Am i eatting enough???

viksfitz

HI

I have been tracking calories for about two years now, eating 1200 calories or below per day. I joined a gym 3 weeks ago have lost an inch around my waist and hips but weight goes down a couple of pound then back up.

I am 31, 5ft4" and 135lb

I mainly want to tone what I have & get down to 126lb or just under. Struggling with belly and legs but I know its not instant.

I just want to know if I am eating enough or too much. New to exercise.

firstly I work in an office.

Breakfast
3 egg whites, scrabbled
100g natural yogurt and 40g frozen berries

morning snack
1/4 honey due melon
5 strawberries
handful of blackberries
1 kiwi

lunch
Weightwatchers tinned soup
1 slice of seeded brown bread

Mid afternoon snack
50g almonds
1 medium banana with tablespoon of peanut butter

Dinner
100g chicken with spinach and 80g veg cooked in gravy in oven

I drink 5 pints of water a day + 3/4 green teas.

I go to the gym 4 times a week
30 mins on running machine mixture of walking and jogging (cant quite jog the whole time yet)
30 mins cross trainer
10 mins rowing machine
40 mins of weights.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to give all info I could.

any help would be gratefully received xx

nespinosa3

How are you feeling when you work out? For me, 1200 would be wayyyy too low; but I do know everyone is different. However, since you just started working out, I would suggest eating a bit more at least. But ultimately, I think our bodies are the main signal. If you ever feel tired, fatigued, like you can't keep up with your workout or just your day, it could definitely be that your body is asking for more.

TavistockToad

have you been eating 1200 cals of less for the last 2 years?

gypsy_spirit

With only 10 pounds left to lose and the amount of time you spend in the gym - I would say you are not eating enough. I am amazed you have stuck with 1200 for 2 years. That is awfully low for a 31 year old woman.

I have been on MFP for 2 years and have lost over 100 pounds eating between 1500 - 1800 calories a day. I'm 56. The way I am reshaping my body is by lifting heavy. I do very little cardio. This would be my recommendation for you.

Bottom line - if you are not losing, then you are no longer in a calorie deficit. Do you weigh all your food and is your calorie intake number really accurate? If not, get that in place first.

SezxyStef

if you are really eating 1200 calories than no you aren't eating enough.

If you aren't weighing your food then you are probably eating more than you think.

lauren3101

These are your TDEE estimations:

Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 1678
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 1922
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2167
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2412
Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 2656

With that exercise regime, yes you should certainly be eating more. With so little to lose a 10 - 15% cut from the most applicable figure above is best.

That's a pretty intensive workout regime, by the way. You don't need to exercise for nearly 2 hours 4 times a week.

You mention 'toning up'. I'd recommend just ditching the scales, eating a little more and finding a decent lifting program, like Stronglifts or New rules of lifting for women. You will get the body you want long before you get to the weight you want.

viksfitz

HI

I normally stick to the 1200 calories for a few months over the summer period and I admit I pig out a little in winter (just don't count calories). last year I lost 15lb in 8 weeks by eating 1000 calories a day and walking at lunch for 45 mins, remember I sit around all day at work. I tried this again but wasn't doing anything, therefore joined a gym to do it properly. I want to tone up and lift everything.

I forgot to mention I only eat peanut butter and bananas on the days I go to the gym and have a square of dark chocolate after.

I feel fine at the gym have loads of energy I do two hours and feel I can do more, its the next day I feel drained.

November_Fire

I don't know, because you don't eat that every single day (that'd be weird) nor can I see how many calories is in all that.

1200 calories is for obese people who need to lose fast or die. It is not for people doing oodles of cardio. Go to a TDEE calculator and estimate your daily energy expenditure. Eat a few hundred less than the number it gives you. Lose slow.

The weight I've lost so far, barely any has come off my belly. Legs, arms, body, back and boobs all went first.

Egg yolks are where the goodness is, eat those. Fruit can be surprisingly calorific. If you're gaining chances are you're eating more than you burn, which would mean your calorie estimates are off. Log very accurately - every teaspoon of oil you cook with, every drop of milk in your tea, the butter on your bread, the fruit. Watch sodium - tinned soup could be very salty, 'diet' stuff even more so as they cover up the lack of flavour. Log any alcohol. I know people who calorie count and work out yet are aghast that they're not losing weight - chances are their daily bottle of red wine doesn't help.

viksfitz

Thanks everyone, really does help.

I had a feeling I wasn't eating enough but worried about how much more to eat. That's why I have upped the protein in last two weeks. I was eating more carbs, bread & jacket potato but thought more protein would be best.

Any ideas why I feel bloated around mid afternoon, could it be the brown bread I have for my lunch. not that I want to cut this out as I know I have to have some carbs.

TavistockToad

just as a comparison, i am 5ft5 and 136lbs and want to lose a little bodyfat (tone up) i eat 1800 cals plus exercise cals to lose around 0.5lb per week.

its also quality on quantity of your workouts... and the drained feeling the next day is probaby because you're not eating enough.

Ninkyou

HI

I normally stick to the 1200 calories for a few months over the summer period and I admit I pig out a little in winter (just don't count calories). last year I lost 15lb in 8 weeks by eating 1000 calories a day and walking at lunch for 45 mins, remember I sit around all day at work. I tried this again but wasn't doing anything, therefore joined a gym to do it properly. I want to tone up and lift everything.

I forgot to mention I only eat peanut butter and bananas on the days I go to the gym and have a square of dark chocolate after.

I feel fine at the gym have loads of energy I do two hours and feel I can do more, its the next day I feel drained.

This is really unhealthy. I think you need to re-evaluate your relationship with food and the scale. 1200 calories for your height, weight and exercise activity is not appropriate for you at all. Lauren gave you some very good information and numbers to work with, I highly recommend you take that seriously and follow it.