Anyone else discovered low calories are their only option?

JAT74

So after 4+ months on MFP and after following tons of advice to eat more, eat at TDEE - 15,20 or 25 pc and to eat back exercise calories etc. without success I've finally concluded that the only way I can lose any scale weight OR body fat is to eat no more than 9000 calories per week or an average of just under 1300 per day. All this while burning off 3000 calories through exercise including lifting weights 3 times a week.

I've discovered all this through trial and error and may have to go a little lower still in order to reach my goal weight which is a healthy weight for my height and will give me a BMI of around 20. If fact this realisation brings me full circle as this is the only thing that's ever worked for me in the past but after joining MFP I decided to approach things differently. Now I'm following 5:2 I am hoping to get added health benefits from that and it will also mean I won't feel deprived as having two vlc days means I can eat more on the other 5 days of the week.

My mum is now 69 and has had similar problems keeping her weight down over the past 40 years and has recently been told by a doctor as well as a nutritionist that she can only lose weight by eating 800-1000 calories a day max at 5 foot 7 with an active lifestyle and it looks like I've inherited her slow metabolism.

Anyone else in the same position and if so how did you manage to get where you wanted to be and stay there? It's hard to accept this way of eating is my only option but in order to be a healthy body fat pc and happy with my body I have no choice.

jzammetti

If you truly have such a low BMR, then I would say start lifting heavy right away. You can build lean body mass and increase your metabolism - and increase your food intake/BMR needs.

JAT74

I already do as I mentioned in my initial post, 3 times a week.

Tldavis3s

Yes! I have been on a 1200/day calorie diet for 6&1/2 months now. I was losing weight steadily but I kept reading that I was hurting myself by not eating 15 or 20 % below my tdee. So I bumped my calorie level and started working out and eating back those calories as well. During this period I lost NO scale weight. I also did not lose any inches. I have recently went back to my 1200 cals and immediately lost 2 lbs! Yes, even when I exercise I still eat the cals back. I believe if you are logging correctly, some people still have to eat less to lose anything. Everyone is different and as long as you're not hungry and you are getting sufficient nutrients, do what works for you!

777twist

There are so many factors that go into losing weight. Lowering your calories below your BMR rate is just easy to do from the standpoint of research. But the issue could be the kinds of foods you eat, the splits in your macros, the time of day you eat and workout, and the list goes on and on...

But trust me... it's maybe the easiest option, but it may not be your only option.

I would work every other angle before I would starve myself. And I have looked at girls diaries who eat very little and workout like fiends, and let me tell you, it doesn't look healthy to me.

JAT74

Of course I'd rather eat more but seems that my body is just not built that way. By eating 550 calories 2 days a week it means I can eat 1450-1650 on the other days (in theory) so I'm starting that from tomorrow. Up until now I've only been able to lose any weight at all by lowering calories to 1000-1150 and after 4 months of exercising and eating 1400-2000 per day with no weight loss or fat loss I am still trying to figure out how low I need to go to finally start losing again.

JAT74

To the last poster, believe me is already tried sooooo many other options before reaching this conclusion. I've been logging on here daily for 4 months and have been reading the forums on here daily too. I've changed my macros so that I'm eating more protein and lower carbs and have tried to time my meals so that I fuel workouts. I eat sensibly 80 percent of the time, drink loads of water, eat plenty of fibre and track my calorie burns.

fatsoinuk2013

Hi,

It sounds like we are in a similar situation. My doctor has put me on a 1,000 calorie/day for a while to see if I can lose weight but the doctor suspects that I have to eat very few calories for the rest of my life in order just not to gain weight... I just started this diet 1 week ago so we will see what happens.

You are burning a lot of calories exercising [I'm jealous :-] but hopefully you can eat 1,500-1,600 cals/day [which still isn't a lot] once you reached your goal as you don't want to have to stave yourself for the rest of your life. Have you been to a doctor and done tests by the way?

I didn't really answer your question but thank you for writing as it's 'good' to know that there are others struggling out there [well, you know what I mean..] and it's just not me.

fatsoinuk2013

Hi again,

Just reading your other posts regarding this it might be a medical problem? Most are easy to solve so go to your GP and ask for comprehensive blood tests.

jadethief

Yes! I have been on a 1200/day calorie diet for 6&1/2 months now. I was losing weight steadily but I kept reading that I was hurting myself by not eating 15 or 20 % below my tdee. So I bumped my calorie level and started working out and eating back those calories as well. During this period I lost NO scale weight. I also did not lose any inches. I have recently went back to my 1200 cals and immediately lost 2 lbs! Yes, even when I exercise I still eat the cals back. I believe if you are logging correctly, some people still have to eat less to lose anything. Everyone is different and as long as you're not hungry and you are getting sufficient nutrients, do what works for you!

If you did TDEE - %, you are not supposed to eat back your exercise calories. They are already figured in to the calculation.

