Under 1200 calories and started gaining weight
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Check out https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ and https://www.yourhormones.com/ -- if you are eating what you say you are eating, and, not losing, then, there may be a medical issue. I especially also like the advice about finding another doctor (see the sttm website for ideas for one near you) *and* the advice about keto diet ratios (cutting down on sugar / carbs helped me a lot). On the "yourhormones" website they try to sell you "adaptogens". If you are hypothyroid (what is your waking body temperature?) an adaptogen won't help you. Do you have adrenal fatigue (or other fatigue symptoms) -- https://www.yourhormones.com/adrenal-fatigue/ ? What helped me, in addition to desiccated thyroid I get by prescription, was 80 mg. adrenal cortex and 80 mg. whole adrenal as well as 7-keto DHEA. I avg 1400 calories using the keto diet ratio mentioned above and while it was hard at first to cut way back on carbs and sugar, I have seen results. Good luck!
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youdoyou2016 wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »OP -- My suggestion: look for threads / groups with women who are 5'2" and less. What you are saying is common, and what you are doing is perfectly fine.
Some of the responses you are getting about calorie counts will not help you given your situation. If you keep doing what you are doing, you will lose. And, again, seek out advice / ideas from shorter women. Other people really do not get it.
Also, as someone else said: weight loss does not always consistently, predictably go down. It is not uncommon for stalls.
She isn't short enough for 1100 calories to be an appropriate goal, especially with an active lifestyle
I love irony.
I'm the same height as you, started at a higher weight, similar activity level (lost 100+ over a year, about 10 more to go.) The main thing, in my opinion, is to keep at it because it's not unusual to have a stall for a couple of weeks or even have the scale go up. You need more data. Once you have more information and time, you can adjust from there. And, again (!), people on here talk like they have knowledge when, in fact, they are opinions. Inevitably you'll find someone 4'11" telling you she eats 1700 calories and loses weight. Maybe -- but, really, only you know how your body works, and you just need more time and information to make decisions. Do a search for 5'2" and under folks -- you'll learn a lot. It's very helpful to see a variety of approaches and hear others' experiences.
She was losing 2 pounds a week at 1200. No one NEEDS to lose 2 pounds a week.
What they need to do is get adequate nutrition. The lower their calorie intake, the less likely that is.
I'm 5'1", I feel qualified to comment on this. I also eat more than 1200 and lose. Since I'm lighter than the OP, my rate of loss is slower, as it should be.
OP, I noticed you said you were on a very strict no carbs diet for the first two weeks. Did you introduce more carbs recently? That could explain some glycogen/water weight regain. Don't worry, it's not fat gain. The scale will start moving downward again.7 -
youdoyou2016 wrote: »youdoyou2016 wrote: »OP -- My suggestion: look for threads / groups with women who are 5'2" and less. What you are saying is common, and what you are doing is perfectly fine.
Some of the responses you are getting about calorie counts will not help you given your situation. If you keep doing what you are doing, you will lose. And, again, seek out advice / ideas from shorter women. Other people really do not get it.
Also, as someone else said: weight loss does not always consistently, predictably go down. It is not uncommon for stalls.
She isn't short enough for 1100 calories to be an appropriate goal, especially with an active lifestyle
I love irony.
I'm the same height as you, started at a higher weight, similar activity level (lost 100+ over a year, about 10 more to go.) The main thing, in my opinion, is to keep at it because it's not unusual to have a stall for a couple of weeks or even have the scale go up. You need more data. Once you have more information and time, you can adjust from there. And, again (!), people on here talk like they have knowledge when, in fact, they are opinions. Inevitably you'll find someone 4'11" telling you she eats 1700 calories and loses weight. Maybe -- but, really, only you know how your body works, and you just need more time and information to make decisions. Do a search for 5'2" and under folks -- you'll learn a lot. It's very helpful to see a variety of approaches and hear others' experiences.
Yes, stalls are common, but it's unlikely the OP is getting adequate nutrition on 1100 calories, which is why the 1200 calorie minimum exists. I also get 10,000 steps a day at an active job (though I'm taller) and I've found I can't eat less than 1500 calories net or I start overeating. I also know several shorter women on here who ate much more than 1200 calories and lost.
