Am I being impatient?
jentyler2001
Posts: 5 Member
So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?
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I know that when I started REALLY working out, as opposed to just walking, I also picked up a bit of weight. I researched it online and found a bunch of places that stated that your muscles will retain water to try to protect themselves when you first start. That could last a few weeks. Give it another week or so and I'm guessing you will see some nice losses! Also, do your measurements so you can see if you're making progress there. That is really more important than your actual weight!0
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I have considered measuring but then I figured if I was losing inches I would be able to tell by how my clothes were fitting. I guess its worth a shot!0
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Probably. 3 months is 12 weeks. 1 lb/week is excellent sustained progress. I'd adjust your expectations.
First, 1200 calories sounds like way too little for you, if you're working out that much and "sometimes" eat back 1/3 of the calories.
Second, forget the scale variations. I can vary 161-167 in a single day, and still be the exactly same size. Take measurements and pics. They're far more important than the scale. Lots of people do the the 30DS and the change is amazing, often without a single pound lost.
It sounds like you're trying to lose as fast as possible in order to hit 20 pounds in 3 months by undereating and overworking.0 -
Hmmm, yeah you're probably right. I have the 30DS but haven't used it yet. So tonight I will take measurements and pics and maybe eat a few more calories. I would be happy with 12 pounds, or even ten pounds but seeing the +2 is just so discouraging. I think I am too scale obsessed and I should probably stop that. Do you think 1 liter of water is enough?0
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If a minor fluctuations like +2 bug you like this, then stop weighing so often, or at all.
That's only 1% of your body weight. I wish I could come up with an analogy, but your body is supposed to make these adjustments. You eat and store food, you store and excrete water, all that stuff is normal and it's what keeps you alive.
Say this until it sinks in: "A pound of weight is on the scale NOT A POUND OF EXCESS BODYFAT."
(I took a strange approach - for the longest time, I didn't weigh at all. I would go to the doctor's office quarterly, and then realize I lost another 5-10 pounds each time. Then I did the opposite, bought a scale and went all in. Weighed every day and realized how the fluctuations work, so they don't bug me at all. My pants fit just fine even if I'm up +7 pounds.0 -
I was eating 1200 cals for a long time then my weight loss grinded to a hault for 3 months i was working out daily and still not losing weight i upped my cals to 1500 and eating back my cals wham the weightloss started again0
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Hmmm, yeah you're probably right. I have the 30DS but haven't used it yet. So tonight I will take measurements and pics and maybe eat a few more calories. I would be happy with 12 pounds, or even ten pounds but seeing the +2 is just so discouraging. I think I am too scale obsessed and I should probably stop that. Do you think 1 liter of water is enough?
i dont think 1 liter is enough specially with working out so much i drink around 3-4 liters but i also dont drink anything else but water
"edit" could be also the reason why you feel constant hunger its that you are really thirsty i upped my water intake pretty much from 0 to that amount and i feel so much better, hair looks better, skin looks better (i never drank enough).
Ohh and i am same hight as you and eat roughly same calories0 -
Your expectations are a bit unrealistic.
Are you 100% sure you're eating 1200 calories? Weighing and measuring everything and all that?0 -
Don't eat back your exercise calories. But yes...you will see weight fluctuation due to water retention during muscle recovery.0
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i agree on the water. I drink at least 4 liters a day, but I'm a thirsty girl. If I had a choice, I'd take fluids over food.0
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Also, a lot of people will tell you that your expectations are unrealistic and you should be eating more than 1200 calories. If it works for you, it's perfectly fine. I eat 1200-1300 calories per day and am completely satisfied. I never eat back my exercise calories and I typically lose 1.5-2lbs. per week. I am down 16lbs in 6 weeks and I am definitely not undereating or starving myself. I'm also not in a rush to lose weight, but I'm not going to complain about it coming off easily. Everyone is different and you just have to find what works for your body.0
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Your BMR is 1661. If you include your exercise along with your daily activity, you're probably well over 2100+ TDEE. Try eating your BMR.So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
i agree on the water. I drink at least 4 liters a day, but I'm a thirsty girl. If I had a choice, I'd take fluids over food.
heh i am now the same way i carry around my little 0,5 water bottle with me all day just sucking on it
and yeah everybody his own way i tried upping my calories and found my "maintains calories of 1500" i didnt move the scale for almost 2 months but later i found out i got tyroid problems and insulin resistent pcos. But i am doing fine on 1200 not starving and losing about 2lbs a week.
