not eating much, and gaining!

athelsel

I posted on here the other day, I have been eating an average of 1000 calories a day, give or take, and i overestimate on things without labels, ex: grilled chicken. However, I am not losing! I have went up 2 pounds. I feel so defeated. I finally have the will power to curb my eating habits and I finally lost my cravings for junk and fast food, and i'm getting no where! It's frustrating skipping out on wine & snacks while watching movies with my husband or enjoying the food at carry ins at work only to weigh yourself and have gained. I feel like giving up. I thought it was calories in, calories out. it's not working.

La5Vega5Girl

you need to up your calories. i know this seems counter-productive, but you are NOT eating enough.
try eating 1400 cal/day and see what happens.

McGristy

I have been there, but its truly about creating a HEALTHY calorie deficit. I agree, up the calorie amount a bit, and check back in a few weeks

kgeyser

1. 2 lbs is normal weight fluctuation. Your body goes through them all the time based on food in your digestive tract, bladder fullness, clothing, water/glycogen stores, etc. It's not something to get upset about, nor does it mean calories in/calorie out doesn't work.

2. 1000 calories is not enough. Stop making that a goal. Eat more.

3. Weigh and measure your food and liquids, and record accurately. You don't need to estimate on grilled chicken, there are entries in the database for it. If you aren't doing that, you could very well be eating more than you think. Which you probably are, since you list your calories as "give or take." You've got to be consistent and accurate if you want the scale to move.

diannethegeek

1. 2 lbs is normal weight fluctuation. Your body goes through them all the time based on food in your digestive tract, bladder fullness, clothing, water/glycogen stores, etc. It's not something to get upset about, nor does it mean calories in/calorie out doesn't work.

2. 1000 calories is not enough. Stop making that a goal. Eat more.

3. Weigh and measure your food and liquids, and record accurately. You don't need to estimate on grilled chicken, there are entries in the database for it. If you aren't doing that, you could very well be eating more than you think. Which you probably are, since you list your calories as "give or take." You've got to be consistent and accurate if you want the scale to move.

^All of this is exactly what I wanted to say.

athelsel

1. 2 lbs is normal weight fluctuation. Your body goes through them all the time based on food in your digestive tract, bladder fullness, clothing, water/glycogen stores, etc. It's not something to get upset about, nor does it mean calories in/calorie out doesn't work.

2. 1000 calories is not enough. Stop making that a goal. Eat more.

3. Weigh and measure your food and liquids, and record accurately. You don't need to estimate on grilled chicken, there are entries in the database for it. If you aren't doing that, you could very well be eating more than you think. Which you probably are, since you list your calories as "give or take." You've got to be consistent and accurate if you want the scale to move.

I meant give or take as in my daily count is 1000 give or take.. some days its 900 some days its 1100.

I have a hard time measuring meat since its not already portioned. So i think i need a food scale. But other than that.. if i continue to eat low calorie amounts like I am, its bound to make me lose weight right? I was worried about the "starvation mode" but it doesnt make sense because I've known people who went on liquid or juicing diets for weeks at a time and they lost weight.

diannethegeek

1. 2 lbs is normal weight fluctuation. Your body goes through them all the time based on food in your digestive tract, bladder fullness, clothing, water/glycogen stores, etc. It's not something to get upset about, nor does it mean calories in/calorie out doesn't work.

2. 1000 calories is not enough. Stop making that a goal. Eat more.

3. Weigh and measure your food and liquids, and record accurately. You don't need to estimate on grilled chicken, there are entries in the database for it. If you aren't doing that, you could very well be eating more than you think. Which you probably are, since you list your calories as "give or take." You've got to be consistent and accurate if you want the scale to move.

I meant give or take as in my daily count is 1000 give or take.. some days its 900 some days its 1100.

I have a hard time measuring meat since its not already portioned. So i think i need a food scale. But other than that.. if i continue to eat low calorie amounts like I am, its bound to make me lose weight right? I was worried about the "starvation mode" but it doesnt make sense because I've known people who went on liquid or juicing diets for weeks at a time and they lost weight.

Is your goal only weight loss, or are you also worried about how your body looks after (muscle vs. fat loss) as well as your general health?

deksgrl

Don't eat less than 1200 calories unless you are directed to by a doctor.

