1000-1200 calories per day and lost no weight ??????

BlueBombers

In for the comments! This should be good.

1princesswarrior

OP, you need to listen to Trog. He gave the best advice in this particular forum. I follow the same advice but I learned the hard way.

Also, I am a woman, 5'4, 164 lbs and losing 1 lb a week eating 1900 calories a day. I don't eat diet food or follow a specific diet, I do religiously weigh my food though on a food scale and use a heart rate monitor to track my exercise. On some days I burn a lot of calories so I eat more to make sure I net my BMR.

The food scale is the key here, you need to know how much you are eating before you do anything else.

losttogain

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

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

So look, just by your post, it sounds like you think you have to eat "diet food" and obviously very little of it. You're doing it wrong. Read this wall of text up there and help yourself make this manageable.


And make sure to OUTRIGHT IGNORE people that tell you stuff like cutting something 100% out of your diet... like below.

make sure you are eating protein with each meal, lots of veggies, healthy fats like coconut and olive oil. Low fat diet do not help anybody lose weight or get healthier. Low carb diets do.Get rid of sugar if you haven't yet. Don't give up.

Low carb diets aren't magic. That's so 2002.

+1

+2!

kelseymaccombs

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

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

So look, just by your post, it sounds like you think you have to eat "diet food" and obviously very little of it. You're doing it wrong. Read this wall of text up there and help yourself make this manageable.


And make sure to OUTRIGHT IGNORE people that tell you stuff like cutting something 100% out of your diet... like below.

make sure you are eating protein with each meal, lots of veggies, healthy fats like coconut and olive oil. Low fat diet do not help anybody lose weight or get healthier. Low carb diets do.Get rid of sugar if you haven't yet. Don't give up.

Low carb diets aren't magic. That's so 2002.

THIS.

auddii

Its simply my opinion no need to criticize. And yes if you are lifting weights u will build muscle. All I was saying is that you can gain weight but look different. So just because no weight was lost dont give up. I am not saying up calories to over 2000. But to eat more frequently does speed the metabolism. and if u are eating an Apple instead of a cinnamon roll those calries dont matter? They ask for suggestions not for us to bash any one persons thoughts. Everyones body is different and we all have to do whats best for us. So keep your head up and your weight will come off.

Except it's not actually opinion. There has been a lot of research about this. You can build muscle from lifting, but USUALLY when you are at surplus. If you are eating at a deficit, MOST people will not have muscle mass gains (although they will be getting stronger, which is different). Some people who are significantly over weight can have what are called "newbie" gains, but they would not occur at a rate that would out pace fat loss if the OP were actually eating 1000 calories a day.

Eating more frequently does not speed up the metabolism; several studies have shown that. Several studies have shown that intermittent fasting can increase SOME people's ability to lose weight. Basically, eat as frequently as required to keep you feeling satiated.

And as above, the types of food you eat can have the same calories, and will cause the same weight loss, the difference will be marcros, micros, and satiety.

ETA: Argh. Or just read Rays_wife's response.

bc2ct

Its simply my opinion no need to criticize. And yes if you are lifting weights u will build muscle. All I was saying is that you can gain weight but look different. So just because no weight was lost dont give up. I am not saying up calories to over 2000. But to eat more frequently does speed the metabolism. and if u are eating an Apple instead of a cinnamon roll those calries dont matter? They ask for suggestions not for us to bash any one persons thoughts. Everyones body is different and we all have to do whats best for us. So keep your head up and your weight will come off.

Except it's not actually opinion. There has been a lot of research about this. You can build muscle from lifting, but USUALLY when you are at surplus. If you are eating at a deficit, MOST people will not have muscle mass gains (although they will be getting stronger, which is different). Some people who are significantly over weight can have what are called "newbie" gains, but they would not occur at a rate that would out pace fat loss if the OP were actually eating 1000 calories a day.

Eating more frequently does not speed up the metabolism; several studies have shown that. Several studies have shown that intermittent fasting can increase SOME people's ability to lose weight. Basically, eat as frequently as required to keep you feeling satiated.

And as above, the types of food you eat can have the same calories, and will cause the same weight loss, the difference will be marcros, micros, and satiety.

ETA: Argh. Or just read Rays_wife's response.

Facts! Hypertrophy (muscle size and density increase) generally requires calorie overload and a SERIOUS amount of exercise. Experienced athletes (I'm talking women here because that is all I have done the research on) are lucky to put on 1/4 lb of muscle a month! I would suggest checking out your BMR (basal metabolic rate) based on weight, height, age, gender, and - if you can get it - body fat, and trying not to eat under this value. A good way to lose weight is by eating your BMR -- the energy in kCal that you need just to survive -- but not living a sedentary lifestyle. If you eat less than this you will probably crash or end up binge eating because your body will cry out for sustenance.

EllieB_5

But how can eating more calories per day make me loose weight surly it works the other way around doesn't it ?

I can see why you would draw that conclusion. It's the same concept I used when I was anorexic. However, you need to eat as close to the amount of calories MFP recommends based on your lifestyle and your goal. If you don't eat enough calories, your body goes into starvation mode, and will take everything you eat, no matter how small, and hold onto it for as long as possible, in order to keep you alive. So, if you need to eat 2500 calories in order to MAINTAIN your weight, and you want to lose 1 LB a week, you should consume as close to 2,100 or so calories. If you only eat 1000 - 1200, when you should be eating 2100, your body will freak out and become convinced that you are dying, and the only way to survive is to hold onto every pound inside your body, and treat every morsel introduced as something to never let go. It's very unhealthy, it can kill you, and that is not good.

