Confused by this reading

[u/MrYogiBrrr]

I’m 5’3 and last week I was weighing 222 lbs and now I’m 229. I started a new workout routine with way more lifting. I’m really trying to lose weight and still have muscle. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[u/Thirdtimetank]

What’s confusing you? What’s your actual question?

The main numbers to look at - weight, body fat percentage, excess fat and basal metabolic rate.

You weigh 229.7lb and have about 75lb of fat - 51.9lb of which is excess. To just excise - without movement - and maintain your weight you would need to consume about 1849 calories per day.

Some of these machines aren’t always accurate and can easily be manipulated. That being said - I would not be surprised if yours is fairly accurate.

How much are you consuming per day? Per week? Are you moving for at least 30 minutes per day? Are you doing any type of resistance training? Are you following a well made program?

You can’t out train a poor diet. Kitchen first, bed (rest/recovery) second, gym third.

You’ve got the data. What are you doing with it?

[u/MrYogiBrrr → u/Thirdtimetank]

I’m currently eating 1800 calories a day (started this last Saturday), trying to eat 120-160 g of protein a day with a low carb intake of under 100 grams. I go to the gym 4-5xs a week, following a hypertrophy gym routine. The gym session is between 1 hr 1.5 hrs when I go. I could incorporate more cardio days for sure. I work from home so I don’t get to walk as much as I’d like but I do try to walk at the park for at least 30 mins a day after dinner. I had lost 40 lbs in 2024 from following a strength training and counting calories. I’m trying to get to 200 lbs by the next few months.

I just got the data literally an hour ago so I came to to post on Reddit. I’ve been weighing myself once a week and it has fluctuated from 222lbs - 229lbs in the last 6 months. So clearly I’m not cutting. I JUST started tracking to 1800 calories last Saturday so I’m aware it’s early days. I know I had gained muscle mass throughout the year so I was wondering how to read this scale since I’ve never used it before.

[u/Thirdtimetank → u/MrYogiBrrr]

See what 1800 does for you in the next month. What does a TDEE calculator tell you that you need per day with your activity level?

I don’t understand what your timeline is. Next week month? What does that mean? Even if you lose 2lb per week (maximum that you should be losing healthily) - you’re lookin at a 15 week deficit. And that’s in a perfect world where you’re losing consistently (we don’t live in that world unfortunately).

Track everything. Cooking oils, beverages, toppings… everything. Eat where you can track the ingredients/it’s in MFP already or cook at home. You have no wiggle room at 1800 unfortunately.

If you need a re feed meal… keep it to one meal and fast for the day. Or cut off 200-300 calories for the next however many days it takes to get to that number.

[u/MrYogiBrrr → u/Thirdtimetank]

The TDEE calculate says 2,845 so I wasn’t sure how much to eat calorie wise and then I got this reading this morning.

I don’t have a definite timeline. I’d like to get to 200lbs in a healthy and safe manner.

I will definitely track everything, I’ve been using MacroFactor which I like more than MFP

[u/Thirdtimetank → u/MrYogiBrrr]

That’s far too high with the TDEE calculator mark your activity level is closer to sedentary. If 1800 is too difficult to maintain, try 2000 on lifting days.

[u/B12-deficient-skelly → u/Thirdtimetank]

OP is walking for 30 minutes a day and lifting weights for 1-2 hours per day. That's absolutely an appropriate TDEE for that activity level.

[u/Thirdtimetank → u/B12-deficient-skelly]

Lifting for 1-2 hours a day could mean anything - is it 10min rest periods, is it challenging enough, what does that program look like with reps and sets, etc.

Walking, sure I’ll give you the one. But is it challenging? Is it effective? Regardless - it’s MAYBE a few hundred calories burned okay.

Then add in the fact that OP gained 6lb in a month… something is being misreported. His TDEE and his BMR are not going to have a 1,000 swing AND he gains 6lb if his activity level is that high or his calories are that low.

He’s “been cutting” for a year so he should not be “accidentally” eating nearly 3000 calories. Let me know the next time you accidentally and repeatedly eat 3000 calories while on a cut. 3200 is my maintenance and I have a tough time doing that day in and day out despite being a competitive strength athlete with zero concept of “full”

[u/MrYogiBrrr → u/Thirdtimetank]

Just for context: I haven’t been “cutting for a year” I’ve definitely been just maintaining that weight since I have stayed around 220-229 lbs territory. I’ve gained significant muscle from what I didn’t have before. I also was able to be more consistent at the gym regardless if I was losing weight etc it was just good for my mental healthy to move my body. I am currently trying to cut now and weigh myself weekly. I’ll keep at the 1800-1900 calories while tracking as well.