I resemble that remark in the bold...
I'm 5'2. I lost >30 lbs and was eating 1600-1800 while losing. I am currently maintaining my loss at 120 lbs, with a TDEE of about 2200.
MOST people can eat more than 1200 and still lose. Certainly the OP, who is petite but not tiny in either height or current weight, and is averaging 10K steps/day, can eat more than 1200 and still lose. If she is not losing with current intake of under 1200, it is likely that she has hit a temporary stall (seems it has been less than 2 weeks which is totally reasonable) and that she will start losing again. Also aiming for 2 lbs/week weight loss may be ok for now while she is in the upper 100s, but it may just not be actually possible without either increasing activity, or cutting calories below a recommended minimum. As active as I am now, I would have had to cut to 1200 cals to lose 2 lbs/week and that was not something that appealed to me. If I weren't as active, mathematically it wouldn't have been possible to subtract 1000 cals from my baseline without going below the bare minimum of cals.5 -
Muscleflex79 wrote: »I don't do keto, but have been in facebook groups where a lot of people are doing it and I noticed many drink bulletproof coffees that they think are so great for them (but are hundreds of extra calories)....are you counting EVERYTHING...?? while the keto people say that calories don't matter on keto - they do for weight loss.
I usually only drink water. I did have a couple spiked seltzer waters and I counted them. I quit caffeine in Sept. I don't drink anything else, no soda, no flavored water, no milk just water.0 -
I too am 5'1. I lost on 1200 cals plus around 150 to 200 cals for each hour I exercised. Not reaching anywhere near 10000 steps a day in everyday activity (which would have had me with a higher goal as I wouldn't have been sedentary).
The difference between me and the OP was that I started at 130 with a goal of 105 lbs and I am much older- menopausal at the time of losing.
1200 was appropriate for me as I was within a healthy BMI and had little to lose. I lost at 1lbs a week for the first few weeks, then my losses dropped to less than a pound a month as I got closer to my goal weight.
The problem you may have OP losing at such an aggressive deficit (as well as it being unhealthily and unsustainably low) is that you have no where to go when you reach a lower weight and needs to drop your calories to continue losing.
The alternate is eating low cal for a very long time with less and less weight loss and probably causing hormone disruptions.
You are depriving yourself of needed nutrients that may cause problems long term.
An extremely low calorie goal with a reasonable activity level not accounted for appropriately will also leave you more lethargic. Less regular every day movement lowers your NEAT, this in turn means your basic calorie goal is too high. This, in time, will cause a true stall in weight loss because daily activity has dropped below the average norm for a sedentary person.
Eating under 1200 is not needed or necessary.
Put your stats into MFP to lose 1-1.5 lbs a week, choose the appropriate activity level 'active' if you are moving around a lot at work- sedentary is for seated work.
Spend time to learn which are the correct food entries and weigh all your food every single day.
Log your exercise/steps beyond regular activity and eat back at least a portion of those calories.
Realise unless you are post menopause your weight can fluctuate a few pounds during ovulation and menstruation.
It can also be affected when one has had more salt than usual in a meal, is one has exerted oneself and muscles need to recover, or if one is holding on to more waste than usual ( constipated or a high calorie day).
Please review what you are doing-
is it the calorie level and low carb sustainable long term?
If not, go to your doctor, get a physical to make sure there are no underlying medical problems and get a referral to a RD to guide you through your weight loss.
Cheers, h.9 -
niketasebakeng wrote: »If it's on the scale could it be muscle gain?
Nope.
Muscle gain is very difficult to attain, especially for women.5 -
First thank you for the reponses. I'll try to address the questions asked, sorry if I miss any. I'll look into opening my diary, not sure how and I'm at work. I DO weigh and measure everything except the sugar free gum I chew. I'm 5'1 and weighed 181 this morning. I weigh myself everyday and only log it once a week on the same say wearing the same outfit. Most of my walking is done at work. Every time I get bloodwork they say I'm perfectly healthy, my dr said 1200 was still to much which is why I try to stay under. My starting weight was 198 but I did a strict 2 week carb and dairy free diet before I started tracking my food. I've been tracking for approximately a month and half losing about 2 pounds a week until 2 weeks ago. I agree with my calorie intake I should be losing that's why I came here. Thank you again for the responses.