JAT74

There's nothing wrong with me medically, at least the last lot of blood tests I had all came back normal and I currently have no medical insurance or health cover so I can't get any further tests done anyway. As my mum is similar and I have had the same experience since I first lost weight 11 years ago I think I just have to accept it. Hopefully as has already been suggested when I finally get to goal weight I'll be able to eat at least 1400-1500 calories and still maintain but we will see.

JAT74

Yes I know that, I've done all the maths. I meant that I tried the TDEE -15-25 pc method (for several weeks each time) as well as MFP plus eating back exercise cals, I've tried it all!

twinketta

Just do what works for you?

At lot of post are `in place of a road map` and this is what you are finding.

I have been losing steadily/slowly and been maintaining now for a while.

During the weight loss stage (for a long while) I tried lots of different foods high/low proteins etc. and found what worked for me eventually.

IMO everyone is different and what works for one person..well that may work great, for them, but it might not work for you?

The long and short of it is the same old eat less, move more x

acidosaur

You are not alone OP, I too need to set quite a low calorie goal to lose anything. I lift heavy as well but I rarely eat back my exercise calories because I don't lose weight if I do.

norcal_yogi

bump

JulesAlloggio

#1 eating 800-1000 calories a day..with do SO MUCH damage to your metabolism its ridiculous...please eat.

#2 with this amount of calories, yes you will lose weight, but you're creating an eating disorder and are starving yourself.

#3 You need to eat at least your BMR amount of calories...however with exercise your body needs more.

Please seek a new doctor and or nutritionist. The one you saw obviously doesn't have any idea what their talking about.

LiftAllThePizzas

How heavy are the weights you are lifting, which lifts are you doing for how many reps? How much weight have you added to those lifts?

Querian

You say you have tried all these other options but you've only been doing this for 4 months? If you change your calorie intake you should give it at least 6-8 weeks for your body to adjust.

Often when people have been on low calorie diets when they increase their calories they see an initial weight gain maybe as much as 5 pounds. This scares people and they think they are gaining when really their body is just adjusting. After staying on the TDEE - 20% calorie amount you should start losing again once your body makes the adjustment and gets used to eating more calories.

Or you can just eat less long term. I would not find that sustainable if it were me so I would give these other approaches a more realistic try than just a week or two.

Danilynn1975

I walk in my job about 5 miles minimum a day. In theory I get plenty of excersize. I do not have a desk job.

I tried the in place of a road map thing. I tried it religiously for 3 months. I GAINED 7 pounds.

I am done listening to other people's "eat more crap" Those 7 pounds took me 3 months to lose the first time and I am hostile that I am going to have to re lose them all on a notion of breaking a plateau and desperation. I broke the damn plateau alright I GAINED 7 pounds.

I ate less than 500 calories 2 days this week just to get my stomach used to eating way less again. Today I am up to 600 something calories and am probably done for the day, Tomorrow I will aim for 800, and increase back slowly 200 calories a day until I hit 1000-1200, then I will stay there until goal.

All the failed experiment with road map taught me was where I maintain and that is at 1510 calories per day.

I'm glad other people can eat and eat and eat and lose weight, I tried it, failed and am now going back to what worked before the original plateau.

Because as bad as a plateau is, it pales in comparision to gaining weight. If it takes me another year to get the last 20 off at a snail pace of 2 or 3 or maybe 4 pounds per month so be it.

It beats the hell out of GAINING the weight back on some theory of eat more to weigh less. For me it is pure BS.

Good luck and do what works for you.

SherryTeach

Of course I'd rather eat more but seems that my body is just not built that way. By eating 550 calories 2 days a week it means I can eat 1450-1650 on the other days (in theory) so I'm starting that from tomorrow. Up until now I've only been able to lose any weight at all by lowering calories to 1000-1150 and after 4 months of exercising and eating 1400-2000 per day with no weight loss or fat loss I am still trying to figure out how low I need to go to finally start losing again.

If I tried to have days of eating 550 calories, I would have to quit my job because I would definitely not be able to function or think clearly.

Karentrobe

Yes! I have been on a 1200/day calorie diet for 6&1/2 months now. I was losing weight steadily but I kept reading that I was hurting myself by not eating 15 or 20 % below my tdee. So I bumped my calorie level and started working out and eating back those calories as well. During this period I lost NO scale weight. I also did not lose any inches. I have recently went back to my 1200 cals and immediately lost 2 lbs! Yes, even when I exercise I still eat the cals back. I believe if you are logging correctly, some people still have to eat less to lose anything. Everyone is different and as long as you're not hungry and you are getting sufficient nutrients, do what works for you!

If you did TDEE - %, you are not supposed to eat back your exercise calories. They are already figured in to the calculation.
this is what i thought too. i find it hard to eat my 1200 a day but i do or close to it. but not the cals burned by exercising.

petstorekitty

I'm small and not really active unless I workout so my TDEE -20% is just under 1300. ((I'm 31 and 5'1" and about 128.))
so yes, netting about that much helps me lose weight (I still have about 16-20lbs to go)

However, while I try to be consistent netting 1300 I go over some days and don't freak. Technically I should be able to eat almost 1700 a day and not gain. Cool whatever. When I'm consistent I lose.

