Stalled after raising my calorie from 1200

SarahDavs · April 2013

Well, I upped my calorie intake from 1200 to 1400 last week. Even though I was losing about 1 1/2 pounds a week from the 1200. But I kept reading all the MFP threads about 1200 not being enough to sustain you. But and I didn't lose even .1 of a pound, or any inches. I'm going back to 1200. I'm 123 pounds right now and exercise everyday. Do you think if I'm eating healthy foods about every 3 hours at 1200 a day that my body will really go into starvation mode? Is anyone else losing and doing just fine at 1200?

ETA: I meant I weigh *223* pounds.

shadow2soul · April 2013

Here are the problems I see with your post:

1) 1 week is not enough time to determine it's not working. Weight loss doesn't happen at a steady rate. You should give at least 6 weeks before giving up. I can go 2 weeks without seeing anything and then suddenly drop several pounds.

2) Do you eat your exercise calories back ? < - When using the method MFP has created you should eat exercise calories back.

3) Are you measuring your food? < - You may be underestimating how much you're actually eating, if you're not measuring.

edit: Also, you could have just weighed yourself on a day you happen to be retaining water. For example:

April 17 - 204.8lbs
April 24 - 205.2lbs

Now, from just those 2 numbers it looks like I've gained weight.

Today - 202.8lbs (just 3 days after I weighed 205.2lbs)

Iron_Feline · April 2013

It's natural for your bosy to not lose weight every week - weight fluctuates naturally.

You need to give any change in calories time to work - at least 4 weeks - one week is not enough. If you have only been eating 1200 cals a day your body might be desperate for calories - so when it got a few more it held on to them.

Why did you pick 1200 cals? - do you eat back your exercise calories? Most people can lose weight eating a much higher number per day. MFP tends to give all women 1200 cals if they pick 2lbs as their weight loss target.

I'm 5'2 and losing on 1600 - 1800 cals a day.

This is a good thread to read for more information on how to pick your calories.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

fruitninja93 · April 2013

I lose just fine at 1100kcal per day, as long as I eat fairly regularly and do exercise. But I am quite short so (5ft 1) so I think I have a lower calorie requirement than a lot of people! I think it depends on the person, if you need lots more cals that 1200 to survive then maybe your body will go into 'starvation mode' after a while. But if you're losing, I'd say stick with it and worry about starvation mode if it actually happens!

lobo_a_gogo · April 2013

don't go back down. give it a week or two for your metabolism to readjust.

DavPul · April 2013

So you adjusted a whole 200 calories? And you gave it an entire week?

Case closed. Go back to doing it your way.

SarahDavs · April 2013

newme1313, I picked the option for losing 2pounds a week and it gave me the default of 1200. I haven't been eating my exercise calories back, no.

shadow2soul, I haven't been eating my exercise calories back. I will weigh in again tomorrow and see if it's changed. I've been only weighing in once a week thus far.

lobo_a_gogo & DavPul, I know, it's probably silly to judge after only 1 week. I tend to get frustrated easily when it comes to trying to lose weight. I just don't know how long I can stall before I feel overwhelmed and want to give up. I don't want to give up this time.

lobo_a_gogo · April 2013

You're only hurting yourself by thinking that way. Take pictures and measurements. Would you be upset if you gained weight if you looked your goal weight? I wouldn't.

neanderthin · April 2013

Starvation mode is mostly misinterpreted and the chance that anyone metabolism slows enough to meet their lowered calorie intake, especially in the face of plentiful stored energy is highly doubtful, and generally not recording their intake properly is more than likely the reason for the stall. I agree with others that are saying 1 week is not enough time....with your current weight 1400 should still be deficit territory.

Iron_Feline · April 2013

You need to eat back your exercise calories - thats the way MPF is set up - it has already given you a deficit to lose weight, you need to NET 1400.

Siege_Tank · April 2013

Take an empty gallon jug, and fill it with water.

Weigh yourself on the scale, and then weigh yourself AGAIN holding the gallon of water.

Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon.

That's 2 pounds per quart

or 1 pound per 16 ounce large glass of water.

This is why weight loss shows like The biggest loser Dehydrate the contestants before the weigh in, making them sweat off as much water as possible.. because being hydrated can mask any changes in bodyfat composition. If you're slightly more hydrated than your last weigh in, or if you had more salt in your last meal, your body will have more water in it. (salt and water maintain a balance, a ratio in your body, so if you eat more salt, your body will retain more water to maintain the proper ratios)

You can't weigh in daily if you want to see a real change, because daily weighing only shows you changes in how much you WEIGH, not in how much fat you have. Food weighs too.. so if you think about it.... many different factors play a role in how much you WEIGH.

Ask yourself if, generally, you feel slightly hungry most of the time, or if you feel fine most of the time. The body has ways of telling you that it's hungry - or put another way - is in a calorie deficit.

AmandaReimer1 · April 2013

I put to lose 1 pound a week when I started just over 200 pounds. My calorie goal is 1550, and I eat back most of my exercise calories. I honestly don't understand how you can eat only 1200 calories a day and be satisfied.

Losing weight isn't as simple as we wish it would be. For example when I'm ovulating, I don't really lose any weight but the week after I may drop down 2 pounds. I ate out last night and weighed in at 178.6 this am. Tomorrow or the next day I'll drop that water weight and probably what else I've been holding onto not too long after that.

