Can't eat over 800 calories a day.

katweeks63
katweeks63 Posts: 59
in Health and Weight Loss
Why is it that if I eat more than 800 calories a day I either maintain or gain weight. I basically do the same amount of activities every day, and I drink fluids, but if I eat anywhere near 1200 calories a day I gain weight, if I eat between 800 and 1000 I maintain. Any ideas?
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Replies

  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Assuming you do not have any medical conditions that would interfere, my first guess is that you are not counting calories correctly (estimation errors) and/or you are not allowing enough time (ex: weigh yourself in a few days, see 1 lb of water weight and panic assuming you gained fat).

    Those are my blunt guesses.
  • katweeks63
    katweeks63 Posts: 59
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

    I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

    I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

    But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?
  • angeldaae
    angeldaae Posts: 348 Member
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

    I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

    Open your diary and let us have a look.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

    I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

    But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?

    i agree. you are probably not measuring things accurately.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Assuming you do not have any medical conditions that would interfere, my first guess is that you are not counting calories correctly (estimation errors) and/or you are not allowing enough time (ex: weigh yourself in a few days, see 1 lb of water weight and panic assuming you gained fat).

    Those are my blunt guesses.

    ^ What Mr.Steel said.

    OP you are seeing water and glycogen stores causing you to "gain weight". It isn't fat though.
  • katweeks63
    katweeks63 Posts: 59
    Assuming you do not have any medical conditions that would interfere, my first guess is that you are not counting calories correctly (estimation errors) and/or you are not allowing enough time (ex: weigh yourself in a few days, see 1 lb of water weight and panic assuming you gained fat).

    Those are my blunt guesses.

    I don't estimate, I research if it is not listed on the package. I log everything. I expect water weight, but I don't expect to gain a pound when I have ate under my goal every day. I don't cheat, no purpose in that.
  • katweeks63
    katweeks63 Posts: 59
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

    I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

    But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?

    I measure and weigh everything.
  • jayne7769
    jayne7769 Posts: 1
    Are you short?
    I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    Why is it that if I eat more than 800 calories a day I either maintain or gain weight. I basically do the same amount of activities every day, and I drink fluids, but if I eat anywhere near 1200 calories a day I gain weight, if I eat between 800 and 1000 I maintain. Any ideas?

    Better cut back some more
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

    I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

    But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?

    I measure and weigh everything.

    Then most likely you have a thyroid issue, or retain water with the higher caloric intake due to higher glycogen stores.

    I would suggest trying to eat 1400 cals or so for 5-6 weeks, you may gain the first week or 2. If after the 5-6 weeks you are not getting results make adjustments from there.
  • holly3585
    holly3585 Posts: 282 Member
    Eat 1400 calories for a full month and do not step on the scale. keep up your normal routine. i think you will be pleasantly surprised. Eating too little isn't fun OR good for you. Don't pay attention to fluctuations over a week- or even a MONTH if you know you are staying on track.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    I read your profile and you state you have been skinny your entire life, even while having children. Am I correct to assume that perhaps throughout your adult life you have been likely eating below what you typically would to maintain weight? If so, then over the years your Resting Metabolic Rate has decline causing you to be full on very little. Another reason you may experience this problem is due to the medical issue of your glands.
  • berryjk
    berryjk Posts: 120
    my question would be...how much sodium do you consume? more sodium=more water retention. also never weigh yourself after you eat. first thing after relieving yourself in the morning on the same day of every week (let's say Monday) would give you the most accurate scale readings.
  • rextcat
    rextcat Posts: 1,408 Member
    eat more loose the scale work out
  • mistigoodwin
    mistigoodwin Posts: 411 Member
    You might need to eat more. You will see a gain in the beginning, after a couple weeks you will be losing again, but your body might just need more to actually burn more. My sister was having a hard time losing so she increased her calories, did minimal workout and she started losing a steady 2lbs a week!

    Good Luck!
  • _Mimi_
    _Mimi_ Posts: 233
    Don't really know enough about you, but this may be worth a read. It may fit you, it may not. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/core_march_8.htm

    Here's a little bit from the article: Not only has her metabolism matched her intake, her body has maximized production of enzymes that are designed to help store any additional calories as fat. Anytime additional, immediately-unnecessary calories are consumed the enzymes are there and waiting to store the additional calories as fat. Her body is starved nutritionally and it has one thing on its mind - survival.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Are you short?
    I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.
    Height has nothing to do with how much you can eat. I'm 5'2" and eat around 2,000 calories and lose weight.

    To OP: How long did you stay at 1200 cals? You will gain at first because your body is thinking "OMG, I better store all this for when she drops down to 800 again". My advice would be to try eating at 1200 for a few weeks/a month. Once your body learns you aren't depriving it, it will settle down and drop some weight.
  • TNTwedell
    TNTwedell Posts: 277 Member
    Girl - Im in the same boat as you -- truthfully. If I eat more the 1000, I either gain or maintain. I tried the 1400-1800 (did that for like 4 months - just maintained)
    The only time the scale goes down is when I eat less then 800 calories. I still have a balanced diet (ish) of protein, fruit & veggie -- but its not a diet I want to maintain forever.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    When you say that if you eat over 800 calories, you gain weight...are you talking day to day? Or have you done this over the long haul? I am having a hard time grasping what you are saying here.

    Also, do you exercise? If you are short, you really need to exercise to lose weight unless you are extremely over weight.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Are you short?
    I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.
    Height has nothing to do with how much you can eat. I'm 5'2" and eat around 2,000 calories and lose weight.

