Really slow weight loss despite cutting calories drastically
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Anything below 1000 calories is typically considered disordered eating. EDNOS is oftentimes classified as having a higher BMI, but restricting daily calories below 1000 for an extended period of time. You need to eat more. I'm guessing you are actually eating more than you think. Have you used a food scale?2
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That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I never thought about those “foods to eat to lose weight” as being something to eat when you don’t have many calories left, I just thought of them as being the only goods you are supposed to eat. I want to eat healthy foods, but I also want to BE healthy. Sounds like I need to up the calories.kls1986520 wrote: »Sorry I am trying to keep up with all the replies. I guess i will just try to eat different foods with more calories and stay off the scale for a few days at a time. I always read things telling you to eat chicken breast and veggies to lose weight, but I guess that isn’t really right since it has so few calories.... I grew up I’m a house where everyone filled the plate to the brim with pasta and meatloaf and went back for seconds. It was followed up with a big bowl of ice cream every night. Nobody I know is less than morbidly obese. I am trying to learn how to eat but there so much information and misinformation out there that’s it’s a bit confusing. Thank you all for the advice
There is nothing wrong with eating a lean protein like chicken breast and a vegetable when you need to save calories. I do it. Probably just about everyone that likes chicken does it on occasion.
It stops being good for you when it is your dinner, you can't eat anymore, and it doesn't give you the rest of the calories you need for the day.
And yeah I do weigh everything I prepare at home, which is most of my food, and I meticulously count calories to make sure I’m tracking correctly. I guess I’m just choosing the wrong foods
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kls1986520 wrote: »
That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I never thought about those “foods to eat to lose weight” as being something to eat when you don’t have many calories left, I just thought of them as being the only goods you are supposed to eat. I want to eat healthy foods, but I also want to BE healthy. Sounds like I need to up the calories.kls1986520 wrote: »Sorry I am trying to keep up with all the replies. I guess i will just try to eat different foods with more calories and stay off the scale for a few days at a time. I always read things telling you to eat chicken breast and veggies to lose weight, but I guess that isn’t really right since it has so few calories.... I grew up I’m a house where everyone filled the plate to the brim with pasta and meatloaf and went back for seconds. It was followed up with a big bowl of ice cream every night. Nobody I know is less than morbidly obese. I am trying to learn how to eat but there so much information and misinformation out there that’s it’s a bit confusing. Thank you all for the advice
There is nothing wrong with eating a lean protein like chicken breast and a vegetable when you need to save calories. I do it. Probably just about everyone that likes chicken does it on occasion.
It stops being good for you when it is your dinner, you can't eat anymore, and it doesn't give you the rest of the calories you need for the day.
And yeah I do weigh everything I prepare at home, which is most of my food, and I meticulously count calories to make sure I’m tracking correctly. I guess I’m just choosing the wrong foods
Not really. There are two ways to increase your calories. If you're happy with the VOLUME of food you're eating, you can choose a higher fat cut of meat or use oil/dressing if you aren't. If you would like to add volume, you can stay with leaner cuts or fat free cheese/dairy, and add an extra snack to the day or side to your dinner. I'm in the volume camp so I will always keep lean meats and veg and try to have a very large plate of food.0 -
kls1986520 wrote: »
That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I never thought about those “foods to eat to lose weight” as being something to eat when you don’t have many calories left, I just thought of them as being the only goods you are supposed to eat. I want to eat healthy foods, but I also want to BE healthy. Sounds like I need to up the calories.kls1986520 wrote: »Sorry I am trying to keep up with all the replies. I guess i will just try to eat different foods with more calories and stay off the scale for a few days at a time. I always read things telling you to eat chicken breast and veggies to lose weight, but I guess that isn’t really right since it has so few calories.... I grew up I’m a house where everyone filled the plate to the brim with pasta and meatloaf and went back for seconds. It was followed up with a big bowl of ice cream every night. Nobody I know is less than morbidly obese. I am trying to learn how to eat but there so much information and misinformation out there that’s it’s a bit confusing. Thank you all for the advice
There is nothing wrong with eating a lean protein like chicken breast and a vegetable when you need to save calories. I do it. Probably just about everyone that likes chicken does it on occasion.
It stops being good for you when it is your dinner, you can't eat anymore, and it doesn't give you the rest of the calories you need for the day.
And yeah I do weigh everything I prepare at home, which is most of my food, and I meticulously count calories to make sure I’m tracking correctly. I guess I’m just choosing the wrong foods
Not really. There are two ways to increase your calories. If you're happy with the VOLUME of food you're eating, you can choose a higher fat cut of meat or use oil/dressing if you aren't. If you would like to add volume, you can stay with leaner cuts or fat free cheese/dairy, and add an extra snack to the day or side to your dinner. I'm in the volume camp so I will always keep lean meats and veg and try to have a very large plate of food.
Ok yeah I have been trying to avoid volume as I am used to overeating. I try to only eat what will fit within a measuring cup for each meal.1 -
I completely get the "eat this to lose weight" mentality. That's what my mom always did. When she wanted to lose weight, she had her go-to diet foods and, yep, she'd lose weight. That's how I used to do it, too, because it's how I was raised.. and then I'd gain it back because that way of life is not sustainable.
I don't know your height, weight or age, but if you have 132 lbs to lose, it would seem you are significantly overweight. I am a 5'4", 43 yr old woman that started at 229 lbs. My calorie goal is near double what you are eating. My diary is open if you'd like to take a look at one example of how you can be successful in losing weight, but not cut out the foods you enjoy.
Today, for instance, I knew I would be taking my son out for dinner because he had a concert. I kept my calories low for breakfast and lunch, saving up the bulk for dinner.. and then I ate exactly what I wanted without concern. It was delicious and I don't regret a bite of it.
I am doing this because I know it works. I lost 50lbs when I did this before.. and then life happened and I fell back into my old habits. I am determined not to do that again.
If you'd like a friend, feel free to add me.
Bottom line, don't be afraid to eat! Food is not our enemy until we go into excess. No food is 'bad' unless it's spoiled or out of date. Just watch your calorie budget and fit it in when you want it 0 -
kls1986520 wrote: »That actually makes a lot of sense to me. I never thought about those “foods to eat to lose weight” as being something to eat when you don’t have many calories left, I just thought of them as being the only goods you are supposed to eat. I want to eat healthy foods, but I also want to BE healthy. Sounds like I need to up the calories.
Healthy is a subjective term. It is best to leave that out of the equation until you get the basics down and decide what "healthy" means to you. If I were to guess you are probably not interested in the meatloaf dinners that helped contribute to your situation which is why you are dead set on eating other things. The good news is there is a lot of food to explore out there. Food that you can enjoy with reasonable calories instead of being on the high side or low side and when you do want something from the high side you can always eat some grill chicken and vegetables to fit it in
I wish I could guide you on your daily calorie goal but others here will be better at it than me. If you don't mind supply your age, height, and current weight to clear up some of the confusion around the 1200 calorie limit.
If EVER you need help understanding anything these forums are full of some really smart people who can help guide you to a healthier you.1 -
Sure. I am 31, 5’4”, and currently at 249.8lbs. My goal weight is 125. I started dieting on April 2nd, and started at 257. When I plug in all my stats to the app it gives me a goal of 1290. Every time I eat anywhere near that, I gain weight. I’m terrified to eat more and lose the progress I have made.2
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kls1986520 wrote: »Sure. I am 31, 5’4”, and currently at 249.8lbs. My goal weight is 125. I started dieting on April 2nd, and started at 257. When I plug in all my stats to the app it gives me a goal of 1290. Every time I eat anywhere near that, I gain weight. I’m terrified to eat more and lose the progress I have made.
https://tdeecalculator.net/
Plug your stats in here. You should be eating 1500-1700 minimum per day. You may not lose as quickly as you'd like, but you'll be on a more sustainable plan and you WILL lose weight. Just make sure you're logging accurately, weigh everything you can and check the entry you're using for accuracy.
I started at 229 lbs, same height and 10 yrs older than you.. I am a slug. So lazy, really. I am very sedentary (though I do intend to change that). I lost 50 lbs by eating 1600ish per day.
Key in on your logging and make sure you're being as accurate as possible, then give it time. 0 -
By the way, as tempting as it is to eat as little as possible for the fastest weight loss.. what you are doing is causing your body to cannibalize your muscle. That muscle loss will lower your BMR which makes it more difficult to lose weight, not to mention that whole bit about needing muscle for things like movement and heart function.
