1200 calories, exercise, but no weight loss!!
Replies
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I think you need to look into "basal metabolic rate" and "total daily energy expenditure."
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
And regarding this...Again, a little change in appearance, but no weight loss.
[\quote]
...switch to a tape measure as your metric rather than the scale.0 -
That's why obesity is such an epidemic in developing nations with widespread food inadequacy. Oh, wait, it's not.yes eating too little in some circumstances can mean people don't loss...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY I've been weighing religiously ever since I watched it, and never fail to lose between .5 and 1 lb a week.
Have you actually read my post or the (again) peer reviewed research I mentioned more than once supporting what I have written
- including the line where I clearly stated - "There is no getting out of the fact that you need to eat at a deficit to lose weight - but eating way less than your deficit can result in your losses stalling because of a fine balance your body is in at the time. "
So again... if you have actual science to back it up - then bring it on, but none of you do, and I have.0 -
Did you gain initially when you added those 300 calories? I don't need it to fall off fast. But, I am not seeing any progress. It just seems to me that since I am working out more than I ever have in my life, I should be losing weight. I am so confused!!
What do you expect ? You joined in November. That means you are tops " working out more than ever in your life " for 9 days. You started to log on Monday the 4th, which means that you are at it for 6 days. I think you are expecting too much too fast.0 -
She's eating around 1000 calories a day and you say she definitely does not need to eat more?
You have no idea what she's eating - there isn't enough history to know. Based on most other people, any self-reported number needs to be increased by 30% (or more) until proven otherwise.
What we do know is that she's not losing weight, which means she is not eating at a deficit for her activity level, which means eating more will simply cause her to gain weight.
Yes!! That is what my logical brain tells me. If I am not losing now, why would I lose if I eat another 200 calories/day?0 -
Your need to eat more because your body is in starvation mode. When your body is in starvation mode it will retain everything you eat and turn it into fat to survive. In addition, your body will start to steal nutrients from your muscles, which will increase your body fat % and decrease your lean muscle mass. Also, your metabolism is probably very slow because your not eating enough. You should increase your calories to 1400 calories a day and make sure you get at least 75 grams of protein a day. The first 2 weeks you get the proper nutrition your body needs (1400 cals, 75g protein) you might gain a couple of pounds because your body is currently in starvation mode (will retain everything). When your body realizes you are going to feed it properly then you will start to lose weight because your metabolism will speed up and your body will stop storing everything and stealing from your muscles. It is also good to have one "cheat meal" a week where your calories for that day will go above 1600 calories. This is like throwing your body a curve ball and will aid in more weight loss. Never let your body get to use to anything. Finally, make sure you mix up your cardio workouts and strength train at least 2 times a week. You should be working out at least 30 mins-1hr, 5 days a week. Good Luck!
Let's say this together....HER BODY IS NOT IN STARVATION MODE, NOT NOW AND NOT LIKELY EVER.0 -
erm... yes eating too little in some circumstances can mean people don't loss...
No, this is false. Nonsensical in fact.
Will only accept response with peer reviewed studies in response to the peer reviewed information I have already linked to. You saying No, is not sufficient evidence.
There is no peer-reviewed science showing that eating too little can make you stop losing weight. None.
dude, I linked to it
You linked to a podcast which references a handful of studies that talk about "less than expected" weight loss and metabolic slowing.
None of the linked studies show it's possible to stop losing weight if your caloric deficit is too high.
Think about it for a second. If you don't eat anything at all, you will lose weight. If you eat a moderate deficit, you will lose weight. There isn't some magic in-between value where you don't lose weight.0 -
Did you gain initially when you added those 300 calories? I don't need it to fall off fast. But, I am not seeing any progress. It just seems to me that since I am working out more than I ever have in my life, I should be losing weight. I am so confused!!
What do you expect ? You joined in November. That means you are tops " working out more than ever in your life " for 9 days. You started to log on Monday the 4th, which means that you are at it for 6 days. I think you are expecting too much too fast.
