Not seen improvements- BUT I'm I doing wrong?

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dilarrazamontalvo
dilarrazamontalvo Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I started using this app on October, and exercising. My start weight was 139 and I have lost 11 pounds. Im a small person, so I need to keep my weight low, or else every pound is noticible. My goal is to weight 120lbs. My calorie goal is 1,200 per day. I exercise regularly, I walk at a moderate pace 3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri) for 2 hours during the day and 2 days a week (Tues, Thurs), I walk for 1 hour a day. I watch what I eat carefully. So I eat 3 small meals during the day, and I eat like a yogurt between 2 of the meals. I usually do not go over my calorie intake, actually most of the time Im way under. YET, I seem to be stuck in the same weight. Im not gaining, BUT IM NOT Loosing either. WHAT I'M I Doing wrong here??? Need some busting tips. Thanks.
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Replies

  • AmyW125
    AmyW125 Posts: 302 Member
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    Eat your workout calories back....I learned the hard way! Good luck! I'm only 5'2 so I know how hard it can be.
  • nixirain
    nixirain Posts: 448 Member
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    I agree. You are not feeding you body enough for the work outs you are doing. Your body needs fuel!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    Well.... 11 pounds seems like a GREAT loss so far to me. I'd say give it time, maybe up you calories to ATLEAST your BMR. And go from there. :)

    I was on a 2 month plateau and upped my calories by about 300, and then all of a sudden i started losing weight again. :) As long as you are still in a deficit i don't see why you shouldn't try that.

    Also, as you don't have much to lose you may want to change it to lose 1 pound or even lose .5 pounds per week.
  • Rachlmale
    Rachlmale Posts: 640 Member
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    Going way under is not a good thing, or an accomplishment, you need to eat at least 1,200 - if you're exercising then even more than that.
  • spoons81
    spoons81 Posts: 51 Member
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    You definitely shouldn't be going way under if your goal is set to 1200. Also you need to log and eat back those exercise calories. Your body needs fuel!

    www.fitnessfrog.com has calculators to determine your BMR and TDEE.
  • johnnys30
    johnnys30 Posts: 64 Member
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    1200 calories is the minimum or your in starvation mode. If you are under, especially WAY under, then you aren't helping yourself any.

    Eating some of your calories back is good as well. If you exercise don't be afraid at all to go to 1300-1400 calories.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    Have you logged the weight loss?
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    actually most of the time Im way under.

    There's your problem.
  • rickybluntjr
    rickybluntjr Posts: 15 Member
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    Consider a couple high calorie days. You're probably still losing fat and you would see that if you took measurments each week with a tape measure. However, when you go for a long time doing low calories, sometimes your body gets stressed and starts retaining water which will make your weight stay the same, even though you're losing fat. Sometimes increasing your calories for a day or two will relieve your stress and your body will flush out that extra water weight.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    You definitely shouldn't be going way under if your goal is set to 1200. Also you need to log and eat back those exercise calories. Your body needs fuel!

    www.fitnessfrog.com has calculators to determine your BMR and TDEE.

    ^^^ this
  • kristi_renee
    kristi_renee Posts: 1
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    Hello!
    I hope I can suggest a few things. I am actually a personal trainer but I love this site for keeping track of food. I hate all the math lol. If you are way under your calories, then your body may be taking the calories that you do consume and storing all the extra fat. Not that that there is too much fat in your diet but when you diet is in balance you body works better to eliminate some of the extra naturally. It goes into 'survival mode' to try to store what it can because it has been starved in one nutrient field or another. Try to stay right at your 1200 cal and maybe try to add in another some meal, so you are eating every 3 hours or so. Maybe this will help. Best of luck.
  • dilarrazamontalvo
    dilarrazamontalvo Posts: 3
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    Thanks to all of you for your reply. I guess, like most of you stated Im not eating enought calories. Most of the time I eat a total of 800-900 calories during the day, then I burn 300 during exercise. I will follow your advise and eat more. Im going to bring it up to eat at least eat 1,100-1,200 and see what happens from there. THANK YOU ALL.
  • dilarrazamontalvo
    dilarrazamontalvo Posts: 3
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    I was looking at this all wrong... I had the IDEA that I had to stay under the calorie goal, and not eat the calories that I had already burned by exercising. Im going to change that dumb Idea today. THANKS.
  • spoons81
    spoons81 Posts: 51 Member
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    Don't be afraid of food! I tried the 1200 calorie diet and was STARVING and cranky all the time. When I actually ran the numbers I found out I should be eating 1800 :happy: to lose a pound a week...and it's WORKING!! Note that that includes my exercise (generally 4-5 days a week) which was factored in when I calculated my TDEE. Not saying you should be eating the same amount, but I would look into it more.

    It's a lifestyle change...not a crash diet!
  • SenshiV
    SenshiV Posts: 131 Member
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    It's a lifestyle change...not a crash diet!

    Exactly. And well no need to repeat what others are saying glad you got it and lot's of luck.
  • Skinny_minny_mo
    Skinny_minny_mo Posts: 1,272 Member
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    i'm in the same rut!

    5ft and have lost only 2pounds in almost 3 months. :explode:

    exercise 3 times a week and on 1200 cal a day. should i eat more? the last time i increased my cals i picked up weight. i;m very close to my goal weight but have a huge tummy which i need to lose.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    ... actually most of the time Im way under. ...

    Don't do this.

    You should eat as close to your calorie goal as you can, within 50 calories, especially when your calorie goal is so low.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 646 Member
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    Everyone so far said the same thing .... you need to eat more to fuel your body properly so you can lose the weight.
  • girlonabikedc
    girlonabikedc Posts: 111 Member
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    If I read your original post correctly, you've lost 11lbs since October. That's great! What's the problem?

    (You need to give yourself time)
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I agree with the others who say you're not eating enough. Read this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Great info there that really helped me get off the 1200 calorie hamster wheel. :tongue: Links to the tools to calculate your numbers and help figure out and fine tune your goals, which you can input manually here at MFP. Good stuff.

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