1200 or 2000?! Help!

cainisable
cainisable Posts: 28 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
needing some knowledgeable input.. not googled input.. I have been seeing a nutritionist trying to lose weight the right way.. had some success at first but this week I gained a good chunk of it back. when I dieted by myself I stuck to a 1200 calorie diet
(using MFP) and lost very steadily.. She has me on approx 2000 calories and wonders why I gained this week?! Doing weight watchers years ago my points equaled out to about 1200 calories.. I am SO incredibly frustrated and am at a loss for what to do. I made an appointment to get my thyroid checked but in the mean time am following her guidelines.. should I stop? help.
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Replies

  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    How long have you been eating more? Sometimes, with an increase in calories, you'll see gains initially before it levels off and the weight starts going down.
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    Today I started my 4th week so.. two weeks I lost weight third week i gained.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    I increased my calories to 2300 recently. I'm a 5'3" female. I plateaued for several weeks before the scale finally started going down. I personally believe you should work towards fueling your body (eating more); 1200 seems to be really low for most people.
  • deedzzz
    deedzzz Posts: 220 Member
    It really depends how tall you are and how much you weigh.
    2000 sounds a bit too much .
    If i were on 2000 cals diet id gain a pound every 10 days.
    Are you active? Do you workout?

    The best way to determine how much you really should eat a day is to figure out your BMR: basal metabolic rate and your TDEE = total daily energy expenditure and to eat between those two numbers.

    A good tool to calculate it is: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • kazsjourney
    kazsjourney Posts: 263 Member
    It would depend what your TDEE is. If you calculate that and then deduct 10-30% to get how much to eat (the more you have to eat the larger amount you deduct...ie if 5 pounds from goal you would go for a 10% deduction from your TDEE)
  • t1954
    t1954 Posts: 81 Member
    I had great success between 1,000 and 1,200 calories but I have to add that I was being monitored by a doctor on a regular basis.
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
    To lose weight you need have a calorie deficient. This can be created by either working out or cutting back calories or both... I'm 5'6" and 150 pounds and don't have a very active lifestyle. I'd have to eat around 1900 calories to maintain my current weight. I am for around 1200 net calories a day to create a 700 calorie deficient daily... If I work out I can eat more than 1200 calories.
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    ok it said my TDEE is 2276.. my BMR is 1655.. I think the last number was what I should intake.. 1820 calories.. correct me if i'm wrong!!
  • tworthen79
    tworthen79 Posts: 1,173 Member
    2276-500= 1776 that 500 deficit adds up to 1lb a week loss.

    I would eat around 1750 if you want to lose a pound a week.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    TDEE-20% (your 1820) sounds like a great place to start! I just don't see the need in depriving yourself if you don't have to. I recommend being patient though. Give your body time to adjust to the change!
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    So instead of 1200 or 2000.. I should keep in between 1700-1800. What a terribly frustrating process this is! lol BLAH
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    Weight loss is a lot of trial and error sometimes :)
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    ok it said my TDEE is 2276.. my BMR is 1655.. I think the last number was what I should intake.. 1820 calories.. correct me if i'm wrong!!

    1820 would be your TDEE - 20%. Just keep your exercise consistent and don't eat back those calories since they should be figured in already.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I would stick with the nutritionist's plan for a while. 2000 sounds very reasonable for you, It's a nice median between your BMR and TDEE. You probably could go as low as 1800 but since you're working with a professional I would stick with her plan. DEFINITELY NOT 1200. Weight watchers is a short term plan- it's designed so you can never leave WW completely- you'll gain and have to pay them again...by design. How much did you gain this week?

