anorexic like on TV, those are people who take it too far. I eat what I want and maintain my weight, after I lost the 40lbs I gained being old.
Otherwise-Job-1572@reddit
Did you go through your doctor? I'm curious to try the same approach.
No_Animal_7163@reddit
Intermittent fasting 💯
aeklund68@reddit
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
Yep. Noon was great for me, too. I stopped my subscription a while ago but I stick with the general principles and daily weigh-ins.
DontListenImFullofBS@reddit
I had Noom for a while and I stick with the general idea too… count calories and weigh in every day. What bugged me about Noom was all the little stuff that is supposed to be inspiring and uplifting. All the little micro celebrations bugged the crap out of me. That kind of stuff makes me feel like I’m being talked down to. I feel like I’m being treated like a little kid.
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
SAME!!!! OMG that’s the main reason I cancelled 🤣🤣🤣 The little sayings and “celebrations” were so fucking annoyingly twee. I had the same issue with workout videos with narration where the trainer keeps saying, “You got this!”. I only do videos without narration because I know “I got this”. I don’t need you encouraging me to
ImCaffeinated_Chris@reddit
I'm eating nacho chips and drinking Jack and Coke while i read this.
Reebatnaw@reddit
Haha, just finished a bowl of ice cream and drinking a beer here
everyoneisnuts@reddit
That’s a terrible combination lol
Reebatnaw@reddit
Not necessarily. A decent porter pairs nicely with a quality vanilla bean ice cream
rfriend73@reddit
I lost 20 lbs in the last 6 months from stopping alcohol. I didn't make any other changes with exercise or diet, just stopped the booze calories .
nolalolabouvier@reddit
How much were you drinking on average?
rfriend73@reddit
Too much. 3/4 bottle of wine nightly.. I stopped for a couple of reasons but the weight loss was surprising
LastNightOsiris@reddit
what did you do with the leftover 1/4 bottle each night?
rfriend73@reddit
White wine back in the fridge all ready for the next night.
nolalolabouvier@reddit
Good for you! Congratulations!
rfriend73@reddit
Appreciate it !
Hotsaucejimmy@reddit
Calorie reduction is misleading. Reduced from what? Everyone needs to know their BMR first. Then their TDEE.
After that, macro balance is super important. There are too many extreme diets. I prefer balance with a 30/35/35 intake.
People usually get the eating part wrong.
Hydroidal@reddit
He said calorie “deficit” not reduction.
Hotsaucejimmy@reddit
Deficit is a reduction.
Hydroidal@reddit
Sure, but not all reductions are deficits.
Hotsaucejimmy@reddit
Again, BMR & TDEE need to be established first. Otherwise people are just guessing. They think they are in a deficit when they in fact are not.
Objective-Apple7805@reddit
Yup. Can pretty much guarantee that the calories in is an underestimate and the calories burned is an overestimate.
Sucks that we can’t eat nearly as much without gaining weight as we age but that’s the reality.
Reformed-Canook@reddit
Thanks for the insight. What does your mix of meals look like for a 30/35/35?
9for9@reddit
Yup. Dude needs to give more specifics. How much has he reduced his calories and how is he counting his calories. At our age there may be a health issue making it worse and he should get that checked but he also needs to make sure to get this part right.
AppliedCarbon@reddit
You are eating to much, the only way to gain weight is to consume more calories that you burn. Get a scale and a notebook and start written down calories you consume. Also, most calorie calculators over estimate how much calories you need. At your age and without knowing anything else about you, your base rate is probably a little under 2000 a day
FETTACH@reddit
That's a medical issue because no chance that's all true without a medical problem!
TC_Stock@reddit
These older dudes that are ripped are on TRT. You cant get that lean and muscular without it at our age. Having said that, if you're doing everything you say you should be dropping a few pounds. Might be working out too much. See a doctor.
everyoneisnuts@reddit
That’s not true. It’s hard to get that way if you’re just starting from scratch, but if you have been lifting all along then you can stay that way by continuing to lift and eating right with lots of protein.
Tiny_Reference_3697@reddit
I was 100 lbs overweight at 59...I started eating just once a day, a huge meal, though: mostly veggies, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts. I use meat as a condiment ...virtually cut out sugar, but ate whole grain anything...Focused mostly on my spiritual condition, cuz eating my feelings is my big problem.
I doubled my cardio, walking 6-8 miles instead of 3, then running once I dropped 50 lbs. Took a few years to lose 100.
Am 65 now, weight is still off, and I am still walking/running: 30 miles last week, still meditating to music the whole time...I basically dance-run.
I focus on finding beauty in my surroundings or thinking of how I might be helpful to the people in my life the whole time, not on how fast I am going. (I run outdoors)
Can't take hormones due to cancer, or other drugs cuz I can't tolerate them, so no "easier softer way" for moi.
Hope this helps. Best wishes!
New-Geezer@reddit
Go vegan. Ta da!
NoTomorrowNo@reddit
Andropause. See a specialist. Men can get HRT too.
AthleteHistorical490@reddit
I second this.
Legion1117@reddit
Have your liver checked.
imrickjamesbioch@reddit
Weight gain or loss is pretty simple and straightforward. Your body either burns more energy (calories) than it consumes = lose weight. Or you consume more calories than you burn = weight gain.
However there are some nuances that are hard to figure out with OP one sentence post. I’ll try to generalize what folks might see if they start working out or change their diet.
How long have you been working out. When you start exercising, your body starts to store glycogen (for muscle), which in turn causes more water retention.
If you drastically cut down on your calorie intake, that can cause your metabolism to actually slow down. Pending on age (50’s), your metabolism might have already slowed down considerably.
Along with inaccurate calorie intake or overestimate on the amount of energy or calories burned during exercise can cause miscalculation on the calorie you need to burn to lose weight.
You should be more focused on how you feel health wise and you can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) or body fat percentage if you want to track your progress better.
As for gut, don’t expect sit-ups to reduce your gut size. Sit-ups are just gonna tone the muscle under your belly but they aren’t going to reduce the layer of fat that sits on top of your ab muscles. Also water weight is stored at the stomach, hands, feet, legs, and face
Due to our age or at least mine, lack of sleep, medication, or Inflammation due to working can cause water gains as well.
