I am maintaining weight on 1200 cals

NewGemma_x

I am eating around 1200 cals a day and in over two weeks I have dropped only 3lbs.

I was overweight at 143lbs and I am now 139.8lbs. At one point I went to 136lbs.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I don't feel hungry most of the time, I mainly fill up the calories on dinner. I only went over the 1200 limit once and that was yesterday.

I suppose I could be underrating but I did this exact thing a couple years ago and I went down 13lbs (from 140lbs).

I'm 5'3 female and I'm active most days. I do make up for some of the cals I burn exercising.

What am I doing wrong?

Liftin4food

how long has it been since the weightloss stopped?

I ask only because it doesn't look like you are maintaining - if you've lost 3lbs in 2 weeks you are losing.

DeguelloTex

Wait, are you maintaining or losing three pounds in two weeks?

DemoraFairy

You lost 3lbs, well done! What's the problem? That's a good rate of loss. If you're losing weight you're not maintaining. Unless you're obese you shouldn't really be aiming for more than 1lb/week.

suruda

You don't have much to lose, 3 lbs in 2 weeks is a great rate. You should stick to what you are doing and have some patience!

DeguelloTex

DemoraFairy wrote: »

Unless you're obese you shouldn't really be aiming for more than 1lb/week.

That seems a bit low, even by the "1% per week" standard.

NewGemma_x

Before I was doing mfp, I was constantly fluctuating between 138-143lbs so being here at almost 140 doesn't really feel like any real loss

DeguelloTex

It would probably be helpful just to look at a weekly average of your weights, rather than worrying about daily fluctuations. It will make any trend easier to to see.

Asher_Ethan

3 pounds in 2 weeks is great!

rayneface

3lbs in 2 weeks is really great progress, just stick to it and don't be so hard on yourself.

SconnieCat

Judging by your first post, you've only been at this for a couple of weeks. Understand that weight loss in not linear and you're going to have weeks where you lose more than others. It happens and it'll take a while.

Additionally, 2 weeks is not a lot of time at all. Give it time.

And why are you restricting yourself to 1200 calories? I ask this especially since you've said you are active and you work out.

GBO323

Maintaining isn't losing 3 pounds in two weeks, that's "loss". A healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week, so you're good. Keep up the good work.

DemoraFairy

DeguelloTex wrote: »

DemoraFairy wrote: »

Unless you're obese you shouldn't really be aiming for more than 1lb/week.

That seems a bit low, even by the "1% per week" standard.

As in a low rate of loss? These are the numbers I've always seen:

>50lbs to lose, 2 lbs/week
Between 20 and 50lbs, 1 lb/week
<20lbs, 0.5lb/week

Similar numbers were also just posted here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10133329/weight-goal-article

Both say you shouldn't aim for more than 1lb/week if you've got less than 40lbs to lose, and I can't imagine most people who are slightly overweight would want to lose more than 40lbs unless they want to be right at the bottom of a healthy BMI.

ana3067

If you've been losing weight, you're not maintaining. If you haven't lost weight in MONTHS, you're eating more than you think.

_lyndseybrooke_

NewGemma_x wrote: »

I am eating around 1200 cals a day and in over two weeks I have dropped only 3lbs.

I was overweight at 143lbs and I am now 139.8lbs. At one point I went to 136lbs.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I don't feel hungry most of the time, I mainly fill up the calories on dinner. I only went over the 1200 limit once and that was yesterday.

I suppose I could be underrating but I did this exact thing a couple years ago and I went down 13lbs (from 140lbs).

I'm 5'3 female and I'm active most days. I do make up for some of the cals I burn exercising.

What am I doing wrong?

1. You are NOT maintaining on 1200 calories if you lost 3 lbs in 2 weeks. Do you know what maintaining means? Clearly not.
2. What do you mean you're eating "around" 1200 calories per day? Yeah, you're probably underestimating or guessing and not logging accurately. That's how most people try to lose weight - the half-*kitten* way.
3. How do you determine how many calories you're burning during workouts? If you're using MFP estimates, they're usually on the high side. If you're using an HRM, they're only accurate for steady rate cardio and are useless for things like HIIT or strength training.
4. You have an average loss of 1.5 lb/week. Congratulations. As of right now, there's no reason to believe you're doing anything wrong. It's working, so keep at it. Make sure you're logging accurately from now on. None of this "around 1200 calories" crap.
5. 1200 calories is likely too low for you. If you're logging accurately, you can eat more and still lose weight.

Liftng4Lis

How is losing 1.5 pounds a week maintaining? You're losing 1.5 pounds a week.

HeySwoleSister

1.5 pounds a week is a pretty fast rate of loss. I'm not sure what you're complaining about.

SLLRunner

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

How is losing 1.5 pounds a week maintaining? You're losing 1.5 pounds a week.