    Some things to think about:
    1) Is it close to your period due date, or some people even fluctuate during ovulation
    2) How closely are you counting calories? Are you using a digital scale and weighing EVERYTHING? you should be if you're not. And be very cautious with restaurant portions, generally the reported calories have ~20% margin allowable, so if you eat a lot of restaurant food you could be under counting up to 20%.
    3) Are you watching sodium?
    4) You really should be weighing everything. Not even using measuring cups and spoons (except for liquids), weigh it. Seriously. It makes a difference.
  • mightymousemom14
    mightymousemom14 Posts: 8
    I use to eat 1200 calories. Then I increase my calories to 2000. I also do the insanity workout. Your body needs the fuel to be able to work right. To get the best advice talk with a doctor. They will know what your body needs. From my experience, when I ate at 1200 calories. Then I had just two days of eating whatever I want. I gain 4 pounds! My husband told me I was starving my body. When I finally ate all those calories. The fat that was stored came out. I would recommend eating at lease 2000 calories. That way your body gets what it needs. Anyways like I said talk with your doctor first.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    I would also like to second what MoreBean said. You really have to be accurate with your logging and weigh everything. It's way too easy to underestimate your serving sizes.
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    This week I gained 2.5 pounds
    1) I THINK I start next week lmao
    2) I am using a scale for everything and I don't eat out-- saving for our dream home haha
    3) Not really watching sodium.. I guess 1&3 could be fluid retention

    I am sticking with what she says to do until my doctor apt the first week of Oct.. but darn it if I keep gaining I'm going to go INSANE. Baby weight is so hard to lose! What the crap?! :P
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    Have you also been tracking your measurements? Sometimes I don't lose a tenth of a pound but I lose an inch on my waist, and to me that's what matters because that means I'm physically taking up less space. That's what people notice! I highly recommend you take some starting measurements. You might be pleasantly surprised!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Have you also been tracking your measurements? Sometimes I don't lose a tenth of a pound but I lose an inch on my waist, and to me that's what matters because that means I'm physically taking up less space. That's what people notice! I highly recommend you take some starting measurements. You might be pleasantly surprised!

    Thats a really good point, too. When I started eating the right amount of calories and weightlifting, my weight didn't budge one ounce for 6 long-*kitten* weeks, but I lost 4" in my waist in that time.
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    yes!! she is also measuring me but I will start my own at home too :) thank you SO much for the input! Hopefully patience is all I need (chyeaaaa right) lol.. time will tell
  • ostrichagain
    ostrichagain Posts: 271 Member
    Your BMR and TDEE are close to mine (I'm 5'11''). My calorie goal varies a bit, but I don't go below 1500. I've had good success around 1700 (when I'm consistent!).

    The measurements are a SUPER good idea. I started running 3x per week and gained nearly 10 lbs from just water retention. But my waist and hips are still the same. I'm not gaining fat, just water. Some weeks the scale won't budge at all, but my measurements will go down a half inch. The scale will lie to you sometimes. I think patience it very important.
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    I'm a bit shorter than you (5'5").. I realized I do need to be patient.. my body has changed since having my daughter and I just cant grasp it sometimes.. I get a little heated about it lol.. I never had to put in the hard work to change it before.. It always came easier so this is going to be such a challenge.. but in the end most likely sooo much more rewarding (sorry for the cheesiness)! Can't wait to look back and say, "that wasn't so bad!"
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    Today I started my 4th week so.. two weeks I lost weight third week i gained.

    Weight loss isn't linear.. You lost 2 weeks and gained the third.. Don't change anything give it another 2 months before you do anything.. This isn't a race.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I'm a bit shorter than you (5'5").. I realized I do need to be patient.. my body has changed since having my daughter and I just cant grasp it sometimes.. I get a little heated about it lol.. I never had to put in the hard work to change it before.. It always came easier so this is going to be such a challenge.. but in the end most likely sooo much more rewarding (sorry for the cheesiness)! Can't wait to look back and say, "that wasn't so bad!"

    Yes, another factor is that you're 23 now, so I'm assuming your previous pre-baby attempts were in your late teens. There's a couple differences there- first, the final stages of a female's adult body develops when you're around 18-22, you naturally get more hips and/or thighs and/or boobs that you didn't have when you were 17. It's a truth most of us don't accept easily- it's not just gaining weight, it's hormonal body maturity- similar to when you first develop breasts. Also, your metabolism starts changing- teenagers have the sweet life and can eat garbage and lose weight easily, but all of a sudden in our 20's it becomes more difficult.

