Do I just need to be patient?

hellodiane

he scale isn't moving and although making healthy choices is becoming easier, I feel like my daily struggle is for nothing. I lose 40 pounds over the course of a year, then gave up for a few months. I am trying to get the last 20 pounds off, and I am exercising and doing pilates 5 days a week and eating between 1200-1400 calories a day. Less when I am not exercising. Why is nothing happening? Seems like when I did this before, I was consistently losing 2 pounds a week!

rollergirl12

1200-1400 sounds too low for how much you're exercising. It sounds as if your body has adjusted, which means you have got to reset it. Eat at maintenance level for 7-10 days then go back on a calorie deficit and see what happens.

mcarter99

Be more patient, double check all your estimates (how much you're eating, how much you think you should be burning), double check your weight loss. Sometimes it seems like nothing's happening but then you check the numbers and you've lost 5 lbs. in a month.

If you're sure you're doing it all right and the scale hasn't moved in weeks or hasn't moved at the speed you'd like, adjust your calories accordingly (which means down).

cari4jc1

Have you taken measurements? You might be losing inches. Sometimes taking measurements is the best way to see progress and stay motivated. I agree with the others though...double check your eating and make sure your measurements there are correct. And don't EVER eat under 1200 calories whether you are exercising or not. It's just not healthy. I also agree that your body might be used to what you're doing so try throwing some different exercises in there and see if that helps.

I would highly recommend finding out what you're bmr is though and trying to eat at or at least close to that number especially since you're exercising so much. You have to give your body fuel to be able to just do the normal daily functions plus if you're active and exercising you need even more.

fitfocusedfamily

Have you taken measurements? You might be losing inches. Sometimes taking measurements is the best way to see progress and stay motivated. I agree with the others though...double check your eating and make sure your measurements there are correct. And don't EVER eat under 1200 calories whether you are exercising or not. It's just not healthy. I also agree that your body might be used to what you're doing so try throwing some different exercises in there and see if that helps.

I would highly recommend finding out what you're bmr is though and trying to eat at or at least close to that number especially since you're exercising so much. You have to give your body fuel to be able to just do the normal daily functions plus if you're active and exercising you need even more.

^^I second this!^^

You are not eating enought to fuel your body. On days you don't workout, it is ok to eat 1200 calories, but NEVER less!! Your NET calories should be at 1200 for the day.