Finally, in my uneducated opinion, the body is amazing and weird at the same time. You could go months without seeing major improvements and then boom, the body hits a switch and all of the sudden fat begins to melt off, you have a ton on new energy, etc. In other words try to not get discourage and i guarantee you, if you stick with doing the right things, eventually over time you’ll see results.
Now I don’t even pretend to be an expert or competent in all things regarding someone’s physical health. I would certainly be a better teacher on how to ruin your body or make bad decisions.
However if you are serious, I’d recommend talking to a fitness coach to look at your overall lifestyle. Then if you are still serious, a personal trainer and/nutritionist. Your PCP, not so much unless you think you have a health condition.
I would also say watch videos from YouTube or TikTok (pick your social media) BUT there are so many clowns putting out misinformation that you need to be careful who you get advice from. Having a ton of followers does not mean they know shit about anything except how to pump out videos people like and can connect with.
Sorry for the long winded post!
✌️🍺
Sorry ✌️🥗🧃🍊
GL OP/everyone!
Gwaptiva@reddit
Great tips, but please dont tell 3d people to use or consider 2d BMI. It was designed by a statistician as a correlation for very large groups of people. It is not to be used for individuals
Picnut@reddit
See a doctor, and a nutritionist
Feisty-Lifeguard-550@reddit
Hormones , menopause can cause this
skeezycheezes@reddit
Not in a 51 year old man though
Feisty-Lifeguard-550@reddit
See that’s what I get for not reading properly
Thumber3@reddit
Men’s hormones also crash out, but we’re not supposed to talk about it because menopause is exclusively for women. So much misinformation out there.
Puzzled_Living7919@reddit
This person is not experiencing perimenopause lol
Locked_in_a_room@reddit
Get your thyroid checked.
dudeatwork77@reddit
I’m a bit skeptical. Calorie deficit worked for me. How are you counting your calories?
Breklin76@reddit
Cortisol.
PDXisadumpsterfire@reddit
Omg all the judgy responses!
Sure, some folks who are overweight simply consume too many calories and expend too few calories. But the reality for most overweight people is much more nuanced.
If maintaining what is considered to be a healthy body weight is merely a simple math problem of calories in vs calories out, obesity would be extremely rare. But it’s not. So clearly there’s more at play than just a math problem.
Muted_Evidence1311@reddit
Hormones. Get your insulin checked.
Constant_Coconut7562@reddit
Get your testosterone checked
demona2002@reddit
GLP-1
chamrockblarneystone@reddit
Came to say. Worked miracles for my 59 year old ass.
Globeblotter85@reddit
You are not in a calorie deficit or you would not be gaining weight, certainly not expanding your waist.
norskgenes@reddit
I feel for you. At least I can blame it on menopause.
calmlikeasexbobomb@reddit
How’s your sleep?
Living_Guess_2845@reddit
It's a toomah
mom2artists@reddit
It’s not a toomah
prudent-nebula3361@reddit
Retatrutide
yourmomsinmybusiness@reddit
Lift weights and get 10k steps
PieceStatus9648@reddit
If you were actually in a calorie deficit it would be physically impossible for you to gain weight unless you’ve somehow found a way to defy the laws of thermodynamics. Your body cannot create fat out of thin air, you’re either counting wrong or severely overestimating what a deficit is for you.
Oxjrnine@reddit
I’m pretty sure what he means is that the amount of calories he should be allowed to eat based upon his height and his goal weight are higher than the reality.
I have that problem. From the age of 15 till about five years ago, I had an extremely high level of cardiovascular exercise so that I could eat normal meals like everyone else.
But at my age now, I can’t go running for 10 km every night four nights a week so my weight is creeping up.
According to my doctor, I may have insulin resistance despite my sugars appearing normal. And apparently that can make someone sloth like even though on the outside, they seem to be doing everything right with high levels of exercise, eating responsibly, etc., etc. You walk up the same number of stairs at work as everyone else that you go up slower and more calm. You take more mental health minutes where you just close your eyes and relax, maybe daydream. You don’t fidget as much with the pen in your hand. Everything outside of your planned exercise and activity you do slower, but not so slow that you even notice that you’re doing it.
goosepills@reddit
Adderall and Ozempic work for me
captainfishhooks@reddit
Weed
CrankyDoo@reddit
What most Americans think of as “eating healthy” often isn’t really healthy. I eat a diet that consists entirely of whole grains, vegetables, and small amounts of poultry or fish (about 4oz three times a week). I only allow minimal amounts of salt or oil in my food (and only if I add it myself). I don’t have any problems staying thin unless I deviate from that diet. It’s not nearly as savory or fun as a bag of Doritos, but it not only keeps me thin, it keeps my LDL fairly low, I have normal BP, and I have more energy at 56 than I did at 36. My doctor always comments I am one of the very few people he knows taking zero daily medications at my age.
fruskydekke@reddit
That doesn't sound particularly healthy either, if I'm honest, speaking as a non-American. If my math is mathing, 4 ounces are just over 100 grams; depending on what you're eating, that gets you approximately 25-30 grams of protein three times per week.
For reference, my dietician is adamant that I need a minimum of 60 grams of protein a day, preferably 100 grams of protein a day, in order to maintain muscle mass as I age.
CrankyDoo@reddit
If it’s unhealthy, it’s news to me. I feel fantastic. The reason why I figure it’s perfectly fine is, many of our hunter gatherer ancestors ate diets low in protein and were extremely healthy. I didn’t just invent this diet myself. I follow the Pritikin diet guidelines.
fruskydekke@reddit
many of our hunter gatherer ancestors ate diets low in protein
None of mine, it has to be said - the growing season in my part of the world is three months of the year, and the stone age diet is known from isotopic analyses of bones. My ancestors ate marine mammals and fish. So yeah, depending on where your DNA comes from, it could well be you need less protein than I do.
I'm glad you're feeling good, though, that's what matters in the end!
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
I feel about ready to burst when people get on the “but, but, high protein, low carb” bandwagon, and pretty much for the reasons CrankyDoo states. My body does best with a vegetarian, whole grain diet. I can occasionally have beef but I prefer fish and chicken, and even then only occasionally and in small amounts. I love my salt, though. I’m the thinnest I’ve ever been and according to my food tracker I eat nowhere near the amount of protein I’m supposed to be, but when I do, the weight comes back on even if nothing else changes and I’m accounting for those extra calories in my tracker. Macro tracking does not work for me for this same reason.
