1,200 calories is too much

lrachel011

I gain weight when I eat that much, my "treat days" are between 1000-1200 calories, so if I eat the amount that mfp is recommending me to to eat, then I'll just gain back the weight that I've already lost. Does anyone else eat a lot less than what they're supposed to and find that it works for them?

kshama2001

I looked at your diary and think if you tighten up your logging, you will find you eat more than you think you do.

How tall are you, what do you weigh, and what's your goal weight?

Fujiberry

Are you weighing everything with a scale?
By everything, I mean even olive oil, butter, a little bites of food. Are you eating back your calories?

You'd have to be 4'11" or shorter to gain weight with 1200.

jessathemessa

I have to agree with @kshama2001. In your diary, I see number of berries instead of grams. I see slices of items instead of measurements. It is very easy to make mistakes when guessing how much food you're eating. Also, the quick calories, unless it's a packaged item, is likely off too. You could be eating far more calories than you think.

I'd suggest getting a food scale and really logging your food to see how much you are actually eating daily, and then go from there.

madhatter2013

I'm fairly certain if you were only eating 1000-1200 on "treat days" you wouldn't be here asking advise on how to continue to lose weight. Either you're not overweight to begin with or you have an ED. How tall are you? WHat do you weigh currently? How old?

barbecuesauce

Fujiberry wrote: »

Are you weighing everything with a scale?
By everything, I mean even olive oil, butter, a little bites of food. Are you eating back your calories?

You'd have to be 4'11" or shorter to gain weight with 1200.

OP is an 18yo female. I'm thinking 2'11" or shorter might gain on 1200 with that metabolism.

Anyway, you've been at this 3 days and you quick-add calories and guesstimate servings so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

douglawrenson

lrachel011 wrote: »

I gain weight when I eat that much, my "treat days" are between 1000-1200 calories, so if I eat the amount that mfp is recommending me to to eat, then I'll just gain back the weight that I've already lost. Does anyone else eat a lot less than what they're supposed to and find that it works for them?

Losing weight is easy, losing fat requires eating just slightly less than the body requires to run itself efficiently, The nutrients provided via the diet are a bodily requirement, including protein, carbohydrates, essential fats, and dietary fiber

lalepepper

Please understand that I'm not saying this to come off as mean or make you feel stupid. Calorie counting seems straightforward, but there's a lot of other factors that make it tough, including figuring out the amount you need, and logging your intake accurately. The likelihood that 1,200 is "too high" to lose is very slim. 1,200 calories is the intake recommended for a 2-3 year old child. Honestly, it is basically impossible for you to gain weight on a 1,200 calorie diet unless you are an extremely small person or have a severe, untreated thyroid condition.

I'd encourage you to really evaluate whether you're tracking your intake accurately. I'd also suggest you avoid eating back exercise calories, as they're generally overestimated. Unless you are weighing your solids and measuring your liquids (unfortunately we're just not that great at estimating!) then you're probably eating far more than the 1200 you think you are. When I first started out I wasn't losing on my calorie goals and thought the goal was the problem, until my friends here told me I needed to get weighing. The difference between what I thought was a portion and what really was a portion was crazy - I found out I was eating up to 500 calories MORE than I thought I was, as those differences added up through the day. Don't forget that nibbles, and "just a tastes" should be counted in your log too.

If you're a particularly small person, your margin of error with calories will be pretty small, so it's especially important to account for it as much as possible with accurate measurements. If you can, try to see a dietitian for professional support with your eating.

jaga13

Fujiberry wrote: »

Are you weighing everything with a scale?
By everything, I mean even olive oil, butter, a little bites of food. Are you eating back your calories?

You'd have to be 4'11" or shorter to gain weight with 1200.

I'm 4'11 and 1200 is exactly what it takes for me to lose 1/2 a pound right now (close to goal). I certainly don't gain weight at 1200!! (and just for the record, I actually eat closer to 1400 because I earn calories from exercise. I'm short but I still like to eat!)

lrachel011

kshama2001 wrote: »

I looked at your diary and think if you tighten up your logging, you will find you eat more than you think you do.

How tall are you, what do you weigh, and what's your goal weight?

I definitely don't eat more than I think I do, in fact I put in more calories than I eat just in case, and I always round up. Sometimes even too much, my dinner was around 520 but I rounded it up to 600, and I always weigh my food aswell. Yesterday I really wasn't hungry so I had 3 chocolate truffles, coffee and a rice cake. It added up to 280 but my diary says more than that.

