What regiment are you on that has lost you weight?
steveman99
Posts: 27
I am supposed to eat 1800 calories per day, so I try and eat less and go way under the 1800, generally 1200 per day.
BUT, I have only lost minimal amounts of weight over one month. I guess, over the entire one month eight lbs is not that bad, keeping in the scheme of things, but I want to know what has worked for you all out there, and maybe I can incorporate what you have had success with, to my lifestyle.
Thank you.
Stephen
BUT, I have only lost minimal amounts of weight over one month. I guess, over the entire one month eight lbs is not that bad, keeping in the scheme of things, but I want to know what has worked for you all out there, and maybe I can incorporate what you have had success with, to my lifestyle.
Thank you.
Stephen
0
Replies
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You are not eating anywhere near enough, which is why you aren’t losing. I am a 5’7†woman and 1200 isn’t enough for me. Your body needs enough fuel to function properly and you aren’t doing that, hence it is hanging on to every calorie you feed it. You do not want to eat below your BMR- which essentially how many calories your body needs to keep up organ functions while in a coma. I am guessing you are eating well below that level.
You didn’t get overweight quickly and you won’t slim down quickly. Follow what MFP tells you to eat (the 1800 calories) and give it a chance to work.0 -
How do you make yourself eat more when YOu don't feel hungry to eat more. I struggle with this all the time. I only lost 5lb and then thanks to Easter gained 1lb back since Feb. WTH? So I am curious too0
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How do you make yourself eat more when YOu don't feel hungry to eat more.
How do you normally cook vegetables or meat? If you cook them in cooking spray, use a tablespoon of healthy oil (olive, walnut, whatever kind) instead. Bam, there is 120 calories. One tablespoon of peanut butter is 100 calories and certainly isn't filling. There are many calorie dense healthy foods that you can fit into your day that won't make you feel stuffed.0 -
How do you make yourself eat more when YOu don't feel hungry to eat more.
How do you normally cook vegetables or meat? If you cook them in cooking spray, use a tablespoon of healthy oil (olive, walnut, whatever kind) instead. Bam, there is 120 calories. One tablespoon of peanut butter is 100 calories and certainly isn't filling. There are many calorie dense healthy foods that you can fit into your day that won't make you feel stuffed.
I don't know why I didn't think of using my coconut oil. Love that stuff. Good thinking0 -
I would have to go with you aren't eating enough. I'd up it to the 1800 they recommend, give it a month and then see where you are. Good luck
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Dude, 8lbs is actually REALLY good for a month!
I did a weight loss challenge at my gym for 3 weeks, and the average loss was about 8lbs, and those people were on a strict diet and working out an hour a day at least. You seem to be doing just as good as them.........0 -
Yep, your body is in starvation mode, holding on to everything because you are not feeding it enough. Eat the 1800, minimum, and I bet you will see a loss. Lot's of us have realized this and are now losing weight and have stronger, healthier bodies. Good luck!0
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Eating primal. 2000 Calories a day. Sometimes I find it hard to eat that much. I started the week of Feb. 20th 2012.0
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MFP recommends I eat 1300 cal per day and I eat every morsel of that 1300 cal, plus I exercise and burn at least 300 cal everyday & I clocked a 16 lb weight loss last yr when I did this. I am back again this yr to do the same and I am doing everything the exact same way I did it last yr. If nothing else, eat the recommended MFP amount of calories and still exercise.0
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I definitely agree with the previous posters - you are not eating enough. I recently hit a plateau and it was basically because I was eating too little, I upped my calories and lost 2 lbs instantly.
From my blog (http://all4derby.blogspot.com/2012/04/great-practice-great-weigh-in.html):
My regular food goal with no exercise is 1450 calories.
My estimated exercise expenditure was 538 calories.
The actual number of calories consumed was 1902 calories.
My net calories (food - exercise) aka the only calories that count was 1364.
And I got to eat ALL THAT FOOD! And I dropped 2 plateau pounds like nothing.
You can lose weight fast AND eat. Make sure your net calories are always at your calorie goal!0 -
Running...
and lifting weights...
and drinking lots of water...
and eating more nutrient dense foods...
and not eating processed crappy foods...
and hitting my calorie goal after exercise 0 -
I agree with the others... 8 pounds in a month is great! I'd keep doing what you are doing!
