This makes NO sense whatsoever!

[PinkTulip]

So, I have been trying to lose 10-15 pounds. I bought a Fitbit earlier this year, went to the gym 4-5 times a week where I did both Cardio and weight training, and meticulously kept track of my food (which I weighed/measured out) on MyFitnessPal. I was averaging about 13,000 steps per day and about 1400 calories eaten. I did all of this for about 4 months total and lost about 3 pounds.

 

About 3 weeks ago, I started back to school full time for a second degree (long story), am averaging 4,000 steps, eating whatever I want - not keeping track, and not exercising in any way. While school is challenging, I'm enjoying it and not feeling stressed about it. All of that non-fitness, and yet I have lost 4 pounds.

 

I'm so confused and I think my body is, too. Not that I'm complaining, but it really doesn't make any sense at all whatsoever!

[kiana]

It's actually pretty common, especially among people who have a pretty large deficit.

 

Interesting read -- http://www.leangains.com/2010/01/how-to-deal-with-water-retention-part.html

[Pawz4me]

Calories burned through exercise are a very small part of weight loss.  Mostly it's about eating less.  It's much easier to create a calorie deficit by eating less than it is by exercising more.  Also, if you were lifting more than Barbie weights it's possible you were retaining some fluid that was masking weight loss the first time.  That happens when lifting.  I'm guessing enough muscle activity of any kind causes some level of fluid retention.

[kiwik]

Could also be you lost fat and gained muscle (which is heavier) while you were attending the gym and now you are reversing the process. Some people lose weight when they are busy because they forget to eat - I gain weight because I eat more rubbish.

[HomeAgain]

Weight is such a small part of health.  It matters more how your body feels.  If you take a picture of yourself and compare it to when you were at the gym, do you look more in shape?  Are you losing muscle mass?  That matters.

[Wheres Toto]

There was something in the long weight loss thread from a week or two ago about a set point for you body.  That seems to have some validity to me, although I'm hoping it's possible to overcome.  I can watch every bite of food, work out every day (cardio and weights), do exactly what I'm "supposed" to and weigh in a certain 5 pound range.  I can do no exercise, eat ice cream after dinner every night, eat whatever I want all day long and STILL weigh within that same 5 pound range.  My weight fluctuates throughout the month but I've been in this range no matter what I do (even holidays!) for about 5 years.

 

I've decided I'm going to keep working out and try and eat right most of the time just for the health benefits and feeling better.  Maybe at some point, something will give.

[Carrie12345]

There's a concept that I don't quite fully understand the science behind, but it's accepted by the overwhelming majority of fitness experts.  Basically, the only people capable of losing fat and building muscle *simultaneously* are those with a good deal of fat to lose.  At just 10-15lbs, that could be the case for you, and the muscle building overtook the fat burning part while you were working out, but the fat burning (which is increased with new muscle) could be taking over while you're less active.

 

Again, I don't *totally get it, but that's what I've been taught.

[Annie G]

There was something in the long weight loss thread from a week or two ago about a set point for you body.  That seems to have some validity to me, although I'm hoping it's possible to overcome.  I can watch every bite of food, work out every day (cardio and weights), do exactly what I'm "supposed" to and weigh in a certain 5 pound range.  I can do no exercise, eat ice cream after dinner every night, eat whatever I want all day long and STILL weigh within that same 5 pound range.  My weight fluctuates throughout the month but I've been in this range no matter what I do (even holidays!) for about 5 years.

 

I've decided I'm going to keep working out and try and eat right most of the time just for the health benefits and feeling better.  Maybe at some point, something will give.

 

This is me.  But the difference for me is that when I am consistently going to the gym, that same weight looks different on me and I feel better.  That's enough to make me stick with it.  My set point went up about 5 pounds with menopause and that annoys me but it is what it is.   

[displace]

I did a bit of research during one of the other weight loss threads. Summary: calories in (even when being weighed and measured), are estimated to be 10-45% higher than counted (lower end for people carefully weighing and tracking), and food company nutrition labels may be 20% off as well. Calories out are highly overestimated, I forget averages, but more than 40% wrong for most guesses (IDK about Fitbit), and it may take many fewer calories than we previously thought to lose weight, up to twice as much (7,000 vs 3,500).

 

You may not find a definite answer, but exercise is good for you, eating healthy is good, and less stress too.

[Prairie~Phlox]

You probably are not eating enough, 1400 calories is not very much, your body probably thinks you are starving it and holding onto the weight.  Try upping your calories for a week and see what happens. 

[El...]

For me, there is a connection to stress.  DH and I lost about 20 lbs each in three months by following a diet/lifestyle from the book, The Primal Blueprint.  It was moderately low-carb, but we also slept 9 hours a night, kept our blood sugar down by not eating any simple sugars or grains, and played more.  It was rather amazing.  The book talked about stress hormones inhibiting weight loss, and that low-calorie diets might actually raise cortisol levels and stop weight loss. 

 

We still mostly eat that way, but not very faithfully, and I'd like to get back on it and lose some more.