No, No!! I started logging here on the 4th. But, I have been working out for a year. I have been counting calories for over a month! Don't assume that my journey started the day I joined myfitnesspal.0 -
Could you link the actual study instead of an inpruvism podcast?0
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Your need to eat more because your body is in starvation mode. When your body is in starvation mode it will retain everything you eat and turn it into fat to survive. In addition, your body will start to steal nutrients from your muscles, which will increase your body fat % and decrease your lean muscle mass. Also, your metabolism is probably very slow because your not eating enough. You should increase your calories to 1400 calories a day and make sure you get at least 75 grams of protein a day. The first 2 weeks you get the proper nutrition your body needs (1400 cals, 75g protein) you might gain a couple of pounds because your body is currently in starvation mode (will retain everything). When your body realizes you are going to feed it properly then you will start to lose weight because your metabolism will speed up and your body will stop storing everything and stealing from your muscles. It is also good to have one "cheat meal" a week where your calories for that day will go above 1600 calories. This is like throwing your body a curve ball and will aid in more weight loss. Never let your body get to use to anything. Finally, make sure you mix up your cardio workouts and strength train at least 2 times a week. You should be working out at least 30 mins-1hr, 5 days a week. Good Luck!
Let's say this together....HER BODY IS NOT IN STARVATION MODE, NOT NOW AND NOT LIKELY EVER.
I AGREE!! I workout hard every day! I have energy to do it. I am not tired or worn down. I have added muscle so I am sure my body fat % had dropped. I just expect the scale to be moving in a downwards direction by this point.0 -
No, No!! I started logging here on the 4th. But, I have been working out for a year. I have been counting calories for over a month! Don't assume that my journey started the day I joined myfitnesspal.
We can only work with the data we have.
What was your weight on September 1? October 1? November 1? November 10?
Where were you logging before MFP?0 -
i have the same problem, the last 2 months all the scale does is go up 1lb down 1lb, bur i have chf and a-fib heart problems, so it's hard trying to eat normal, but i stick to it the best i can,0
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I haven't read through this entire thread, so I may be repeating something that's already been said. But my advice is this: it's unrealistic and unhealthy to lower your calorie intake any further, so you may want to consider gradually increasing your calories instead, especially with the amount of exercise you've been doing. You may see an initial gain on the scale due to your body storing glycogen/water, but if you're in a calorie deficit, you will not gain any actual weight.
Plug all of your information into MFP with a goal to lose 1 lb a week (or less) and work your way up to eating the calorie goal that it gives you (plus exercise).
Oh, and make sure you're logging accurately.
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She's eating around 1000 calories a day and you say she definitely does not need to eat more?
You have no idea what she's eating - there isn't enough history to know. Based on most other people, any self-reported number needs to be increased by 30% (or more) until proven otherwise.
What we do know is that she's not losing weight, which means she is not eating at a deficit for her activity level, which means eating more will simply cause her to gain weight.
Which other people, I'm not sure I understand this? I don't think I've ever heard it? Care to explain?0 -
I think you need to look into "basal metabolic rate" and "total daily energy expenditure."
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
And regarding this...Again, a little change in appearance, but no weight loss.
[\quote]
...switch to a tape measure as your metric rather than the scale.
I admit that my appearance has definitely improved. But let's be honest, 164 lbs at 5'5" is overweight, regardless of what a tape measure says.0 -
I took a look at your diary for today, and here are a few observations, FWIW:
- You're under your calorie goal for the day, which may be working against you. If your calorie intake is too low (as I'm sure you already know), your body will start to conserve energy and your metabolism will slow down to prevent starvation.
- You didn't log how much water you drank. Staying hydrated is important for weight loss. Try this: drink 2 8-ounce glasses of water before each meal. Not only will it help you stay hydrated, but it will also help keep you from overeating, by making you feel fuller.
- The things you're eating are calorie-dense and not very filling (one-quarter of a pizza, a cappuccino, crackers, sausage patties). Try foods that are higher in protein and low in fat, and also try some lower-density filling foods like sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, bran cereal, etc. Plain greek yogurt (Oikos is my favorite) topped with blueberries and a tablespoon of honey is great for dessert, and less than 170 calories. Chicken breast marinated in Ken's Northern Italian Lite Dressing is excellent, and you could eat a very filling 8 oz of it for about what that slice of pizza cost you.