I do agree that staying on a 1200 calorie a day diet for long term can cause problems but I don't think it happens overnight. Or you could do a plan like I'm doing. I follow the Spike diet. The suggestion of the plan is to figure your bmr and eat at that level 3 days, eat 500 minus bmr 3 days (but never under 1200), and eat twice your bmr one day a week to keep your metobolism going. This way you will reset your body and leptin levels weekly and won't go into starvation mode.
That said I've modified my plan a bit. My BMR is 1500. I eat at 1200-1300 Mon-Fri, around 1500 on Saturday, and around 3000 Sundays. It finally got me off a month long plateu and losing again and it's been much more fun. 0 -
I agree with the others... 8 pounds in a month is great! I'd keep doing what you are doing!
I do agree that staying on a 1200 calorie a day diet for long term can cause problems but I don't think it happens overnight. Or you could do a plan like I'm doing. I follow the Spike diet. The suggestion of the plan is to figure your bmr and eat at that level 3 days, eat 500 minus bmr 3 days (but never under 1200), and eat twice your bmr one day a week to keep your metobolism going. This way you will reset your body and leptin levels weekly and won't go into starvation mode.
That said I've modified my plan a bit. My BMR is 1500. I eat at 1200-1300 Mon-Fri, around 1500 on Saturday, and around 3000 Sundays. It finally got me off a month long plateu and losing again and it's been much more fun.
Hmm... I may try this in 6 weeks to change things up. Do you mind me asking what your losses have been on this plan?0 -
I am supposed to eat about 2300 calories a day, so I eat about 2300 calories a day, more if I exercise. I am losing weight just fine, and I am never hungry. It's your journey, but it doesn't seem that cutting calories more than a 1000 calorie a day deficit provides sustainable results for most people.
Just my thoughts. I am about 8 weeks into this, and I don't do everything perfect, I don't exercise as much as I should, and sometimes I eat like crap. Still, I am losing weight, and I feel like my energy levels are higher than they were two months ago.0 -
I ate 1200-1400 cals a day (closer to 1200) every day for 7 months. Plus about 1000 cals of exercise which put me in a 2000 - 3000 calorie a day deficit. I'm not recommending this, it is just what worked for me. I lost 140 lbs in 7 months. Monitored my labs every 4 weeks to make sure I wasn't deficient in anything. I now eat 2700 cals a day and am still loosing 1 lb a week. I'm adjusting up to 3100 next week if I can conquer the mental demon!
Good luck, just stick with it and you'll succeed!!
-M0 -
This is great and encouraging. I love this thread. LOL
I struggle because I feel like if I eat mroe than 1300 calories I am going to gain weight. But my SIL eats normal people food and loses and my BIL. Yet here I am trying to lose weight too and doing the smoothie for breakfast, and a protein shake for dinner and trying to cut back on carbs, but not losing weight. I am also working out most days so burning anywhere from 400-800 calories doing that. I clearly am not eating enough. I am g oing to start eating normal. I don't buy a lot of processed stuff so I am good their, I think I just need to work on not being afraid to eat0 -
Eating bare minimum calories and lots of cardio made me lose a lot of weight. But it wasn't in just fat! I got all scrawny, so I'm in the middle of bulking.0
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I'm doing Power90 and I try to get net 1500 calories. It's a struggle since sometimes I'm not hungry. I'm going to take the idea that one poster posted about the Olive Oil & Pam exchange though.0
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I started my journey on March 3rd. The first month I ate 1400 cals a day or less, because I thought I would lose more weight. Well I would get through like day 3 and be starving so I would eat things I shouldn't. Then back on I would go and starve myself. Horrible cycle. I lost 6 pounds last month. So far this month I upped my cals to 1800 and the weight is falling off me and I never feel hungry.
