Am I eating enough calories? What's wrong?

If you gained 2 lbs since last weekend, maybe the exercise you are doing it building muscle? I'm not sure about the calorie issue, as I am having the same problem. I trust MFP to tell me the right number of calories, but I'm also on an appetite suppressent from the Dr. I'm thinking of seeing a nutritionist to decide what the correct number of calories is for me to lose 1.5-2lbs a week. MFP has me at 1330 calories to lose 1.5 lbs a week.

Don't get too discouraged about the weight, if you began a new exercise program it could just be the muscle gain, which always scares me too. Also, be sure not to weigh yourself too often they say your body flucuates about 2 lbs each day or different times of the day. You may also want to check the amount of sugar you are taking in, as they say that sugar turns to fat. I realized a few weeks ago I was having too much sugar each day, although some of it was from fruit, it still added up with the othe foods I was eatting.

I will definitely be checking back to see what other suggestions there are.

How is your sodium intake? Is that really high? Are you eating your exercise calories? Are you drinking enough water? 7 lbs is good since the second week of Jan. Maybe your body is taking a little to catch up with the weight you have already lost. 1 week with no loss is normal sometimes. Is it near your TOM?

Is this amount of exercise new to you, or have you increased your intensity? Your muscles may be retaining water. Once they adjust to your new exercise level, they will drop the water weight.

It's also very possible that you were a bit dehydrated when you weighed 208 -- our body weight fluctuates greatly throughout the day.

Are you eating some of your exercise calories on top of your base 1500? It may be something you want to consider (everyone is different) if you're not. 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


I also would like to suggest you keep track of your measurements (measure once or twice a month) so on the weeks you don't lose (or even gain), you can have another measurement to monitor your progress (but be careful dwelling too much on it because water retention that takes the form of bloating can also cause your measurements to be inaccurate!).


Overall, 7 pounds in (essentially) a month is GREAT! Congratulations!

Oh -- and I also just realized you're male. Being male makes a difference. In my (very unprofessional) opinion, 1500 calories a day is too low for a 5'10" male.

Oh -- and I also just realized you're male. Being male makes a difference. In my (very unprofessional) opinion, 1500 calories a day is too low for a 5'10" male.

You posted this at the same time I posted mine . . . In my (very unprofessional) opinion, I agree with you!

Outside of what others have said:
you're body is catching up from previous large losses
sodium
water

I don't think it's 2lbs of muscle, since you didn't even mention strength training. I'd up your cals a little bit and watch the water and sodium for the next 2 weeks and see where you're at then.

You may need to increase your calories.

I do think it is worth pointing out that 7lbs in a month is very good progress. Don't get hung up on the week to week numbers. Your weight can naturally fluctuate a few pounds and thus the scale will not always reflect your hard work and success. Focus more on there being a general trend of weightloss (which you have) and how great you are feeling. It has only been a month. It will take time, but it is definitely worth it. If it was me I would wait a little longer before switching my routine or eating habits.

I just figured your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) on an online calculator (nothing official!) and you're probably burning around 2400-2500 calories with just with your normal daily activities (not including any exercise). So with 1500 calories a day, you're probalby setting yourself at about a 1000 calorie a day deficit already. If you're not eating any of the extra calories you burn with your exercise (walking, wii), you're increasing that deficit to a level that may not be appropriate for your body.

I think the 1900-2000 calories you were getting from other websites was your BMR which is the amount of calories you'd burn just laying in bed all day. It's what your body burns just to keep you alive.

So, again, in my (very unprofessional) opinion, yes, I think you should increase your calorie intake & see what happens over the next month. Because decreasing it certainly sounds like a really really bad idea.

Definitely 100% correct. I've learned the hard way that decreasing only leads to starvation mode and in the end, you are SO much worse off. You will gain it all back very quickly and possibly gain even more. You need to eat those extra exercise calories. Something that I do: I will roll over my calories( this is something I learned when I was part of weight watchers a few years ago). This works for me. I don't eat a whole lot during the week, but with a large family, the weekends are killers for my diet. However, if I have saved enough calories, I will have enough to cover that weekend. But it's important to get in all those calories in that week. Don't save them for the next week.