I would like some feedback

killinme

I have been sticking to the 1200 calorie meal plan; i lost 10lbs in four days (probably water weight); but now after an additional six days I am not seeing any downward movement at all, and have gained a pound. I have ( in the past) moved to unhealthy dieting options, but I do NOT want to do that this time. I am doing cardio (mostly walking and standing) three times a week at about 30 minutes a day. HELP!

Does anyone have any idea why this happens and how I can break the cycle?

I am a very large woman and my BMR is over 2200.

I could really use the help if anyone has any idea what I am doing wrong.

Thank you in advance.

Natty0506

You're not eating enough. If your BMR is 2200, that's the LEAST amount you should be eating. It's no wonder you're not losing weight. Your body doesn't have enough fuel, it can't function properly.

AlyRoseNYC

You may need to eat more...and I never say that lol. Hopefully, someone with more knowledge on upping cals for weight loss woll chime in.

killinme

The pal suggested 1270 and that is what i am eating. I am just really discouraged.

Sabine_Stroehm

The pal suggested 1270 and that is what i am eating. I am just really discouraged.

You have it set for a 1LB a week weight loss?

MelissaGraham7

of course, first I would say 6 days is nothing to sweat about and do not be obsessed by the scale. Secondly, I would say you are not eating nearly enough. If you know for a FACT that your BMR is 2200, you should never eat below that, from all the literature I've read. If you can calculate your TDEE - it is okay to eat below that but not below your BMR. So, do some more research and see about calculating your TDEE. Here is a great web site: http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

Crystalchaos72

Well that is ridiculous ( the setting it has you on). When I first started this site and wanted to lose 2# a week it told me 1200 and I was like "Oh HELL NO!!" I changed the ottion to lose 1# a week and it gave me 1690 and I was 182 at the time. Like someone said your body needs more fuel

janeite1990

Can't see your diary, so I'm not sure what you are doing. I don't know what you mean by "standing" as cardio. From other comments, it sounds like you aren't eating enough, but I also found that I have to do way more cardio for results. Of course, that would be another calorie increase, I suppose. Just make sure you bust the cardio as hard as you are capable.

thomassd1969

When I started it had me on 1200 calories a day. After being hungry and grouchy all the time I spoke to my couch and she said it was way to low. I am currently eating at least 1640 a day and eating back my exercise calories if its not to late in the evening.

IveLanded

1200 NET, meaning if you are working out you need to eat back the calories you expend on that exercise and still net 1200. For example, I did an hour of spinning last night, expended about 400 calories, so I needed to take in 1600 calories in order to keep the 1200.

Also, I think people get really tricked into thinking that walking for a half hour 3 days a week is going to do much of anything, especially if you start out over weight. I started out overweight and I dropped my diet to 1200 a day (net) but I also worked out for at least an hour EVERY DAY, and I was pushing myself..........not walking around the block, I take cross training and cardio classes that make me sweat. IF you want to see results, you have to put in the effort.........easy walks a few days a week aren't going to hack it.
I also agree with the comment on not sure what you mean by "standing" as cardio........that's not really exercise.

killinme

No for 2lbs

jenna_scott

Check this website to find your BMR there a link in the upper right frame to a BMR calculator.

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/category/podcast/

2200 is a pretty high BMR are you sure that is not your TDEE? (total expenditure, your BMR is what they would give you in a hospital through a feeding tube if you were in a coma and the only thing that you did all day was lay there and sustain life, i.e. heart beating, breathing, pumping blood, digesting. Your TDEE is your BMR plus normal activity. Like getting up going to the bathroom taking a shower walking to your car driving to work normal daily activities)

Once you find your BMR you will find a table below that shows how many calories you should be eating to reach your goal weigh. I sit at a desk all day long so I see myself as sedentary, even though I work out 5-7 days per week.

The site says that I should eat 1620 per day, but it also says" It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point" so that puts me right about 1320. That is what my net goal should be at on MFP. Any exercise I do is then subtracted and SHAZAM I get to eat more. That is what they mean by eat more to lose more. Try to eat close to your NET calorie goal. You certainly can lose weight by eating below your net goal but it slows your metabolism down and your body converts all it can to fat and starts eating away at your lean muscle. So the question comes down to would you like to see the numbers go down on the scale quickly (lose muscle? Which by volume weighs more than fat) Or would you rather it come off more slowly and lose the fat? It is your choice but I would recommend eating more.

killinme

I was wrestling around with my 12 year old while his younger brother was doing gymnastics.

I was twisting and horsing around with him for an hour. I looked into standing (an hour), and the exercise database for MFP listed fishing from a river bank (standing so I used that).

Should I remove it?

Thank you very much for the feedback.

TeaBea

Walking CAN definitely be cardio, but you have to push yourself. But standing is NOT cardio, standing does not increase your heart rate.

Walk at a brisk pace, swing your arms with purpose. You should breathe faster and even sweat a little.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/308153-is-walking-cardio-exercise/


I agree with other posters, it sounds like you are not eating enough.

killinme

Thank you.
I will remove it.

I was looking and it was listed as a valid expenditure of calories.

Thank you.

nytdreamer80

DEf. up your calories. Thats what I did when i hit a plateau after losing 30ish pounds. Give it a try for a couple weeks and see if you see any movement that way, and if you dont drop it back down. Make sure you are eating back your exercise calories and NEVER EVER net below 1200 calories.

mellabyte

This is a good article about why eating way under cals can backfire:

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

If you don't eat back your exercise calories, your metabolism will slow down.

junemiller

Watch what you drink. There can be hundreds of calories in juice or fancy coffee etc. Also be sure eat something within 1/2 hour of getting out of bed to kick start your metabolism. Good Luck and don't give up.

killinme

Thank you!

killinme

I wonder it that is the issue.

I drink black coffee (just coffee)

Green Tea

Water

Diet Pepsi

I know that D.P. and Water are zero cals, but do coffee and green tea have a lot?

Thanks!

I am borderline diabetic so I avoid any sugar like the plague, I do eat blueberries about 15 a day too.

TeaBea

I wonder it that is the issue.

I drink black coffee (just coffee)

Green Tea

Water

Diet Pepsi

I know that D.P. and Water are zero cals, but do coffee and green tea have a lot?

Thanks!

I am borderline diabetic so I avoid any sugar like the plague, I do eat blueberries about 15 a day too.

Nope - beverages are not an issue for you. Black coffee & plain tea (green, black, red, white, herbal) are mostly zero calories too. I drink sooooo much tea. I suppose you could find a really fruity tea with a couple of calories.

Natural sugars are OK, just don't go overboard. Watch the "added" or processed sugars though, calories add up really fast, and ZERO nutritional value.