Little to no weight loss

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chrislin2011
chrislin2011 Posts: 168 Member
Some of you are on my friends list so you know I posted this on my wall today... I need some advice. I went from being completely sedentary, eating whatever whenever I want, to exercising 30 min a day 3-4x a week and trying to eat 1200 calories a day. Granted once every 7-10 days I have a day that I hit around 2000 calories but the rest of the days I eat 1100-1300. I don't eat back my exercise calories.

The scale is BARELY moving. According to MFP I should be losing 1.7 pounds a week just with the diet alone. To me it sounds simple eat less calories than you burn then you'll lose weight... Doesn't seem to be working...

Anybody been here? How did you get the scale to start moving?

Replies

  • Adshill
    Adshill Posts: 130 Member
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    Have you taken measurements to see if those have changed? Also - do you eat back your exercise calories? I have seen a lot of people on here say that's what got them losing more. I don't have any personal experience with trying both ways, since I pretty much always eat most of mine back (it's one of my main motivations to work out...more food! lol). But if you are only eating 1100-1300 total maybe that isn't enough? Good luck and don't give up!! It will happen. And if you are eating better and exercising you are healthier - no matter what the scale says. :happy:


    Sorry - just noticed that you said you don't eat back exercise calories. Maybe you could try eating at least half or more of them back for a week or two and see if that changes anything?
  • sylvuz323
    sylvuz323 Posts: 468 Member
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    I'd say invest in a HRM so that you know how much you are burning and start eating back some of the calories that you have burned. When I was heavier started at 236 lbs, the weight came off easier and my exercise was just walking. But I noticed that now that I'm at 177 lbs I have to eat back some of my calories in order to see the scale move.

    Measurements is also a good idea.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    When I started out I was eating a 1lb/week weight loss rate and walking every day for an hour and not eating back my exercise calories and I was fine. But then I lost enough weight that my calories dropped below my BMR and my weight loss just went to hell, not to mention I was tired and weak all the time.

    I started eating my exercise cals back and it made a HUGE difference. Try it.

    PS: for maximum fat loss you should not be trying to lose more than .7% of your weight per week (not maximum WEIGHT loss, but maximum fat loss with minimal muscle loss). So possibly you should increase your calories as well.