Up the cals, maybe?

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Christie23
Christie23 Posts: 357 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I was discussing with my friend today how frustrated I am... I seem to be STUCK right at this horrible 190 mark. I go a little above, I go a little below (as far below as 186) but it keeps yoyoing. Even when I'm not working out, I'm a pretty active person and I do a LOT of walking, running around, etc. I have kept my cals at 1200 and rarely go over, even when I'm drinking wine, but I am wondering if it's just not enough? Should I try upping them to 1500 to see if I will get back into my losing streak? Would appreciate your thoughts.

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  • christy_frank
    christy_frank Posts: 680 Member
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    Increase them to at least 1400
  • Starleng1
    Starleng1 Posts: 142
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    I'm in the exact same position. If there is any one that can help, please do so!!!!
  • EmilyAnn89
    EmilyAnn89 Posts: 564 Member
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    i've never kept my calories at 1200, i always set mine at 1350 and i've lost 7 lbs. in 2 weeks. i always eat my exercise calories as well.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,108 Member
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    Here are some helpful explanations.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20343-how-i-have-avoided-plateauing-length-warning

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6159-this-1200-calorie-thing-is-driving-me-up-a-wall

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/79181-dogmeat-s-thoughts-on-weight-loss
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,108 Member
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    Just to add, all of you who have posted so far are at differing points in your weight loss. Please read the links - there is no One-advice-fits-all here, and you have to educate yourselves and not expect the answer to be short or easy.
  • Roadchickie
    Roadchickie Posts: 12 Member
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    Christie, are you hungry all the time and/or experiencing low energy? I agree with the other two members - up your calories a little. 1,400 cals/day for someone who weighs 190 seems awfully low. Be sure that if you're exercising (which sounds as if you are) that you eat the calories you're given to eat. I'm no expert by any means, but eating too few calories has deterred my weight loss goals in the past, and I'm not about to follow that again. I plan to stick to the 1,200 only on days I'm completely sedentary. Otherwise, if I'm truly hungry (stomach growling, thinking of nothing but food, shaky, etc.), I will eat. I think you should as well if you too are experincing these hunger signals. Just stick to healthy foods! (no junk food) for thos extra calories - fruits, veggies, lean proteins are perfect. Good job on getting to where you are now, and eventually your plateau will be broken. :-)

    P.S. I'm giving up all alcohol for a few weeks. Wine is not bad for a person, but when trying to begain a weight loss program (like I am) or break a plateau (like you are), wine is not our friend. Try no alcohol for three weeks, and I bet you'e going see that scale move/pant size drop. Not that I'm suggesting you're drinking a lot of it, but any means. But sometimes cutting alcohol out is the best thing for weight loss.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,108 Member
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    I agree with MErider on cutting the alcohol. You can google the details, but basically your body sees alcohol as a poison and as sugar.

    It definitely makes a difference to eliminate the wine. You can have a small handful of purple grapes for the antioxidant effect, and it won't spike your insulin as much.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Keep your calories the same, but stop drinking so much!!! tee hee ( I couldn't resist)
  • MamaGraves2
    MamaGraves2 Posts: 203 Member
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    It can't hurt to up your calories for a couple weeks and see what happens. Make sure you take measurements every 30days too! I've found that helps me when I've his a scale plateau. The scale isn't moving but the inches are more often than not. Good luck!
  • ChristieisReady
    ChristieisReady Posts: 708 Member
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    Looking @ your diary, it looks like you're not eating enough. Also, I don't think you're tracking all of your exercise. If you're running around all day, and you have the thing set to "sedentary", then you're defnitely not getting enough calories.

    For the next couple of weeks, try eating at least 1200 calories per day to about 1600, with up to about 500 calories leeway for focused exercise.


    For everybody: I have a friend who, at 450 pounds, was only eating about 1100 calories per day, and that caused him to gain 100 pounds (he started eating less @ 350). He's now working with a nutritionist, eating more, moving more and steadily losing weight. So (to paraphrase Ghandi): Eat the change you want to see in your body.

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