1,200 calories...to eat or not to eat.

jordanashley19

I've lost 73 pounds and I'm trying to lose 30 more and I'll be happy but I CANT LOSE ANYMORE WEIGHT. My goal is 1,200....should I eat under?
HELP

Stacyanne324

I wouldn't eat under. You might try shaking things up and taking a day or two off from dieting and then going back to it. That might be the kick you need to get your metabolism working with you again. Good luck!

Altruista75

I'm struggling to get my last 20 pounds off too so curious to see what everyone has to say about this. I've been told that I don't eat enough calories thru the day so I've been trying to increase them gradually the past week now. I guess I'll find out if that has helped when I do my next weigh in.

bcattoes

You might want to switch to losing 1/2 lb per week now and eat a little more. Once you get closer to goal it comes off slower.

AJWrn87

I wouldn't eat less than that. You need those calories to fuel your body and mind. Try shaking up your exercise routine, if you usually walk on a treadmill every day try an elliptical for 20-30min 2-3 times a week and to add in a weight routine as well or something along those lines.

mcsolis

Don't eat less eat more...i was plateauing a lot while i was at 1200 and i was always hungry..i bumped it up to 1416 and i started losing again http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm check out this site it helped me

jplucheck

I would eat more, try to eat your BMR at least

LisamarieBond14

My allowance is 1250 a day but I've only been doing it for a week... Sometimes I find that I end up going over by about 50 calories, and other days, like today, I have almost 300 leftover after having my evening meal! Are we actually meant to use all the calories?

Captain_Tightpants

Getting closer to goal = slower loss unfortunately.

I have heard that some people have success with ketogenic diets to get those last stubborn lbs off though. Perhaps do a short ketogenic stint (dropping your carbs to 30 or 40% of total cals and replacing them with either extra fat or extra protein) and see what happens.

Also, are you weight lifting? If not, start.

mrsjennifermaffei

There are days where I kinda binge but I still work out and I lose weight!

taso42

As you get closer to your goal weight, you should be steadily increasing calories, not decreasing. Try raising it to say, 1400-1600.

KrazyAsianNic

under eating calories to lose weight usually only works in the beginning when you're adjusting to eating less. sometimes when you plateau, you need to consume a little bit more.

ImJDLookatME

I have 8.5 pounds left to lose...I eat 1200 or a little under. After losing 25 pounds at an average of 2 pounds per week I know notice that I lose slower so I am happy when I see a .5 - 1 pound loss a week. I work out 7 days a week for 60 minutes. 3 days of strength training, 3 days of cardio, and 1 day of pilates/yoga/tai chi, etc.

Evelynandchris

I bumped down to 1025 to lose the last 30. I continually lose, but it is really hard to eat that few calories. I eat lots of vegan dishes with lots of fruits and veggies. I am 10 pounds away from my goal. I think after that I will be done with weight loss. I will just move to a 1400 calorie/day program. I know people will say you shouldn't eat that few of calories, but everyone is different. I have list 90 total and these last few have been the hardest. Whatever you decide, hang in there! You have come so far!

bcattoes

My allowance is 1250 a day but I've only been doing it for a week... Sometimes I find that I end up going over by about 50 calories, and other days, like today, I have almost 300 leftover after having my evening meal! Are we actually meant to use all the calories?

Yes, but you don't have to use them all every day. It should average out to what you are alotted over a week or so, though. I was very careful about sticking to it every day when I first joined MFP, but now I go over some days and under some days, but try to make sure I'm pretty close if I average out 7-10 days. This also allows me to eat more on the weekends and at events without going over. And I'm still maintaining my loss just fine.

kantone999

Back around the holidays I was walking 6-10 miles per day and was supposed to eat 1800-2300 calories per MFP. I had lost steadily on 1200-1500 calories. Everybody was freaking out and kept telling me I was starving myself. I felt fine but I bumped up my calories and gained 5 pounds in two months of eating like that. And no, it wasn't muscle since my legs are already extremely muscular. If I eat more than 1500 calories I GAIN weight. Period. Everybody's different. Experiment to find what works for you and stick with it.

CMmrsfloyd

Either decrease your requested rate of weightloss so that you have a higher daily calorie goal, OR go on maintenance calories for like a week or two and then go back to your deficit, OR allow yourself one high-calorie (maintenance or higher) day every week or two and keep your deficit the rest of the time, OR try going on freedieting.com and get a 'zig-zag' schedule to change things up a bit. Any of those options might be helpful in busting your plateau. :-)

I eat more now that I am closer to my goal. In the beginning when I had 40 lbs to lose, I did 1200 for awhile. Then I started exercising and so I ate 1200 + exercise calories. Currently I have decreased my requested rate of weightloss to 1/2 lb per week since I'm very close to goal, and that gives me 1360 per day plus I eat my exercise calories.

pastryari

I'd switch to a 1/2 lb per week. Upping your calories may help. It did for me.

corinne618

I am having the same problem!!! i exercise like a lunatic, and i eat all the right things, yet the scale won't budge. I am down 60 pounds and want to lose about 30-40 more. it's so frustrating..

heidiisthebeesknees

I wouldn't eat under. Food = fuel. I would focus more on eating healthy things.

spencerp2122

1200 is as low as you can go

noexcuses84

yep, u def need to INCREASE your cals. Increase by 100-200 to start with but in my experience this does the trick. good luck!

beccci91

Jillian Michaels says to eat more, up your calorie intake by 10%

lizlarson80

I would stay about 1200-1300 calories. But mixing it up a bit. Have 50% protein, 30% carbs, and 20% fats. Most of the carbs and fats you will get thru your fruits and veggie intake. I hit a plateau for 5 weeks and this is how i broke it finally. I also added a muscle confusion workout such as P90X. I am in the Beachbody challenge and this is really finally kicking the 5 week long plateau. I also do the Shakeology with this as well.

KatieJane83

Eat more, not less.

This is based on my personal experience.

As I neared the last pounds I wanted to lose I changed my goal from 2 lbs lost/week to 1 lb/week and then 1/2 lb/week, and the weight came right off.

I know it sounds counterintuitive but it definitely works.

Also, start lifting weights!!! (if you don't already do so)

charm_quark

As many of other members said, when I hit a plateau and it is happening very often cause I'm just a few pounds from my goal... I increase my calorie intake... a few days later I began to loose weight.
As an example, I'm now on 1500-1600 calorie daily intake.

Jennical

Bump

LoriBarefoot

bump

laurieblair2012

I agree about trying to reduce carbs and increase protein for ketosis for a few days...that might jump start you again. Eat your calories, though.

LilysMom28

Very interesting. I've been stuck too. I'm about 7lb from GW and 12 from my UGW. I'm on 1200 a day but i just realized that was for a 2lb weight loss per week (which hasnt happened in some time). So I just moved it to 1lb and i got an extra 140 calories per day. Seems strange to eat more to lose the weight but I'm willing to try anything to get past this lull I've been in.

mariannejj108

Interesting topic this. There are many myths surrounding calorie intake and metabolism, so much so that I did an extensive (Medical-student-dorky) research on the topic. The fact remains, calorie deficit = weight loss. You will loose weight at 1200 calories if your DCN (Daily Calorie Needs) is higher then this and as you loose weight this number drops just because it does not take you as much energy to move around. Your BMR can slow down when eating a very low calorie diet, but this is _very_ little, your bodies are amazingly efficient. Now, there are a lot of things that effect your weight, the amount of water your body carries (This fluctuates a lot!), amount of muscle and so on. I understand your frustration, but I think my biggest suggestion for you is, do you trust your goals? Do you trust that the things you are doing is right? Your calorie goal, calorie count and exercise routine is correct? Then TRUST what you are doing and give it time! Don't get the reward from your scale, get it from you and each day give yourself credit for doing so well and keep going because, if your goals and calories are correct, you will loose weight. Trust that.

My second recommendation would be to look at your macros, where does your calories come from? For me, I feel better when on a low calorie diet to up my proteins, I feel it makes me fuller, keeps my sugar even. And when you get stuck like this, think your goals through and make some changes and see how it feels! Maybe up your protein to 50%? Mix up your exercise routine. But most important, feel good, feel what you are doing is right and give yourself credit for that each day!