Wait. You've lost 17 pounds? And, it's just been the last two weeks when you have not lost?
That sounds like normal weight fluctuations to me.7 -
One of the things about low carb eating is that your body dumps a lot of water, then seems to hold on to it for a while, then dumps more. That makes for some really frustrating plateau periods but some very exciting 'whooshes' as well. Over time, you will see the numbers decrease, but it can be very erratic. IIRC, I lost 10 pounds, then 4, then nothing for about a month, then 3 or 4, etc.
As someone stated above, taking measurements can be a better way to see what is happening with your body. You may find that your waist or thigh measurements decrease more regularly than the scale does.1 -
First thank you for the reponses. I'll try to address the questions asked, sorry if I miss any. I'll look into opening my diary, not sure how and I'm at work. I DO weigh and measure everything except the sugar free gum I chew. I'm 5'1 and weighed 181 this morning. I weigh myself everyday and only log it once a week on the same say wearing the same outfit. Most of my walking is done at work. Every time I get bloodwork they say I'm perfectly healthy, my dr said 1200 was still to much which is why I try to stay under. My starting weight was 198 but I did a strict 2 week carb and dairy free diet before I started tracking my food. I've been tracking for approximately a month and half losing about 2 pounds a week until 2 weeks ago. I agree with my calorie intake I should be losing that's why I came here. Thank you again for the responses.
Really this thread should read: I have lost 17 pounds since starting at about 2 pounds a week until 2 weeks ago and then I stopped losing.
OP does not need to change your calories unless you feel light-headed or are showing other signs of malnutrition such as getting sick a lot, brittle nails, and hair that is following out.
Also, to all the people saying that the doctor has no nutrition training, are any of you qualified to speak on behalf of the medical association? How do you know doctors don't receive nutrition training, have you gone through medical school? And stop taking everything you hear from patients second hand at face value. I am a registered dietitian, have heard doctors (and nurses and pharmacists!) give sound advice only for the patient to turn around a month later and interpret what was said said in such a way I can only suspect they didn't listen to a word the doctor said.
Even if some doctors give bad advice, you can't judge the entire profession based on one or two bad apples, it really seems like people just want to feel smart by saying doctors don't know anything. But because someone on here read a few articles on someone's blog they are somehow a nutrition authority. /end rant.
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Its only been 2 weeks, Nothing to worry about but i feel i should mention how my body works. I only track my weight loss every 5 pounds, Which for me is the 12th of every month past few months. I hover between say 145-150 all month hitting 145 on dehydrated days near the final 2 weeks and then finally stay under 145 on the 12thish.. Which is when my period ends. I only tack it once im comfortable that i am staying under it. Female hormones are strange even if you dont get periods you can still have the hormone swings which make weight very annoying to track. With time youll see how your body works and itl stop freaking you out im sure.0
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EAT MORE. your body is thinking it's not going to get enough food (because it's NOT).0
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not seeing results ? make sure you are in your macro range: check this out https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/ask-the-ripped-dude-magical-macronutrient-ratio-for-fat-loss.html0
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I think there are just weeks when your body catches up/behind to what you are actually doing. I'm 5' started at the beginning of the year around 145 lbs. Currently in a weight loss challenge at work. Last week I weighed in at 135. The last week and a half I've been pretty sick - missed 3 days of work, barely eating (pretty sure I haven't had an over 1000 calorie day in the last 10 days, my goal is around 1200). Weighed in today, and I weigh the EXACT same as last week. I don't get it either.0
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I believe tracking macros matter more than the calorie itself.. since I changed to 35% protein 25% carbs and 40% fat , I am seeing results in the mirror and on the scale0
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I track every thing I eat and have been staying under 1200 most of the time it's between 1035 and 1100, I make sure I get over 10,000 steps in a day and the last two weeks I started gaining weight. I've stopped all caffeine in Sept. and, pasta, rice, breads and potatoes for this diet. I haven't started a proper exercise routine yet just getting in my steps. The Keto Recipe book I got says I should be eating a lot more calories because I've cut out the carbs. but I've been to scared to up my calories because weight loss has always been a struggle for me, I've gained weight before when I was getting professional help dieting.