This 100%.

NewGemma,

Your losing at a slower rate because you are most likely underestimating calories in and overestimating calories burned. It's common.

Get a food scale, weight your food, ensure accurate entries, log your exercise but eat back only half your calories.

Besides, with only 29 pounds left to lose, I would suggest setting your goals to 1 pound per week. Also, when you have only 20 left to lose, set your goals to lose .5 pounds a week.

Slow and easy does it, weight loss is not linear, the downward trend is what's most important.

SLLRunner

NewGemma_x wrote: »

Before I was doing mfp, I was constantly fluctuating between 138-143lbs so being here at almost 140 doesn't really feel like any real loss

If you won't change that mindset you will most likely sabotage yourself. Try to be happy about the small victories!

Annie_01

LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »

NewGemma_x wrote: »

I am eating around 1200 cals a day and in over two weeks I have dropped only 3lbs.

I was overweight at 143lbs and I am now 139.8lbs. At one point I went to 136lbs.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I don't feel hungry most of the time, I mainly fill up the calories on dinner. I only went over the 1200 limit once and that was yesterday.

I suppose I could be underrating but I did this exact thing a couple years ago and I went down 13lbs (from 140lbs).

I'm 5'3 female and I'm active most days. I do make up for some of the cals I burn exercising.

What am I doing wrong?

2. What do you mean you're eating "around" 1200 calories per day? Yeah, you're probably underestimating or guessing and not logging accurately. That's how most people try to lose weight - the half-*kitten* way.

My calorie goal is 1400. Some days I eat slightly more...some days slightly less.

I someone asked me how many calories a day that I ate...I would also say "around" 1400.

I am not guessing nor inaccurately logging...nor am I doing it half-*kitten*.

Would you have preferred that she made you out a list...1223...1178...1210...1150...???

Unless someone eats exactly 1200 calories a day...describing it as "around"...is about as accurate as you can get. I suppose that she could have added it up and then calculated an "average".

harpsdesire

For me it takes about a month before I even start showing actual loss instead of that crazy fluctuating water loss/retention cycle that seems to kick off when I change up what I'm used to eating.

I think you should give it 1-2 more weeks and see how it goes.

4leighbee

DemoraFairy wrote: »

You lost 3lbs, well done! What's the problem? That's a good rate of loss. If you're losing weight you're not maintaining. Unless you're obese you shouldn't really be aiming for more than 1lb/week.

+1

DemoraFairy

Annie_01 wrote: »

LyndseyLovesToLift wrote: »

NewGemma_x wrote: »

I am eating around 1200 cals a day and in over two weeks I have dropped only 3lbs.

I was overweight at 143lbs and I am now 139.8lbs. At one point I went to 136lbs.

I don't know what I am doing wrong. I don't feel hungry most of the time, I mainly fill up the calories on dinner. I only went over the 1200 limit once and that was yesterday.

I suppose I could be underrating but I did this exact thing a couple years ago and I went down 13lbs (from 140lbs).

I'm 5'3 female and I'm active most days. I do make up for some of the cals I burn exercising.

What am I doing wrong?

2. What do you mean you're eating "around" 1200 calories per day? Yeah, you're probably underestimating or guessing and not logging accurately. That's how most people try to lose weight - the half-*kitten* way.

My calorie goal is 1400. Some days I eat slightly more...some days slightly less.

I someone asked me how many calories a day that I ate...I would also say "around" 1400.

I am not guessing nor inaccurately logging...nor am I doing it half-*kitten*.

Would you have preferred that she made you out a list...1223...1178...1210...1150...???

Unless someone eats exactly 1200 calories a day...describing it as "around"...is about as accurate as you can get. I suppose that she could have added it up and then calculated an "average".

Just what I was thinking. It would be pretty impossible to eat exactly your goal every day.

Depends whether the OP was saying "around" meaning they weigh everything are are generally close to their goal each day as you describe, or "around" as in OP thinks she's around 1200 but doesn't measure accurately so doesn't want to say an exact amount as Lyndsey was assuming.

DeguelloTex

DemoraFairy wrote: »

As in a low rate of loss? These are the numbers I've always seen:

>50lbs to lose, 2 lbs/week
Between 20 and 50lbs, 1 lb/week
<20lbs, 0.5lb/week

Similar numbers were also just posted here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10133329/weight-goal-article

Both say you shouldn't aim for more than 1lb/week if you've got less than 40lbs to lose, and I can't imagine most people who are slightly overweight would want to lose more than 40lbs unless they want to be right at the bottom of a healthy BMI.

Yes, as in a low rate of loss.

Edited to add: If I had followed that progression, I wouldn't have lost my 100th pound until February 19, 2016. Instead, I lost it this week. So, in 49 weeks, rather than 95 weeks.