Losing very slowly; should I eat more???

Jubee13

I have used MFP many times, not to lose a huge amount of weight, just 8-10 pounds. Every so often my weight creeps up (sweets lover), and I track to get it off, I've never had an issue before, but for the past several months, I've been tracking and only losing a part of a pound per week, if that. I'm pretty active, and exercise without eating those calories back. I try to stay at 1,200 calories and many days have not even eaten that amount. My question is, is it true that if you don't eat enough you won't lose as well? I truly believe in CI/CO, so it doesn't make sense, but I'm hungry a lot with very little result.
Before anyone suggests this, I am carefully weighing and measuring everything. My stats - I'm 5'3", CW 119.2, GW 115, (very small frame), 51 years old.
I'm hungry a lot and feel very discouraged. I don't think I could possibly eat less. Should I stay the course, or bump up my calories a little?

kommodevaran

Weight loss will naturally slow down as you lose weight. A lower weight takes fewer calories to maintain. You're already at a low weight for your height. Consider if losing more weight is both necessary AND sustainable.

Not eating enough preventing weightloss doesn't make sense because it isn't true. The less you eat, the more you lose, but you will get to a point where muscle loss outweighs fat loss, and that's probably not what you're after. You know that you're eating too little when you are constantly hungry, hangry, lethargic and irritable, and you'll most likely not be able to do it for very long before you cave and eat, and eat more, to compensate. This would be the rational reasoning for "don't eat too little", but people are vain and think they are "stronger" than that, so a hip sciency-sounding explanation with at least "starvation mode" and "metabolism" in it, is an overall more effective way to prevent people undereating. There's so much bad information and scare out there. I'm happy to see that you are skeptical.

amusedmonkey

You're on the lighter side, so your weight loss will be slower than that of a heavier person. Part of a pound a week is about as much as you should expect with your stats. In your case half a pound a week sounds like a reasonable rate of loss. Eating more will not make you lose faster, it would slow down your progress. There are many benefits to eating more for people who are restricting too much, including faster weight loss as a result of a more sustainable diet that leads to fewer calorie blowouts, but for some people (and this is the case for you unfortunately if you are sedentary) 1200 is about right. What you could do is accept that your rate if weight loss will be slow, and move more to get more calories if you are able and willing.

Unknown

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Muscleflex79

eating more is never the answer to 'how can i lose more weight'

LKArgh

Jubee13 wrote: »

I have used MFP many times, not to lose a huge amount of weight, just 8-10 pounds. Every so often my weight creeps up (sweets lover), and I track to get it off, I've never had an issue before, but for the past several months, I've been tracking and only losing a part of a pound per week, if that. I'm pretty active, and exercise without eating those calories back. I try to stay at 1,200 calories and many days have not even eaten that amount. My question is, is it true that if you don't eat enough you won't lose as well? I truly believe in CI/CO, so it doesn't make sense, but I'm hungry a lot with very little result.
Before anyone suggests this, I am carefully weighing and measuring everything. My stats - I'm 5'3", CW 119.2, GW 115, (very small frame), 51 years old.
I'm hungry a lot and feel very discouraged. I don't think I could possibly eat less. Should I stay the course, or bump up my calories a little?

Either you accept that these few lbs are not going anywhere (and realistically, will anyone but you examining yourself naked in front of a mirror notice the difference? ) or you accept that very slow loss is going to happen, like aim for 2 lbs per month max.

Jubee13

Thank all of you for telling me what I already knew but needed to hear.

Maxematics

Jubee13 wrote: »

I have used MFP many times, not to lose a huge amount of weight, just 8-10 pounds. Every so often my weight creeps up (sweets lover), and I track to get it off, I've never had an issue before, but for the past several months, I've been tracking and only losing a part of a pound per week, if that. I'm pretty active, and exercise without eating those calories back. I try to stay at 1,200 calories and many days have not even eaten that amount. My question is, is it true that if you don't eat enough you won't lose as well? I truly believe in CI/CO, so it doesn't make sense, but I'm hungry a lot with very little result.
Before anyone suggests this, I am carefully weighing and measuring everything. My stats - I'm 5'3", CW 119.2, GW 115, (very small frame), 51 years old.
I'm hungry a lot and feel very discouraged. I don't think I could possibly eat less. Should I stay the course, or bump up my calories a little?

Since you say you weigh all of your food, then maybe you're not as active as you think you are hence the slow rate of loss. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just that different people have their own definition of "pretty active".

Francl27

You could be using inaccurate entries too... that often happens, unfortunately.

