Afraid to gain weight eating 1200cals or more

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  • ragedracer1977
    ragedracer1977 Posts: 24 Member
    How is it possible to eat 1200 calories and NOT lose weight if your BMR is over 1200 calories?

    I keep reading about plateaus, but are we talking a 3 day plateau? A year plateau? What? If counting calories and eating below your BMR equals weight loss, how is it possible to NOT lose weight if you're burning more than you take in?
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    what does bump mean?

    "bump" is a way to post something on a thread so that it goes back to the top of the forum, or so you can find it later when you look at your archive of forum activity.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    Well if u starved urself for a long time it is possible. I went through a phase a few years ago where I was running 6-10 miles and only ate 1200 calories and the weight loss stalled... your body adapts fast to stress
    How is it possible to eat 1200 calories and NOT lose weight if your BMR is over 1200 calories?

    I keep reading about plateaus, but are we talking a 3 day plateau? A year plateau? What? If counting calories and eating below your BMR equals weight loss, how is it possible to NOT lose weight if you're burning more than you take in?
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    How is it possible to eat 1200 calories and NOT lose weight if your BMR is over 1200 calories?

    I keep reading about plateaus, but are we talking a 3 day plateau? A year plateau? What? If counting calories and eating below your BMR equals weight loss, how is it possible to NOT lose weight if you're burning more than you take in?

    if she hasn't been doing it long, then water weight is the likely culprit. over time however, if 1200 is below her BMR, the body adapts to what it considers "stress" by releasing extra amounts of certain hormones which will make burning stored fat harder. you can lose weight when that happens if you stick with it, but it takes longer. when you do finally revert to normal caloric intake, you'll gain the weight back more quickly too. it's not a healthy way to do this, but it's not an impossible way to do it either. everyone in history who has starved to death did so by eating below their BMR. they lost weight in the process.
  • ragedracer1977
    ragedracer1977 Posts: 24 Member
    over time however, if 1200 is below her BMR, the body adapts to what it considers "stress" by releasing extra amounts of certain hormones which will make burning stored fat harder. you can lose weight when that happens if you stick with it, but it takes longer. when you do finally revert to normal caloric intake, you'll gain the weight back more quickly too. it's not a healthy way to do this, but it's not an impossible way to do it either. everyone in history who has starved to death did so by eating below their BMR. they lost weight in the process.

    So what does your body burn for fuel if you're not burning fat and working out and building muscle?

    I'm asking because this is actually a concern for me. For today, I ate about 1500 cals, but will end up with about a 2000 calorie deficit. Should I be eating another 1000 calories? Honestly, I don't know that I want to. I mean, I'm pretty stuffed right now.
  • starvinkevin
    starvinkevin Posts: 331
    Your body just gets efficient and burns less resources so that even 1200 calories is more than enough. Like I said before I used to run 6-10 miles FIVE TIMES A WEEK on a total intake of 1200 calories and my weight loss stalled...
    over time however, if 1200 is below her BMR, the body adapts to what it considers "stress" by releasing extra amounts of certain hormones which will make burning stored fat harder. you can lose weight when that happens if you stick with it, but it takes longer. when you do finally revert to normal caloric intake, you'll gain the weight back more quickly too. it's not a healthy way to do this, but it's not an impossible way to do it either. everyone in history who has starved to death did so by eating below their BMR. they lost weight in the process.

    So what does your body burn for fuel if you're not burning fat and working out and building muscle?

    I'm asking because this is actually a concern for me. For today, I ate about 1500 cals, but will end up with about a 2000 calorie deficit. Should I be eating another 1000 calories? Honestly, I don't know that I want to. I mean, I'm pretty stuffed right now.
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
    These rules have worked for me since the new year started:

    1. Set your realistic activity level. What do you do for a living? If it's a desk job - sedentary, if it's a teacher - lightly active, if you're running around all day - active, etc. You get the point.
    2. Set your profile to lose 1 pound a week.
    3. Eat your exercise calories back... never NET below 1200.
    4. Never eat below your BMR... Don't know what it is? MFP has a calculator for you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator. If your 1 pound a week weightloss is below your BMR, do light physical activity to get you there. Once again, never eat below BMR.
    5. Think about your macros - I like a 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/protein) split.
    6. Monitor your salt and fiber intake. I have my three macros referenced above and these two items. Go above the salt recommendation and you'll most likely hold or gain water weight. Fiber keeps your digestive system moving.
    7. Start weight lifting... this will make you solid.
    8. Expect to gain weight when you first start adjusting your calorie intake. If your body is used to being straved it will hold on to nutrients like crazy... wait about 2-4 weeks for your body to adjust and then watch the magic happen! I've lost 4 pounds in two weeks and I'm eating between 1500-1800 a day.
    9. Worried about what you'll eat? Plan your meals out the day before. I always do this and it leaves very little up to chance.
    10. KISS. Don't over think this.

    #10 is contradictory to #'s 1-9.
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
    How is it possible to eat 1200 calories and NOT lose weight if your BMR is over 1200 calories?

    I keep reading about plateaus, but are we talking a 3 day plateau? A year plateau? What? If counting calories and eating below your BMR equals weight loss, how is it possible to NOT lose weight if you're burning more than you take in?

    no clue. i net 1200 calories or less and lost a lot of weight doing that. i never stalled.
  • tadlana
    tadlana Posts: 27 Member
    Lots of info thank you. As I increase my calories should I eat more protein? Fruits n veggies? Or bread like carbs? I don't want to sabbotage myself
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,733 Member
    Lots of info thank you. As I increase my calories should I eat more protein? Fruits n veggies? Or bread like carbs? I don't want to sabotage myself

    go to Eat, Train, Progress and read about setting your macros. in fact, read everything you can in that group. there's a lot more good information in there (and a lot less BS) than you'll find in the public forums.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress

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