    So, definitely you need to be patient, and you might need to consider if your expectations of your body are from when you hadn't develop your full adult figure.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Whether or not 2000 calories is too much is really dependent on what your TDEE is. Your TDEE is your requisite calories to maintain weight...it is your BMR plus all of your activity (including exercise). If your TDEE is over 2000 calories...then you will lose weight eating 2000 calories given you would be at an energy (calorie) deficit.

    That said, 2,000 seems high for a female to lose appreciable weight, but I also don't know your stats. I lost about 1 Lb per week eating around 2100-2200 calories per day and I'm a 5' 10" 38 y.o. male with a TDEE of around 2600-2700.

    BTW...with 1200 calories, that's pretty much bare minimum for a SEDENTARY female. If you workout, you need more to fuel those workouts. Neglecting to do so will put you into a very big and unproductive and unhealthy calorie deficit.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Does she also have you on a workout plan? Eating 2000 ( a small deficit) will enable you to keep most of your lean body mass (muscle), while losing fat with an appropriate workout program. This is smart, and you are more likely to be happy the end result better than if you were to lose a bunch of weight which is mostly muscle and still end up flabby at your goal weight which is what would happen if you eat too little. Also, if you did that, you would most likely gain it all back when you tried to eat "normally" again.
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
    2276-500= 1776 that 500 deficit adds up to 1lb a week loss.

    I would eat around 1750 if you want to lose a pound a week.

    My TDEE is 2293- 750(I want to lose 1.5lbs/week) = 1543 but MFP has me at 1610. (-67 calories) close enough
  • cainisable
    cainisable Posts: 28 Member
    I'm pretty sedentary at this point in time.. I'm still recovering from a back injury (so lame at 23) BUT I am now able to add in pilates and jogging.. She told me to get in at least 20 minutes of some sort of exercise per day. If it's more.. of course that's better.. but at least 20 minutes. the aim of my game isn't to get "skinny" I like muscle and being solid.. I'd like to be there again.. But I'm havign a hard time with what weights to use.. how often to use them.. etc etc.. I have p90x.. but it takes SO much time and with a one year old.. the only time i can do it its in the wee hours of the morning (4am?! no thank you).. I also have 30 day shred.. it's only 20ish minutes.. and my pilates dvd is an hour.. i feel like i'm rambling on here -_- What I'm getting to.. What should I do.. and how often?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I'm pretty sedentary at this point in time.. I'm still recovering from a back injury (so lame at 23) BUT I am now able to add in pilates and jogging.. She told me to get in at least 20 minutes of some sort of exercise per day. If it's more.. of course that's better.. but at least 20 minutes. the aim of my game isn't to get "skinny" I like muscle and being solid.. I'd like to be there again.. But I'm havign a hard time with what weights to use.. how often to use them.. etc etc.. I have p90x.. but it takes SO much time and with a one year old.. the only time i can do it its in the wee hours of the morning (4am?! no thank you).. I also have 30 day shred.. it's only 20ish minutes.. and my pilates dvd is an hour.. i feel like i'm rambling on here -_- What I'm getting to.. What should I do.. and how often?

    Considering the back surgery, at this point, anything you can do is fine. Follow her recommendations, you don't want to compromise your back. 30 Day Shred is fine if you can do it safely. I also like Leslie Sansone walking at home, check it out on Youtube, this you can get in 2 miles in 30 minutes when the baby is napping or in the highchair or whatever.
  • glreim21
    glreim21 Posts: 206 Member
    How much did you lose the first 2 weeks? What is your weight loss over the entire time? Weight fluctuates on a day to day basis, maybe this weigh in day was on your higher day. Give it a couple more weeks, your nutritionist will adjust the calories with you depending on what she sees. I don't think 2000 is too high,but you may end up tweaking this number a bit.

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