Seriously, get your calories up where they should be, try to hit your protein at about 100g per day to prevent as much muscle loss as possible. Include good fats, they are necessary parts of nutrition.
Don't aim to lose more than 8-10 lbs per month and that will slow down as your weight decreases. That is healthy. We didn't get fat in a month or two. We won't get down to our goal weight in a month or two.3 -
You can eat more unless there is some kind of medical issue. My starting weight was 237. My current weight is 192. I've lost 45 lbs so far. I cut currently eat 1500-1600 calories daily plus most of my exercise calories. This is a 500 calorie per day deficit. I'm 52. When I started on mfp I was eating a 1000 calorie deficit (around 1450 calories + exercise calories per day) and I wanted to get to 200 as fast as possible to improve some health issues and mobility. I list about 20-25 lbs at 1.5-2lbs. per month then I switched to the higher daily calories for a slower loss. Once I reached 1200 calories I simply couldn't do it. I needed more food. I'm happy losing slower but eating more.0
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kls1986520 wrote: »Sure. I am 31, 5’4”, and currently at 249.8lbs. My goal weight is 125. I started dieting on April 2nd, and started at 257. When I plug in all my stats to the app it gives me a goal of 1290. Every time I eat anywhere near that, I gain weight. I’m terrified to eat more and lose the progress I have made.
You can't possibly gain fat weight at 1290. It is physically impossible. What you might have seen on the scale is water weight fluctuating back and forth and it scared you into thinking it was fat gain. One of the women here can explain about the specific challenges of being a woman and water retention variables and how it relates to the scale.
Here is an important number to remember... 3500. That is how many surplus calories you need to eat or an average of 500 surplus calories a day to gain a pound of fat in a single week. Surplus, of course, meaning in excess of your body's daily needs. Depending on what @serindipte entered you would need to eat somewhere close to 2800 calories per day to gain a pound in a single week. Someone can verify my math.
You have been doing this for a month and you have let the scale convince you of a myth. I did that a long time ago myself and reacted much like you did by depriving myself even further and it failed. ~1600 calories is the amount to eat and safely lose weight each week. You have been eating around half of that which is why you have gotten dizzy in such a short amount of time. If you try to continue living under the weight of this myth really nasty things like hair loss are in your future.
I know it is scary but please try eating the right number of calories for a month and see for yourself. The weight will come off gradually but it will come off safely. I am sorry for being so emphatic but I don't want to see you follow in my shoes and take years more to figure it out.9 -
??. Six and one have dozen.
DO you mean six of one, half a dozen of the other?
If that is the case, starving yourself and starvation mode, are not one in the same
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serindipte wrote: »By the way, as tempting as it is to eat as little as possible for the fastest weight loss.. what you are doing is causing your body to cannibalize your muscle. That muscle loss will lower your BMR which makes it more difficult to lose weight, not to mention that whole bit about needing muscle for things like movement and heart function.
Seriously, get your calories up where they should be, try to hit your protein at about 100g per day to prevent as much muscle loss as possible. Include good fats, they are necessary parts of nutrition.
Don't aim to lose more than 8-10 lbs per month and that will slow down as your weight decreases. That is healthy. We didn't get fat in a month or two. We won't get down to our goal weight in a month or two.
And muscle loss is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the effects of eating too little. You can lose your hair, wreck your menstrual cycle, develop illnesses from malnutrition or even organ failure...1 -
kls1986520 wrote: »I am not really sure how to eat more calories without feeling sick or eating garbage. I weigh 90% of what I eat, but I get full after every meal, to the point where it’s uncomfortable. I’m not sure where to supplement more calories. An average day for me is as follows:
Breakfast: 5/6 cup full fat greek yogurt/blueberry mix and 1/6 cup organic granola
Lunch: 1/2 chicken breast and 1/2 cup of veggies or 2 cups salad with lean meat
Dinner: 4oz lean steak or half chicken breast and 1/2 cup veggies
After I eat these meals I feel full. Sometimes stuffed. When I started dieting I would get hunger pangs/grumbly stomach between meals, but I don’t get that feeling anymore. My app recommends 1200 calories a day, but that’s almost like wasting another full meal without being hungry. I am trying not to eat when I am not hungry, but I don’t know how to add more calories without doing that or eating food that is “bad for you”. I have been extremely overweight my entire life and have never had a good relationship with food. I don’t know much about nutrition or weight loss other than eat less calories than your body uses
Okay, so like you I also started off aiming to loose around 130-140lbs.... I've been at it since March 1st and I'm down 36lbs so far. What I've found to have worked is pairing my carbs/proteins to make sure I'm getting enough calories. I had trouble under eating at the beginning because like you I wasn't hungry when I started eating healthier. But the scales didn't budge until I upped my calories.