Dogzillas_Mom@reddit
Is it possible the person you’re replying to is a woman and also much smaller than you (I am, of course, assuming you are a man)? Because I am a small woman and have wildly different nutritional needs than men who are twice my size.
fruskydekke@reddit
To be sure, individual requirements are a thing! But in order for u/CrankyDoo's protein intake to be adequate, he (I think he's a he, going by the icon) would need to be... really tiny. According to this calculator, the World Health Organization safe lower limit per day for a 60-year-old woman of 4 foot 0, weighing 100 pounds, is still 38 grams a day... well above what he's getting: https://www.calculator.net/protein-calculator.html
sc00ter1808@reddit
Is this AI generated haven’t seen a reply from OP yet???
Bloody_Mabel@reddit
Cut out sugar completely.
Lower carbs significantly.
Increase your protein.
Increase weight training.
If this doesn't work, see your doctor.
moonflower311@reddit
Lost 25 lbs in 6 months doing most of these things (all but the weight training which I know I should add just motivation issues). I’d add to this making sure to stay hydrated as well.
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
Eh, glad that works for you but I started gaining weight once I stopped food logging. And I’m also not willing to cut out sugar completely or lower carbs. I walk 6-7 days a week, lift 2-3 days. Weigh myself daily and log my food. I leave caloric room for my vodka sodas and end-of-night See’s dark chocolates. Spouse also brings home cheesecake, which is our Sunday morning treat with coffee. I’ve maintained a 30-lb weight loss for over 10 years and am seeing great muscle definition with my current home training program, so I’m doing something right.
Illustrious_Study_30@reddit
Exactly...I've lost 35lbs during menopause in a little over a year..this is all that needs to happen and I haven't counted. I've kinda roughly guestimated because I know I'm getting the protein and the training in..and I'm not eating shedloads of fat and sugar
Own_Celebration5462@reddit
I saw this on the right day. Sound advice! The menopause struggle is real. I just had an appt with my doctor about my menopause weight gain today. I feel like I am one more chance until a glp-1.
blatkinsman@reddit
I am no expert.
In theory if your reduce your caloric intake you will lose weight. And that is true to an extent.
However, if you have a prolonged enough period of caloric deficit your body will respond by reducing its metabolism. Caloric deficit alone will no longer lead to weight loss.
You have to increase your metabolic rate to compensate and the easiest way to do that is through muscle gain. This doesn't have to mean increased muscle mass per se. There is more than one way to build muscle. But a gain in muscle mass is the most reliable way to increase metabolism.
If I had to guess it would a few things: either too much caloric deficit has lead to a loss of muscle and reduced metabolism despite workout routine; or severe caloric deficit has disabled your bodies ability to gain muscle and metabolism.
Eat more, eat better, workout more. Focus less on what a scale says and more on how strong your muscles are.
Unless of course, your weight gain is actually muscle gain accompanied by fat gain which could be larger gut and doughy appearance. But you would definitely know if you were gaining muscle mass also. This is normal and is called bulking. If that is the case, to achieve your desired physique, you'd have to enter a cutting phase to reduce the fat and keep the muscle.
Consult an expert.
Pinknailzz69@reddit
It’s not calories. You are probably metabolically unhealthy from eating too often and eating too many carbs not enough fat and protein. Eat between 2pm and 4 pm only. Eat proteins and fat and some fibre. Drink only water, black coffee or tea. Drink lots of water. Think meats, fish, seafood, high fat dairy, eggs, olive oil, some veggies, nuts, seeds, one piece of fruit maximum. Do a 36-48 hr fast at least once a month.
Keefy_rides@reddit
Agreed, its not the calories, its the carbs.
kat2211@reddit
The only thing I can suggest is making sure you are keeping your carbs low. Personally I've found that a high protein, moderate fat, low-carb diet, at a very significant deficit, is the only way to get weight off at my age (59). I partially achieve the calorie deficit by doing IF (I skip dinner, but some prefer to have their meals later in the day).
FrooferDoofer@reddit
This sounds very close to disordered eating.
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
Throwing out “disordered eating” when people are mindful about their eating habits is as inaccurate and annoying as the people who label any alcohol use an “addiction problem”.
kat2211@reddit
Oh, LOL. Sure, in the world where "ordered eating" means cramming your face with any food you happen to crave at any time you happen to crave it, regardless of the effect it has on your health, happiness and general well being.
w3woody@reddit
So I use Cronometer and weigh to the gram everything I eat.
You'd be surprised how little butter or oil or a small handful of nuts makes "calorie deficit" turn into "calorie excess."
SPR95634@reddit
I’ve been trying to lose weight my entire adult life. Finally in my mid 50’s I quit processed foods and started fasting 18/6. I weigh the least since gaining weight in my30’s. 175 pounds in high school, 220 in my 30’s peaked at 275. I don’t work out but I do live a very active farm life.
goonwild18@reddit
Get on the T.
Adventurous-Depth984@reddit
You’re wrong about your calorie count unless you have some kind of massive pancreatic or thyroid issues.
If your calorie count is accurate, get your ass to the doctor.
ssevcik@reddit
You’re not in a calorie deficit. You think you are, but you are not.
PHX480@reddit
When I was a personal trainer, when I asked people what they ate, almost everyone said they ate salads lol. Meanwhile they were obese or overweight at a minimum. They were eating salads (and a lot of other stuff).
The biggest one though was not considering calories from soda or other beverages. I worked with this lady, she said she was doing everything I said (sure) so we started talking about her diet and she actually seemed like she was trying. I asked her if she drank alcohol not to judge her but because alcohol has calories and she was absolutely shocked and admitted to drinking a few Coronas a night. Idk how many, idc, but it was more than “a few”. That would’ve cut several hundred calories from her diet a day. But now are we getting into an addiction issue etc lol
Personal training was simultaneously one of the most rewarding and most frustrating jobs I’ve ever had
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
I’m going to overlook your judgy addiction comment because the rest of what you say makes sense. Even the people who had salads usually pile on the dressing + croutons + cheese and all the things that add up calorie-wise. Beer is especially calorie-dense, as is anything with syrup or most mixers, especially sodas and sweet & sour. I log my food daily, including when I have vodka sodas (seltzer, no calories) and my dark chocolate treats. Just because you didn’t log it doesn’t mean you didn’t eat it, lol.
