Low calories-feel like loosing slow

MindySm

uuuggg feel like I am barely eating (1200-1700 cal) , feel like I am at a stand still

arditarose

That's a pretty big range, 500 calories. What are your stats? You probably don't need to eat as low as 1200.

MindySm

215...5ft 5inch...moderate excersise....usually around 1200 (well at least lately)

SergeantSausage

Welcome to The Grind.
You get used to it.
It gets almost easy.
Almost.
I promise.

fatcity66

How much are you set to lose per week?

arditarose

I'm thinking you should reign it in a little, and stay around the same every day unless you exercise and want to eat some calories back. Is 1200 what MFP gives you to lose 2 pounds a week? What does it say if you want to lose 1 pound a week? How active are you?

MindySm

I only eat more on days I do excersise more...I try for 30-40 min of cardio for 5 days a week, going to be doing more soon (running a 5k in May, so not ready)

MindySm

Like to loose 1-2 lbs a week

LAWoman72

I hate to say this, and I don't want to sound mean...but your upper range, 1700, is really NOT "hardly eating anything."

How much are you exercising? How many calories are you eating back?

Have you done your calorie calculations on MFP or elsewhere so you know how much you need to eat in order to lose?

Are you sure you're measuring accurately?

I am 5'1", 198 lbs. currently, 47 years old and I lose at least a pound a week on about 1350 calories. Just giving those stats as your calories may be higher; you are taller, weigh a hair more and are probably younger than I am. But you won't really know unless you've done your calculations.

MynameisJerryB

You have to experiment a little and find what works best for you. That being said, try to get your range narrowed down, 1700 calories are probably too many for you in a day. I'd reel that back some but eat satisfying foods, you don't want to feel like you're depriving yourself.

fatcity66

LAWoman72 wrote: »

I hate to say this, and I don't want to sound mean...but your upper range, 1700, is really NOT "hardly eating anything."

How much are you exercising? How many calories are you eating back?

Have you done your calorie calculations on MFP or elsewhere so you know how much you need to eat in order to lose?

Are you sure you're measuring accurately?

I am 5'1", 198 lbs. currently, 47 years old and I lose at least a pound a week on about 1350 calories. Just giving those stats as your calories may be higher; you are taller, weigh a hair more and are probably younger than I am. But you won't really know unless you've done your calculations.

To me it would be. But my lower limit is 1800.

MKEgal

awmacht wrote:

feel like I am barely eating (1200-1700 cal) , feel like I am at a stand still
215, 5' 5", moderate excersise (sic), usually around 1200 (well at least lately)

Welcome to MFP.

Here's a newbie help post I did, compiling links to helpful info & posts, including sexypants, accurate logging, goal setting (weight, calories, macros), motivation / encouragement ...

Definitely go read sexypants if you read nothing else.
The thread about accurate logging should be second. Most people who are frustrated they're not losing are eating more than they think they are.

Going by BMI, you should be 115 - 145.
For now, aim for 145. When you get there, see how you feel & adjust as needed.

At 215, you're probably eating about 2150 cal to maintain weight. So if you consistently ate 1600 (actual, total, real, absolute, not net, 1600) you'd have a 500 calorie deficit & should lose 1 lb per week.
If you were actually eating 1200 consistently, you should lose close to 2 lb per week.
With 70 lb to lose, you could aim for 2 lb per week at first, though I'd ease into eating that little. Cut 100 calories, wait a couple weeks, repeat.
When you get closer to goal, like in the 30-40lb range, that's going to slow to maybe 1 lb per week. (To give a comparison, over the last year I've lost 75 lb - starting with 110 to lose - and averaged 1.5 lb per week.)

ana3067

awmacht wrote: »

Like to loose 1-2 lbs a week

MFP doesn't give you a range. It asks for a specific goal, so yours is either 1lb, 1.5lb, or 2lb. Stick with the one number/goal. The big range on a regular basis is not helpful for scale weight in any way, unless you are doing it in a systematic fashion (IF, rest vs exercise cals, etc).

LAWoman72 wrote: »

I hate to say this, and I don't want to sound mean...but your upper range, 1700, is really NOT "hardly eating anything."

How much are you exercising? How many calories are you eating back?

Have you done your calorie calculations on MFP or elsewhere so you know how much you need to eat in order to lose?

Are you sure you're measuring accurately?

I am 5'1", 198 lbs. currently, 47 years old and I lose at least a pound a week on about 1350 calories. Just giving those stats as your calories may be higher; you are taller, weigh a hair more and are probably younger than I am. But you won't really know unless you've done your calculations.

I'm 161lbs. I absolutely cannot NET less than 1800, or else I feel terrible. I work out maybe 4-4.5hrs a week, most of which is strength training. I'm currently grossing 2000, down from 2100. Up until I was maybe in the low 170s or mid-high 160s, I lost 1lb/week eating 2000 calories. Age (adults) doesn't significantly impact one's TDEE in the way weight, body composition, and general activity levels do.

This is with me weighing all food.

MynameisJerryB

It all depends on your goals, if you are trying to lose weight, cut back on the workouts and focus on cutting calories. If you are trying to gain muscle/strength then you shouldn't be focused so much on weight loss.

MindySm

Thank you everyone, I am going to start measuring more carefully and see if that helps!

kamack1215

I had a similar problem; I was stuck at 192 for a month! The only thing that I found that helped was to keep your calorie intake on consistent as possible. I was eating 1200 one day and then 1500 the next day then 1300 the day after and so on. Since I have started being strict about staying in the 1250-1350 range I have lost almost 3lbs!

Oh and also measure EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth. I bought a food scale and it was the best decision ever!

MindySm

Thanks, I just dug out an old scale and got new measuring cups....that's what I am planning, although lost 2 lbs, in the last week or so, so yay!!

higgins8283801

awmacht wrote: »

Thanks, I just dug out an old scale and got new measuring cups....that's what I am planning, although lost 2 lbs, in the last week or so, so yay!!

Get a food scale! Cups and spoons are not accurate.

Here's an example: last night I weighed my tablespoon empty, zero'd it out and scoped out 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. I leveled it off, then weighed it. That 1 level to me, of what I assumed was 1 tbs of peanut butter weighed 31grams, 1 gram short of being 2 tablespoons. (32grams or 2tbs is a serving of my peanut butter)

Had I not weighed it, I would have gotten another serving thinking I was right, and like that I would have eaten 190 calories I never accounted for.

Get a food scale if you want serving accuracy.

MindySm

You miss read, I have a scale...dug it out

higgins8283801

awmacht wrote: »

You miss read, I have a scale...dug it out

I did! I thought it was a body scale! My apologies!

MindySm

Have that too! Lol

ana3067

kamack1215 wrote: »

I had a similar problem; I was stuck at 192 for a month! The only thing that I found that helped was to keep your calorie intake on consistent as possible. I was eating 1200 one day and then 1500 the next day then 1300 the day after and so on. Since I have started being strict about staying in the 1250-1350 range I have lost almost 3lbs!

Oh and also measure EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth. I bought a food scale and it was the best decision ever!

Agreed. I used to skip around from intake goal to intake goal and it didn't help. Just like how over christmas and earlier this month (New Years, birthdays) I was eating a bit more all over the place. Masks any real scale losses, especially because of water retention.