    To OP: How long did you stay at 1200 cals? You will gain at first because your body is thinking "OMG, I better store all this for when she drops down to 800 again". My advice would be to try eating at 1200 for a few weeks/a month. Once your body learns you aren't depriving it, it will settle down and drop some weight.

    Height has nothing to do with it? Interdasting
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    Are you short?
    I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.

    5 feet isn't that short, you're not a little person (is that the PC term to use these days?). I'm only 5'3", so not much taller, and I eat grown up portions of food. At least 1500 calories a day, more depending on the amount of exercise I've done.

    It takes more than 800 calories a day for your body just to function. Your BMR is more than that. Give it more time, measure yourself, and after a month I can almost promise (I say almost because I'm not a doctor or registered dietician) that you'll be better off.
  • shunggie
    shunggie Posts: 1,036 Member
    Visit with a doctor or nutritionist. First make sure there are no medical reasons causing this issue.
  • yaryrosa
    yaryrosa Posts: 65 Member
    Are you short?
    I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.

    You know? That could be it, I'm 4'11'' and have been eating between 1200 and 1400 for the last month and havent lost a pound. I'm mostly maintaining. So I figure I either work out a lot or cut calories even further to lose weight. I agree, short people cant eat the same as normal adult-sized ones... too bad.
  • konerusp
    konerusp Posts: 247 Member
    Please read this
    http://www.7layerliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/feastorfamine.pdf

    My guess is that you have been on a low calorie diet for so long that any surplus in energy that your body is receiving it is treating as a feast and storing whatever it can.I had experience with this in the past.Growing up i ate whatever i want,i was a dancer and i typically burned whatever i ate.As i grew older ie from teens to 20s -i became relatively sedentary-still eating the same calories so i gained weight.Now instead of increasing my activity-i just reduced my intake to 800 calories a day-i lost 30 pounds in 3 months-then my body held on to every inch of fat it can.whenever I have had energy surges(ie parties/holidays) my body stored more and more fat though i was very active.It took me almost a year to slowly increase my intake from 800 to 2200.i increase 200 calories for every few weeks until the weight went up and came back down(between 160 and 164).now at 2200 i dont gain anymore,ie the weight has stabilized.making a small cut out of maintenance will have safe fat loss,this is not a quick process.

    You just have to train your body to function at a particular calorie intake.It does need patience and not freaking out looking at the gains on the scale.It only a matter of time until the body gets used to it.Good luck.
    PS:IF you wonder how i arrived at 2200 to calculate energy required you can use this site
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • thinnnnnnner
    thinnnnnnner Posts: 89
    Your metabolism may need a boost? Not sure your eating schedule but eating smaller meals every few hours, drinking green tea, having a source of protein in every meal etc. might help.
  • JHawk181
    JHawk181 Posts: 1 Member
    I do competitive bodybuilding, and although our numbers are completely different, I've experienced the same idea. Sometimes when you eat too few calories, your body goes into "starvation mode"-for lack of a better term- and basically begins to hold onto everything it gets and DRASTICALLY decreases your metabolism and influences other hormones so that it's not burning as many calories to maintain. You can correct it, but you need to do it SLOWLY otherwise you're just going to put on weight rather quickly because you've retarded your metabolism. Try SLOWLY walking your calories back up by increasing them 100 cals/day and see where that lands you. Stick with that until your weight holds steady at those calories, then do it again. Repeat this until your weight is steady AND you're eating a healthy amount. There's really no possible way your body is getting the nutrients it needs on 800 cals/day and I'm sure your energy levels must be through the floor. Expect a slight weight increase the first few days just due to water and things like that, but honestly I'd go to 900 cals/day for a couple weeks without even stepping on the scale first. You can be skinny/lightweight and still not be healthy....make sure your body is getting what it needs first.
  • jessicahelene
    jessicahelene Posts: 77 Member
    Are you short?
    I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.
    Height has nothing to do with how much you can eat. I'm 5'2" and eat around 2,000 calories and lose weight.

    Yes, this reply was quite wrong... First of all, children need tons of calories 3000-4000 while they are growing so it's sort of wrong to say you're eating like a child by eating less than MFP guidelines. Secondly, as many people have pointed out here, continuously eating less than your body needs causes your body to adjust to eating less and storing everything it can....

    So as others have suggested, I think you should eat more, and work out! Not just cardio on the treadmill, be sure you add strength training with heavy weights. Good luck!
  • Zylayna
    Zylayna Posts: 728 Member
    Please read this
    http://www.7layerliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/feastorfamine.pdf

    My guess is that you have been on a low calorie diet for so long that any surplus in energy that your body is receiving it is treating as a feast and storing whatever it can.I had experience with this in the past.Growing up i ate whatever i want,i was a dancer and i typically burned whatever i ate.As i grew older ie from teens to 20s -i became relatively sedentary-still eating the same calories so i gained weight.Now instead of increasing my activity-i just reduced my intake to 800 calories a day-i lost 30 pounds in 3 months-then my body held on to every inch of fat it can.whenever I have had energy surges(ie parties/holidays) my body stored more and more fat though i was very active.It took me almost a year to slowly increase my intake from 800 to 2200.i increase 200 calories for every few weeks until the weight went up and came back down(between 160 and 164).now at 2200 i dont gain anymore,ie the weight has stabilized.making a small cut out of maintenance will have safe fat loss,this is not a quick process.

    You just have to train your body to function at a particular calorie intake.It does need patience and not freaking out looking at the gains on the scale.It only a matter of time until the body gets used to it.Good luck.
    PS:IF you wonder how i arrived at 2200 to calculate energy required you can use this site
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    ^^^^^ THIS!!!^^^^

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