PHX480@reddit
The addiction issue wasnt meant to be judgy, I think I made that pretty clear in my comment. It was meant more as an issue that is out of my scope as a personal trainer
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
The fact that you made it an “addiction issue” at all is the judgment. If you weren’t judging, you wouldn’t have mentioned it. It’s okay to admit you’re judging.
PHX480@reddit
I’m sorry you can’t understand why I transitioned to the addiction issue stuff. That is a completely different scope of practice that I am not licensed in. I can tell someone it would be healthy to cut alcohol from their diet for a variety of reasons, but alcohol addiction is something I’m not trained to deal with. That is something they would need counseling for. I don’t see how that’s judgy it’s just the truth. This is coming from someone 2 years sober from alcohol. Sometimes the truth hurts. Sounds like it might’ve touched a nerve with you.
SaltyMarg4856@reddit
I’m sorry you can’t understand that the fact that you’re diagnosing a client with an addiction issue is the issue at hand. It makes no difference that it’s not part of what you do. It’s that you’re obviously judging this person for the alcohol. And of course you’re sober, so you’re totally projecting. Makes sense.
PHX480@reddit
Whatever.
joelav@reddit
Also don’t assume your BMR is 2000 calories. Get a test done, it’s probably way less. Especially for us old people
hkusp45css@reddit
The little sauce packs the fast food people give out with your nuggies? 50-150 calories, each.
MissKhary@reddit
Underestimating calories eaten and overestimating your metabolic rate.
I suggest using something like the Macro Factor app for a month. I did that and logged every single thing I put in my mouth while tracking my weight daily. Over time it looks at your actual calories eaten and your actual weight gain and loss to approximate your real metabolic rate. I was in fact overestimating mine. This only really works if you do it for long enough because your weight can fluctuate day to day and that's normal - but over the course of a month + that water weight isn't going to change the calculations.
I only did it for a month because weighing every single thing you eat gets old fast, but I would absolutely do it again to recalibrate as needed.
MightyAl75@reddit
This is the answer. Drop 500 calories and see what happens. Calories in vs calories out. Nothing else matters and no ward study has shown any different.
Tinaturtle79@reddit
I know from experience how frustrating that is. I’d recommend listening to this podcast. It explains why CICO doesn’t work for all.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fat-science/id1715377331?i=1000693022789
Dogstar_9@reddit
If you're doing all of that and still gaining body fat, you're not in a calorie deficit. That means one of two things is going on. Either (1) you've been overtraining and undereating for so long that your body is holding on to every calorie it can by reducing N.E.A.T., or (2) you're overconsuming healthy food.
Take a month and track your caloric burn all day every day, and track all of your food as accurately as you can (literally weight everything out on a digital scale). This should tell you which category you're falling into. If it's category 1, you'll need to give yourself some rest and more calories to let your metabolism recover. If it's category 2, then you're going to have to cut your calories if you want to lose body fat.
sixfourtykilo@reddit
No joke, there's a whole group of people that believe whole/natural foods are safe to eat in any quantity. Butter, wheat, whatever.
There's good calories and bad calories but at the end of the day, a calorie is a calorie.
Dogstar_9@reddit
Very true. I've known plenty of people who believed the human body is somehow immune to the fundamental laws of thermodynamics.
Also very true that there are good and bad calories, but energy in and energy out will always apply.
Fickle-Debt8571@reddit
Get your T checked!
ineedlotsofguns@reddit
No. There’s something you are not telling us. Body doesn’t lie.
Pinknailzz69@reddit
Drinking his calories. Eating too often. Insulin resistant
ConnotationalRacket@reddit
Go to the doctor and get screened, get a blood panel and a full work up
Baxterado@reddit
This happened to me. It was my thyroid slowing down. Got on replacement and dropped 15 pounds.
Mellimearn@reddit
Hormones? Could check on testosterone levels maybe?
Commies-Fan@reddit
Dont make that excuse. Calories in calories out. Unless OP lists their exact diet its bogus.
TruthJusticeGuitar@reddit
Double your weekly cardio and keep lifting weights.
Illustrious_Study_30@reddit
Just the weights...
joelav@reddit
You think you’re in a calorie deficit but you aren’t. Not your fault entirely. Nutrition labels are rarely accurate, and fitness trackers grossly overestimate calories burned (by up to 70%).
I know this will get heavily downvoted but that doesn’t matter. The laws of thermodynamics can never be cheated. You cannot make something from nothing.
KiloJools@reddit
If we were an actual mechanical machine that always worked exactly the same all the time and had no autonomy, that would be one thing. But the body actually has the capacity to decide how, where, and when to use the energy we provide it. If it believes there's a reason to conserve, it will sacrifice what it needs to in order to make it happen, even if you're purposely expending energy. For example, it can reduce temperature, immune system activity, and cognitive processes to make up for the deficit and workout.
The laws of thermodynamics are never cheated. We aren't making something from nothing. We're just reducing other energy-using processes to make up for it.
(Also, it gets to decide how much fluid to shove into our interstitial tissue instead of disposing of it, so that certainly doesn't help for some people.)
joelav@reddit
Right. But if you are truly in a meaningful calorie deficit consistently, you will lose weight. If you eat less than it takes to keep you alive, there’s no conservation. This is measured more in months than days. The “starvation mode” excuse is what a lot of people claim. That doesn’t happen overnight. Or even over the course of a week.
This is why all of the sudden people are dropping 40+ lbs with GLP-1s and little to no intentional lifestyle changes. Slow your gut motility and simulate satiety, and you eat less.
KiloJools@reddit
The assumption that on a regular, sane deficit diet we would be eating less than what it takes to keep us alive is what trips people up - we really underestimate how much the body can sacrifice in immune and cognitive function alone and still be alive. People can still genuinely be eating what would be considered "a deficit" and the body can simply say, "not today, Satan". The problem is that we can't consciously decide where the energy is or is not used, and continuing to cut back on calories in a more extreme manner will provoke other unhealthy responses.
Most healthy bodies respond just fine to a reasonable calorie deficit, so people feel very confident when they say "you're just eating more than you think you are, the laws of thermodynamics say so, it's a fact, there's no exceptions".
