Why still nothing? Help me!

establishingaplace

Your diary is showing that you're eating 400-600 calories per day. Either you're secretly eating and not logging everything and possibly also bingeing like a madwoman on your cheat day, or there is a medical reason (medication or condition) that you are not losing weight.

JoshD8705

When it recomm1200, then why is 1000 so bad? It's almost the same thing.

The 1200 is for after workout calories. If you burned 400 calories for a brisk hour walk, you'd eat 1600 calories to be at 1200.

Julzanne72

1200 is what you need to eat and don't work out at all, and you said you are working out as wel, so you should be eating more than 1200, 1000 is not going to cut it. I eat back most of my exercise calories, and have lost 10.5lbs in 5 weeks, you HAVE TO eat!!!

ironrat79

You go to the gym 5 days a week and you eat UNDER 1000 calories.

There is your problem.

No fuel, no energy. Gotta eat

Morgaath

When it recomm1200, then why is 1000 so bad? It's almost the same thing.

You go into the gas station and pay for $12 of gas, as it is enough to get you back and forth from work till next payday. The pump stops at $10.
Cashier says "why is $10 so bad? It's almost the same thing."

You buy a dozen bagels for a meeting, and when you get to the office you discover there is only 10 in the box.
"why is 10 so bad? It's almost the same thing."

Your paycheck for the week is supposed to be $1200, but when you get it it is only $1000.
"why is $1000 so bad? It's almost the same thing."

holothuroidea

When you're only eating 1200 calories, those last 200 calories are VERY important. That's half a meal if you eat 3 meals a day.

The recommended amount of calories ALREADY includes the deficit you need to loose weight. That number is a minimum and you should aim to eat at least that many calories. Your body needs nutrients (including calories) to function properly and without them the weight is not going to come off easy. It will be slow and painful.

In order to properly use MFP you need to eat AT LEAST the recommended amount of calories, and you also need to eat back your exercise calories.

Dkelege

There have been a lot of good points spread across several posts here that I want to summarize for you.

1. Logging: I'm going to assume you are logging correctly based on what you said. Weighing food as opposed to measuring is helpful, but not practical for everyone. But, your goal should account for net calories (+food-exercise) not just intake.

2. Calorie goal and deficit: The people here commenting on your low calorie counts aren't trying to be negative. They're trying to be helpful, and there's a reason the goals are set the way they are. Operating at a deficit that you are, with the exercise that you're doing, means that you will shed muscle as well as fat. The problem is that muscle increases your basal metabolic rate. I agree with other posters that "starvation mode" is a myth, but the result will be the same. You'll lose muscle, your body's calorie burn rate will decrease, you'll lose energy, and your workouts will be less efficient.

3. Quality of calories: While scientifically, operating at a caloric deficiency will cause you to lose weight, it won't necessarily make you healthier. Instead of just reducing your overall intake, you should actually try to increase your intake of more healthful foods. Getting more nutritious calories will help you to gain muscle and lose fat, making you overall healthier. See Staci for a life story of someone who lost weight the way you're trying to vs. how she succeeded the right way: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

4. Time: Living a healthy life and losing weight is a marathon, not a sprint. You're going to hit plateaus. Your weight will fluctuate based on muscle, fat, water retention, and a variety of other things. If 60 pounds is truly your goal, 2 weeks is a small part of the time it will take overall. Track it, but look at it in overall trends, and don't get discouraged with small setbacks. Being healthy is a lifestyle, not a fad diet. If you live the lifestyle, you will see results in the long term.

amieosia

Thank you for the help, and I really do appreciate it. I apologize if I cpme off as not listening or being thankful. It's really just desperation that I can't put into the right words. Truth be told, I am not eating anything extra, except lots of pickles which have no calories. I'm not counting anything but calories. I realize that it's low, but that's the point. Thanks for the help, sorry to those who found it annoying. Have a good day.

wilsoje74

Thank you for the help, and I really do appreciate it. I apologize if I cpme off as not listening or being thankful. It's really just desperation that I can't put into the right words. Truth be told, I am not eating anything extra, except lots of pickles which have no calories. I'm not counting anything but calories. I realize that it's low, but that's the point. Thanks for the help, sorry to those who found it annoying. Have a good day.

umm his many pickles? Because they do have calories if you are eating "lots" and they have lots if sodium too

ErinMcMom

Thank you for the help, and I really do appreciate it. I apologize if I cpme off as not listening or being thankful. It's really just desperation that I can't put into the right words. Truth be told, I am not eating anything extra, except lots of pickles which have no calories. I'm not counting anything but calories. I realize that it's low, but that's the point. Thanks for the help, sorry to those who found it annoying. Have a good day.