- Are you doing any strength training? Most people don't realize how much strength training helps trim fat. Not only does the workout itself burn calories (for me, about 225 for a 1-hr workout), but muscle tissue itself burns a lot of calories. If your cardio-only workout is getting boring, adding some strength training can help mix it up and keep you motivated. Plus, once the fat starts to melt away, you'll be really happy to see some nicely toned muscles start to emerge!0 -
That's why obesity is such an epidemic in developing nations with widespread food inadequacy. Oh, wait, it's not.yes eating too little in some circumstances can mean people don't loss...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY I've been weighing religiously ever since I watched it, and never fail to lose between .5 and 1 lb a week.
Have you actually read my post or the (again) peer reviewed research I mentioned more than once supporting what I have written
- including the line where I clearly stated - "There is no getting out of the fact that you need to eat at a deficit to lose weight - but eating way less than your deficit can result in your losses stalling because of a fine balance your body is in at the time. "
So again... if you have actual science to back it up - then bring it on, but none of you do, and I have.
1. Yes, I read your post. You did not link to any peer reviewed studies. You linked to a vague podcast that made vague allusions to it.
2. Your losses do not stall completely when you don't eat enough. Your metabolism may slow down, but it doesn't grind to a halt. This is just basic physics. Your body can't sustain itself on too little fuel, so it starts consuming its own fat and muscles.
I'm not advocating that people eat 1000 calories a day - I like food way too much to do that. But here is an article (with lots of links at the end) that I found helpful whenever I hit a "plateau" with my weight loss. Maybe you'll find it helpful, too.
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/0 -
Yes, that is overweight. But "regardless of what the tape measure says"? You use the tape measure to track your progress. It's no different from the scale in that way.
ETA: Referring to your OP: you can eat as much as you want so long as it's under your TDEE and over your BMR and you'll still lose weight. At different rates, yes, but it's mostly about what you eat. You will not start gaining unless you eat over your TDEE.
ETA x2: You also seem to have a very unhealthy relationship with food. Feeling disgusting after eating and being paranoid about losing when you've been (supposedly) netting 600-1000 calories a day on a regular basis is not normal.0 -
my thoughts alsoI expect you're eating more than you think you are. Are you logging every single thing you eat, including snacks, drinks, condiments, etc.?
any cheat days?
a cheat day can wipe out 6 days of caloric deficit0 -
True to your name...Silly....0
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I opened up my diary. It is not psychological....I love to eat. That is why I am where I am. I just can't eat like I once was able to eat and I have gained about 10-15 lbs over the last 2 years or so. I have read a ton on this website and that is why I know everyone will tell me to eat more, but i don't want to gain weight!! I began changing my habits about a year ago. I started doing Shaun T's Insanity Fast & Furious 20 minute workout everyday but didn't change any eating habits. It changed my body somewhat and I know some things have shifted for the better, but only a 3 lb loss. I started watching my food intake about 2 months ago and began eating yogurt and granola instead of chips and dip, for example, and thought for sure that with some slight changes such as that along with a double workout everyday of 25 minutes T25 and some pilates/sculpting I would see changes, but nothing!! I would love to eat more, but just can't believe that eating more will aid in weight loss!! Help!!
Edited as I saw a response to my initial questions.
What were your average calories before MFP? How were you tracking? Do you use a food scale?0 -
I took a look at your diary for today, and here are a few observations, FWIW:
- You're under your calorie goal for the day, which may be working against you. If your calorie intake is too low (as I'm sure you already know), your body will start to conserve energy and your metabolism will slow down to prevent starvation.
- You didn't log how much water you drank. Staying hydrated is important for weight loss. Try this: drink 2 8-ounce glasses of water before each meal. Not only will it help you stay hydrated, but it will also help keep you from overeating, by making you feel fuller.
- The things you're eating are calorie-dense and not very filling (one-quarter of a pizza, a cappuccino, crackers, sausage patties). Try foods that are higher in protein and low in fat, and also try some lower-density filling foods like sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, bran cereal, etc. Plain greek yogurt (Oikos is my favorite) topped with blueberries and a tablespoon of honey is great for dessert, and less than 170 calories. Chicken breast marinated in Ken's Northern Italian Lite Dressing is excellent, and you could eat a very filling 8 oz of it for about what that slice of pizza cost you.
- Are you doing any strength training? Most people don't realize how much strength training helps trim fat. Not only does the workout itself burn calories (for me, about 225 for a 1-hr workout), but muscle tissue itself burns a lot of calories. If your cardio-only workout is getting boring, adding some strength training can help mix it up and keep you motivated. Plus, once the fat starts to melt away, you'll be really happy to see some nicely toned muscles start to emerge!