A better response would be to consider what exact activity levels they are engaging in and how frequently (more frequent and more strenuous is NOT always better), what their overall stress levels are, what their sleep is like, what medications they're on, what their blood sugars look like, etc. It's so much more than CICO and simply telling people they're just not doing it right because "everybody lies" and "they're just not counting everything" doesn't actually help anyone.
The GLP-1 drugs have more diverse mechanisms of action than just slowing gastric emptying and dulling appetite, but that's a whole other thing that's still so much more complex that researchers are still finding new surprises even as we speak.
joelav@reddit
I’m an endurance athlete, so I kind of have the opposite take with exercise. In addition to my BMR, I burn anywhere from an extra 700 to 5000 (yes, 5 thousand, a 180km bike workout) a day. I can eat that back in minutes. And often want to because I just spent hours not eating and burning tons of calories.
If you are in a consistent deficit over a matter of months, you will lose weight. And by deficit I mean 500 to 800 calories below BMR. You can control that. It doesn’t matter if I’m injured and can’t run. It doesn’t matter if I got stuck at work and now can’t do my long ride. I can’t always control what goes out but I can always control what goes in. And consistency is the most important thing. The problem is most people don’t have the will power to live off 1200 calories. That’s what GLP1s help.
KiloJools@reddit
You can control how much goes in, but you can't control how it's used. If everything is working correctly, putting in less will result in your body using it all and taking from reserves.
If everything ISN'T working correctly (undiagnosed diabetes, insulin resistance, perimenopause (technically that's "working as intended" but...), hashimoto's thyroiditis, too much or not enough testosterone, high cortisol levels, other autoimmune diseases, immune suppression, unrestorative sleep, sleep apnea, infection, improper/under/over medication, gut dysbiosis, muscle loss, liver/pancreas dysfunction, etc etc etc), that may not happen.
People who are following the basic directions for weight loss and are not experiencing weight loss should be advised to assess the rest of their lifestyle and see a doctor, not just be told they're still eating too much.
The most hilarious part of some of these cases is for a lot of these people, eating very little is easy. Some of the autoimmune disorders and metabolic disorders cause appetite suppression. But I digress, that's a whole other can of worms.
I'm very glad you have a healthy body and that everything is working well for you. I hope it continues to be that way for you for the rest of your life.
heavymetaltshirt@reddit
The laws of thermodynamics only work within a closed system. It is not applicable to the human metabolism.
KiloJools@reddit
It still applies, but it doesn't work like most people think it does (they assume the human body is less complex and has less autonomy). We never cheat thermodynamics, our body just autonomously cuts other energy expenditures to make up for energy deficits if there's some reason it thinks it should.
joelav@reddit
Explain
BrewtalKittehh@reddit
Yes, human metabolism is an open system, but is certainly subject to the laws of thermodynamics.
ScooterMcTavish@reddit
This is a legit fact. But with most people I know, their main issue is their base calories are overstated for their age/weight/activity level. Someone insulin resistant people may need as much as 25% less calories daily (I believe up to 40% for women). So even if calories are being counted correctly, they may be starting from an incorrect base, meaning it is a paper deficit.
My problem is I work out, get hungry, then eat up to my calories, based on incorrect fitness trackers.
joelav@reddit
Yes. My wife had a BMR lab test done. Fitness apps/trackers guessed it was around 2100. It was 1630.
Repulsive_Client_325@reddit
Q = W and entropy (S) always increases!
sumostuff@reddit
Yup, started in my late 40s. Suddenly I have a gut from nowhere. Started tracking calories and I'm not eating enough. Just getting fatter. Amazing.
No-Country6348@reddit
Glp1s
Micheal_Noine_Noine@reddit
Eating well? Honestly tell us what you eat in a day. My guess is you have insulin resistance. I'd look into that. It's tough to drop weight once you hit the weight your body thinks it should be at. If you are stumped and don't want to take it to the next level, just ask for Zepbound.
Otherwise_Object_446@reddit
I had a 45 pound unexplained weight gain when I was around 44 and nothing I did helped. My doctor just told me to double my exercise (and that’s how I wound up with two stress fractures in my leg/foot).
Turns out I had SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). If you have any IBS symptoms (like bloating, stomach pain, fatigue, constipation or diarrhea) you might want to look into it.
KiloJools@reddit
Ohhhh man that sucks. I'm glad you caught it and hope you're feeling better!
sweeptheleg77@reddit
What’s the treatment for that?
Otherwise_Object_446@reddit
Really depends based on your practitioner. My GI doc was old school and didn’t treat it or test for it so I had to go to a naturopath for help. I got treated with herbal antimicrobials and diet (low fodmap during treatment). Rifaximin (antibiotic) is often used as well. Some people also have success with the elemental diet where they starve the bacteria. Without knowing the root cause for why you get it it’s hard to say what your treatment should be. It’s can be pretty resistant to treatment. My treatments the first time took over seven months and I had a flareup last summer. That treatment only took four weeks and I’ve been symptom-free since then.
OwnLobster1701@reddit
That's when you see your doctor, not Reddit.
SpidersCrow@reddit
Exactly. As a retired nurse of a few decades, no way should OP take under advisement what some commenters are saying they should do. Seeing a doctor should be the first thing, no one here can - nor should be trying to - diagnose OP.
Hydroidal@reddit
I dunno, I didn’t see him ask a question. I took it as venting rather than soliciting advice.
KiloJools@reddit
I think you're right. But if you tell reddit anything that appears to defy the folks that think everything is as simple as calories in/calories out, they can't help themselves.
_DividesByZero_@reddit
Stick to 3 meals a day, plus snack (total calorie target) for 2 weeks. Drink plenty of water. Walk 10k steps per day, and lift weights 3x a week. Get as close to 8 hours of sleep as you can.
If you’re still not losing weight and you’re otherwise healthy, discuss with your doctor and ask about getting some bloodwork done.
KiloJools@reddit
This is the best, healthiest, most accurate answer right here. We try too hard to simplify something that's actually very complex. It takes the whole picture as you described in your first paragraph just to even get started. Beyond that, we should be getting professionals on board instead of listening to the people just yelling "CICO!"
Current_Wrongdoer513@reddit
Zepbound, baby.