So try what works for you, up your water and see if you still always hungry you should up the calories a bit0 -
of course youre always hungry if you are on 1200 calories LOL0
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So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?
Are you ONLY doing HIIT's? your body can get used to the high intensity, maybe try slowing it down and adding some weight training. MIX it up.0 -
I don't think you're eating enough. I started at 230 5'6 F, and my beginning calories at a sedentary activity rate were over 1800. Now, at 210, my goal to maintain weight when working out 5 days per week is 2772. At a 25% deficit, I should still be eating 2079 and losing weight.
Assuming you're a female, you should be eating around 1900 calories at least. That's a 30% deficit, which is a lot. That includes your exercise calories, I believe. So I think your body is probably going into starvation mode. You're not really helping yourself lose weight. You're just making it harder on your body.
Plus, if you were to lose all your weight eating 1200 cals per day, do you really think you could keep that up for the rest of your life? How you lose weight is how you're going to maintain it.0 -
So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?
Off topic question - what DVDs do you use?0 -
Your expectations are a bit unrealistic.
Are you 100% sure you're eating 1200 calories? Weighing and measuring everything and all that?
I disagree... 3 mos and lose 20 pounds? 3 mos is 12 weeks... she can average 2 pounds a week... its VERY realistic0 -
I had to up my calories in order to start loosing more weight because I was working out also, maybe that's what you need to do?0
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If a minor fluctuations like +2 bug you like this, then stop weighing so often, or at all.
That's only 1% of your body weight. I wish I could come up with an analogy, but your body is supposed to make these adjustments. You eat and store food, you store and excrete water, all that stuff is normal and it's what keeps you alive.
Say this until it sinks in: "A pound of weight is on the scale NOT A POUND OF EXCESS BODYFAT."
(I took a strange approach - for the longest time, I didn't weigh at all. I would go to the doctor's office quarterly, and then realize I lost another 5-10 pounds each time. Then I did the opposite, bought a scale and went all in. Weighed every day and realized how the fluctuations work, so they don't bug me at all. My pants fit just fine even if I'm up +7 pounds.
This... all this. If you are just starting out you can choose to take 1 of 2 approaches... 1. weigh yourself weekly, this way you will see progress through the fluctuations that happen throughout the week OR 2. weigh yourself more often and realize your bodyweight will fluctuate for any number of reasons and it might help you not worry about the ups and downs. I went with #2 and now weigh myself daily, every morning after my shower before any food or drink. Doing it at the same time right at the beginning of the day seems to help with the fluctuations and will have me weighing in likely at my lightest.
As for your intake, listen to ninerbuff... You need to eat more to begin with and then eat back most of your exercise calories. Most people (me included) think that the bigger the deficit, the faster you will lose the weight, but it doesn't really work that way... Your body will hold on to fat and start breaking down muscle which will leave you as a skinny fat person... Surely not what you want either! You'll lose weight and probably stay at the same BF%...
Remember, this is a journey that doesn't have any shortcuts either in exercise or diet. Put in the work, eat the right things in the right amounts to fuel your body while still eating at a deficit to help you lose the weight you want to lose. You'll get there, don't worry about it. Good luck!0 -
You're not eating enough.0
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Also, a lot of people will tell you that your expectations are unrealistic and you should be eating more than 1200 calories.
...and that's the only applicable part of this post.0 -
Are you eating enough? I went through this a few years ago until I hired a trainer and he told me I wasn't eating enough...after he re-set my diet with more calories, I lost 6lbs the first week!