If you have adequate fat stores, fasting will not kill you.
https://www.google.ca/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&q=obese+man+stops+eating+for+a+year

However, there is a bit of animal research out there into the "starvation mode" debate. My current understanding of starvation mode is different than the propaganda we've been fed. When the body begins to burn fat stores instead of carbohydrates the organs use less glucose (fuel), as much as halved (for the brain), than when eating a carb laden diet (which is the current diet the world seems to eat nowadays). One must be "starving" for at least 3 days before any metabolic effects are noticed. During this phase (ketosis) your body is burning fat instead of carbs... as it's not getting any carbs. Once you start dumping in carbs again it can take a few days for your body to switch back to burning carbs instead of fat stores, and thus still requiring a fraction of the glucose your body is processing (excess glucose gets stored as fat, I believe). During this time your body will store all those carbs as fat while burning your current fat stores; the problem is, the amount of carbs we eat = more glucose than our body requires which is why we pack on fat. This is even more apparent while our body is consuming up to half the glucose it does on a 'normal' diet, but while eating that 'normal' diet. Perhaps you can consider your metabolism 'slowed' while it's consuming half the amount of glucose it use to, but rarely does a person acquire a metabolic disorder from fasting (anorexia is a whole different animal and has nothing to do with trying to lose fat).

Again, this is only my personal understanding of what I've read.

Read to your hearts content:
http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=starvation+metabolism&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5
http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=starvation+mode&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5
http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=starvation+metabolism+human&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5

Kenazwa

Eat more calories and do strength training to build muscle. More muscle raises your metabolism so that you can burn more fat.

EllieB_5

Eat more calories and do strength training to build muscle. More muscle raises your metabolism so that you can burn more fat.

We all need to get away from metabolism myths.
Muscle doesn't raise your metabolism, per se. Muscle burns glucose for energy; more muscle = more glucose required. Look at it as: a baby requires less fuel than an adult does, just as a 300lb fat person requires less fuel than a 300lb athlete does. With the latter example you may be saying "no *kitten* sherlock", but I'm not talking about activity levels. Fat *is* glucose; 300lbs of fat doesn't require fuel as it is the fuel but 300lbs of muscle will require a *kitten* ton of fuel even without activity. Arguing semantics? Perhaps. However I'm finding, since joining MFP, ppl don't respond well to anything dealing with "raise/lower your metabolism" yet ppl seem to respond well to the science behind these metabolism myths.

MooreTK

Your body is a trickster, if you don't eat enough calories for your current weight it goes into starvation mode and stores what you do eat therefore, halting your weight loss. Follow the recommended calories MFP says to eat and you will see the weight start coming off.

Rays_Wife

I'm out

(thank you to everyone who fought the good fight against derp )

daybehavior

Ha, yeah its sad when people can't read three posts above them before spouting off nonsense that has been repeatedly debunked. Good effort, team.

hunte028

Best advice yet!!!

jeffpettis

Your body is a trickster, if you don't eat enough calories for your current weight it goes into starvation mode and stores what you do eat therefore, halting your weight loss. Follow the recommended calories MFP says to eat and you will see the weight start coming off.

Again... NO!!!! :noway:

ndj1979

there is some serious broscience in this thread....

Did OP ever come back?

deztopstylist

Its great you guys are confident. There are so many studies to prove all points and I am not narrow minded I accept other peoples opinions. I see a personal trainer and a nutritionist once a week I simply stated what they told me worked for me. Good luck with your weight loss. Bye

BenPVolk

If you're eating 1000-1200 and not losing any weight you either have a thyroid problem or (more likely) your metabolism has slowed down because your body has gone into starvation mode. To raise your metabolism, do short bits of exercise frequently, add high intensity intervals to your cardio routine, and break up your meals into tiny portions and eat frequently, and if you're really desperate to lose weight you could also take capsaicin which raises your metabolism for a couple of hours only... Just my opinion but that one's not worth doing unless you're desperate to burn an extra 100 calories at most.

sarafischbach9

It could be anything.

I would eat more calories than 1200. Slow and steady wins the race. 1700-1800 should be good enough for you. I agree with others to get a food scale, especially if you cook a lot and don't know the exact serving size of your meal. When you are in a rush and need a Lean Cuisine or something, then the portion sizes and calories are easy to see. ( I need to get a food scale for my fruits and lunch meats! )

You might be eating more or overestimating your burns. Walking for 2 hours is pretty good, but maybe your body needs some new work outs.

Not really sure what to say, but you could also be constipated or retaining water for some reason or another. I know I was maintaining my weight for a couple weeks despite being in a deficit and exercising, but I was retaining water. The weight dropped off. Might be the same with you.

sjsoles

Excellent Advice!!!!! Some of the best, most accurate and honest that I have seen on here yet. And don't even get me started on the fact that you are 100% CORRECT. Nice job!!!

sprocketism

You sound like me. I finally started a Plant Strong Diet. It sounds crazy, but it's easy. Simply:

* If it has a face or a mother, don't eat it (cholesterol and animal proteins are terrible for you)
* Don't eat anything processed (NO processed foods, NO artificial sweeteners, NO white flour)\
* NO OIL, at all, ever!!!

All vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, rice, whole grains...whatever grows from the ground. EZ on the beans and whole grains for weight loss, but they're totally legal.

I only had 25 lbs to lose, lost 13 lbs so far, and it's only week 7. And, btw, I exercised twice in the last 7 weeks because I hate it to pieces.

Additionally, my nails have never been stronger, and I feel strong and really healthy, and NEVER hungry. Check out my diary. It's awesome.

If you want to science behind being Plant Strong, watch "Forks Over Knives". It's my favorite documentary on it.