Add more calories to lose?

polvo71

I’ve been doing 1200 calories and 8/16 for about 3 weeks now and the scale isn’t really budging. Yes, I’m counting everything and weighing correctly. I’m wondering if maybe I should up it to 1300. I’ve read that for some people going too low can stall weight loss. Anyone with similar experience? 5’4 and 199 pounds.

NovusDies

polvo71 wrote: »

I’ve been doing 1200 calories and 8/16 for about 3 weeks now and the scale isn’t really budging. Yes, I’m counting everything and weighing correctly. I’m wondering if maybe I should up it to 1300. I’ve read that for some people going too low can stall weight loss. Anyone with similar experience? 5’4 and 199 pounds.

If you are talking about losing fat weight you can't ever stop that as long as you are in a calorie deficit and you have fat to burn. If you are talking about how weight is reported on the scale it is possible that if you stress your body it will retain water and water weight will show up on the scale and potentially mask fat loss.

Here is an article explaining weight fluctuations:

https://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

Here is an article about why 1200 should not be the "go to" calorie goal that so many people choose:

https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/

polvo71

Thanks for the reading suggestions

psuLemon

100 calories is not really going to provide much of an impact. If you consider a less aggressive approach, its certainly possible that more calories would allow you to get more consistent weight loss and potentially increase your expended calories. Its properly fuel vs under fueling which can lead to your body adjusting things. I know me and aggressive weight loss diets never got along.

quiksylver296

Are you 100% certain you are eating 1200 calories? You're weighing everything on a food scale and logging faithfully? No skipping, cheating or forgetting? If not, start there.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

Duck_Puddle

Can you define “not budging”? Does the scale say exactly the same number? Or is it different but not the number you’re hoping for?

Are you logging and eating exercise calories?

I am the same height, weigh 40 pounds less, and I lose a little less than a pound a week on 1200 NET (which means 1200 plus exercise).

Are you 10000000% sure your logging is correct?

lgfrie

According to the trusty TDEE calculator over at tdeecalculator.net, your break-even "maintenance" calorie level would be around 1,875 for your height/weight. So it's just really inconceivable that you're not burning fat at a 675 calorie per day deficit. That should add up to well over a pound lost per week.

It's very possible you've got some water retention throwing off the scale numbers, I would give it a few more weeks before drawing any conclusions. If you get to 6 weeks and still haven't shed some weight, then it'd be appropriate to take stock and make some changes.

Despite all the talk about eating more to spur on weight loss, it doesn't make much sense from a chemistry point of view. Taking in more food could only lead to greater fat burn to the extent that the additional food somehow makes you more active - but while that might account for a few calories here and there, it isn't going to explain an absence of a missing 1.25 pounds per week, as in your case. The theory of "eat more to lose weight" is full of holes.

I would just wait a few more weeks. Meanwhile, really be sure your counting and logging is tight and accurate. The most probable scenario is that you're eating more calories than you think you're eating.

polvo71

I will keep at it weeks and will tweak my cals a bit. I think 1200 is a bit too aggressive. Also I Know there is a lot that effects the scale. I know what I’m saying doesn’t make sense.

magnusthenerd

There are two reasons that make the upping the calories seem to work.
One is when doing an actual diet break. Sometimes a week or two can actually reset metabolic adaptations, and pump NEAT back up a bit. This usually has the person's weight stay near constant, followed by weight loss works again in the weeks after.
Two is the short term case, usually from a large intake single day or meal. In these cases it is probably the relaxing of the rigid dieting habits that reduces water retention and is followed by a sudden woosh.
For the second case, Lyle McDonalds cracks some jokes about alternative advice that may or may not be adviceable for relaxation in your jurisdiction.


Oh, also, I didn't see the typical question, have you had a change in exercise habits in the last 3 weeks? That's another route for water retention - sore muscles trying to heal themselves take up and hold more water.

sarabushby

Also if you are female consider the implications, of relevant, of your cycle. Women often hold onto or gain up to 5lb(!!!) in weight at a certain point in their cycle so this could easily be why you’re not seeing a loss on the scales...that is, if you’re female and experience a monthly cycle!

kshama2001

There are mistakes that people commonly make that cause them to not lose weight that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings