FRUSTRATED!!! I'm working my *ss off to lose weight and noth

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  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    @jsong. If you are eating 1200 cals a day and you burn 500 in a workout, then you need to eat 1700 calories that day. You can eat them any time in the same day.

    You don't have to match your post-workout meal cals to what you burned. After a workout your body needs a replenishment of fluids, carbohydrates and protein. A recent study suggested a chocolate milkshake was actually an ideal post workout meal.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Ok, so I've been in the gym everyday for the last 2 weeks...I work out for an hour and a hlaf everyday after I get off of work at 10pm. I eat healthy BUT I have eating under my target calorie intake everday. My boss told me that if I don't at least eat 1200 calories a day I will actually gain weight because my body thinks I'm going into starvation mode. I don't understand how that is possible. Can anyone please help me understand what I need to do to lose this weight?!? I really appreciate ANY feedback!! Thanks :)

    Abby
    You are going to fail with this approach.

    Starvation diets don't work.
    Why?
    Because if your calorie deficit is too great you can easily suffer from
    loss of muscle mass (slows down your metabolism) and impaired general progress.
    You have to find what is right for you but you also need to remember that your body
    is a machine and without the right type and amount of fuel there could be problems
    either with loss of muscle, loss of energy, less weight loss/plateaus, etc.

    Stick with the MFP recommendations.
  • dianefisher47
    dianefisher47 Posts: 234 Member
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    he is right, I could not believe it also. I ate under my calories for quit awhile and took my body into starvation mode...ever since I upped my calories up , I am starting to loose again ...it took awhile cause my body was always thinking I was going to starve it again...so eat more....please :flowerforyou:
  • RockChick1984
    RockChick1984 Posts: 239
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    i learnt from this very mistake... was netting less than 1000 cals after my exercise and sent my body into starvation mode for near 2 weeks n barely lost 1lb... plus with so much exercise i realised i wasn't actually eating enough... i agree.. its very frustrating... but try to net 1200 and you should start to lose
  • georgina1970
    georgina1970 Posts: 333 Member
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    Remember, that if you're exercising more that you used to, you will be building muscle. Your body is most likely exchanging fat for muscle, so your weight will stay the same. You should looking at how your clothes are fitting you, and taking body measurements. Recommended weight loss is only 1pound or 1/2kg per week. Be patient.
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
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    Starvation mode will never lead to weight gain. That is a myth. But it always leads to plateau.

    Can we stop with the 1200 calories a day, please? I think MFP should get rid of that number altogether, because it's an absurd goal. That kind of calorie goal is ONLY for people who are either very small, lay in bed 24/7, or have medical issues.

    Eat healthy. Eat more. Have energy. Be happy. Lose weight. Keep it off.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
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    Try looking at the size and shape of your body and not the number on the scale. I, for one, gain muscle very quickly and while I have only lost 12 pounds, I've lost 2 inches each on my waist, bust and hips. If you are lifting weights (which all weight loss goers should do) this can equate for the lack of weight loss. Also, I have read before that if you're doing over an hour of cardio in one session your body starts to burn your muscle. Muscle Loss = Metabolism drop and NO ONE wants that.

    Personally, I also believe that the "starvation mode" is a bunch of bull. It isn't so much as how many calories you're eating, its how often you're eating. Why do you think they put super obese people on less than 800 calorie a day diets? As long as you're not skipping any meals your body knows that there is food out there in the world. Another thing I would suggest is maybe look at your diet in terms of where your calories are coming from. I have had a lot of success sticking to a 40-30-30 ratio of protein, carbs and fats.
  • grumpy2day
    grumpy2day Posts: 212
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    Ok, so I've been in the gym everyday for the last 2 weeks...I work out for an hour and a hlaf everyday after I get off of work at 10pm. I eat healthy BUT I have eating under my target calorie intake everday. My boss told me that if I don't at least eat 1200 calories a day I will actually gain weight because my body thinks I'm going into starvation mode. I don't understand how that is possible. Can anyone please help me understand what I need to do to lose this weight?!? I really appreciate ANY feedback!! Thanks :)

    Abby

    Don't go only by the scale check your measurements. It can show better results, I'd rather see more lean muscle and smaller waist size than less weight. I lost only one pound but lost an inch and half in my waist and an inch from my hips!
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
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    Oh, and also. I have found that if I allow myself a day or two a week of excess calories it helps with the plateau. Say you're only eating 1200 calories a day, try bumping it up to 1700 every third day or so. I think of it as a little metabolism boost.
  • Kristinemomof3
    Kristinemomof3 Posts: 636 Member
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    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    We'd all be rich by now!
  • MrsLong1980
    MrsLong1980 Posts: 181 Member
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    Stick with what MFP tells you - not much point coming on to the site to use the tool but then not doing what it's telling you to do! Your goal calories is calories eaten minus calories burned so that's what you have to do. If you're eating less you're more likely not going to see the results.

    Simples!
  • Magestrange
    Magestrange Posts: 2
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    I've been in the same situation quite a few times hah
    Got on a program and lost weight pretty quick, maybe youve heard of the 31 day fat loss cure??
    http://finest-review.com/31-day-fat-loss-cure-review/ where i found it
  • ahinski
    ahinski Posts: 200 Member
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    At the top of the forum there is a post that is labeled NEWBIES PLEASE READ ME (2nd Edition).

    Especially take a look at this one:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    PS Your boss is essentially right.
  • mom2mozart
    mom2mozart Posts: 307 Member
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    You need to eat enough to nourish your body. And, you need to make sure you are eating enough fat too. Otherwise, your metabolism slows down and you will not lose. You need a minimum amount of fat a day - at least a few teaspoons (can be from olive oil in cooking, dipping your bread, salad dressing). I had the same frustration years ago - added some fat to my diet, and the weight started coming off.
  • Darrknys
    Darrknys Posts: 91
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    I vote you eat your target calories and make sure you are changing up your exercise routines so your body doesn't get comfortable and plateau.
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
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    Try something for 1 month, if your not pleased, change your approach. you just have to stick with something a little longer than 2 weeks to test it out.
    Good luck.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    @jsong. If you are eating 1200 cals a day and you burn 500 in a workout, then you need to eat 1700 calories that day. You can eat them any time in the same day.

    I'm not convinced you have to eat them on the same day. I typically "bank" some to "spend" (eat) later in the week for a couple of splurge meals or whatever. I don't believe our bodies reset themselves at midnight and it takes more than a couple days of under-feeding to negatively impact your metabolism. Plus eating higher calories on some days is also good for raising some hormones, like leptin, which should have a positive impact on weight loss.

    I'm really enjoying the flexibility this is giving me and knowing I can have a small pig-out now and then but still stay at my weekly calorie target and still lose weight.

    But, yes, to the OP, eat more!
  • souji5
    souji5 Posts: 3
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    @jsong. If you are eating 1200 cals a day and you burn 500 in a workout, then you need to eat 1700 calories that day. You can eat them any time in the same day.

    You don't have to match your post-workout meal cals to what you burned. After a workout your body needs a replenishment of fluids, carbohydrates and protein. A recent study suggested a chocolate milkshake was actually an ideal post workout meal.
    What about if I'm eating 1600 calories a day (for 1.5 lbs. loss a week), and burning about 300 - 500 in a workout? Should I be eating those workout calories? Or is it ok for me to leave the workout calories out because I'm already hitting 1600 (much more than 1200, which is the absolute minimum one has to be eating, right?)

    I've lost 20 lbs. since the end of August 2011. I disregarded MFP over Christmas break and at the end of that had put on about 1-2 lbs., which I lost in the next couple of weeks. But since then, I've plateau-ed. I haven't lost any weight for the last 2-3 weeks, but I've also been working out 3-5 times a week during those weeks, so I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it. Any advice would be appreciated - thanks!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Ok so I have heard the same thing about if you don't eat more than 1200 calories, you will gain weight. It is true that if your body is not getting enough nutrients it will start to become unhealthy and 'hold on' to weight. Is 1200 calories the magic number for everyone? who knows (or at least I don't) ! But..... I know for sure that if you are eating less bad food, more healthy food, and exercising you WILL see results.

    You can't gain weight on a calorie deficit diet. You can stall weight loss by having to great of a deficit.
    And in that state, the easiest of binges can add weight. A "spike" day for those in this state is really storage day, not metabolism recover day.

    Deficit should come from your daily activities that can readily get their energy needs met by your fat stores.
    Deficit should NOT come from your BMR, basic functions of life, because those must be taken in.

    And if you exercise, that will take from the calories before the BMR can use them to function the body.
    So the BMR, or metabolism, will slow down to compensate. Hence the math to eat them back.

    Depending on how badly your metabolism is messed up (yo-yo dieting for years), how big a deficit from previous eating habits, and how big of a deficit below your BMR, some systems efficiently lower in 3 days, because they've seen it before, and know what to do. Some can take 4-6 weeks if not a serious undercut. Some longer if you have days that almost fool the metabolism into not slowing down, ie "cheat days".

    1200 is regarded as a general safety lower limit for daily intake for women, without any consideration of BMR or activity calories.
    So when MFP is told by the user that your activity level is sedentary (true or not), then the maintenance calories are 1.2 x BMR.
    Then MFP subtracts the weight loss goal the user entered from that value, usually 2lbs/wk for women.
    But if it falls under 1200, which for many it really does, it leaves it at 1200.

    Hence the reason SO many women have 1200 goals. They selected sedentary, and 2lbs week. If they had selected 1 lb, the net goal is probably 1400-1600, probably slightly below their BMR or above perhaps.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    What about if I'm eating 1600 calories a day (for 1.5 lbs. loss a week), and burning about 300 - 500 in a workout? Should I be eating those workout calories? Or is it ok for me to leave the workout calories out because I'm already hitting 1600 (much more than 1200, which is the absolute minimum one has to be eating, right?)

    I've lost 20 lbs. since the end of August 2011. I disregarded MFP over Christmas break and at the end of that had put on about 1-2 lbs., which I lost in the next couple of weeks. But since then, I've plateau-ed. I haven't lost any weight for the last 2-3 weeks, but I've also been working out 3-5 times a week during those weeks, so I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it. Any advice would be appreciated - thanks!

    Yes you should. Accurate estimates of them.
    Because your net calorie goal ALREADY has that 1.5lb /wk deficit calculated from your total maintenance calorie estimate.
    No exercise, that is the hoped for weight loss.

    Good for you for selecting a realistic goal weight loss, or hopefully it is. But if that whole time you have been exercising, and your BMR was around 1500, then you really only gave your body 1000 calories to work with.
    So guess what it will do. Slow down to compensate.

    You gave it some gifts over the holiday, and because of the state it has been in, held on to them.

    1200 is safety guideline for minimum that should be taken in for the body to feed itself, forget supplying any energy for your actual daily activities.

    Use the MFP tools calculator for your estimated healthy BMR figure. If you have been eating under that, and exercise has been robbing those calories too, for a long time, that is NOT what your BMR really is at. it is much lower.

    Now do the math, how many calories of free burn are you losing each and every day comparing a healthy BMR to what level you must be putting it at (which is goal eaten minus exercise)?
    200-500 calories? Each day.

    If BMR is not understood, time to understand. If you are willing to spend time on the forums for the sake of your diet which is probably for the sake of your body, spend some time researching BMR for the sake of your body too, and ultimately your diet and weight loss.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/477703-why-bmr-should-be-known-as-an-important-figure

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