Not losing weight on 1200 calories, BMR confusion

kamidake
kamidake Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Progress is so slow it's discouraging. I've been reading about maybe I'm not eating enough for my motabolism, so I calculated my BMR on 3 different sites and it ranges from 1230 to 1530. How is it calculated anyway?! I can't believe it differs so much. (I'm 39 years old, 5'-1" currently weigh 136). I don't wants to start eating a bunch again but right now it's frustrating to not lost any weight for 3 weeks. (I lost 2 lbs after the first 2 weeks.) :(

Replies

  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited June 2016
    2 pounds in 2 weeks is a good weight loss rate at your current weight and height. The less you have to lose the slower you're going to lose it. Perhaps your expectations are just a little too high?

    Weight loss is not linear. You'll have some weeks where you lose a bunch and some where you don't lose and might even gain a little. Our bodies hold and release water and that's usually where the fluctuations come from.

    Keep in mind that you didn't put that extra weight on in a couple of weeks, it's not going to come off that quickly, either. Besides, a slow loss is more likely to be maintained especially if you're teaching yourself to eat like you'll need to continue to eat to maintain your goal weight once you've reached it.

    Are you weighing your food to validate the calorie amounts you are entering into MFP? It's quite possible you are eating more calories than you think you are. Conversely, if you are eating back your exercise calories how are you validating the amounts being entered into MFP?
  • leasah
    leasah Posts: 107 Member
    I have no advice, but I will be interest in seeing what others say since I'm in the same boat. I'm 3 weeks in and no loss. Im doing the 21 Day Fix.
  • Jsallen87
    Jsallen87 Posts: 2 Member
    What she said ^. Plus if you are working out as well as changing your eatting habits you could be turning fat to muscle. This can mess with the scale. Try tracking measurements instead you could be shrinking but gaining muscle so your weight hasn't changed so much.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    How are you measuring your calories? Are you weighing your food
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
    When you're short and near your goal weight, you're operating on a razor thin margin re: calorie deficits. Counting calories is a pretty precise task and if you're not tight with your counting, you can easily destroy your deficit. Do you have a scale to weigh your food? How is your logging?
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    Right now you're going to have to log and weigh food meticulously to see any results, given how little you have to lose. If you're eeking out a half pound per week loss, celebrate that.

    As others have suggested, buy and use a digital food scale.
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
    Any more than 2lbs in 2 weeks at your weight would mean a significant loss of muscle tissue as well. The less you have to lose you have to take it slower. For you 0.5-1 lbs a week should be a good goal (250-500 kcal deficit). Since you are so small I suggest you stop worrying about your BMR put your stats in MFP, set 0.5 or 1 lbs loss and it will probably give you 1200 kcal to eat (this might not be the full 500 kcal deficit but going under is not advised and MFP will never suggest it). Follow that and you will lose weight. Don't set unrealistic goals...weight that goes away slowly...stays away ;) Good luck!

    P.S I'm 5'2 started at 149-155 and I'm now 128 lbs (22 lbs in 22 weeks - 1 lbs/week average) ... Just stick to it, log everything tightly and honestly and you'll be fine.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
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  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    Jsallen87 wrote: »
    What she said ^. Plus if you are working out as well as changing your eatting habits you could be turning fat to muscle. This can mess with the scale. Try tracking measurements instead you could be shrinking but gaining muscle so your weight hasn't changed so much.

    sorry, fat doesn't "turn to muscle" and she is not gaining muscle at a rate that would cancel out fat loss. more likely a logging issue.
  • Sapphires4me
    Sapphires4me Posts: 93 Member
    I had mine set to lose 2 pounds per week and it put me at 1200 calories. With exercise I would get more but losing weight stagnated. So I reset to lose only .5 per week and it gives me 1380, much better on non work out days and then on days when I work out I get even more. I am not nearly as hungry all the time and find I do much better. Since I am on this journey in the slow lane and not trying to rush it for any reason at all, I am more than happy to lose .5 per week. I am down 17 pounds in 24 weeks. That is perfectly fine with me. Everyone has to find what works for them, but keep trying until you find it.
  • kamidake
    kamidake Posts: 4 Member
    Yes I'm logging everything I eat, although not using a scale to measure food. I use the MFP library, but try to overestimate if anything that's home made or not in the system. I also exercise 2-3 times a week, I do a martial art for 90 to 120 mins each time. If I put in for .5 lb a week then my goal is 1290, don't feel like that's a significant enough amounts to change things. So sounds like I need patience. It just seems like the first 2 weeks went so well and then all of a sudden, nothing.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    kamidake wrote: »
    Yes I'm logging everything I eat, although not using a scale to measure food. I use the MFP library, but try to overestimate if anything that's home made or not in the system. I also exercise 2-3 times a week, I do a martial art for 90 to 120 mins each time. If I put in for .5 lb a week then my goal is 1290, don't feel like that's a significant enough amounts to change things. So sounds like I need patience. It just seems like the first 2 weeks went so well and then all of a sudden, nothing.

    If you significantly changed what you were eating, most of that 2 pounds was probably water. I'd strongly suggest investing in a food scale and using it to validate your serving sizes. Just because something is "in the system" doesn't mean it's correct for what you are eating. Also, even food in packages with a specified serving size can be off. You'd be surprised. The less weight you have to lose the more accurate you need to be.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    kamidake wrote: »
    Yes I'm logging everything I eat, although not using a scale to measure food. I use the MFP library, but try to overestimate if anything that's home made or not in the system. I also exercise 2-3 times a week, I do a martial art for 90 to 120 mins each time. If I put in for .5 lb a week then my goal is 1290, don't feel like that's a significant enough amounts to change things. So sounds like I need patience. It just seems like the first 2 weeks went so well and then all of a sudden, nothing.

    And therein lies your problem. With so little to lose your food logging needs to be as close to 100% accurate as possible. By just eyeballing portions you could easily wipe out your deficit. Buy a food scale and weigh everything you eat, use a measuring cup for liquids only.

  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    There are machines that can measure your metabolism via your exhalations. I had mine done at a nutritionist's office. That should take the mystery out of it, if you can do this.
  • kamidake
    kamidake Posts: 4 Member
    Progress resumed! Down another pound after a week or so, turns out I really just needed to be more patient. :) Thanks for all your help!

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