Typical Breakfast for me: Premier protein shake, one medium apple, two tablespoons of peanut butter.
Lunch: Deli chicken sandwich with cheese and mayo, cup of grapes.
Dinner: Grilled chicken breast, corn, applesauce.
Snacks during the day might be: Cashews, slim jim, pepperoni and cheese etc etc.
I average around 1200-1400 a day and have had fantastic results. Also I'm super plain so I eat like a small child lol But as weird as it sounds sometimes you have to eat when you're not hungry. Sometimes during my work day I am no where near hungry but know if I don't have that serving of cashews for 160 calories I'm not getting to my goal, so I eat it.
Stick with it and up your calories as you can to at least get over that 1200 mark. Even if that means having a serving of applesauce with every meal lol Good Luck! You got this
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OP: easy way to add 100's of calories with very little food. Oil (add oil to soups, sauces, salads), peanut butter, even a little is a lot of calories, eat a teaspoon here and there through the day, boom 200+ calories.1
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You really do need to eat a minimum of 1200 calories. You are not going to gain fat with 1200 calories. You should probably be eating more particularly if you are not sedentary or exercise.
Eat more like what you ate before you started your diet a month ago. You were not eating 800-900 calories then so you can eat more.
You do not have to eat large quantities of food just more calories.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
Adding some fats is a way to up your calorie intake. Full fat yogurt, chicken thighs instead of hreast, oil for cooking, butter or cheese on vegetables, salad dressing or condiments.
Have some bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, beans, banana, avocado.
If your appetite is small you might try drinking whole milk or a smoothie.
A food scale will be more helpful for accurate logging than cups.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634529/why-did-the-number-on-the-scale-go-up-this-week-heres-why/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p11 -
If your meal plan is about 900 calories you only need to add 300 calories to get to the minimum. Since you are easily full on your meal plan I suggest Gatorade. It will help keep you hydrated in your desert locale and you only need a few a day to top you up. Besides it has electrolytes that you need.3
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OP, let me first commend you for starting your journey on the road to a healthier YOU. I know that taking the first step on that journey seems like jumping off the side of mountain! You are on the right track you just have to find what works for you. Everyone has different bodies, metabolisms, nutrition needs, etc. Keep plugging at it you WILL find what works for you.
I do think the others posting the advise to up your calories are probably correct. You should not feel dizzy during the day. You drinking water all day is great! Good for you that is excellent!
The other thing I would advise is if you can't get a workout in try for other ways to burn regular old active calories. If you work at a desk all day set you an alarm on your phone to get up every hour and walk around the office for a couple of minutes or outside if you can. Take the stairs. When you go to the restroom do some simple stretches to work out the kinks in your body. Any little thing you can think of to move around a little more during the day. (I sit for 8 hours a day as well so it is a challenge for me to do these things as well)
If you have the means I would suggest an Apple watch or some type of fitbit. I love my Apple watch. It keeps track of how many calories I burn, how many steps I take, etc. I use it in combination with My Fitness Pal. I know something like that is an investment but I have really found it to be helpful to me.
I have also found a couple of apps that help me with quick little workouts I do before I jump in the shower in the AM. My favorite is the 7 minute workout app by Johnson & Johnson. It gets my blood pumping when I know I won't get much exercise for the day. There is also one called Sworkit, for some good stretching/pilates type quick workouts.
Just remember everything you do, every extra step you take, every pound you loose is a step in the direction to feeling better. You will have set backs but YOU CAN DO IT!4 -
If your meal plan is about 900 calories you only need to add 300 calories to get to the minimum. Since you are easily full on your meal plan I suggest Gatorade. It will help keep you hydrated in your desert locale and you only need a few a day to top you up. Besides it has electrolytes that you need.
Her min daily goal is 1600ish not 1200.
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