In my own defense regarding my food diary, weekends are not so great regarding the healthiness of my food choices, although my calories are still in line. Monday-Friday is better...not saying its great. I try to drink 64 oz of water a day and most days I achieve that or get darn close. I do a T25 workout every day. Some days are cardio, but some are more pushups/burpees, light weights. So, I do feel that I am getting a variety of workouts. I do have some nice new muscles under this layer of fat. I want to show them off, but they are buried!!!0 -
I am SO glad you put this on here! My doctor actually told me NOT to use Weight Watchers because it was causing me to gain weight due to their "free foods". If you follow the guidelines, exercise and weigh/measure your food, you WILL lose wight. If you don't, see a doctor as soon as you can because there could be a medical reason.0 -
I opened up my diary. It is not psychological....I love to eat. That is why I am where I am. I just can't eat like I once was able to eat and I have gained about 10-15 lbs over the last 2 years or so. I have read a ton on this website and that is why I know everyone will tell me to eat more, but i don't want to gain weight!! I began changing my habits about a year ago. I started doing Shaun T's Insanity Fast & Furious 20 minute workout everyday but didn't change any eating habits. It changed my body somewhat and I know some things have shifted for the better, but only a 3 lb loss. I started watching my food intake about 2 months ago and began eating yogurt and granola instead of chips and dip, for example, and thought for sure that with some slight changes such as that along with a double workout everyday of 25 minutes T25 and some pilates/sculpting I would see changes, but nothing!! I would love to eat more, but just can't believe that eating more will aid in weight loss!! Help!!
You have logged for 6 days. How were you tracking food prior to that?
When did you start exercising?
I wrote down what I ate in a journal. I have been exercising religiously for a year. Pilates or sculpting everyday. And cardio or strength every day.0 -
how bad are your weekends?
In my own defense regarding my food diary, weekends are not so great regarding the healthiness of my food choices, although my calories are still in line. Monday-Friday is better...not saying its great. I try to drink 64 oz of water a day and most days I achieve that or get darn close. I do a T25 workout every day. Some days are cardio, but some are more pushups/burpees, light weights. So, I do feel that I am getting a variety of workouts. I do have some nice new muscles under this layer of fat. I want to show them off, but they are buried!!!
two days of over consuming will wipe out any deficits real quick0 -
erm... yes eating too little in some circumstances can mean people don't loss...
No, this is false. Nonsensical in fact.
Will only accept response with peer reviewed studies in response to the peer reviewed information I have already linked to. You saying No, is not sufficient evidence.
There is no peer-reviewed science showing that eating too little can make you stop losing weight. None.
dude, I linked to it
You linked to a podcast which references a handful of studies that talk about "less than expected" weight loss and metabolic slowing.
None of the linked studies show it's possible to stop losing weight if your caloric deficit is too high.
Think about it for a second. If you don't eat anything at all, you will lose weight. If you eat a moderate deficit, you will lose weight. There isn't some magic in-between value where you don't lose weight.
Which is my issue again...
this is not about literally interpreting English (obviously not reading any of the posts I made before)
I am not disputing (AT ALL) that you need to eat a deficit to lose weight
I am disputing that (All who are blanketly saying that eating less can NOT stall your weight) are not correct.
The pod cast lists a lot of information (that people attribute to starvation mode) that stagnates weight loss
So you basic pedantic literal interpretation of 'starvation mode' (as I mentioned before) is correct, but that is not what people mean when they say starvation mode, or experience it.
What they mean is all of these factors effect your losses and your body may be in a balance in the situation you are in
so these are the facts
1- There is something called starvation mode (it is only a small percentage of metabolic slow down) - but can be made far more dramatic depending on how large the deficit is, how large the BMI of the person is at their start weight and how much cardio they do in addition to restricting their calories
2 - You burn less calories by digesting your food because you are eating less food
3 - You become more efficient at exercising so your body burns less calories while exercising
4 - You subconsciously move less during the rest of the day (when not exercising) because you are tired and lethargic from eating too little - so that adds to the decrease in caloric burn
5 - You are decreasing your muscle mass so the ratio of calories you burn based on muscle vs fat body mass decreases
So all of those factors together - even though people call it just starvation mode - is what is being referred to and what it means is if you are start eating a deficit and increasing exercise and eating less food (volume) and exercising (especially cardio) you can put your body in a balance where it is not losing.