Try an online calculator to find out how many calories you should be eating in a day...0 -
Hmmm, yeah you're probably right. I have the 30DS but haven't used it yet. So tonight I will take measurements and pics and maybe eat a few more calories. I would be happy with 12 pounds, or even ten pounds but seeing the +2 is just so discouraging. I think I am too scale obsessed and I should probably stop that. Do you think 1 liter of water is enough?
I think if you give 30 DS a good shot, you'll see nice changes in measurements. Sometimes people don't necessarily see a huge drop in lbs., but if they begin to drop off it will be toward the middle or end of week 2...so don't give up or get discouraged. Just be consistent, keep eating healthy, and do the workout to the best of your ability. You'll probably be pleased with the results. Good luck to you and congrats on the impending marriage!0 -
Consider how long it took you to gain the weight. Then set a realistic goal of 1 pound a week. That's conservative enough to account for those plateaus you will hit. I was also 200 pounds and gave myself 2 years to lose 50. As it happened I lost it in 18 months. Whatever happens, don't starve yourself and don't be afraid to get include some simple carbs in you before exercise and complex carbs and protein afterwards.
I found the Men's Health forums useful in keeping me accountable for achieving my diet and exercise goals.0 -
You're female. You should expect this.So for the past few weeks I've been eating 1200 calories a day. I'm 5'6" and now 200 pounds. This week my weight went from 198 on monday back to 200 today. I work out 5 days a week, 30 min, using HIIT dvd's. I am always hungry it seems. I sometimes will eat back around a third of my exercise calories. I might also mention that I am new to working out. Am I holding water from the workouts? I am drinking about 1 liter a day. How can my weight go up 2 pounds in 2 days with so much of a calorie deficit. I am just so bummed out that the scale is not going down. I am getting married in 3 months and would like to lose 20 pounds. What am I doing wrong?0 -
Measure!!! I never have in teh past but this time around I am. I was very upset with only losing a few pounds the last few weeks but I lost 2 in off my waist and 4 off my hips! Measuring will make you feel better! I went from no work outs to pretty intense 6 days a week, the losing is slower this time then in the past when I have lost but it is showing more and my body is looking better, it will pay off keep up the good work!0
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If you're hungry all the time, you're not doing a diet that is right for your body. Example: I used to do calorie counting, low-fat, high carb diets, and failed miserably. I had the willpower and the discipline, BUT I stayed hungry and never lost an ounce! What I ended up doing was introduce ONLY high quality, whole foods to my diet, this included full fat cheese and butter. YUM! I said "no" to crappy, store bought desserts. I started eating fruit as dessert...plain, fresh fruit. If I had rice, then I'd skip other starches and bread. If I had bread, I'd skip rice and other starches. (You should eat a protein/fat, veggie (green veggies, mainly), and a fruit at each meal. I cut back on my portion sizes. (It's easy to do this when you're treating yourself to a wide variety of flavors during each meal.) Stop snacking. Zero. You don't need it. If you're eating well, you won't want it, either. I read "French Women Don't Get Fat" and used it as my guide/bible. Eat mindfully. Don't feel guilty when eating--you are ALLOWED to enjoy your food! Stop when you're full. I did this and lost 15 lbs. pretty fast (a few months). I lost 1-2 lbs per week, at first, then .5 lbs per week after. The good thing about FWDGF, Is that it's set on a 3 month recasting period, so you could reasonably lose 15-20 lbs. by your wedding. Good luck!!!0
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I don't mea to hi-jack the OP's post. But along those same lines, I started out 3 months ago at 1200 calories and working out 4 times a week (plus 30 minutes on the exercise bike daily). I eat back some of my calories, not all. On the recommendations I've read on MFP I upped my calories to 1300 a week ago. This week I've noticed I feel more sluggish. How quickly do you up your calories? My fear is that if i do it all at once I will gain, whereas if I do it gradually my body will adjust to it over time and I shouldn't gain. The goal is to lose weight and be healthy. Afraid I am working against myself right now!0
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hey hey! I don't get notifications on posts so I thought I would message you! How often do you weight yourself? It could easily be water or sodium or even sugar....how did you decide on teh 1200 calorie goal? Are you watching protein, carbs, fat? Do you take any supplements/vitamins?0
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