Am I being impatient?

Niekard

For the past 2 weeks, I've been eating only just over 1,200 calories. Please, do not tell me that I am eating too little as I have researched 'starvation mode' etc. I am obtaining a good level of nutrition and often feel quite full and satisfied. I have lost 8kg so far, and before now it seemed to have happened so quickly. I ran twice this week and I only eat healthy, aside from one or two rice dishes (which of course, isn't exactly unhealthy).

I understand a lot of people say to simply abandon the scales, but they haven't let me down until just recently. I am starting to wonder if I have an abnormally slow metabolism but there's always the chance that I'm over-thinking the entire thing and being impatient.

Note: "YOU NEED TO EAT MORE!" posts and "OMG, YOU'RE STARVING TO DEATH" posts will be ignored. -__-

louisvillejg

If you are working out, even with hard core cardio, you CAN add water weight. Your muscles hold on to every ounce of water- especially if you are not drinking enough. Maybe up your water intake?

Good luck!!

RachRice29

I know it's not what you want to hear, but I was in the same boat...eating 1200 calories a day. It worked very well at first (and I also ignored all those people saying I was starving myself, because I felt great). However, then the scale stopped moving.....for a whole month.

Even though it terrified me, I increased my calorie intake. I'm still low, by most peoples standards (1420 a day), but I've started dropping steadily again.

Just think about it....I know it's scary, lol.

FitFabFlirty92

I don't think you're starving yourself, but I do think that if you're doing everything right and the number's not moving, adjusting your calorie goal can be a good thing to try. I also suggest giving it a little more time than two weeks. You ARE losing weight (not sure how 8kg translates into pounds), but if you don't have much to lose, it's going to come off slow. It often starts off fast and then slows down.

Sarauk2sf

What is making you think your weight loss is slow? How much have you lost in the last 2 weeks? The last month?

foleyshirley

I'm not sure why you are on here. Many of those who will tell you to eat more know what they are talking about, and you are basically going to ignore it. I'll just leave you this and enjoy my 1600-1700 calories. Please ignore away!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

ubermensch13

Weight loss isn't linear. If you continue to eat at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight, however, at your calorie goal, you will be losing muscle and fat. If that is what you want, continue to be patient.

sylvabelle89

I agree w/ RachRice.

I posted something about not losing 4 or 5 days ago. Let's just not talk about that.

Anywho. There were some kind ones that suggested I up my intake and continue to do cardio 4-6 days a week. I listened to them and upped my caloric intake to around 1600, exercise 6 days a week and i've already lost 3 lbs since I plateaued.

Alex_is_Hawks

you haven't been doing this long enough to be worried about how fast or slow it is...

just keep working at it and the loss will follow...loss is NOT linear....

BTW...1200 is low...i know you don't want to hear it, but it is low....that can get in the way of things as time goes by.

QuietRain

You should keep track of your measurements. Just because the scale isn't moving, doesn't mean your body isn't changing.

frando

Speaking from my own loss, the initial loss was pretty steep and then evened out to a kg or so a week and now I'm plateauing, maybe your weight loss is evening out. Keep persistent and smart and I'm sure you'll loose what you need

goldair23

But haven't you lost that 8kg in the past 2 weeks?
It would take me well over 8 WEEKS to lose 8kg... I think just stick it out, it's for your health aswell. And your weight may stay the same but measurements might not so try doing that xx

denezy

So basically you didn't lose weight for one day and you're freaking out?

Just relax. Be patient. Weigh yourself less.

I won't tell you what to eat, it is your body. But you really have to realize that you are not going to keeping losing that fast. Be happy with 1-2 lbs a week (that is LESS than 1kg) PER WEEK.

Did I mention relax?

moreORless50

i did 1200 cals for 3 months and yes i lost lots weight but also loss lots of lean body mass i am now on 1750 cals aday still loosing weight but much slower and feel so much better for it

srcardinal10

You need to exercise more and eat back calories that you've lost as you add more consistent exercising.

erinbrinker

I think you're being impatient. 8 kilos is just over 17 pounds so you are doing great! If you are keeping it low (1200 calories is low) fire up your metabolism one day a week by eating what you want (but healthy). I am assuming that you lost the 17 pounds before the start of the last two weeks. Keep up the great work and take a deep breath.

nguk123

>> I've been eating only just over 1,200 calories.

Your diary doesn't evidence that. It may be true, but the fact remains, the diary doesnt show it.

funkycamper

I have lost 8kg so far, and before now it seemed to have happened so quickly.

Did you lose this in the last 2 weeks? That's almost 17#!!! You must have been holding onto a lot of water weight.

A healthy weight loss is 0.5# to 2# per week, depending on how much you have to lose. The closer you are to goal, the smaller your weekly loss should be.

sarahisme18

>> I've been eating only just over 1,200 calories.