Otherwise, I do agree that you might not be as active as you think.

Unknown

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kezy73

I think if you are active 1200 cals is far to low as you will be burning a lot
If you're hungry that's a warning that you're body is telling you it needs fuelling weight loss will happen if you're in a calorific deficit

jennybearlv

Obviously eating more alone won't cause you to lose weight. However, if not eating enough is seriously slowing you down, you are putting off chores around the house or doing less exercise because you are so tired and hungry all the time, then eating a little more may give you the energy to do more and burn more calories. If you are indeed staying active, then slow and steady will get you there with patience.

Jubee13

Maxematics wrote: »

Jubee13 wrote: »

I have used MFP many times, not to lose a huge amount of weight, just 8-10 pounds. Every so often my weight creeps up (sweets lover), and I track to get it off, I've never had an issue before, but for the past several months, I've been tracking and only losing a part of a pound per week, if that. I'm pretty active, and exercise without eating those calories back. I try to stay at 1,200 calories and many days have not even eaten that amount. My question is, is it true that if you don't eat enough you won't lose as well? I truly believe in CI/CO, so it doesn't make sense, but I'm hungry a lot with very little result.
Before anyone suggests this, I am carefully weighing and measuring everything. My stats - I'm 5'3", CW 119.2, GW 115, (very small frame), 51 years old.
I'm hungry a lot and feel very discouraged. I don't think I could possibly eat less. Should I stay the course, or bump up my calories a little?

Since you say you weigh all of your food, then maybe you're not as active as you think you are hence the slow rate of loss. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just that different people have their own definition of "pretty active".

Maxematics wrote: »

Jubee13 wrote: »

I have used MFP many times, not to lose a huge amount of weight, just 8-10 pounds. Every so often my weight creeps up (sweets lover), and I track to get it off, I've never had an issue before, but for the past several months, I've been tracking and only losing a part of a pound per week, if that. I'm pretty active, and exercise without eating those calories back. I try to stay at 1,200 calories and many days have not even eaten that amount. My question is, is it true that if you don't eat enough you won't lose as well? I truly believe in CI/CO, so it doesn't make sense, but I'm hungry a lot with very little result.
Before anyone suggests this, I am carefully weighing and measuring everything. My stats - I'm 5'3", CW 119.2, GW 115, (very small frame), 51 years old.
I'm hungry a lot and feel very discouraged. I don't think I could possibly eat less. Should I stay the course, or bump up my calories a little?

Since you say you weigh all of your food, then maybe you're not as active as you think you are hence the slow rate of loss. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just that different people have their own definition of "pretty active".

Jubee13

Maxematics wrote: »

Jubee13 wrote: »

I have used MFP many times, not to lose a huge amount of weight, just 8-10 pounds. Every so often my weight creeps up (sweets lover), and I track to get it off, I've never had an issue before, but for the past several months, I've been tracking and only losing a part of a pound per week, if that. I'm pretty active, and exercise without eating those calories back. I try to stay at 1,200 calories and many days have not even eaten that amount. My question is, is it true that if you don't eat enough you won't lose as well? I truly believe in CI/CO, so it doesn't make sense, but I'm hungry a lot with very little result.
Before anyone suggests this, I am carefully weighing and measuring everything. My stats - I'm 5'3", CW 119.2, GW 115, (very small frame), 51 years old.
I'm hungry a lot and feel very discouraged. I don't think I could possibly eat less. Should I stay the course, or bump up my calories a little?

Since you say you weigh all of your food, then maybe you're not as active as you think you are hence the slow rate of loss. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's just that different people have their own definition of "pretty active".

That could be, but I am a elementary school teacher and am on my feet all day. Also, my classroom is at the end of a large school, and I have to walk quite a distance to use the restroom, make copies, take things to the office, etc. Aside from that, I run several times per week. It seems to me that counts as pretty active, but maybe not. I do plan to add another day of exercise so I'll be actively engaging in exercise 5 days per week.
I'd be fine if I weren't hungry a lot of the time, or if I were losing at a faster rate. I'd like to be making more progress. Maybe more exercise will help.

OliveGirl128

You're stats are going to make weight loss at this stage a fairly slow process. You just don't have a lot of wiggle room, unfortunately. You are seeing progress so focus on that, and maybe think of new goals to also work on, like strength training for body recomp, finding a new hobby that involves physical activity etc.

HarlemNY17

What about nutrition? Are you eating healthy? Empty calories will have you consistently feeling hungry and on top of the not getting enough nutrition