Give this awhile before you determine its not working.

SarahDavs · April 2013

lobo_a_gogo, no, I wouldn't be upset. I measure my stomach, arms, legs, chest and hips every week. after I weighed in and didn't lose, I was still holding out hope for losing an inch or so, but I didn't.

neanderthin & newme1313, I keep reading that everywhere on here, about 1200 not being enough. I'm very new to this concept of eating more to lose more. It's a little scary for me still. I was thinking maybe about doing 1400 every other day this week. I was already gun shy about upping it to 1400 last week, and then not losing any weight after the week when I've been steadily losing for almost 3 months scared me.

shadow2soul, forgot to add, that yes, i measure my food.

whierd · April 2013

What she said.

SarahDavs · April 2013

Siege_Tank & AmandaReimer1 at 1200 & 1400 I was not feeling hungry or tired. I think it's because I am eating every 3 hours, high protein/low carb, and healthy foods. I have only been weighing in once a week.

funkythreads2004 · April 2013

It does take more then a week for your body to get used to things. I started on 1450 calories as I thought 1200 was way to low, and i lost a 1lb a week for 8 weeks, Then I stalled, BUT I do a great deal of exercise and was getting really hungry so i have been slowly upping my intake by about 50 calories a week and am still managing to lose weight. I do however feel like i am constantly eating, because i eat about 5 times a day and eat as much as i can for 1550 calories. Im still feeling hungry, so will continue to up the calories week by week until i reach a happy medium. I only have a few pounds to go, so its going to be more of a maintenance thing for me from now really, so I need to find a calorie level gradually that helps. You need to just keep at it, gradually increase and dont rush things. If you do a lot of exercise 1200 calories really isnt enough. Keep up the good work ;-)

baptiste565 · April 2013

if it was working why change?

lobo_a_gogo · April 2013

I steadily lost on 1200-1400 for 3 months. Then I had a 6 month plateau. Then I started eating 20% below TDEE (about 1800 for me, but I'm bigger than you) and switched up my workout (went from cardio to weight lifting) and started eating my exercise calories back. Now my weight is slooooooooooowly coming off, but the inches are flying off.

AllonsYtotheTardis · April 2013

no sweetie, no you don't. I'm only an inch taller than you, and twice your age, and my calorie requirement is a lot more than that, just to keep my body functioning. You need to eat more, or you're going to cause metabolic damage to yourself.

Iron_Feline · April 2013

How tall are you? - I'd bet my cats you aren't eating enough. Hunger isn't always the best way to measure of you are eating enough.

lobo_a_gogo · April 2013

PS-- take photos too. I found that when I first measured I pulled the tape measure pretty tight so I wouldn't feel bad about myself, and so when I remeasured I had only lost about an inch, but when I took a photo and compared there was a significant difference (see profile pic)

Iron_Feline · April 2013

Agreed - I'm 5'2 eating 1600-1800 cals a day.

whierd · April 2013

Please stop unnecessarily insulting me. If I am being a snarky jerk, then that is fine. (Which is often) But having no patience for someone who "has it figured out" isn't the same.

Siege_Tank · April 2013

The self applied logic falls short of brilliance right here - If that applied everywhere, then why are two people, of the same height different in appearance? Some people are blessed with great metabolisms, they can eat anything and still be skinny. A lot of thin guys who are trying to bulk on muscle just CAN'T, they have to add mass gaining shakes to their diet..

So the "I'm as tall as you and eat 30% more food than you" is an irrelevant statement. Do you two also share the same genes? lifestyle? stresses?

No? oh what a surprise.

baptiste565 · April 2013

thank u for being smart! so much ignorance in these forums.

Siege_Tank · April 2013

LOL, Please stop saying please stop!!

There, mexican standoff.

AllonsYtotheTardis · April 2013

LOLWUT?

You can't seriously believe that a 19 year old, with less than 20lbs to lose, should be eating 1100 calories? REALLY???

lobo_a_gogo · April 2013

I'm going to try and address this snarklessly because I don't want to be on the forums all day arguing with people.

a) no not everybody's metabolism functions the same. Just because my fiance can eat like a toddler (pizza, pb &j and mac and cheese) in gigantic quantities and not gain weight doesn't mean I can. I agree that you can't make a blanket statement and say that because something doesn't work for you it can't work for anyone else.

b) that said, 1100 calories is almost never enough for an adult. Unless they're very very tiny. Like a little person.

whierd · April 2013

a) Anecdotal. Without tracking his calories and activity level you cannot just chalk it up to "high metabolism". Also, assuming he is a guy, he likely has a higher metabolism than you due to a higher level of lean muscle mass.

b) This is correct.

Sparlingo · April 2013

Yup, I'm 5'0 and eat about 1400-1800 daily. Lost 34 lbs and still losing.

Annie83uk · April 2013

my calories are set at 1200 because i'm doing a jillian michaels diet and that's what it says to do. i had it set at 1200 on mfp but after i lost 10 pounds it changed it to 1500, i tend to eat 1200-1400 and don't eat back my exercise calories, i am doing fine and losing weight every week. why did you change it from 1200? were you not losing any weight or just hungry all the time? you should do what you think is reasonable for you, good luck

Stalled after raising my calorie from 1200

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