Your diary doesn't evidence that. It may be true, but the fact remains, the diary doesnt show it.

^ this.


You're eating too little, or not logging what you're really eating. Either way, if you REALLY want answers, you have to isolate and evaluate each factor that is coming into play, and that may be one of them. You can't just tell people you don't want to hear it and ignore it.

lynn1982

From your post and your profile, it sounds like you have lost 8 kg in two weeks?? That's insanely fast. It would take me at least two months to lose that. Your body might just need time to adjust...

sylvabelle89

>> I've been eating only just over 1,200 calories.

Your diary doesn't evidence that. It may be true, but the fact remains, the diary doesnt show it.

I checked out your diary too. To be nosey, yes I can't help it. Anyway if you are eating 1200 a day, I would suggest you make sure and track EVERYTHING. Even if it is a day where you are so damn ashamed of what you've ate...track it, because this way you can look back and see what sort of changes you need to make when you stall (I say when because hell, it happens).

And if you're only eating 800, 900 a day that's just a bit scary, which I hope you aren't.

woodwardtm

If 1200 calories a day is not appropriate, why does myfitnesspal give you that as a food goal? It would be better if it just came on and told you that what you want to achieve is unrealistic, wouldn't it?

nguk123

If 1200 calories a day is not appropriate, why does myfitnesspal give you that as a food goal? It would be better if it just came on and told you that what you want to achieve is unrealistic, wouldn't it?

I believe MFP does flash up warnings relating to eating less than BMR. The users are free to ignore the warnings.

Mads1997

Yes you are being impatient!! Give it a month at least.

Edited to add: holy crap I just looked at your diary. How the heck can you honestly keep track of your calories with a whole diary full of Quick adds.

Be honest and take the time to log your food correctly, otherwise this will not work for you.

purpleipod

You've lost over 17 pounds in 2 weeks and you think that's slow? WTF are you expecting then, may I ask? If you mean you've lost 17 pounds so far but over the last 2 weeks it's been slow, then that's a different story.

sofielein

8 kgs in 2 weeks that is over 17 lb in 2 weeks. That means you have definitely not eaten 1200 kcal a day, because that is what I do and even I lost a crazy amount of weight (12 lb) and that is only because I just started + I had MANY below days too.

Your diary seems to be showing lots around 700 kcal. This is starvation mode and - as your post already shows - you are very close to losing patience - and giving up after that...

You will need to make a longer term commitment (think for example, "all they way until summer") and a higher calorie intake.

Niekard

Oh my, I seem to have worded that horribly, sorry everybody. The 8kg I lost took me 2 months, I was losing about 1kg a week when I was trying my hardest (I really like food). It's only recently that I've been dipping. To everyone suggesting eating 100-200 calories more, that was actually something I was considering! To those who are unhappy with my 'ignorance' etc. please accept my apologies, I'm simply very full a lot of the time, I eat a lot of things during the day and sometimes I just can't stuff it in before I go to bed. I understand that you are only being caring, but I'm not the kind of person the starve myself, I have enough issues with people that think that's okay, and I don't need 5+ people telling me the same thing. Another thing is, despite my running twice a week, the rest of the time I spend motionless.

And uh, just for the record, wow, this site is active! Thanks everybody for the replies, it really replenishes my hope to see so many people that would devote some time to helping someone out.

In response to the past week, I actually haven't been feeling well, when it's 'my time' if you know what I mean, I get very bloated and don't eat well. It is actually quite sweet of you to actually check it out for me, haha, turns out it was just an inconvenient time for me to post this in relation to my diet the past week.

crazybookworm

What you eat is only the half of it. If you only run 2 days a week, try changing up your workout. Add in some Strength training, or a different form of Cardio. Once your body gets used to a work out regimen then it doesn't have to work as hard to burn calories, which results in fewer calories burned.

Keep your body guessing by changing up your exercise routine every 3-4 workouts.

Good luck!

sylvabelle89

That makes more sense lol. Well, I can attest to upping your intake. It works. Just try it for a few weeks and see what kinda results you get. Also, since you are pretty sedentary 1200 makes a world of sense...but how about exercising 30 min every other day & change your settings to lightly active.

sarahisme18

If 1200 calories a day is not appropriate, why does myfitnesspal give you that as a food goal? It would be better if it just came on and told you that what you want to achieve is unrealistic, wouldn't it?

If MFP told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?


But seriously.... I don't know why it does, but it is crap, and I wish they could change that. It's a bad system. And MFP is not God, so I wouldn't worry too much about it being wrong.

Mads1997

Incase you didn't see my edit. You need to log your calories properly. A page full of quick adds tells you nothing when you have the next OMG I'm not losing weight freakout. Be honest log everything that goes in your mouth, good and bad.