Eat below 1200 calories?

regencywriter

I started a team fitness program on January 9 and have lost under 3 lbs despite sticking scrupulously to calorie counting, frequent small meals, and regular exercise. (I weightlift for 60 minutes with a professional trainer twice a week, do 60 minutes of Zumba 3 to 4 times a week, and fill in the remaining days with other exercise like walking/jogging on the treadmill or tapdancing. I wear a chest strap heart rate monitor for a more reliable calorie burn figure.) Today when both my weight and my body fat were once again the same as last week, the gym owner suggested I must be cheating on my diet plan. I assured him I was sticking to 1200 calories a day--if I'm over by 50 calories one day, I make sure I'm under the next. He said that if I'm not losing at 1200, I need to cut my calories further, to 1000 or 900 or whatever it takes. MFP recommends a 1200 calorie minimum, but I'm not making progress. Should I take his advice?

SamanthaKayShaver

A ton of people will tell you not to go under 1200.

Personal expirence:

I eat <1000 calories a day. I'm 4'11" and 145lbs. I workout 4x a week, burning at least 250 calories each time. The only reason I'm able to do so is because I pretty much only eat lean meats and veggies (low carb dieter). I eat six small meals a day and never have a rumbling tummy. My daily calorie deficit is around 500-700 calories a day. I lose around 2-3 lbs a week, tons of energy, and never feel hungry.

Now, to each their own. My diet doesn't work for everyone, but I wanted to show that you're not "stuck" with eating 1200 calories a day. In your case, you are probably gaining a bunch of muscle mass as well. Measure your waist, hips, and thighs before making a drastic cut to your calories. Have you gone down a jean size? Does your stomach not hang as much? Those are the big questions!

deksgrl

No, you should not go under, unless you are a very tiny and petite person. Your activity level is quite high, and your body needs energy.

You only have 4 pounds to lose? Is that correct? Set MFP for losing half a pound a week and then eat more for exercise.

4legsRbetterthan2

You might want to look into calculating your BMR so you know what your body needs to properly function. That should give you an idea of how low you can go.

Ninkyou

How confident are you that you're eating 1200 calories? That is to say, are you weighing your foods? Or are you using measuring cups? Eyeballing?

I looked at your diary and it looks to me like you are using measuring cups/spoons. If this is truly the case, you are eating more than you think.

I highly suggest reading this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

But on that note, even if you are taking in 1200 calories, with the amount of exercise you're doing, 1200 is not enough. You need to make sure your body is properly fueled for all the extra work (exercise) you're giving it, on top of your daily life sustaining functions.

Also a recommended read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Sreneesa

I'm not one to judge on but can tell you from experience I have eaten lower than that in the past and lost the weight and guess what? Started eating normally again and gained it back. Unless you can keep eating at such low calories for life then you will gain it back.As well as possibly do damage to your body for not getting enough vitamins and nutrients to keep up your organs and body system running properly. And lose muscle as your poor body starts eating them away and ewwww... just look not healthy in the long run.

I looked pale and deprived when I ate less than 1000 each day for months. I look back at pictures and it grosses me out. You say you also exercise and still only eat 1200 calories? Sounds like your poor body is hanging on to whatever nutrients it has and fighting you. You might need to up the calories to lose weight.

Just my personal experience and I didn't exercise when I was eating one meal a day for months and months. I personally think your trainer is an idiot and I would get another one.

Research it out and contact your doctor and ask him as your trainer is not a medical doctor and basically just wants your money.

navyrigger46

Are you weighing your food, if not, you need to. Now, I'll use myself as an example. I am cutting on 2300 currently, I was at 2500 and was losing 1-1.5 pounds per week consistently. At 2300 I'm losing less, that's right, LESS. Because of my exercise I lose weight faster on 2500 than I do on 2300. Figure out your TDEE and use that, and pay no attention to your personal trainers "nutrition" advice, he doesn't know his @$$ from a hole in the ground. You probably wouldn't consult a nutritionist for lifting routines, why would you look to a PT for nutrition advice?

Rigger

margannmks

Hey, i feel your pain! I see that your 50, and no matter what we see in hollywood its extra tuff at our age. I am still some having periods, not as often but enough to keep everything out of wack. I go months at the same weight then ill lose 2-3 pounds keep it off and take months to lose the next 3. It has taken me a year and a half to lose 25 lbs. I do bootcamp 5 days a week and just added some zumba twice a week. Im try to keep at 1200 plus my exercise burn. My body is different at my current weight than it was last time ( 10 years ago) i was at same weight . I still had a pair of jeans that fit perfect then and they hang now. My conclusion is ive really lost 30+ pounds and gained 5+ of muscle. Just stick with it. Ive played around with calorie deficit,low carb, and it still wont budge till it wants too. Hang in there it takes a full 6 weeks with training to see effects.

angiemango

I've been eating around 1200 calories a day for a month now and have found the same deal; it doesn't seem to make any difference what-so-ever. All I get from doing this is the urge to nap several times a day because I feel so deprived of energy (and I sit at a desk for most of the day so I don't really need much). I'm never really hungry and I'm trying to eat good foods but maybe it's just not right for some people, I don't know. Or maybe we need to eat different types of food. Sometimes I think about going to see a nutritionist or something.

margannmks

I agree that you should eat more not less. I did notice your sodium is excessive, i think the range they give is too high anyway, and your going above that. Your probably retaining alot of fluid.

Deathlylooks

No
I personally would not eat so little on a regular basis - have you thought about eating more and kick starting your metabolism again, also eating more will allow you to actually build some lean muscle and recover from your workouts,
Maybe even try intermittent fasting - I like to use this to change things up

regencywriter

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Yes, I've been using measuring cups and spoons rather than weighing most of my foods--I weigh my lean meats but measure things like oatmeal and almond milk, or just use pre-packaged amounts (like "single serve" salad greens). I never just eyeball things, though, because I have no idea what a gram of something is supposed to look like and I know that's a recipe for failure and frustration. I'll try weighing more foods. I'll also cut down on my sodium, because I'm thirsty enough to believe that could definitely be a factor.

I do think the gym owner (he's different from my trainer, a young woman who's really very good and not half such a bodybuilding fanatic) has some questionable and not especially scientific opinions about diet and cardio. It's hard to argue with him when something's clearly not working, though.

_HeartsOnFire_

No, you should not go under, unless you are a very tiny and petite person. Your activity level is quite high, and your body needs energy.

You only have 4 pounds to lose? Is that correct? Set MFP for losing half a pound a week and then eat more for exercise.

This!

_HeartsOnFire_

Think about this...

Your car can't run without gas...neither can your body. The more you work the more you need to fuel it.

ETA: I once did the 1200 calorie thing and came to a screeching halt and wasn't losing anything for awhile. I was working out a lot...Once I actually upped my calories I actually started losing again.

I'd suggest finding your TDEE and maybe do TDEE-5%. Or as Deksgrl said, change MFP to lose .5 lbs a week.

psych101

You could eat below 1200 but I know for me I'd turn into a hangry b*tch!! Its not sustainable and its completely unrealistic.

I'd look into finding out your TDEE and go from there, play around with TDEE - 5% or TDEE - 10% until you find a sweet spot where you feel good and the weight is moving.

margannmks

You know when i think about i have dropped weight during my bingey times, then i go back to being more prudent cause i get all excited that i lost weight and nothing else happens. I still say that age and the fact that you dont have much to lose is the reason its just gonna be slow