TakingItPeasy@reddit
RMDVanilaGorila@reddit
You need to keep your metabolism high, which means you need to be eating 6 small meals throughout the day instead of the 2 or 3 heavy meals. Breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, snack before bed. Use the same amount of total calories, just break up into smaller meals
KiloJools@reddit
Maybe, maybe not. (Article TL;DR: eating six small meals instead of three larger ones may interfere with our hunger and satiety signals, making it potentially more difficult to manage caloric intake.)
x100139@reddit
Learn. How. To. Poop. Properly.
AffectionateWheel386@reddit
This I had a father-in-law when I was 38 that was really into taking care of his gut. At that time not as much as known, but he gave me a regiment of things that I did then for a few years and I continue to make sure that I don’t go a day that makes such a difference in your health how you feel and your stomach. Like you said, every disease starts in the gut. Fiber water I’ve never used probiotics though so I’m not sure about that.
AlarmedApricot@reddit
How? 🥲
x100139@reddit
Step 1.) Tilt the pelvis slightly forward, and use the muscles beneath the tailbone to retract the upper colon. This will prompt peristalsis into action. Done properly, you will feel the colon expand to let poop through. Step 2.) Now, relax and let it evacuate (just fall out). No straining. Step 3.) After evacuation, clench the lower color but not hard, and let this muscular action move from the lower colon to the upper colon. That's where you start all over with Step 1, repeat until you feel fantastic!
Ineedzthetube@reddit
Have you had your hormone levels checked?
KiloJools@reddit
Sometimes the working out all the time works against us, if we don't leave time for repair. And we need more time for repair as we age.
man_in_ict@reddit
Could be genetic. I'm pretty much built like my dad except he drinks and I don't so I don't have a gut like him
hkusp45css@reddit
The things you say cannot all be true.
FrooferDoofer@reddit
Disputed, as someone who’s experiencing the same exact thing.
hkusp45css@reddit
Dispute it all you want. You cannot be in calorie deficit, eating healthy, exercising, AND growing.
They can't all be true, period. If you eat fewer calories than you use, you get smaller. If you use fewer calories than you consume, you grow.
CI/CO it's not just a good idea, it's the law.
FrooferDoofer@reddit
What you say makes sense and is grounded in western science.
Yet, Your facts lack nuance and context.
Lived experience always wins over theory.
Many people on this thread are having the experience you are arguing against, so in some form you are arguing dogma vs reality.
Without context theory is inert. And important starting place, and the points you raise are valid, but lived experience is simply more valid.
hkusp45css@reddit
My "lived experience" tells me that anyone claiming to be in defecit, exercising and eating correctly can not (note, not probably not, not maybe not, absolutely NOT) be gaining weight, unless they absorbing mass through fucking osmosis
FrooferDoofer@reddit
Only a Sith speaks in absolutes.
hkusp45css@reddit
I don't know what you call someone who quotes intergalactic soap operas in a discussion about metabolic science.
PHX480@reddit
A fucking idiot?
His whole argument is being held up by a quote from a fucking Star Wars movie lol
“Lived experience” lol is that the Gen-X version of “my truth”?
Then_Bodybuilder3629@reddit
Lived experience be like....
I don't understand why I'm not losing weight. All I have for breakfast is a cup of coffee (Starbucks 600 calories) and a muffin (300 calories). For lunch it's a salad with (fried) chicken (1100 calories). I have a handful of nuts (200 calories) as a snack. Dinner is light, just a baked potato (loaded 400 calories) with some rice (and butter for 200 calories) with a (fried) chicken breast (400 calories). And since I did so good watching what I eat, I deserved a treat, so I had a small portion (1.5 cups) of ice cream (500 calories). But I just can't lose weight (3700 calories in vs 1700 calories out). It's a mystery.
tmarthal@reddit
Only 24 cans of Diet Coke (0 calories!) a day
scarlet_hairstreak@reddit
Agreed - I'd like to know what they mean by "calorie deficit." Do they know how many calories they need to lose weight and how closely are they tracking them?
Athrynne@reddit
I spent my 40s losing and then gaining the weight back. The food noise wouldn't leave me alone. I finally decided to get on Wegovy and slowly but surely, the noise is going away and I'm eating less. It may be an option for you if that's the kind of problem you're having.
TurboLicious1855@reddit
Are you sure you are not going through MANopause?
;) Just a little joke with the hubby and myself.
BeachesAreOverrated@reddit
I am currently recovering from this exact thing. I was lifting weights intensely 6 times a week and running 3 times a week, while eating 1400 calories a day. After 4 months, I had lost no weight and my middle was actually bigger!
Turns out I had accidentally put myself into “starvation” mode, and my body was flooded with cortisol, which hoards water!! I had no idea!
OP, perhaps you’re in a similar situation. If so, use an online calorie calculator and figure out how much you need to eat, take a month off from training, and just eat and recover.
Do watch out for “refeeding syndrome,” which can sometimes be fatal, so visit a doctor to help guide you.
heavymetaltshirt@reddit
This is the answer. When you’re in a sustained calorie deficit your body protectively slows down your metabolism.
Mortarius@reddit
You eat more than you think. Try calculating what you eat by weight and stick to those meals only. Easy to keep track if you meal prep. Workout apps overestimate a lot, so keep that in mind.
Fat cells don't go away, they just empty of fat. But they can replace fat with water, so it's possible you've lost fat but gained water weight. Do a graph of your avg weight over weeks to know that tendency for sure. If it keeps increasing, reduce food item. Like switching to diet soda, eating one less bag of chips, less chocolate... Not even remove - just reduce high kcal items and see if the weight averages up or down over weeks.
Alternativelyyou got serious disease.
Bowel cancer can lead to inflamation and water retention in the belly. Same with liver failure and other nasty stuff. If the belly feels hard, it's time for checkup.
You are most likely underestimating your consumed kcal though.
lottadot@reddit
It doesn't sound like you are doing everything right. Cut all sugar. Cut carbs. Check your glucose pre/post meals. Lack of sleep will inflate your gut (cortisol). Tons of stress will increase cortisol too.
Ahazurak@reddit
Something to think about is getting checked for Cushing's disease. The body produces to much cortisol. Especially if you find yourself on the anxious side.
Junior_Ad_3301@reddit
Worms.
cagirlinoh@reddit
Could be your Hormonal imbalance. Your free T drops around that time
ScooterMcTavish@reddit
Yup, free T or even hypothyroidism. Worth seeing the doctor and getting the blood tests done.
cagirlinoh@reddit
Could be that or insulin resistance. That also goes down around the same time. We both went on HRT, two years now . Never felt better. Get your levels checked 💪
FrooferDoofer@reddit
I am right there with you. Age 50. Now added glp1 bc despite deficit and more activity, still gaining ….