Pickles have a ton of sodium in them. Sodium causes you to retain water, that might be why you are not seeing much of a loss... you might be retaining a ton of water from all the sodium in your pickles. Log them and check out your sodium intake. Just a few pickles can put you over your sodium limit for the day without even factoring in the rest of the food you eat.

diannethegeek

Just FYI. Food labeling laws in the US allow companies to label any food with less than 5 calories as zero calories. Pickles do have calories. And you should be logging them anyway to track the rest of the nutritional information (vitamins, carbs, sodium, etc) This is exactly the kind of thing people mean when they say you aren't logging 100% accurately.

BRA_S

"usually, which I actually have set at 1500"

is what you said in your older thread asking for help. Just wondering why you went under 1000?

jofjltncb6

Seriously, I don't know what I am doing wrong. I keep my calories under 1000 and go to the gym at least 5 days a week. Scale hasn't moved in 2weeks, and even then I had only lost 10 of the 60 pounds I have to lose.
Anyone have any insight or suggestions?

Under 1000 net or gross? Either way, what made you think this was a good idea?

Also, are you measuring and weighing everything? If not, how sure are you about your estimate?

ndj1979

When it recomm1200, then why is 1000 so bad? It's almost the same thing.

because 1200 is the bare minimum MFP recommends ..and 200 under 1200 is about 15% less than the bare minimum..additionally 200 less = 1400 less calories a week ..so it s not "almost the same thing"

you should be netting 1200, period.

However, if you are not losing then you are not accurately measuring or something else is wrong...

grubb1019

You are not even reaching 1000 calories on most days and you are exercising, I'm sure your net is in the negative. Do you realize that what you are doing is damaging your health? Starving yourself can result in anemia, lowered immunity, and it can even cause your thyroid to get screwed up.

C3001

Thank you for the help, and I really do appreciate it. I apologize if I cpme off as not listening or being thankful. It's really just desperation that I can't put into the right words. Truth be told, I am not eating anything extra, except lots of pickles which have no calories. I'm not counting anything but calories. I realize that it's low, but that's the point. Thanks for the help, sorry to those who found it annoying. Have a good day.

umm his many pickles? Because they do have calories if you are eating "lots" and they have lots if sodium too

Agreed. Pickles have calories and lots of sodium. You are eating extra and you aren't logging accurately. Helpful advise here, follow it and you will see changes in your body.

Sharon_C

I'm not counting anything but calories. I realize that it's low, but that's the point.

This is very concerning. Eating less calories than you burn is the point, yes. Eating at such a huge deficit is not the point at all. With this mindset you will lose the weight but its not sustainable and you haven't learned a healthy relationship with food. Eat at a slight deficit (-20% TDEE) and you will still lose weight, just at a slower pace. BUT you will keep it off and you will be much healthier.

djflowerz

You're not eating enough real food. You have to increase your intake of vegetables along with more unprocessed foods.

amieosia

"usually, which I actually have set at 1500"

is what you said in your older thread asking for help. Just wondering why you went under 1000?

Just got frustrated that after 4 months I wasn't getting anywhere. I eat 2 or 3 pickles a day. The sodium water retaining thing DOES make sense now that I think about it....hope I haven't been screwing myself.
There is a diet for obese people where they restrict calories to under 800, guess I was just trying my own version. I function just fine, I work 2 jobs and raise my 2 kids and also care for my boyfriend who is disabled.
It sounds lower than I think it is.

Nicolee_2014

If nothing seems to be happening, maybe seek a professionals opinion? Nutritionist, dietician or maybe get checked out to make sure there isn't a medical issue.

Keep on going, you will get there :flowerforyou: