No weight loss in what I thought was a successful week...

Options
After sticking to 1200 calories per day and exercising 600 calories 6 days a week... I have lost no pounds at all! Any ideas why? I am so disheartened and wanna cry after a week I thought I'd been really good! Sad times.

xxx

Replies

  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    Options
    Because eating 1200 calories a day and exercising away 600 of those leaves you at having consumed 600 net calories that day. Starvation central for anyone who's not extremely obese. Read these:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition
  • Mellie13
    Mellie13 Posts: 424
    Options
    I agree, you have to feed your body. I had the same problem this week! I gained 2 pounds. Uggg
  • LongMom
    LongMom Posts: 408 Member
    Options
    My first week at WW I GAINED 1.8 lbs. Talk about discouraging. I went on to lose 52 lbs though and made it to my goal!

    Keep up the good work (well add some more calories I think, the respondants are right) and you will have NO problem.
  • sweetteacher123
    Options
    If you are exercising away 600 calories with a base of 1200 calories, you should be eating 1800 a day. If you are not, your body will not burn like it should. MFP has already set your calories to a deficit, so if you aren't feeding yourself, your body will want to hold on to any extra calories it can. Keep working out, just refuel yourself with those healthy calories. As for a lack of weight loss you and others have experienced, sometimes that happens. The body will plateau for a period of time. Don't give up. Keep working. What often happens is you will lose more next week! Good luck!
  • DaveyGravy
    DaveyGravy Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    Yeah, agreed! One of the most important things I ever learned was 'to lose weight, you have to eat' - I figured if I ate very little and exercised every free hour I had, i'd lose the weight so much faster. Wrong, it didn't happen that way at all. As long as your net calories remain at 1200 and not 600 like yours currently, you will find your body reacts in a positive way as far as losing weight is concerned!
  • Ashia1317
    Options
    After sticking to 1200 calories per day and exercising 600 calories 6 days a week... I have lost no pounds at all! Any ideas why? I am so disheartened and wanna cry after a week I thought I'd been really good! Sad times.

    xxx

    Don't feel so bad. I'm in the same boat. I've been doing the calories, logging my food, and exercising over 200 calories a day. And not such success for myself this week either. I figured with my TOM over, I was feeling phenominal and "skinny". But no such luck with the scale.

    But it will happen. Just keep up the hard work! It will pay off in the end. Remember to fuel yourself. Just because you're eating up to 1200 calories - are they the "right" calories: fruit, veggies, protein, whole grain/carbs?

    Also, try keeping measurements of your body. Sometimes we have better success at losing inches than pounds some weeks. :happy:
  • DeeDeeLHF
    DeeDeeLHF Posts: 2,301 Member
    Options
    Just posting to say that I agree. Whenever I think I am going to be clever and cut corners and not eat my excercise calories it always backfires! Oh, sometimes i might lose some but then it comes to a screaching halt. Our bodies were meant to eat and excercise! Yea!!!

    Read posts by Banks/ SHBoss...search the archives. He has some great stuff!!
  • Kirst30
    Options
    Thanks guys for all your comments and advice... I will take them all on board! I think I'm just trying to run before I can walk. Another question: because I give myself Saturdays off the gym to let my body rest, I should only eat 1200 on those days, right?

    xxxx
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
    Options
    don't forget, if you're doing strength training you may be building muscle which is heavier than fat so even though the scale doesn't go down you could have replaced fat with muscle. I recommend taking your body measurements periodically to be more accurate in that respect. Good luck
  • DaveyGravy
    DaveyGravy Posts: 283 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys for all your comments and advice... I will take them all on board! I think I'm just trying to run before I can walk. Another question: because I give myself Saturdays off the gym to let my body rest, I should only eat 1200 on those days, right?

    xxxx

    Yep, that's right - you just need to compesate or partly compensate whenever for the calories lost whenever you workout.
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
    Options
    I can only say what worked for me. That was exercising plenty and eating plenty. I never ate only 1200 cals. Right up until I met my goal weight, I was eating around 1400 on non-exercise days. And when I worked out, I ate at least half back.

    Everyone is different. You might need a bit of trial and error to find out the right combo of calories and exercise will work for you..but definitely make sure to eat ENOUGH. Think of your body like a gas tank. You can't leave it empty or over fill it. And look at food as the fuel.

    Also, know that even if you are doing everything right. Exercising, eating some back, etc...there may be times your body takes a break. I think our body chemistry needs to take a breather now and then to catch up to what we're putting it through when losing weight. So, a plateau can be very normal. I hit a few during the 16 months it took me to hit my goal weight...but they never lasted more than a week because I'd shake it up. I'd bump up my exercise or maybe have a girls night out..(Fun!)....and it kind of kicks your metabolism in the butt!

    Also, you ARE successful anyway. Just because the number on the scale doesn't move..it does NOT mean you haven't done well by staying on track, exercising, etc. Remember that. The scale is just a number and it's really not a great way to measure success in weight loss or changing your lifestyle.

    :flowerforyou:
    -Tami
  • thricewiser
    Options
    Just want to say thank you to you all for finally DRUMMING some sense into Kirst30. Have been saying and repeating all of your comments day in, day out without her listening.

    Cheers for finally getting through. Good times.
  • lors624
    Options
    I agree with most of what I have read here. 1200 is already low. If you are exercising, eat at least 3/4 of those calories back. And, make sure you are getting ample protein for building muscle. Remember, muscle is heavier than fat, so that could also be a factor. But, my guess would be that you are in starvation mode, which could lead to more fat storage and less muscle.
  • onmywaytoskinny155
    onmywaytoskinny155 Posts: 228 Member
    Options
    I wish I had enough energy to burn 600 calories a day!!! Good Job on doing that!