Mattmann1972@reddit
Same here, I'm on week 5 and things are starting to finally drop off.
I was an arborist for over a decade. It was nice being able to eat whatever and be able to burn it all off the next day.
Those days are behind me, but I still had that appetite. God damn food noise was non-stop.
Nagadavida@reddit
What do you consider to be a calorie deficit and how did you calculate it?
LilJourney@reddit
This. Calories burned in exercise is all an estimate - some methods / devices better than others. Calories eaten in food is more accurately measured but still can be an estimate - some methods better than others. No one (outside of a scientific study) can completely accurately track their calories in/calories out and depending on how it's being tracked can result in seriously wrong numbers.
SlidingOtter@reddit
A longshot since you said so many other things are not working. A symptom of Hepatitis C is a growing belly. Maybe ask your doctor for a blood test?
CountHonorius@reddit
You're not alone. Even thyroid pills don't help
HeftyAd2780@reddit
Do you drink alcohol?
coryphella123@reddit
Same, except female, 49.
Ok-Offer-541@reddit
Same. 🙋🏻♀️😔
MavBro@reddit
I just turned 50, two years ago I eliminated high glycemic carbs like wheat, rice, pasta, potato, juices and sugar. Lost 40lbs and still loosing.
FREDICVSMAXIMVS@reddit
cries in sugary coffee
Hehateme123@reddit
Yep I’m 51 and did this 2 years ago. Carbs are not in my diet anymore, there is no way I can consume them without gaining weight.
_Feral_Child@reddit
Fully agree with this ☝️. Did the same and lost 30 lbs and kept it off.
Business_Coyote_5496@reddit
Oh yeah, I cut my simple carbs and lost weight without trying
Hefty_Debt_638@reddit
SAME. I worked my ass off during my 30's, got 2 degrees, raised my kids, was in decent shape, ate right, exercised...all that shit. Welcome to my 40"s (I'm 45 now) and fucking perimenopause!!!! Like, what the hell?!?! I worked so hard to have so much and I feel like this is a cruel joke being played on me. Grrrrrr.
takisara@reddit
Yes, it is hard. we are losing muscle mass so quickly and it drops the BMR...the number of calories we need to just exist. What has helped for me is reframing. I don't care about my weight now, but I do care about the other numbers, BP, HR, my mood, my strength and mobility.
therinwhitten@reddit
I started doing a 36 hour fast once a week and it restarted my metabolism. However, my portions now for meals is like 1/3 of what they used to be.
Uncle_Brewster@reddit
I’ve been diabetic since 2002. Started Mounjaro three years ago. Diabetes is in check. I weigh what I did in college. I’m never hungry. I have a couple drinks, a couple days a week.
Turdulator@reddit
If your weight goes up, then it’s not a calorie deficit then. It’s physically impossible.
EaterOfFood@reddit
You could retain water if something’s not functioning properly.
Ornery-Vehicle-2458@reddit
He-he! Nothing's functioning quite like it should anymore
exor0110@reddit
It’s the hormone changes.
Junior_Statement_262@reddit
Look up "calorie density chart" and familiarize yourself with its teachings. Then eat accordingly....or not.
ToddBradley@reddit
What did your doctor say?
SunflowerIslandQueen@reddit
How is your sleep? Poor sleep can cause all sorts of metabolic problems.
phillyphilly19@reddit
You have to define what you think "eating healthy" is and really look at the calories. I'm doing the intermittent fasting now, basically skipping breakfast, and I can already see I'm taking in a lot less calories even though I'm not monitoring them closely.
phillyphilly19@reddit
You have to define what you think "eating healthy" is and really look at the calories. I'm doing the intermittent fasting now, basically skipping breakfast, and I can already see I'm taking in a lot less calories even though I'm not monitoring them closely.
stardust_361@reddit
The only thing that's working for my husband and myself is fasting.
blueberriesnburdock@reddit
Me too
chrisgee@reddit
there was a recent study that showed if you exercise more your body actually slows down your metabolism so it's even harder to lose weight. so have fun with that.
Itis-caught-BearsWin@reddit
I think kurzgesagt had a video that discussed this. Possible the ozempic one.
Fritzo2162@reddit
I had this exact same issue. Saw my doctor and I had insulin resistance and water retention from my thyroid not working. My glucose levels were through the roof! I'm on levothyroxine now and it really helped,
Hotsaucejimmy@reddit
Calorie reduction is misleading. Reduced from what? Everyone needs to know their BMR first. Then their TDEE.
After that, macro balance is super important. There are too many extreme diets. I prefer balance with a 30/35/35 intake.
People usually get the eating part wrong.
Hotsaucejimmy@reddit
Calorie reduction is misleading. Reduced from what? Everyone needs to know their BMR first. Then their TDEE.
After that, macro balance is super important. There are too many extreme diets. I prefer balance with a 30/35/35 intake.
People usually get the eating part wrong.
DogOfSparta@reddit
My dad had weight gain and he had cut back on food because he was gaining so much weight (he is 80). His stomach specifically was getting bigger. At Christmas time he ended up in the hospital. It was water retention from kidney issues. He also had a heart issue that may have been caused by the kidney thing or vise versa, I’m a little fuzzy on the details given to me. He was in the hospital for like 2 weeks and lost about 45 pounds that was water retention. If you are truly doing everything right, you may want to check in with a doctor.
obxtalldude@reddit
When I went to one meal a day, my weight became but I wanted it to be.
It takes a while but after you get used to it your stomach is smaller and you get full faster.
There are also foods that some of our guts just don't like. For me I went to all whole grains fruit and fish with some Dairy but gave up all red meat and most vegetables.
I get bad gas and bloating when I eat vegetables. Since I've switched my diet I finally have a flat stomach. Even got permission from my doctor to no longer eat vegetables because he is impressed with the results.
I also have diverticulosis so I'm extra motivated to stay away from anything that causes gas which makes the pouches hurt.
I play 2 hours of pickleball daily and can eat literally whatever I want without gaining weight. All the way down below my high school weight now at 55.
