Need Advice, Please Help!

sparkle422

hi. I've been logging on to this site for almost 3 weeks trying to figure out how many calories a day I should be eating. I've gained almost 3 pounds since. I'm 5'2" and weigh 128.8. When I started I was around 125-126. In October I weighed 119.0. I'd be happy going back to 121-122 which is where I was before the holidays. I recently got the Bodymedia armband. My average calorie burn per day is around 1630(average) when I work out. Today is the first day since I got it I won't be working out, so I'm curious to see what my calories burn is tomorrow morning. When i work out i'm burning around 300-400 calories. I have my calories set at 1230. So if my burn is in the 1600's and i'm eating 1230, thats a deficiet of aroundd 400 calories. Take 400 calories a day and multiply by 7 days and i'm not even at 3500(to lose a pound). My head is spinning from all the overthinking i've been doing on this issue. Its really making me sick. If i drop my daily calories below 1200, won't that put me in starvation mode? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

kimmie185

1200 is the minimum to keep your body functioning properly. Going under that will possible put you into starvation mode and trust me you do not want that.
Think of food as fuel and that you want to give your body the best fuel possible.

Good luck with your journey! :flowerforyou:

carrie_eggo

Since you don't have much weight to lose, what you're doing now is fine. You don't need to go any lower with your calories. You say you've gained weight, are you sure you're weighing/measuring your food and being as accurate as possible with your logging? Maybe you need to try to stop stressing so much. It can actually affect your hormones and keep you from losing weight. Unless you have a weight loss deadline (which isn't good anyway)--CALM DOWN! Give it a little more time and concentrate on logging accurately and eating healthy.

Acg67

Since you don't have much weight to lose, what you're doing now is fine. You don't need to go any lower with your calories. You say you've gained weight, are you sure you're weighing/measuring your food and being as accurate as possible with your logging? Maybe you need to try to stop stressing so much. It can actually affect your hormones and keep you from losing weight. Unless you have a weight loss deadline (which isn't good anyway)--CALM DOWN! Give it a little more time and concentrate on logging accurately and eating healthy.

^ This

Also weight loss is not linear

Dnc2Luz

You need to speak to a pro yours is a complex situation. I would seek out a nutritionalist. I made a visit to one once to get started, and I think it is worth the time and expense. If you can't afford it, see if your community has a free weightloss group that meets somewhere. I would look at websites from your local hospitals. The classes held are usually given by a nutritional specialist. I got a lot of questions answered there. The advice was free.
I don't think I would go below 1200 cal. From all my reading, that could make you plateau. Just be sure the calories of foods your eating are healthy, are eaten throughout the day and drink plenty of water. That usually helps me.
Sheila

kandrews24

Based on the math, you should be losing about 1 lbs every 9 days. If that is not happening, then there is a problem. Generally the problem is overestimating exercise and underestimating what you are eating. If you have the tools in place such that that is not happening (HRM, food scale, etc.), then you may have gained due to retaining water via sodium, sore muscles, stress, travel, of time of month. If you really gained 3 lbs of fat, then I agree there is something wrong.

Folks on this site are paranoid about going under 1200 calories (why, I'm not really sure).

Doctors routinely put folks on diets of 800-1,000 calories daily. Weight watchers, with tons of doctors on staff and no desire to hurt folks or get sued, put folks near goal on 1,000 calories daily (and allow them to not eat back all of their exercise calories).

Having said that, I'd continue with your current plan for about three weeks longer. Drink your water, keep calcium up, eat frequent meals, change your exercise up, keep sodium low. See if you can get your body losing. Make sure you are doing a variety of exercises: cardio, strength, stretching. Take measurements too.

Relax and don't freak out. Keep doing the right things, and the rewards will follow.

andrejjorje

Open up your diary so we can see what you eat and what you exercise.