HELP! Slow Loss Discouragement

tfortalin

I have been eating around 1200 calories a day for 4.5 months and have only lost 6lbs. Does anyone have pointers for me on what I can be doing better? Someone advised me to increase my caloric intake but I am hesitant to do that. I'm 5'1" and female. Thanks for the help!

AmyP619

Do you exercise?

ahviendha

open up your diary, and detail exercise regime please!

kenazfehu

Your diary is closed, so I can't offer any suggestions.

If you are close to the correct weight for your height and bone structure, loss is much slower.

blanhe2

Are you eating your exercise calories? Are you accurately writing everything down?
Well done to sticking with it despite the slow loss!

trac3

Add exercise 4-5 times a week if you aren't doing it already. If you are, maybe kick it up a notch and think about adding weights if you just do cardio. Also, I'd cycle your calories a little ~ eat more some days, like maybe 1400/1500 one or two days and then go back to 1200 cals. Mix it up so your body doesn't get used to one thing. It might bump up your metabolism Don't get discouraged!!!

Ps. You don't look like you have that much weight to lose, just FYI, so maybe your body doesn't need to?

Drdeb330

I've had the same problem and am exercising at least 5 days a week. Some days I am under my 1200 calories. Been doing this for about 3 weeks now and have only lost about a half pound. Although my clothes are more loose, the pounds have not come off. What am I doing wrong. I"m 53 years old and 5'5".

Pixi_Rex

Don't get discouraged. Some of us lose slower than others. how much are you trying to lose? the closer you are to goal the harder it is to lose. Also open your profile/diary so everyone can see what your eating, if you are exercising are you eating back your exercise calories? Maybe 1200 calories is too low for you, I was eating 1200 calories for almost a year and lost nothing bumped up my calories to 1500 and have seen the scale move more now than in the last 2 years.

If you are doing everything "right" have you gone to see your Dr? I have a hell of a time losing weight because my thyroid is underactive and it slows the entire process down but its not impossible. and remember this is not a race, sure you want to be at your goal sooner rather than later but do it in a healthy slow manner and you will keep it off.

Edited because I cannot spell and I don't proof read.

ravengirl1611

without seeing your diary or knowing anything about your exercise habits it's hard to say - but upping your cals 100-200 cals/day is the generally accepted advice given for questions like this - the last couple lbs are always hardest they say - it could also be that your body just doesnt want to let those go and has decided that the weight you are know is the weight you need to be at. You could try upping the cals a bit and lowering the workouts a bit if for example you're working out 6 days a week.

lauraaltman1

Make sure your getting plenty of fiber and drinking lots of water. Don't go to long without eating between meals. Your body goes into starvation mode and that can cause you to not loose weight. Have a healthy snack like an apple or strawberries in between each meal. If your not moving your not loosing. Start walking it really helps!

firstsip

I've had the same problem and am exercising at least 5 days a week. Some days I am under my 1200 calories. Been doing this for about 3 weeks now and have only lost about a half pound. Although my clothes are more loose, the pounds have not come off. What am I doing wrong. I"m 53 years old and 5'5".

... You're not giving it enough time. It's only been three weeks. Your body takes an average of 4-6 weeks to adjust to new changes--you're probably retaining water from bumping up exercise.

You're also probably retaining water because you're exercising so much but not NETTING 1200. 53 or not 53, your body probably isn't getting adequate fuel.

OP: open that diary, girl.

skinnyeascolady

have you tried the south beach diet. I was hypothyroid and couldn't lose an once. Once treated still had a hard time came off super slow until I did south beach still slow compared to some but at least I have results. down 25 pounds in 5 months. So hang in there low cal low fat diets are not for everyone just sayin. Yes south beach is healthy.

mulderpf

How much do you have to lose? Have you done any body fat calculations? If you don't have anything to lose or very little, then it won't budge.

You really should look at increasing your calories to just below TDEE - you don't want to permanently slow down your metabolism!

buckleten

I wanted to say I have the same problem - I have been sticking to a 1000-1200 calorie diet (admittedly not exercising much!), and though I lost 7 pounds fairly easily, I have not lost a single pound for four weeks now. I need to lose 15-20 pounds, and this slow progress is depressing! I know more exercise would help, but I am not a couch potato, just not into the gym.. I do walk though!

firstsip

I wanted to say I have the same problem - I have been sticking to a 1000-1200 calorie diet (admittedly not exercising much!), and though I lost 7 pounds fairly easily, I have not lost a single pound for four weeks now. I need to lose 15-20 pounds, and this slow progress is depressing! I know more exercise would help, but I am not a couch potato, just not into the gym.. I do walk though!

... More calories would help. Am I in a vortex today? Have you guys read nutritional research, or read other posts? Exercising on top of a SUPER low deficit is counter productive. Your body will not lose because it's trying to retain as much as possible to stay functioning--when you DO lose, it's muscle first, NOT fat.

mauswood

I would say make sure you're getting enough exercise in and bump your calories up to 1,400 or 1,500. I lost 40 lbs exercising and eating 1,200 calories but then I hit a plateau that I could not break for the life of me - it lasted about two years - I finally upped my calories to 1,500 and lost another 10 pounds. So don't be afraid of a few extra calories, your body will like it - especially if it's protein and veggies.