OneLonelyBeastieI-B@reddit
Thyroid, anemia and sex hormones will FUCK us all.
oldmanmagic54@reddit
None of those can increase your body fat if you are truly in a calorie deficit.
They can absolutely change your metabolism, change your hunger levels, and change how your body uses calories. But they cannot create body fat in a true calorie deficit as OP claims to be in.
OneLonelyBeastieI-B@reddit
Most people claim calorie deficit and they are not in calorie deficit.
That said, I find it funny I am being downvoted for my comment, it’s typical.
Honeybee71@reddit
Hormones change in men and women during this time, which can cause weight gain. Have you had your testesterone levels checked?
Puzzleheaded-Sky3141@reddit
Hiya! Dunno if it's helpful, but the USDA allows for a 20% fluctuation in nutrition data. So, if you're counting calories, multiply by 1.2. You won't underestimate this way.
Lopsided_Amoeba8701@reddit
Eating too much will do that to you.
Winter_Chickadee@reddit
Sorry, it’s manopause. :/
Infamous-Yak2864@reddit
With the added gut, it's Santaclaus....
TXtogo@reddit
Water retention could be a thing, try something diuretic like dandelion tea to make you pee
Tired_Mama3018@reddit
Are you on any medication? Medication weight gain can be impossible to lose even with a calorie deficit and exercise. I had 40lbs that was all medication, when I went off it I dropped the weight without changing anything else.
LayerNo3634@reddit
If your gaining weight, your not in a calorie deficit. Could be age, hormones, or a medical issue. Could be your getting more calories than you realize. I have to stay under 1400 calories to lose weight.
Beneficial-Cow-2544@reddit
I have to stay under 1200 or nothing moves! I'm a 5'1 female.
Bookish_Gardener@reddit
Depends on the age, in order for me to be in a deficit I have to be under 1100. I'm 56, post menopause. Hormones (or lack thereof) will really jack up your BMR. I'm on testosterone now so that maybe now I can maintain (hopefully increase) muscle mass. I did all the things...protein, lifting heavy to failure, etc...for almost a year with no measurable progress before my DR would even look at my testosterone (which was almost zero)
IceNein@reddit
If your gut is growing, you are not in a calorie deficit. It’s as simple as that. Your body does have subtle ways of resisting weight loss, like a general decrease in activity. It can seem imperceptible, but if you’re moving 10% less, then that could be 100 - 200 calories a day that it saves.
Beneficial-Cow-2544@reddit
I've asked myself this same question 2,000 times and it always comes back to this. And how some foods are just sneaky or deceptive with the calories and you really have to micro-manage and measure everything.
which sucks!!!
I lunch munching on mixed nuts but just a tiny portion of them is easily 180 cals or ONE tablespoon of peanut butter is 100 cals. Its freaking crazy and if you eat out AT ALL, just multiple the cals by 3 cause its soo much more!!
SteelBox5@reddit
Your intake > output. Lower the calories. You could lose weight on fast food even if you pay attention.
prttyprttyprttygood@reddit
How are your testosterone levels? These are symptoms for low T.
elwood0341@reddit
What’s a healthy diet?
turtle_cat_squirrel@reddit
Have you had your colonoscopy yet? Go to a doctor.
0hheyitsme@reddit
Check your thyroid. Get a full thyroid work up, not just TSH. You need to check Free T3, Free T4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies, TSH and Total T3/T4. Free T3 is the most important thyroid hormone, if it's not near the top of the reference range, your metabolism will be garbage.
SackBadger2024@reddit
I think it has something to do with declining testosterone, higher levels of cortisol, and biology kicingk us in the nuts. I too suffer from this.
the_answer_is_RUSH@reddit
I blame all the fucking stress.
SackBadger2024@reddit
yup, that would be the cortisol.
PigInZen67@reddit
Getting my TSH levels right had the biggest effect. I lost \~16% of my weight after my doc helped get my thyroid fixed.
tacofridayisathing@reddit
You need to get a food scale so you can measure food in grams. This also really helps to determine what your protein intake is. A food scale is like $10 off Amazon.
Leinad0411@reddit
Talk to your doctor. We’re just a bunch of people who aren’t your doctor.
trUth_b0mbs@reddit
you need to track your calories; it's the only way at this point in life and it succcckkkssss
-Granby-@reddit
Yes it does. 2,000 fucking racks up quick.
-Granby-@reddit
I'm in the exact same boat and it is frustrating. Little by little my weight is climbing. I don't workout besides slow walks cause COPD but my food quality and intake is less than ever and I am heavier than ever. I have a recumbent bike being delivered Friday so hopefully that helps.
But yes it sucks and I don't understand it.
the_answer_is_RUSH@reddit
You need to incorporate some sort of resistance training. Cutting on calories just signals to your body it’s a famine cycle and might actually be counterproductive. Muscle burns more energy.
Also can you walk on an incline? That will help.
allaboutaphie@reddit
Sounds like zero fun and zero benefits.. you will get it or not?
earinsound@reddit
We have the same results yet I don't do anything right.
Stark_Rhavyn@reddit
Same. I bike to work and back 3-4 times a week (2+ hours per day). Eat low-ish carb. But the gut keeps coming, weight goes no where. Can't get my blood pressure down. I don't if it's all the stress/depression messing me up or low quality sleeping or something else.
Trolkarlen@reddit
Every person in this sub should see a doctor at least once a year. We can't tell you what's going on with your body, but a doctor can. Almost every health condition is easier to treat if caught early.
Mugwumps_has_spoken@reddit
are you sure you are properly tracking calories?
I'm currently busting my own ass trying to lose weight. While I don't go as far as weighing my food, I do tend to try to over estimate for my portion size (ie say I'm getting 2 cups when I probably only have 1 1/2). As someone who likes to cook I actually have a pretty good eye for volume.
And I'm being overly strict with my deficit since I'm in the early stages of what I need to lose.
Sufficient_Style_934@reddit
I would get your hormone levels checked. All the stupid changes we go through make staying in shape super challenging. I totally sympathize.
darktideDay1@reddit
Fuck me, do I feel that one! Same, same, same! Plus, all the exercise and weights are hard on my joints. And my ass hurts from riding my bike. I ask my body to build muscle and it laughs! I ask it to burn fat and it sneers!
Still, can't give up. Just ordered an expensive bicycle seat. Hopefully it saves my ass. I do enjoy riding the bike.