1200 cals and no loss?!

Jamie0149

Help! I just weighed in after a week of 1200 cals and had absolutely NO loss!
I've been in recovery for a restrictive eating disorder for about 6 months now and am trying to lose a little of the "reactive eating" weight and weight i gained after a few months of bulimic behaviors.
I'm uncomfortable going over 1200 so never do, but always make sure i hit it (as i really don't want a relapse after coming all this way!). I alternate between 20 and 45 minutes on my stationary bike every day.
I have no idea why i didn't lose! More exercise? Any advice?

farway

Honestly do not beat yourself up over it, one week is no big problem & is much too short a time to expect a loss. Patience is a virtue & you will have to add it into your goals

Give it time and the rest will follow

Mini_Medic

If your in recovery why are you trying to lose? This site is not meant to enable eating disorders and most everyone else are going to respond to your post very negatively. Here's what I'll tell you. When you restrict over long periods (months not just a few days or a week even) your body lowers your metabolism in an attempt to save your life from your suicide by starvation methods. By slowing everything down you can go a lot further on a lot less. So when you eat a small restricted meal, your body tries to make it last as long as possible instead of burning it up right away as with a normal healthy metabolism. Then when you go to the hospital or a ED clinic and they get your calories back up to life sustaining levels instead of starvation levels, your body turns most of it into fat stores. The only way to combat this cycle is to eat nutritious foods that fuel your body and exercise with weights and resistance and avoid cardio. If you weigh 130 lbs of lean toned defined and tight body that is great, of you weigh 130lbs of loose skin and fat, not pretty. Unfortunately your body will to save you (terrible irony I know) and right now you need to let it. Eat what is recommended by a doctor for you in recovery and do some resistance or weight training. This will help you to tone up which is what you really want, not just a meaningless number on the scale. Best wishes I hope you can recover and not use this site to go back into your bad and scary ED ways. Be healthy and be happy!

taekwonkenpo

I am not saying that this is what happens to you because i do not know you. I would need to know your stats and really be aware of your daily eating habits to be sure.

2 things

1.) If you are battling back from an eating disorder i believe you should be given a congratulations for any and all progress that you have been able to make. Good job and keep it up!!!

2.) If the human body does not get an adequate supply of energy (food) then the body will hold on to any energy source (fat) that it already has. So if you want to see progress in the most healthy way possible then you need to eat enough (your BMR), but less then your maintenance level. (TDEE)

redladywitch

If your in recovery why are you trying to lose? This site is not meant to enable eating disorders and most everyone else are going to respond to your post very negatively. Here's what I'll tell you. When you restrict over long periods (months not just a few days or a week even) your body lowers your metabolism in an attempt to save your life from your suicide by starvation methods. By slowing everything down you can go a lot further on a lot less. So when you eat a small restricted meal, your body tries to make it last as long as possible instead of burning it up right away as with a normal healthy metabolism. Then when you go to the hospital or a ED clinic and they get your calories back up to life sustaining levels instead of starvation levels, your body turns most of it into fat stores. The only way to combat this cycle is to eat nutritious foods that fuel your body and exercise with weights and resistance and avoid cardio. If you weigh 130 lbs of lean toned defined and tight body that is great, of you weigh 130lbs of loose skin and fat, not pretty. Unfortunately your body will to save you (terrible irony I know) and right now you need to let it. Eat what is recommended by a doctor for you in recovery and do some resistance or weight training. This will help you to tone up which is what you really want, not just a meaningless number on the scale. Best wishes I hope you can recover and not use this site to go back into your bad and scary ED ways. Be healthy and be happy!

^^^This! You shouldn't be on MFP.

jtcurran

3500 cals/week ~= 1lb,

also if you are restricting your eating you will slow down your metabolism, which makes your body burn less calories per day.

Try eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day roughly 2-3 hours apart, try to limit foods like:

Concentrated Juice (all of them),
pasta,
breads (sprouted grain bread is all right but try to only have 1 or 2 slices a day),
Trans fats

increase the amount of protein and vegetables you eat

Like Farway has said it has only been 1 week hang in there you will make it.

Also try to weigh yourself at the same time every week preferably in the morning.

For workouts rather then just doing a basic cardio routine, try mixing it up with windsprint style cardio. Ie. Sprint for 20-40 seconds and then take it down to a brisk walk or slow jog for the rest of the minute (40-20 seconds) and repeat for 6-8 minutes.

You can do that style of exercise on any cardio machine you like.

rotill

Before you fiddle too much with the food, alternate your exercizes. Try for strength one or two days a week, and put in one or two days of rest. Working out more than normal causes your body to retain water as part of the healing process, and you may not see the weight loss until you are stable at a certain level.

If you are recovering from an eating disorder, eat reasonably, not at the lowest level possible, preferably as your doctor advices you, and regulate your well-being by burning calories in fun and varied ways. Don't focus on just one thing and obsess over that. Go for a walk, swim, lift weights. You have a problem connected to overdoing or over controlling one thing, make sure you put in some randomness and fun in your activities, to avoid falling into that trap again with another activity.

LindseyAlyssa

Stick to measurements, not weight!
Far less stressful and way more accurate.
You can be making progress without it moving numbers on the scale.
And while I know you mentioned being uncomfortable with going over 1200, depending on what your BMR is in comparison to your TDEE you are most likely still under eating. It's excellent that you've made progress, I know how hard that is, but I've read quite a few posts on here about how as soon as they increased their calories from 1200 they began losing weight. I know that's happened for me.

However, what other users are saying is true. If you're new to recovery you should mainly focus on loving yourself as you are and eating enough healthy foods. Take care of yourself mentally, and your body will take care of the rest once it itself is done recovering. Talk to your doctors and trust that they are there to help you. And best of luck!

nexangelus

However, what other users are saying is true. If you're new to recovery you should mainly focus on loving yourself as you are and eating enough healthy foods. Take care of yourself mentally, and your body will take care of the rest once it itself is done recovering. Talk to your doctors and trust that they are there to help you. And best of luck!

This ^^^^^ 6 months of recovery is not enough to be watching calories again. Been there done that, there are triggers everywhere on here and just counting your calories is a trigger in itself for most people recovering from an ED. Please you are only 18...I am 38 and I am only now beginning to count calories again after years of struggling with "the beast". You need to live your life, forget about the superficial stuff, what you think you should look like. Find something you enjoy doing and focus on that instead.

And for goodness' sake get rid of your weighing scales...at least until a few years down the line in recovery.