Eat your calories people!! your body needs it!! I swear it works! 0 -
If you cook most of what you eat yourself, as opposed to eating out, you can cut calories in all kinds of places. I substitute low fat or non fat versions of dairy products in recipes all the time. I've heard on more than one occasion that the low fat or non fat versions are filled with "fillers" or sugar to compensate, but I read labels and haven't run into this yet. Some of the non fat cheeses don't taste so good, so beware, but in recipes they're usually fine. One example: I use fat free ricotta in Greek Spinach Pie and you can't tell the difference at all. I also have used low fat cottage cheese in lasagna or stuffed shells and even my Italian mother-in-law could not tell the difference. Also, I use minimal olive oil in sauteeing recipes (like a couple of teaspoons) and then use vegetable stock for moisture.
In the past, eating carbs only in the morning, drinking lots of water, walking 3 times a week for 20 minutes and doing lunges with 5 lb weights and sit-ups with an ab roller 3 times a week worked great for me.0 -
The MFP program already has a deficit built in.. Truthfully, a pound or 2 a week is good progress.0
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BUT, I have only lost minimal amounts of weight over one month. I guess, over the entire one month eight lbs is not that bad...
8 lbs in one month is FABULOUS.
Healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs a week, depending on how much you have to lose. Alot of people lose more than that once they first start a diet program because of water weight, etc, but 2 lbs a week consistently is GREAT.0 -
About a year ago I started with just changing one or two things. I started making fruit smoothies. I like fruit, but this is a better way for me to have fruit daily.
I was amazed at how full I felt, but the calories were so low (to me anyway).
Also, I often eat a filling breakfast and then make sure I have good snacks throughout the day. By good, I mean snacks I look forward to such as 1/4 c. of almonds with 1 Tbsp. of chocolate chips.
For breakfast, I will sometimes have an English muffin (100 calorie) with 1 poached egg or egg white, sometimes with a 1/2 piece of cheese. WIth that, a smoothie. My two favorites are raspberry (1/2 c. frozen raspberries, 1/2 c. nonfat plain yogurt, and 1/2 c. Trop 50 apple juice, or use Mott's Tots apple juice. Blueberry: 1 c. of wild frozen blueberries, 1 banana, and 1/2 c. pineapple or grape juice.
On some mornings, I would double the raspberry smoothie and just have smoothies for breakfast. But I would be hungry again earlier than if I had the homemade McMuffin.
Oh, and a couple of books have helped me: The 400 Calorie Fix, which has recipes for 400 calorie servings of foods, which are quite good. And, Volumetrics, which also has photos of various meals and stresses how you can actually eat great volume of food once you choose the right stuff.
So instead of feeling deprived, I now eat tastier food, and enjoy it more. I also make a few soups from the 400 calorie book and have them available throughout the week, or freeze them.0 -
I am supposed to eat 1800 calories per day, so I try and eat less and go way under the 1800, generally 1200 per day.
BUT, I have only lost minimal amounts of weight over one month. I guess, over the entire one month eight lbs is not that bad, keeping in the scheme of things, but I want to know what has worked for you all out there, and maybe I can incorporate what you have had success with, to my lifestyle.
Thank you.
Stephen
I guess how much were you expecting to lose every month? 8 pounds in 10 months would be 80 lbs. The slower you lose weight the easier it is to maintain it.
Losing weight isn't the hard part of this game it is just the beginning. Maintenance over a 3, 5, 10, and 20 year period is what is so hard.0 -
Eegads man eat your calories. lol Your body needs a certain amount of calories to function and to support whatever activity you choose to do. It will get these calories whether you eat them or not. When you dont eat enough it goes to your body for them. If that amount is small enough it will mostly come from fat storage. If it is too large it will come from other places like muscles and organs. Im sure we can all agree that is not good. Even if it looks great on the scale.
Your reckless diet lost you 8 lbs in a month which is way above average but where did it come from? Your body is eating itself not just burning fat.0 -
8 pounds isn't minimal. it's pretty good, don't be fooled by those things like biggest loser where they have people losing 8 pounds in a week. you have to ask yourself what's more important, losing the weight and keeping it off or losing it and gaining it all back again because you were only focused on the short term?
also 1800 sounds low. are you also eating back your exercise calories?0 -
8lbs in a month is good! I know how it can be frustrating though. Honestly if you consume 1200 calories for a short time, as long as you get enough protein and you eat several times a day, the starvation mode thing is a myth. It takes time to truly go into starvation mode, however, if you don't eat enough calories, chances are you aren't getting enough nutrients.
I personally am supposed to eat 1200 cal a day but I range between 1000-1200 most days, and I rarely eat my exercise calories back. I do with some, but not as a rule. I will say, that lots of water helps immensely! If you aren't well hydrated, you don't burn fat. And stay away from processed foods as often as possible!
But be proud of yourself, 8lbs is a good, healthy weight loss!0 -
Ok, the diversity of replies have me scratching my head. On the one hand, it has been suggested that I eat all my calories, up to the 1800 per day allowed. However, on the other hand, some of you have suggested that keep it going the way I have been going since day one, a month ago.
I haven't been starved doing this 1200 calorie per day method, not at all.
Last year I was on the HCG diet, and I was dropping weight like a lead weight. The HCG diet has you eating no more than 500 calories per day. And the extra calories needed to supplement your body comes from the fat reserves in the body. I had to stop that, I was actually then going into starvation mode, and was very weak; it took its toll on me!
Thanks for all your suggestions, and we have a various group of nice people out here, just trying to encourage all fellow dieters on. That's fantastic!!!
Stephen0 -
Ok, the diversity of replies have me scratching my head. On the one hand, it has been suggested that I eat all my calories, up to the 1800 per day allowed. However, on the other hand, some of you have suggested that keep it going the way I have been going since day one, a month ago.
I haven't been starved doing this 1200 calorie per day method, not at all.
Last year I was on the HCG diet, and I was dropping weight like a lead weight. The HCG diet has you eating no more than 500 calories per day. And the extra calories needed to supplement your body comes from the fat reserves in the body. I had to stop that, I was actually then going into starvation mode, and was very weak; it took its toll on me!
Thanks for all your suggestions, and we have a various group of nice people out here, just trying to encourage all fellow dieters on. That's fantastic!!!
Stephen
" the extra calories needed to supplement your body comes from the fat reserves in the body". That is just not true. I really hope you have not damage your body doing this kind of extreme dieting. Bones, joints, organs, brain function, hormones, muscles all were being destroyed on a diet like that. You were literally eating yourself to death. That is why you got weak.
Oh well I gave my opinion. Good luck and be healthy.0 -
Ok, the diversity of replies have me scratching my head. On the one hand, it has been suggested that I eat all my calories, up to the 1800 per day allowed. However, on the other hand, some of you have suggested that keep it going the way I have been going since day one, a month ago.
I haven't been starved doing this 1200 calorie per day method, not at all.
Last year I was on the HCG diet, and I was dropping weight like a lead weight. The HCG diet has you eating no more than 500 calories per day. And the extra calories needed to supplement your body comes from the fat reserves in the body. I had to stop that, I was actually then going into starvation mode, and was very weak; it took its toll on me!
Thanks for all your suggestions, and we have a various group of nice people out here, just trying to encourage all fellow dieters on. That's fantastic!!!
Stephen
Your NET calories is what is important to lose weight, not your INTAKE. Your NET cals = your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) - your defecit + plus exercise.
For example: your TDEE* is 1800
You want to lose 1 lb a week, your NET has to be 1300, or a 500 cal defecit from your TDEE. You can create this defecit with exercise OR eating:
Intake 1300 - no exercise = 1300 net
Intake 1800 - 500 exercise = 1300 net
Intake 1500 - 200 exercise = 1300 net
You have to make sure you are INTAKING enough for your body, so the less you have to lose, the less you can rely on your eating alone creating the defecit and the more you have to incorporate exercise to get to your net but still be intaking enough. Yeah, your body CAN burn energy from its fat; but your body NEEDS more things than energy to live well, things like vitamins, iron, calcium, etc. MFP's intake minimum is 1,200, this isn't necessarily a hard and fast rule for some of us smaller women, but should certainly be considered due to your sex and weight. And honestly if you aren't giving your body enough protein cals it is going to eat your muscles along with your fat, and few people want that!
*TDEE is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) x your activity level (for example BMRx 1.2 for sedentary)
MFP should set your goal at your NET. Follow that and log/eat back your exercise cals, but make sure you are accurate in your burns like with using a Heart Rate Monitor.
HCG is a freaking....:explode: don't get me started. Glad you are off of it.0
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