Stalled weight at 1200 calories!

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B01JHen
B01JHen Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just read the post about inaccuracies in recording, but I can't see that I have changed anything in recording. How come I can't lose any more weight (after 2 weeks of 1200 or fewer calories) when I am 5ft 4inches and exercise 3 days a week for 45 to 60 minutes??? any ideas?
Seems this whole weight issue started after a 2 week hospitalization where I had NO food intake for 10 days!
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Replies

  • gomezcasondra
    gomezcasondra Posts: 3
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    Are you doing any weights??? I wonder if you are just building some muscle since it weighs more than fat.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
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    So is it the 2 weeks of hospitalisation you're saying you didn't lose weight in? Or 2 weeks after that? Either way if you've been in hospital it's probably best not to start dieting straight away, eat at maintenance and let your body recover. Unless your doctor has advised you otherwise, of course.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    How much do you weigh now? How much have you lost recently? Sometimes we just stall. Weight loss isn't always linear. If you're in a healthy BMI now it can take a really long time to lose more. You're 64 and female? Even with exercise, you could be burning as little as maybe 1600/day. If you figure 400 calorie deficit per day (though logging is rarely perfect) then you'll only lose a few pounds a month, which can be easily masked with water weight changes.
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I dunno really. I am unhappy at 1200 calories. I am also 5'4", current weight is 158. My BMR is 1450 calories a day. That is what my body needs to lay in bed all day and breath.

    About 4 weeks ago I weighed 162. I have been eating 1450 calories + 80% of my exercise calories back, but trying to not eat more that 1750 in a day.

    Honestly, try eating a little more. I know it sounds counter intuitive but it will help, especially if you are not eating back any exercise calories.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Josalinn wrote: »
    I dunno really. I am unhappy at 1200 calories. I am also 5'4", current weight is My BMR is 1450 calories a day. That is what my body needs to lay in bed all day and breath.

    About 4 weeks ago I weighed 162. I have been eating 1450 calories + 80% of my exercise calories back, but trying to not eat more that 1750 in a day.

    Honestly, try eating a little more. I know it sounds counter intuitive but it will help, especially if you are not eating back any exercise calories.

    If she isn't creating a calorie deficit sufficient to lose weight, how will increasing calories help her lose weight?
  • uvi5
    uvi5 Posts: 710 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Give it some more time the woosh will come. Someone posted last week about the "woosh" effect and I googled it. Really encouraging. The scale showed another solid pound down this morning. Keep going, don't give up and "Woosh" :smiley:
  • Terpnista84
    Terpnista84 Posts: 517 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Josalinn wrote: »
    I dunno really. I am unhappy at 1200 calories. I am also 5'4", current weight is My BMR is 1450 calories a day. That is what my body needs to lay in bed all day and breath.

    About 4 weeks ago I weighed 162. I have been eating 1450 calories + 80% of my exercise calories back, but trying to not eat more that 1750 in a day.

    Honestly, try eating a little more. I know it sounds counter intuitive but it will help, especially if you are not eating back any exercise calories.

    If she isn't creating a calorie deficit sufficient to lose weight, how will increasing calories help her lose weight?

    It will help spike her metabolism. When I did 1,200 plus exercising and not eating calories back I lost weight initially and then stalled. I upped my calories and started losing again. I don't think it's ever good to eat only 1,200 calories whether you exercise or not because when you stop losing you feel like you have to cut more calories and you are already eating so little.
  • B01JHen
    B01JHen Posts: 13 Member
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    Wow - thanks for all the comment and suggestions. I will try to respond to everyone in this note.
    - First, I was hospitalized 1.5 years ago. I lost 12 lbs. When I got home I started gaining and then kept gaining 1 lb per month until I was about 10 more than my pre-hospital weight!! (pre hospital weight = 128-130) I finally decided I had to diet, even though I had not been eating more than prior to hospital stay. So Jan 2015 I started on this 1200 calorie diet. I have lost almost 6 pounds so currently I am stuck at 133.4.
    -I am doing some weights 3 times a week, too. About 15 minutes of various. I know that should build muscle that burns more calories, but I have been doing this exercise routine for 1 year!
    I got to check this woosh!!
    Thanks and sure open to more ideas! I can't see adding calories as that got me where I am. I am small boned and can tell I have lots of extra weight around my middle (not a healthy area!).
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,771 Member
    edited March 2015
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    So if I'm doing the math right, you've lost 6 pounds and only have ~4 to go? Keep doing what you're doing, eat back some exercise calories to make sure you're properly fueled, and _be patient_. You're not going to lose as quickly now as you did at the beginning.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    B01JHenningson wrote: »
    I just read the post about inaccuracies in recording, but I can't see that I have changed anything in recording. How come I can't lose any more weight (after 2 weeks of 1200 or fewer calories) when I am 5ft 4inches and exercise 3 days a week for 45 to 60 minutes??? any ideas?
    Seems this whole weight issue started after a 2 week hospitalization where I had NO food intake for 10 days!