Losing weight is about CALORIES. You can choose low carb, or an elimination style diet if you like the food......but it's still about calories.
How long have you been at this current increased weight? There will be natural water weight fluctuations: sodium, time of month, sore muscles hold water, waste cycle. If this gain happened over night or has been just a few days....it's not necessarily fat gain. You need to eat 3,500 calories over your MAINTENANCE to gain a pound.
Measuring and logging food. How accurately do you log. Do you use a digital food scales for solids & semi-solids, and a measuring cup for liquids. Weigh packaged foods too. Are you logging every bite, every taste, every lick, everything? Double check your database selections. There are plenty of wrong entries.
If your logging is accruate and it's not water weight......see a doctor. Barring medical issues, no adult should gain weight at 1,100 calories.0 -
Regardless of height, being 181 pounds and eating less then 1200 isn't healthy. 2 pounds of weight loss per week is ok, but don't fret when you don't lose for a week or 2. Just keep going. If you are being truthful with your food logging and weighing everything then weight loss will start up again. 0.5-2 pounds a week is healthy weight loss. Stalls happen. If after 6 weeks and no weight or visible change (pics, measurements or clothing size) then reassess.0
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Also, to all the people saying that the doctor has no nutrition training, are any of you qualified to speak on behalf of the medical association? How do you know doctors don't receive nutrition training, have you gone through medical school? And stop taking everything you hear from patients second hand at face value. I am a registered dietitian, have heard doctors (and nurses and pharmacists!) give sound advice only for the patient to turn around a month later and interpret what was said said in such a way I can only suspect they didn't listen to a word the doctor said.
Even if some doctors give bad advice, you can't judge the entire profession based on one or two bad apples, it really seems like people just want to feel smart by saying doctors don't know anything. But because someone on here read a few articles on someone's blog they are somehow a nutrition authority. /end rant.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430660/
Just sayin'.0 -
deviousme7 wrote: »Try eating 1200 calories minimum and no extra walking per day and see the weight drop off, this is why I stopped walking so much
Can you explain why this is relevant? Although walking by itself is not necessary for weight loss, the mental benefits are immeasurable. Increasing your walking will not stall your weight loss (unless you underestimate your calorie burn and eat too much back).1 -
I'm 5.1-5.2 and in the 180s at sedentary I'm given 1390 calories to lose 0.5lb a week. I eat more due to exercise and work (1800-2000 net). I lose anything from 0-2 lb per week.
Either a medical condition or u are using measuring cups not a scale1 -
First thank you for the reponses. I'll try to address the questions asked, sorry if I miss any. I'll look into opening my diary, not sure how and I'm at work. I DO weigh and measure everything except the sugar free gum I chew. I'm 5'1 and weighed 181 this morning. I weigh myself everyday and only log it once a week on the same say wearing the same outfit. Most of my walking is done at work. Every time I get bloodwork they say I'm perfectly healthy, my dr said 1200 was still to much which is why I try to stay under. My starting weight was 198 but I did a strict 2 week carb and dairy free diet before I started tracking my food. I've been tracking for approximately a month and half losing about 2 pounds a week until 2 weeks ago. I agree with my calorie intake I should be losing that's why I came here. Thank you again for the responses.
Change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings0 -
Are you a dancer?Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »I'm 5'4", 120 pounds, 57 and maintain at 1800 calories.
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The real formula is CICO+H2O
Salt and hormones swing the H20 variable up and down, disguising the underlying CICO trend.
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WinoGelato wrote: »I'm 5'2 and not a marathon runner and I maintain at 2200. There's just no way that you are maintaining weight with a net calorie intake in the mid hundreds.
That's outrageous. I mean, seriously, I would be at 200 pounds in no time. I guess that's evidence of how differently our bodies work.0 -
@anvilhead2 Thank you for that research article.
From the results: A total of 106 surveys were returned for a response rate of 84%. Ninety-nine of the 106 schools responding required some form of nutrition education; however, only 32 schools (30%) required a separate nutrition course. On average, students received 23.9 contact hours of nutrition instruction during medical school (range: 2–70 h). Only 40 schools required the minimum 25 h recommended by the National Academy of Sciences. Most instructors (88%) expressed the need for additional nutrition instruction at their institutions.
