Can't eat over 800 calories a day.

Assuming you do not have any medical conditions that would interfere, my first guess is that you are not counting calories correctly (estimation errors) and/or you are not allowing enough time (ex: weigh yourself in a few days, see 1 lb of water weight and panic assuming you gained fat).

Those are my blunt guesses.

I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?

I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?

i agree. you are probably not measuring things accurately.

Are you short?
I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.

I'd guess that you are not logging correctly.

I am logging everything, even condiments and spices.

But are you measuring all the liquids and weighing all the solids?

I measure and weigh everything.

Then most likely you have a thyroid issue, or retain water with the higher caloric intake due to higher glycogen stores.

I would suggest trying to eat 1400 cals or so for 5-6 weeks, you may gain the first week or 2. If after the 5-6 weeks you are not getting results make adjustments from there.

I read your profile and you state you have been skinny your entire life, even while having children. Am I correct to assume that perhaps throughout your adult life you have been likely eating below what you typically would to maintain weight? If so, then over the years your Resting Metabolic Rate has decline causing you to be full on very little. Another reason you may experience this problem is due to the medical issue of your glands.

eat more loose the scale work out

Don't really know enough about you, but this may be worth a read. It may fit you, it may not. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/core_march_8.htm

Here's a little bit from the article: Not only has her metabolism matched her intake, her body has maximized production of enzymes that are designed to help store any additional calories as fat. Anytime additional, immediately-unnecessary calories are consumed the enzymes are there and waiting to store the additional calories as fat. Her body is starved nutritionally and it has one thing on its mind - survival.

Girl - Im in the same boat as you -- truthfully. If I eat more the 1000, I either gain or maintain. I tried the 1400-1800 (did that for like 4 months - just maintained)
The only time the scale goes down is when I eat less then 800 calories. I still have a balanced diet (ish) of protein, fruit & veggie -- but its not a diet I want to maintain forever.

Are you short?
I have a similar thing, If I ate the recommended daily allowance for a woman I'd be the size of an elephant! I'm only 5ft and have come to the conclusion that since I am the size of a child that I can only ever eat child portions and have to eat a lot less than 'normal' height people.

Height has nothing to do with how much you can eat. I'm 5'2" and eat around 2,000 calories and lose weight.

To OP: How long did you stay at 1200 cals? You will gain at first because your body is thinking "OMG, I better store all this for when she drops down to 800 again". My advice would be to try eating at 1200 for a few weeks/a month. Once your body learns you aren't depriving it, it will settle down and drop some weight.

Height has nothing to do with it? Interdasting

Visit with a doctor or nutritionist. First make sure there are no medical reasons causing this issue.

Please read this
http://www.7layerliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/feastorfamine.pdf

My guess is that you have been on a low calorie diet for so long that any surplus in energy that your body is receiving it is treating as a feast and storing whatever it can.I had experience with this in the past.Growing up i ate whatever i want,i was a dancer and i typically burned whatever i ate.As i grew older ie from teens to 20s -i became relatively sedentary-still eating the same calories so i gained weight.Now instead of increasing my activity-i just reduced my intake to 800 calories a day-i lost 30 pounds in 3 months-then my body held on to every inch of fat it can.whenever I have had energy surges(ie parties/holidays) my body stored more and more fat though i was very active.It took me almost a year to slowly increase my intake from 800 to 2200.i increase 200 calories for every few weeks until the weight went up and came back down(between 160 and 164).now at 2200 i dont gain anymore,ie the weight has stabilized.making a small cut out of maintenance will have safe fat loss,this is not a quick process.

You just have to train your body to function at a particular calorie intake.It does need patience and not freaking out looking at the gains on the scale.It only a matter of time until the body gets used to it.Good luck.
PS:IF you wonder how i arrived at 2200 to calculate energy required you can use this site
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

I do competitive bodybuilding, and although our numbers are completely different, I've experienced the same idea. Sometimes when you eat too few calories, your body goes into "starvation mode"-for lack of a better term- and basically begins to hold onto everything it gets and DRASTICALLY decreases your metabolism and influences other hormones so that it's not burning as many calories to maintain. You can correct it, but you need to do it SLOWLY otherwise you're just going to put on weight rather quickly because you've retarded your metabolism. Try SLOWLY walking your calories back up by increasing them 100 cals/day and see where that lands you. Stick with that until your weight holds steady at those calories, then do it again. Repeat this until your weight is steady AND you're eating a healthy amount. There's really no possible way your body is getting the nutrients it needs on 800 cals/day and I'm sure your energy levels must be through the floor. Expect a slight weight increase the first few days just due to water and things like that, but honestly I'd go to 900 cals/day for a couple weeks without even stepping on the scale first. You can be skinny/lightweight and still not be healthy....make sure your body is getting what it needs first.

Please read this
http://www.7layerliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/feastorfamine.pdf

My guess is that you have been on a low calorie diet for so long that any surplus in energy that your body is receiving it is treating as a feast and storing whatever it can.I had experience with this in the past.Growing up i ate whatever i want,i was a dancer and i typically burned whatever i ate.As i grew older ie from teens to 20s -i became relatively sedentary-still eating the same calories so i gained weight.Now instead of increasing my activity-i just reduced my intake to 800 calories a day-i lost 30 pounds in 3 months-then my body held on to every inch of fat it can.whenever I have had energy surges(ie parties/holidays) my body stored more and more fat though i was very active.It took me almost a year to slowly increase my intake from 800 to 2200.i increase 200 calories for every few weeks until the weight went up and came back down(between 160 and 164).now at 2200 i dont gain anymore,ie the weight has stabilized.making a small cut out of maintenance will have safe fat loss,this is not a quick process.

You just have to train your body to function at a particular calorie intake.It does need patience and not freaking out looking at the gains on the scale.It only a matter of time until the body gets used to it.Good luck.
PS:IF you wonder how i arrived at 2200 to calculate energy required you can use this site
http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

^^^^^ THIS!!!^^^^