LaSweetMini

Same thing happend to me. I am 4'11 though. I tried increasing my calories as recommended by tons of people and gained 10lbs! Its not for everyone. I worked out 5 days a week and ate 1200 day and nothing. Went to a nutritionist and she noticed that I was eating too much protein and not enough carbs. She recommened a vegetarian diet with lots of whole grains, fruits and veggies. I was hesitant at first but figured I would try. Lost 15lbs in one month! YAY!

californiagirl2012

I have been eating around 1200 calories a day for 4.5 months and have only lost 6lbs. Does anyone have pointers for me on what I can be doing better? Someone advised me to increase my caloric intake but I am hesitant to do that. I'm 5'1" and female. Thanks for the help!

I'm 5'1" female and I had to eat less to lose it. We are all different but I found a program that had me eat less and estimated my RMR/BMR to be less, and my doctor said go for it. Even with bigger lean body mass than most females my height (and even many a few inches taller) my RMR/BMR is still quite low. No one here can tell you how much to eat. If you have any questions about this see your doctor.

Your BMR could be lower than you think. You could go to a lab and have this tested. It's the only way to know for sure.

1200 is such a stupid number to get stuck on. What you need to eat for a deficit is relative to your RMR. If you are short you really don't have much room for up compared to the 1200. If you are taller you will have a higher RMR and can go up or down and still be in a deficit (way above 1200) so you can lose no matter what. All that matters is a calorie deficit.

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.


Also people play mental accounting games with calories just like with finances. Make steps to make sure you are making accurate measurements. Packaged foods can have MORE than they say but not less (they get in trouble if less so they would rather error with MORE).

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)

The good thing is you don't have to worry about the starvation mode myth if you are fat. Only skinny people have to worry about starvation mode. It does not mean you have the capability to eat at a large calorie deficit if you have emotional eating disorders or other issues going on, but at least you don't have to be afraid of it anymore.

The Theory of Fat Availability:
•There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
•The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you
may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit
you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is
when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to
as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in
men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

-Brad Pilon and John Barban (from The Reverse Taper Diet in The Adonis Index and Venus Index manuals)

Lifting weights is KEY. I recently had my DXA scan done and at 51.5 years of age I have the bone density of a super athletic 30 year old. That is a direct result of lifting for over 30 years. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what is! Also I believe it is why most people think I look much younger than I really am.

Start lifting now, lift heavy and change it up often, find a lot of weight routines with free weights, make it fun, embrace it, make it part of your life. Only 3 days a week is all it would take. Crank up your tunes and learn to love it, because your body will love it and it will make your quality of life better in many ways, especially when you get older like me.

Because of this I don't have to worry about osteoporosis. If you wait until you are older and your bones start to deteriorate it's a bit too late, you can't get back what you lost, and you can only start a resistance routine that will prevent further damage.

If you are female you don't have the hormones to get big naturally. I lift heavy and I'm still really tiny. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs and that is fairly heavy for a 5'1" female, and quite a bit of this is due to my having very dense bones from 30 years of lifting, not all muscle, and I'm still quite tiny.

My muscles really are not that big, but they show a lot of definition because I'm quite lean. If I gained some fat then I would have a softer more toned look (which is OKAY too!). Then if I gained more fat I would look bulky and hefty like I did most of my life until last year. YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT. Lean and ripped, soft and toned, or hefty, it all depends on how much fat you leave on your body. Calories are the only thing that changes fat. Exercise is for changing or maintaining your lean body mass only. Lifting weights will give you the best bang for your buck for shaping your body. I finally changed my shape by putting lifting first and cardio 2nd. You cannot out exercise too many calories

lcarpenter1

CONGRATS TO YOU ON THE 6LBS LOST!!! i have just lost hope but i deciced to try again after reading you blog.

StudioMaid

Don't get discouraged...I know better said than done, but the slower the weight loss the easier it will be to keep it off. I have been dieting and exercising since June and would like to see more weight lost than what I have lost, but I also keep reminding myself that the slower I lose the easier it will be to keep it off.
Don't give up the end results will be amazing.

Good luck. KEEP ON TRUCK'IN. :flowerforyou:

mshoneysmile7

I have been EXTREMELY discouraged because I keep losing and gaining the SAME 8 lbs (according to my scale)... And 8 LBS!? That's it? UGH! But then I put together this pic a couple of months ago and it made me see hwo much an 8 lb difference can make... I hope that this inspires you in some way. I know I sure could use the encouragement.

tfortalin

Thank you for your post. I appreciate it. I'm 5'0". Can you share a little more with me on what else you changed? What's your ideal meal?

tfortalin

thank you!

auddii

Now that you've opened up your diary, it seems that you eat a lot of sugar and processed food. You also have food amounts like half an ounce of salami. Are you measuring your food? Are you being honest about everything that you log? Are you searching for a food that sounds similar to what you ate, and picking the one in the database with the lowest calories?

I would suggest trying to eat more whole foods and vegetables in your diet.

acalta

So the pounds aren't dropping, but how do your clothes fit??