I have a metabolism so could never eat less than 1000 a day. That's just crazy talk! hahaha
But whatever floats your boat.

I will agree with the poster who said about lifting. You said you lift already so good, that should help you out.


Low cals is fine but super low and your body will get used to it and you'll have a very hard time going back to eating normal amounts of food.

acpgee

Have you tried intermittent fasting? I know some people who got off their plateaus with this protocol. It is essentially an extreme version of calorie cycling. Eating two non consecutive days at 500 cals and at TDEE the rest of the week.

JAT74

Danilyn thank you, you sound so similar to me. I've tried the recommended methods and failed like you and each time I gave my body lots of time to adjust to higher calories but in fact I just ended up putting back on the 4 lbs I lost initially when I first joined MFP and ate 1100 calories for the first 2-3 weeks!

To the poster who said I'm starving my body by eating 800 Calories per day you obviously haven't read my posts as I didn't say I was eating that little.

Regarding lifting I have a fully equipped home gym and my boyfriend has been weight training for 25 years so I know about lifting and try and do 3 sets of 6-10 reps generally. I can't lift very heavy yet but am able to use weighs up to 50lbs at the moment and try and increase the weight every week.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Have you tried intermittent fasting? I know some people who got off their plateaus with this protocol. It is essentially an extreme version of calorie cycling. Eating two non consecutive days at 500 cals and at TDEE the rest of the week.

she already said she's planning 5:2.

toutmonpossible

I'm short and fairly sedentary and spent the last year recovering from an exercise injury. I initially followed MFP's guide of 1200 calories a day on average but wasn't losing weight. If I'm in full-on weight loss mode I have to average 1150 or under.

I'm glad you realized the truth. I've been reading this nonsense about eat more to weigh less for over a year on MFP and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

norcal_yogi

#1 eating 800-1000 calories a day..with do SO MUCH damage to your metabolism its ridiculous...please eat.

#2 with this amount of calories, yes you will lose weight, but you're creating an eating disorder and are starving yourself.

#3 You need to eat at least your BMR amount of calories...however with exercise your body needs more.

Please seek a new doctor and or nutritionist. The one you saw obviously doesn't have any idea what their talking about.

not necessarily. these statements cannot be blanketed as truth for all humans.

LiftAllThePizzas

All the failed experiment with road map taught me was where I maintain and that is at 1510 calories per day.

Learning is failure? You know your maintenance level. Since you only have 11 lbs to lose, you would not be needing a huge deficit to lose. You can lose on anything below 1510, including 1400, etc. The funniest part is that you're saying TDEE - 20% doesn't work and you're going to do 1200 instead. But 1200 is your TDEE -20%.

foleyshirley

Yes! I have been on a 1200/day calorie diet for 6&1/2 months now. I was losing weight steadily but I kept reading that I was hurting myself by not eating 15 or 20 % below my tdee. So I bumped my calorie level and started working out and eating back those calories as well. During this period I lost NO scale weight. I also did not lose any inches. I have recently went back to my 1200 cals and immediately lost 2 lbs! Yes, even when I exercise I still eat the cals back. I believe if you are logging correctly, some people still have to eat less to lose anything. Everyone is different and as long as you're not hungry and you are getting sufficient nutrients, do what works for you!

If you eat 20% below TDEE, you aren't supposed to eat back exercise calories because you should have taken exercise into account already.

JAT74

5:2 is intermittent fasting and that's what I'm already doing which is what I meant when I mentioned having 2x 550 calories days. It's supposed to be very good for health and also allows you to eat more on the other days but I've been doing it for 5 weeks now and still no loss.

This is why I am now calculating my overall cals for the week, subtracting the two low calorie days and dividing the remaining cals up for the other 5 days. My weeks total needs to be lower though ie. around 8500-9000 for the week instead of 1000-11000 which I have been eating.

Danilynn1975

All the failed experiment with road map taught me was where I maintain and that is at 1510 calories per day.

Learning is failure? You know your maintenance level. Since you only have 11 lbs to lose, you would not be needing a huge deficit to lose. You can lose on anything below 1510, including 1400, etc. The funniest part is that you're saying TDEE - 20% doesn't work and you're going to do 1200 instead. But 1200 is your TDEE -20%.

GAINING 7 pounds is failure.

My actual TDEE worked out to 2300 a day in calories minus the 20% crap following the links set forth in the road map post.

No I do not lose at 1400, nor at 1300. You forget even with a food scale there is still the margin of error all scales except calibrated yearly analytical balance scales possess and even those still have a variance of .5-1% error rate allowed.

So yes, it was a failure. I just wasted 6 months of work. the original 3 to lose that 7 pounds initially and then regained it over the next 3, so by the time I get them back off 9 months of my life will have been spent in vain efforts of weight loss.