In order to break this balance
you should be trying to increase your percentage of muscle
eating more or taking a diet break - so that you are combatting the effects 1-5 above (often called starvation mode)
not relying to heavily on long term cardio or endurance exercise and rather use HIT for cardio and weight training
No I can't name the study because I can't listen to a podcast at the moment - but I pretty much think that this whole war about people on here in the 'There is no starvation Mode' and 'Eat more to lose weight' camps is more about the tag lines than anything else.
And taking one study - as gospel without using any critical thinking to read and draw conclusions from multiple studies on the same subject in the area, is not actually using critical thinking.
This line ---
None of the linked studies show it's possible to stop losing weight if your caloric deficit is too high.
-- Is not what this is about -
what it is about is comparing relevant studies in a logical matter and evaluating why at certain caloric amounts for some people their weight loss will stop or stagnate or remain constant. --- Yes they can break this - by literally starving themselves and eating less; but they can also break this by eating more.
Nobody that says you are in starvation mode(in relation to these posts), means you are going to become increasingly underweight and die - what they mean is 1-5 - which people refer to as Starvation Mode. So again stop being pedants about it and try to actually help the OP.0 -
If you are truly being honest about your intake and exercise, you should go see your doctor and have some blood work done ... For all you know, there could be a medical reason why this is happening (autoimmune issues, hypothyroidism) ... The fact that you are saying you aren't hungry eating so little, makes me wonder if you don't have some sort of metabolic issue going on ...
ETA: I love how someone (I'm leaning towards not a troll, since they've come back and replied several times, not really the troll style) asks a question and the thread inevitably devolves into an argument (debate, what-have-you) ... Go to love the InterWebz ...0 -
If you recently increased exercise, any weight loss may be masked by increased weight from temporary "water weight" gain.
Give it more time than a week...
...and trust the process. Don't start shorting your 1200 calories. Eat *at least* that amount, although honestly, it's likely you should be eating more than 1200. (I say this acknowledging that I don't know your stats...height, weight, bf%, activity level, etc...but maybe that info is in the three pages I haven't read yet...)
All that said, any weight loss in any one week period will be insignificant, regardless of how much/little and in which direction.0 -
You might want to go to your GP and check out your thyroid levels and make sure they are normal. Having an underactive thyroid may mean that no matter how much exercise you do or restrict your calories you struggle to lose weight. My mum has it and on meds she is slowly losing weight. Hope that helps.0
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MFP at lightly active gives you 1460 calories. Eat between that and 1600 on days you workout and see where you end up. I don't buy starvation mode-I've never seen a study that shows more than 100 calorie or so slowdown in metabolic decrease, so if your normal TDEE is 1900 calories, you drop to 1800 calories, and 500 calories off of that is still a pound a week down. (Your body has to burn so many calories to keep your organs working, so no starvation mode will account for someone eating 1000 calories and not losing.)
I think your only issue is that you just began logging this week. Try logging precisely-it can be a pain, but since you are stalled, I agree to measure portions and not relying on counting, estimating, or even measuring. You mention the weekends being rough-you are likely wiping out your deficit and staying at maintenance. Log everything-remember that your body doesn't care whether or not you are honest in your food diary. Writing it down, even on bad days, just gives you information to work with.0 -
Yes, that is overweight. But "regardless of what the tape measure says"? You use the tape measure to track your progress. It's no different from the scale in that way.
ETA: Referring to your OP: you can eat as much as you want so long as it's under your TDEE and over your BMR and you'll still lose weight. At different rates, yes, but it's mostly about what you eat. You will not start gaining unless you eat over your TDEE.
ETA x2: You also seem to have a very unhealthy relationship with food. Feeling disgusting after eating and being paranoid about losing when you've been (supposedly) netting 600-1000 calories a day on a regular basis is not normal.
I don't feel disgusting after eating. I feel disgusting when I eat more just so I can reach 1200 or more calories when I am not hungry. I don't know why you feel I am paranoid about losing. I would like to lose weight, but I don't think I am paranoid about it.0
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