Did I cut my calories too much?

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danicanillo
danicanillo Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started counting my calories and hitting the gym. I have a goal to lose about 15-20 my xmas (or at least 10), but i don't actually seem to be losing any weight. I'm not lifting, just cardio at the gym. The program on here suggested cutting my calories down to 1200 a day, but ive seen no loss from this. I do around 45 mins. at the gym 4 times a week. Should I eat more??

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  • danicanillo
    danicanillo Posts: 11 Member
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    I have also been eating back the lost calories.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    You don't say how long you've been working for weight loss, but if it has only been days or a couple of weeks, just hang in there and keep doing what you're doing. It can take the body awhile to adjust, but it will if you're doing the right things. Be as precise as you can in measurements; it's easy to under-estimate the amount of calories you're getting. As for the calories burned, that's an estimate. You might want to only eat back 1/2 to 3/4 of your exercise calories so that you have a little margin for error.
  • risenonlytofall
    risenonlytofall Posts: 74
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    How long has it been? Your body needs a little time to recalibrate from all the changes so the scale could be slow to move in the beginning. The biggest problems of low calorie diets are low energy levels and binge urges. If you're avoiding those then you will lose weight if you stick with it. Also, if you aren't using a heart rate monitor for exercise I would be careful eating back all of the calories you get using MFP's database. They tend to overestimate a lot.
  • danicanillo
    danicanillo Posts: 11 Member
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    Ahh thank you. It has only been a week and a half. I just thought I would see results sooner, so i thought it wasn't working. Thank you, everyone. I will also watch the eating back calories. I will stick with it.
  • risenonlytofall
    risenonlytofall Posts: 74
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    I sometimes don't see the scale change for a month, but it always does in the end if I stick with it. If you're upping your exercise a lot more than you're used to your body might be retaining water in order to repair your muscles, too. :)
  • deevatude
    deevatude Posts: 322 Member
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    the harder u hit the gym, the more u have to eat.
  • cyberblonde
    cyberblonde Posts: 100 Member
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    Hiya, just keep going, I always eat back my calories but usually on the weekend as a treat as I can not stand eating only 1200 cals everyday. It has worked for me. It does mean I gain on the weekend and then loose during the week, overall always loosing on a week by week basis. I think a week and a half could be too early too tell. Just ensure you are counting calories correctly as I was mortified when I weighed out 50g of rice, I did it several times before I believed how little I was allowed to eat.
  • quiltlady77
    quiltlady77 Posts: 93 Member
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    Strength training is very important too, it builds muscle which burns more calories. Try it!
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    Thats a lot to lose in 5 weeks......

    Why not just pick to lose a pound a week and do it slower?
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I don't believe you are in starvation mode after a few days, so I think the problem is more likely overestimating the exercise calories so you are eating at maintenance. Are you measuring/weighing your food?

    Do you have your goals set at 1 or 2 lbs a week? 1200 can be a more aggressive number than many need (this is coming from someone who does eat 1200, so I'm not opposed to it, I just don't think it's necessary for everyone.)

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