So I guess it depends on the doctor and where they went to school, as well as if they do their own personal research.
I do want to say as a registered dietitian I can only remember 2 classes where I actually learned about meal planning and education. The rest where biochemistry, food science, food chemistry, a class about giving presentations, and a class where we read research about nutrition and the elderly. Most of the information I actually I use comes from my own research and todaysdietitian.com. I don't think I ever used the Kreb's cycle in a counseling session...0 -
Op any chance these 2 weeks overlap your period? I know i retain water on my period and it can easy be several pounds of bloat for a week or two.0
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It's fascinating how far from the OP's needs a thread can wander
OP was losing @ 2 lbs per week until a couple of weeks ago. She is concerned that she hasn't lost anything in the last two weeks.
OP, weight loss is not linear. There is a lot of other stuff in your body than just fat, and that stuff can fluctuate. These fluctuations can mask fat loss for days and sometimes weeks at a time - no big deal.
Also keep in mind that as you lose weight and don't have as much wiggle room to run a decent deficit, your weight loss will most likely slow down, you won't lose 2 lbs per week right through to your goal weight. So be patient and don't think you have to reinvent the wheel after a couple of weeks.
I would also suggest you don't go below 1200 on a regular basis, it is very hard to get adequate nutrition and fuel for your body on such a small amount of food. Regardless, take care of yourself, have patience, and good luck :drinker:2 -
I had two weeks of basically no weight loss...one week I gained 2lbs...it took another week to lose that 2lbs. The following week I lost 4.2lbs.
I know it can be frustrating but don't panic...just be patient. If you are staying at a deficit the weight will come off...in time.2 -
First thank you for the reponses. I'll try to address the questions asked, sorry if I miss any. I'll look into opening my diary, not sure how and I'm at work. I DO weigh and measure everything except the sugar free gum I chew. I'm 5'1 and weighed 181 this morning. I weigh myself everyday and only log it once a week on the same say wearing the same outfit. Most of my walking is done at work. Every time I get bloodwork they say I'm perfectly healthy, my dr said 1200 was still to much which is why I try to stay under. My starting weight was 198 but I did a strict 2 week carb and dairy free diet before I started tracking my food. I've been tracking for approximately a month and half losing about 2 pounds a week until 2 weeks ago. I agree with my calorie intake I should be losing that's why I came here. Thank you again for the responses.
Really this thread should read: I have lost 17 pounds since starting at about 2 pounds a week until 2 weeks ago and then I stopped losing.
OP does not need to change your calories unless you feel light-headed or are showing other signs of malnutrition such as getting sick a lot, brittle nails, and hair that is following out.
Also, to all the people saying that the doctor has no nutrition training, are any of you qualified to speak on behalf of the medical association? How do you know doctors don't receive nutrition training, have you gone through medical school? And stop taking everything you hear from patients second hand at face value. I am a registered dietitian, have heard doctors (and nurses and pharmacists!) give sound advice only for the patient to turn around a month later and interpret what was said said in such a way I can only suspect they didn't listen to a word the doctor said.
Even if some doctors give bad advice, you can't judge the entire profession based on one or two bad apples, it really seems like people just want to feel smart by saying doctors don't know anything. But because someone on here read a few articles on someone's blog they are somehow a nutrition authority. /end rant.
Can I judge based on my coworkers? I work for a major health care system, most of my colleagues are MDs or MD/PhDs. Those that either 1) don't specialize in metabolic disorders or 2) haven't made an effort to learn nutrition outside of medical school are pretty clueless about it. Some of the questions I've gotten about losing weight, and comments that are made to me about my diet ... oy.
Some of these questions come from highly trained specialists. Literally leaders in their fields, some of them. But their field's definitely not nutrition.
You really only have to look at most medical schools' curricula to see that there isn't much taught on nutrition.
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Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »I'm 5'4", 120 pounds, 57 and maintain at 1800 calories.
to show the difference, I am 5'4" 54 and maintain at 1700 calories and I clean houses for a living 2, 3, and 4 per day 5 days a week0
This discussion has been closed.
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