My Scale just isnt moving :(

acidosaur

My calorie goal was set at 1200 too.

I lost the 45lbs eating at this calorie goal + eating most of my exercise cals.

I have been in maintenance for a few months and my goal now is 1560 + exercise cals.

I am 5` 4"

My advice is net the 1200 cals at least.

ETA I am 135lbs

exactly the same with me. definitely net the 1200 cals and keep going, see how you lose doing that for a while.

Bekahmardis

My calorie goal was set at 1200 too.

I lost the 45lbs eating at this calorie goal + eating most of my exercise cals.

I have been in maintenance for a few months and my goal now is 1560 + exercise cals.

I am 5` 4"

My advice is net the 1200 cals at least.

ETA I am 135lbs

I'm 5'3" and only 1 pound away from my goal weight of 110. I eat between 1350 and 1500 calories per day and I'm still losing. So yeah, you can do it!....eat your exercise calories back!

simoneg14

I am probably repeating what's been said, I'm no expert at all but I was under the impression that you should not stay on 1200 net calories for weight loss, my PT advised me to only do this for a maximum of 2 weeks then up my calories but 100 per week until I got to 1500 net per day and that has worked for me. If you are eating less than 1200 net per day your body is going into starvation mode and starts to hold on to reserves (food) because your body does not know when it's getting its next meal. Hope this helps

Sjenny5891

I'm 5'3". I maintain my weight 120 at 1520. I eat back most of my exercise calories.
At 190, I was eating around 2,000 a day with about 800 a day burned through exercise...... net 1200 and losing 2 to 3 pounds a week.

Jarice12

I am 5'3 and weigh about 193.....I usually do around 45 minutes on the eleptical and then do some weight lifting so I burn around 500 or 600 calories on the days I work out....I usually do not eat my calories back, I may eat 100 or 200 of them but not all....My net calories this week have averaged around 900 or 1,000 calories since I am not eating all of my exercise calories back...So are you all saying I need to have a net of 1,200?

Yes yes yes...your net should be 1200 AT LEAST with the amount of calories you are burning per day. I had the same problem: I hit a plateau I increased my caloric intake AND added strength training. Strength training builds muscle, which helps to burn fat; try adding it in 3 times a week.

Scorchy

As long as MFP is calculating a 1200 calorie goal for people when it's not really appropriate for their needs, you're going to see these threads. I was pretty annoyed myself when I realized that I had been eating way less than I needed to or should.

cep06e

A calorie deficit *will* result in weight loss, especially for those that are considered obese. Many people consume more calories than they think, and don't burn nearly as many calories as they think when working out. Are you measuring your food properly? Are you logging EVERYTHING you eat, even just a bite of something here and there?

Here's a good article from Livestrong http://www.livestrong.com/article/470905-1-200-calorie-diets-for-obese-women/

miracle4me

Bumpty Bump I want to keep my eye on this topic.
I am singing the scale blues myself.

lcfairbairn74

If your scale isn't being supportive it's probably broken. Kick it across the room, teach it some respect.

I laughed out loud at his! Very funny! :laugh: :laugh:

alexsis88

IIFYM.com a tdee calculator site told me that my 5'3" 142lb frame needs 1910 cals a day on little to no exercise to maintain! But working out 5 days a week I need almost 2300 to maintain. Good luck to you. Worth a shot!

Beckilovespizza

Maybe you are possibly building muscle? Someone told me not to rely on scales but to take measurements instead? I sometimes go on a machine at the gym that calculates weight/height/bmi and body fat (it also tells you the minimum and maximum body fat you should have too). I find the machine pretty depressing (it doesn't tell me what I wanna hear!!) but it might help solve the mystery? Good luck

WinCherry

I'm having a problem like this. Currently eating 1300 exercising burning off at least 1000 cal each time. Keep in mind I am really overweight in the high 200'.s and I usually eat back some of the calories I burn. But I have gained 5 lbs. So as soon as you have a solution please do share it with me. Also if anyone what's to friend me my dairy is open and I am open to ANY advice and critiques

stealthq

Google "tdee calculator" - use it.... subtract 500cals from the total - that is what you eat regardless of your workout (because it factors in workout calories). When I started using this method I have been losing a consistant 1lb/week (after a 1mo stall)

Good luck.

If I do that I end up with LESS than 1200 calories. Hm. I better stick to 1200, although I feel like my scale isn't budging either :-(

It's because you don't have much weight to lose (going by your ticker). When you get around 10 lbs. to go, expecting 1 lb per week isn't realistic. Try TDEE - 20%. If/when that is less than your BMR (which is probably around 1200 Cals), do TDEE - 15%, etc.

kts3639

I agree with everyone saying that you need to NET AT LEAST 1200 calories. Calculate your TDEE -20% and eat that amount. Do not eat below your BMR.

And for the love of pete people, stop telling her she's gaining muscle!!! She is not gaining muscle, trust me...

Miss_Hiker_Pants

Bump your calories up a little. I did the same thing. I was stuck on the stame weight for almost a year. It didn't matter what I did. I bumped up my calories to 1366, and make sure I exercise most everyday. For at least 30 minutes.

I've been eating whole foods, no proccessed foods, and I started losing again. I'm down about 4 lbs.

Akimajuktuq

this website set my calorie goal at 1,200...

Because you input that you want to lose 2 pounds per week. Come on, you gotta get real and think for yourself. Two pounds per week is neither realistic or healthy.

You need to EAT. And don't be afraid of healthy fat and protein. Take a look and my progress and diary; you might be surprised. I never struggle with hunger and my health is AMAZING. That's all because I stopped the calories in/out bs and started paying attention to WHAT I eat and not caring about the weight loss as much as HEALTH.

sarahertzberger

I would definitely eat more calories, you're probably making your body hold onto all the food it's getting and putting you into starvation mode

auroranflash

Please note that if you have been eating at 1200 calories and then increase to 1400/1500 or more, you are likely to see a temporary weight gain. Part of this is water, part of it is your body holding on to calories because it's been in such a deficit for so long. This dissuades a lot of people and they go right back to 1200, even when the higher number will be better for them, both nutritionally and by balancing their hormones. The body hates extreme deficits and will fight you tooth and nail, however, if you approach weight loss gradually and steadily, you will see more long-term success and it will be a lot less of a struggle.

Increase your calories over the next few weeks to 1400, then 1500, give it a few weeks and see what happens. There is something of a 'sweet spot' you need to hit where you are both satiated, well nourished, and still at a deficit. Try to make sure you are tracking accurately, also - a lot of people say 'eat more!' but, honestly, there is a huge margin of user error for calculating calories on here. Someone who thinks they are only ingesting 1200 calories can actually be much closer to 1800 if not more because they forgot to add that extra nibble, scoop, or sip.

Best of luck.

mrsjay4life

You definitely needs to up your calories and watch your fat disappear!

MysticRealm

MFP is designed that you DO eat back your exercise cals, so on MFP's numbers you should be eating 1700 cals a day when you workout.
I personally do TDEE- 15% to 20%

HRLaurie614

You really shouldn't net BMR unless your BMR is 1200 or you're under a dr's supervision.

FWIW, my BMR is UNDER 1200....sigh. I'm in maintenance now, but it's hard to know that my BMR is so low.

44 (45 next month). Just under 5'1". Weight 103.5. I need to tone and probably eat more to account for adding weight related workouts (I mostly walk),

But, just wanted to add the perspective of someone whose BMR is at 1200.

2013sk

Eat more!!! :grumble:

Every day I see threads like this!!

Ha ha ha ha

Same old story......!!!

Please fuel your body

vv523

I'm 51, 5' 6" 200 Lb would like to get to 180 was 235 been at the same weight for 5 months work out everyday cardo 45 to 1hr 15 a day weight 3 times a week burn about 600 to 1300 cal a day eat about 1600 to 1200 a day. so from reading this i should be eating a lot more! when i do eat 1600 for 3 to 4 days i gain weight

Ih8thedreadmill

It is my opinion , you should be eating about 1000 to 1200 PLUS about half your exercise calories. You may gain a little at first but it should fall right back off. I am not an expert, just what I have read on here, and what has worked for me. I added calories, felt better, and lost more weight after a 3 week plateau. Your net should be in the 1000 to 1200 range.

Ih8thedreadmill

But then again a lot of people say not to go below 1200 , but with your BMR, thats how it works out?