    If you are consuming, actually consuming, 1200 calories per day and exercise as much as you say then you are losing weight. There may be reason why it doesn't show up in the scales but you are losing the type of weight you are wanting to lose.

    That being said you may not actually be consuming 1200 calories per day. It may in fact be more than that and maybe even much more. That is put on you to determine calories consumed as accurately as possible keeping in mind the scales don't lie.

    You said you sometimes eat less than 1200 calories per day....don't do that.
  • DaniCanadian
    DaniCanadian Posts: 261 Member
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    Weigh your foods on a digital kitchen scale.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    gomezcasondra wrote: »
    Are you doing any weights??? I wonder if you are just building some muscle since it weighs more than fat.

    not on 1200 or less calories ...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    B01JHenningson wrote: »
    Wow - thanks for all the comment and suggestions. I will try to respond to everyone in this note.
    - First, I was hospitalized 1.5 years ago. I lost 12 lbs. When I got home I started gaining and then kept gaining 1 lb per month until I was about 10 more than my pre-hospital weight!! (pre hospital weight = 128-130) I finally decided I had to diet, even though I had not been eating more than prior to hospital stay. So Jan 2015 I started on this 1200 calorie diet. I have lost almost 6 pounds so currently I am stuck at 133.4.
    -I am doing some weights 3 times a week, too. About 15 minutes of various. I know that should build muscle that burns more calories, but I have been doing this exercise routine for 1 year!
    I got to check this woosh!!
    Thanks and sure open to more ideas! I can't see adding calories as that got me where I am. I am small boned and can tell I have lots of extra weight around my middle (not a healthy area!).

    sounds like a case of the skinny fats...

    why were you hospitalized?

    do you use a food scale?

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    In 8-10 weeks you've lost 6 pounds of the 10 you wanted to lose? You're doing great! You will probably not see a loss every week, but keep going as you are and you can realistically expect to lose 1-2 pounds a month.
  • mom2ava07
    mom2ava07 Posts: 186 Member
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    I'm 5'5 and 146 lbs, weigh my food, and seemed stalled on 1200. Matter of fact, if I do drop to 145 immediately a pound comes back. I wish I knew how to break through this stage. I wouldn't really call it a plateau because it's only been a couple weeks, but it sucks being so hungry all the time and not even losing an ounce. Only gaining a few ounces here and there.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    mom2ava07 wrote: »
    I'm 5'5 and 146 lbs, weigh my food, and seemed stalled on 1200. Matter of fact, if I do drop to 145 immediately a pound comes back. I wish I knew how to break through this stage. I wouldn't really call it a plateau because it's only been a couple weeks, but it sucks being so hungry all the time and not even losing an ounce. Only gaining a few ounces here and there.

    weight loss is not linear and a few weeks is not a plateau ....

    how long have you been eating 1200 for?
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    edited March 2015
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    mom2ava07 wrote: »
    I'm 5'5 and 146 lbs, weigh my food, and seemed stalled on 1200. Matter of fact, if I do drop to 145 immediately a pound comes back. I wish I knew how to break through this stage. I wouldn't really call it a plateau because it's only been a couple weeks, but it sucks being so hungry all the time and not even losing an ounce. Only gaining a few ounces here and there.

    ETA for my wrong post. You don't use a food scale do you?
  • grandma107
    grandma107 Posts: 70 Member
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    gomezcasondra wrote: »
    Are you doing any weights??? I wonder if you are just building some muscle since it weighs more than fat.

    1lb is 1lb. Muscle takes less body mass.

    You could have stalled your metabolism when you were not eating in the hospital. Hope you are feeling better. Blessings.
  • B01JHen
    B01JHen Posts: 13 Member
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    Actually that's a fallacy I just learned when I started this diet! the fact is that muscle weighs the same as fat - i.e. a pound of feathers and a pound of bricks are still a pound. I do know muscle does burn more calories. Not sure how to reply to some earlier questions - I had a bowel obstruction related to prior abdominal surgical scars (c-section for one). Anyway, it just seems so wrong to gain when I only eat 1400 or 1500. Sounds like I need to invest in a food scale. I can't wear the clothes I wore before, so that is an issue, too.
    - Thanks again - I'll keep checking comments - I feel better knowing some others are stalled out too.
  • mom2ava07
    mom2ava07 Posts: 186 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    mom2ava07 wrote: »
    I'm 5'5 and 146 lbs, weigh my food, and seemed stalled on 1200. Matter of fact, if I do drop to 145 immediately a pound comes back. I wish I knew how to break through this stage. I wouldn't really call it a plateau because it's only been a couple weeks, but it sucks being so hungry all the time and not even losing an ounce. Only gaining a few ounces here and there.

    weight loss is not linear and a few weeks is not a plateau ....

    how long have you been eating 1200 for?

    10 weeks....didn't say I have completely plateaued but definitley has stalled/slowed whatever you choose to call it. I can deal with a slow down, but I'm slowly gaining. I'm up almost 2 pounds in the past 2 weeks.

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