Make sure you are logging accurately.

Assuming you have been logging accurately, if you have been eating less than 1200 calories for a long time (months or more), you might consider doing a reset, which means eat at your maintenance calories for awhile (6 weeks or so) to get your metabolism up, and then when you take a reasonable cut you will begin to lose weight again.

athelsel

I have a lot of pudge right now from pregnancy that I need to get rid of before I will worry about my muscles, which are buried under tons of just.. chub.

deksgrl

Are you breastfeeding?

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I had this issue recently, and I just started making changes a couple days ago... I was eating at a deficit and gained about 5 lbs. in 3 weeks. Then someone mentioned that if I'm eating below my RMR, I could gain weight. I used an online calculator for my RMR and sure enough... I was eating less than that. So I've since raised my calorie intake and in a couple days have lost more than a lb. of that. It could be normal fluctuation, so I'll have to check back again soon to see, but it makes sense. So try to figure out what is your RMR, then make a calorie goal that is higher than RMR but less than your expenditures.

AskTracyAnnK28

I have a lot of pudge right now from pregnancy that I need to get rid of before I will worry about my muscles, which are buried under tons of just.. chub.

Pregnancy weight is a PIA to get rid of. Keep in mind that it took 9 months to put on the weight, so it'll probably take 9 months to get rid of it.

When I had my son (wayyyyy back in 1996) I weighed 205 the day I gave birth. A year later I was back to 145. But it took pretty much the whole year and a lotta blood, sweat and tears.

SWEETMAY84

I was eating 1000 for a while and lost...nothing! =( I am at 1200 calories, and eating back my workout calories... losing 2 pounds a week steadily...I feel like, If I eat less than 1200 calories, my body holds on to those for dear life and it makes me feel fat, and heavy... lots of water too!

Liftng4Lis

Your diary isn't open. Also, if you don't have a food scale, how do you know how many calories you're eating? Without weighing and measuring you have no idea how many calories you're taking it.

DeeSharkey

To lose weight you must increase your metabolism. My trainer has me eating 6x per day. 3 meals. 3 snacks. They can be small
but the frequency is very important. 1,000 calories per day is really low if you are working out and even if you are not working out
so your body has gone into "starvation mode" & will save everything it gets. Also, when do we more protien (to add muscle) we gain weight. Worry about how you feel & your health, not a weight number. Good luck.

SLSBurn

Use IIFYM.com and it will give you a proper estimate of how many calories to eat, plus it's not safe to eat just 1000 calories a day on average for anyone regardless of size. And make sure to exercise, who cares how just 30 minutes a day, and if you're stressed relax, strict dieting can ruin gains for anyone so please be responsible and live life too. There ya go and there's Youtube, use that tool, it's amazing, you don't even need to ask anyone here for questions

diannethegeek

I have a lot of pudge right now from pregnancy that I need to get rid of before I will worry about my muscles, which are buried under tons of just.. chub.

I understand that feeling! But you want to lose the "chub" and not the already existing muscles underneath, right?

DeeSharkey

Reply 2: When trying to lose weight remember the 8 glasses of water per day to flush fat/toxins out of your system. Also very important. Good luck. I am in the biggest loser program at my gym. Results are slow but they are happening. It comes with
meal plan, work out plan, personal trainer. So, my advice is from a professional.

DeeSharkey

To add muscle you need to work them out with weight training. You need protein 6x per day. (can be small amounts for a max
of 80 grams per day for a woman if you are working out. Muscle burns fat. If the skin is hanging, you do not have enough muscle
for your body height/size. If the skin (even with chubb) is well adhered to the body....ie not hanging, you have enough muscle &
just need to excercise/tone. Good luck.

angdpowers

I was worried about the "starvation mode" but it doesnt make sense because I've known people who went on liquid or juicing diets for weeks at a time and they lost weight.

Please don't base what your doing on this. Or at least I hope not. Juicing can give you A LOT of calories ... I can easily drink 300-500cals when I juice which is at least 1/2 of what your consuming.

AskTracyAnnK28

so your body has gone into "starvation mode" & will save everything it gets.

Here we go....