I'm currently 120 lbs, 5'4 and my goal weight is about 110 or so.

I guess maybe it's because I've recently been put on medication that lowers my appetite, and I never normally have much of an appetite anyway. So my body's probably just used to very little food. I'm thinking that if I did eat 1200 calories, I would initially gain weight but then it would gradually fall back down again as my body adjusts?

Mr_Knight

Your diary is sloppy. You're eating more than you think.

Iron_Feline

How would you know - you've only logged two days.

Vanilla_Lattes

I'm 5'2 and eating 1400 to lose 1lb/week. I do not exercise. You're not adding something up right.

chivalryder

"The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don't know anything about." Wayne Dyer.

Liftng4Lis

Iron_Feline wrote: »

How would you know - you've only logged two days.

QFT!

lrachel011

Guys just to be clear here I've been dieting for 2 weeks now, but just kept a diary in a notebook. And I love how you all think you know exactly what I'm eating, I'm not eating more than I think I am because I've lost 5lbs in not even 2 weeks

htimpaired

lrachel011 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

I looked at your diary and think if you tighten up your logging, you will find you eat more than you think you do.

How tall are you, what do you weigh, and what's your goal weight?

I definitely don't eat more than I think I do, in fact I put in more calories than I eat just in case, and I always round up. Sometimes even too much, my dinner was around 520 but I rounded it up to 600, and I always weigh my food aswell. Yesterday I really wasn't hungry so I had 3 chocolate truffles, coffee and a rice cake. It added up to 280 but my diary says more than that.

I'm currently 120 lbs, 5'4 and my goal weight is about 110 or so.

I guess maybe it's because I've recently been put on medication that lowers my appetite, and I never normally have much of an appetite anyway. So my body's probably just used to very little food. I'm thinking that if I did eat 1200 calories, I would initially gain weight but then it would gradually fall back down again as my body adjusts?

Someone put you on medication that lowers your appetite? I hope that's a side affect and not the reason you're on the medicine, given you're already well within a healthy weight.
Why so low? At 110 lbs you would be at the very bottom of a healthy bmi-dangerously close to underweight.
Instead of looking at the calories you should look at the quality of the food you're chosing. Truffles and a rice cake? There's no nutrition in that. Your body is starving for nutrients.
Do you exercise?

Liftng4Lis

Can you provide your stats please?

chivalryder

lrachel011

lalepepper wrote: »

Please understand that I'm not saying this to come off as mean or make you feel stupid. Calorie counting seems straightforward, but there's a lot of other factors that make it tough, including figuring out the amount you need, and logging your intake accurately. The likelihood that 1,200 is "too high" to lose is very slim. 1,200 calories is the intake recommended for a 2-3 year old child. Honestly, it is basically impossible for you to gain weight on a 1,200 calorie diet unless you are an extremely small person or have a severe, untreated thyroid condition.

I'd encourage you to really evaluate whether you're tracking your intake accurately. I'd also suggest you avoid eating back exercise calories, as they're generally overestimated. Unless you are weighing your solids and measuring your liquids (unfortunately we're just not that great at estimating!) then you're probably eating far more than the 1200 you think you are. When I first started out I wasn't losing on my calorie goals and thought the goal was the problem, until my friends here told me I needed to get weighing. The difference between what I thought was a portion and what really was a portion was crazy - I found out I was eating up to 500 calories MORE than I thought I was, as those differences added up through the day. Don't forget that nibbles, and "just a tastes" should be counted in your log too.

If you're a particularly small person, your margin of error with calories will be pretty small, so it's especially important to account for it as much as possible with accurate measurements. If you can, try to see a dietitian for professional support with your eating.

Thank you for actually genuinely expressing your opinion politely. I just added a post saying that I'm on medication that causes me to have a lower appetite, so I think that my body is just used to less food. And I only drink water and maybe a cup of coffee every day.

lalepepper

Day to day weight gain isn't reflective of your overall trend. If you're still in the beginning stages of tracking, give yourself a bit loinger before writing off 1,200 as a good number for you.

Medication can definitely influence appetite and if you've been eating less than 1,200 and increase you'll probably see a water weight gain the next couple days. As a female you'll also have natural water fluctuations if you experience a menstrual cycle.

I've lost over 95 lbs and my weight always is different from day to day. It will go up one day, then maybe another, and then drop, before going right back up. If you want to see your trends, I'd recommend www.weightgrapher.com to track your weigh-ins - it helps to see the trend over time, rather than just comparing to your last weigh-in number.

choppie70

You are right, we don't know what you are eating when you enter things like 600 quick calories for dinner! How did you get that number? Did you weigh your food? If you just had spaghetti for dinner and said, "hmmm.. I had a helping of spaghetti, that is about 600 calories." then there is a possibility you are eating more than you think. Unless you are under 4 ft. or have an extremely slow metabolism that needs a dr. attention it is impossible to gain weight eating less than 1200 calories a day.

whatatime2befit

You are eating more than you think. Weigh your food, and enter the grams. You are going to be very surprised at the calories you are actually eating.

For instance, for breakfast you entered 6 medium strawberries. What's a medium? That could be someone else's large. That is too subjective. Weigh it out instead, seriously you'll see a difference.

PeachyCarol

OP, you are currently a healthy weight for your height and wish to diet down to an undesirable, underweight goal.

I think you need to speak to a doctor.

lrachel011

choppie70 wrote: »

You are right, we don't know what you are eating when you enter things like 600 quick calories for dinner! How did you get that number? Did you weigh your food? If you just had spaghetti for dinner and said, "hmmm.. I had a helping of spaghetti, that is about 600 calories." then there is a possibility you are eating more than you think. Unless you are under 4 ft. or have an extremely slow metabolism that needs a dr. attention it is impossible to gain weight eating less than 1200 calories a day.

It was takeaway food for dinner, I checked the website and it wasn't an option on here so I just added 600 calories

lrachel011

whatatime2befit wrote: »

You are eating more than you think. Weigh your food, and enter the grams. You are going to be very surprised at the calories you are actually eating.

For instance, for breakfast you entered 6 medium strawberries. What's a medium? That could be someone else's large. That is too subjective. Weigh it out instead, seriously you'll see a difference.

Ok thanks that's a good idea I'll do that I had already eaten the strawberries before I put it in my food diary which is why I just put medium

lalepepper

PeachyCarol wrote: »

OP, you are currently a healthy weight for your height and wish to diet down to an undesirable, underweight goal.

I think you need to speak to a doctor.

While I'd be inclined to agree if OP were seeking a weight around 100, a goal of 110 at 5'4" places her at the bottom end of healthy weight range according to the National Institutes of Health. Depending on her frame or body fat %, it could be a reasonable weight for her. In any case, you should always visit your doctor and discuss plans for diet/exercise before beginning a new program.

malibu927

lrachel011 wrote: »

Guys just to be clear here I've been dieting for 2 weeks now, but just kept a diary in a notebook. And I love how you all think you know exactly what I'm eating, I'm not eating more than I think I am because I've lost 5lbs in not even 2 weeks

You've lost five pounds in two weeks? How long has this gain occurred over? Sounds like it's just a natural fluctuation. But what everyone has said still stands...you do need to tighten up your logging.

Liftng4Lis

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Can you provide your stats please?

jemhh

malibu927 wrote: »

lrachel011 wrote: »

Guys just to be clear here I've been dieting for 2 weeks now, but just kept a diary in a notebook. And I love how you all think you know exactly what I'm eating, I'm not eating more than I think I am because I've lost 5lbs in not even 2 weeks

You've lost five pounds in two weeks? How long has this gain occurred over? Sounds like it's just a natural fluctuation. But what everyone has said still stands...you do need to tighten up your logging.

I don't think she's actually had a gain. (Unless I totally missed something.) She's just worried that if she eats more that she'll gain.

PeachyCarol

lalepepper wrote: »

PeachyCarol wrote: »

OP, you are currently a healthy weight for your height and wish to diet down to an undesirable, underweight goal.

I think you need to speak to a doctor.

While I'd be inclined to agree if OP were seeking a weight around 100, a goal of 110 at 5'4" places her at the bottom end of healthy weight range according to the National Institutes of Health. Depending on her frame or body fat %, it could be a reasonable weight for her. In any case, you should always visit your doctor and discuss plans for diet/exercise before beginning a new program.

As you said, that's IF she has a small frame. She might not. Weight/height targets are frame-specific and that context can't be ignored. Given that she's not eating properly, I'm not convinced of this fact that the goal isn't too low.