Doing Everything Right - not losing weight.

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svermace
svermace Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been logging for 40 days now, lost 5 pounds, but have remained at the same weight now for a few weeks. When I complete my log in each day, with exercise, it says 'in 5 weeks you should weigh 150 lbs." But the scale is not moving. I have 1200 calories a day, but often come in below that. I am perfectly full with meals, with snacks here and there - counting it all! Why am I no longer losing the weight?
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  • mommyshortlegs
    mommyshortlegs Posts: 402 Member
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    Eat more, at least 1,200 calories as a bare minimum, especially if you exercise.

    Congratulations on your weight loss thus far! :)
  • taragenevaw
    taragenevaw Posts: 6
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    It could be a number of things...
    If you add me as a friend I can take a look at what you are eating and see if I can help you out and recommend some resources for you. :-)
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    Coming in below 1200 calories is only going slow down your metabolism, not speed up the weight loss. Forget everything you ever learned about weight loss - it's garbage! Also, ignore the "In 5 weeks" thing, it's never right...

    Next, congrats on those 5 pounds, it's better than where you were 40 days ago!

    Ok. We need some more info so we can help you better. How many lbs do you need to lose? What do you have MFP set at (lbs/week)? I know you said you feel full at 1200, but I have a feeling your body is saying "eat more" and not releasing the fat...
  • blisterpeanuts
    blisterpeanuts Posts: 67 Member
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    Maybe vary your diet a bit? If you're having lots of red meat, switch to fish, or vice versa, and switch to different kinds of veggies. Surprise your body with a different exercise. Drink more water and less soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc.

    I've also found that an occasional fast seems to "reset" my metabolism, clear my head, and definitely causes me to lose a pound or two which usually comes right back of course but at least it jogs the needle and it might get you moving again.

    Best of luck!
    BP
  • Sandylovesm
    Sandylovesm Posts: 242 Member
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    I know it's frustrating but you 'll move on don't worry. I'll give you a very basic advice but it worked for me. The thing is eating 1200 cals is very low. So the day you exercise, it is adviced to eat your calories back. I know everybody's not ok with that, that's just my opinion.

    Do you eat your exercice calories back?

    1200 is very low (it's the minimum for your body to work) and if you eat only 1200 cals the day you exercise, your body has not enough calories to burn. As a result, you don't lose weight.

    I'm not sure this could help you, know my answer is quite basic but is still worth something :)

    Have a nice day and dn't worry, you'll fond what 's going wrong and lose weight :flowerforyou:
  • svermace
    svermace Posts: 8 Member
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    I started at 162 lbs. I want to get down to 140 for now. The program set my daily at 1200 because I want to lose 1-2 lbs/week.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    According to your ticker you only have about 15lbs left to lose. Set your weekly lose goal at 0.5lbs per week.

    1200 cals is not nearly enough. You risk losing a large amount of muscle (resulting in a high body fat %) and you risk not prioviding your body with proper fuel.

    1200 is not enough to sustain a body.

    You have lost 5lbs in just over a month. That is a great amount with what you have left to lose. Don't try to lose it too quickly.
  • Spindrift2012
    Spindrift2012 Posts: 58 Member
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    You're averaging about a pound lost a week which is good. It won't all come off at a steady rate, though. So some weeks you'll lose more than you expected, other weeks the scales won't shift at all. Just plug away at it, don't give up.
  • keya729
    keya729 Posts: 166 Member
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    I have been logging for 40 days now, lost 5 pounds, but have remained at the same weight now for a few weeks. When I complete my log in each day, with exercise, it says 'in 5 weeks you should weigh 150 lbs." But the scale is not moving. I have 1200 calories a day, but often come in below that. I am perfectly full with meals, with snacks here and there - counting it all! Why am I no longer losing the weight?

    I know that eating below 1200 which is the minimum amount isn't good for your system. If you are working out make sure that you are doing something different if not everyday than switch up monthly you don't want your muscles to get used to doing the exercises. Maybe if you increase your meal intake it will jump start your metabolism which would make you lose weight more.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    1. 5lbs in 40 days is good progress. How long has it been since the scale stopped moving? Weight loss is not linear. It is normal to not lose for a week or two or to even gain a but.
    2. Are you working out? How much and what is it?
    3. 2lbs a week is too high of a goal. You likely should be eating more than 1200.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    I started at 162 lbs. I want to get down to 140 for now. The program set my daily at 1200 because I want to lose 1-2 lbs/week.

    I realize you WANT to lose 1-2lbs a week (don't we all) but with 15 pounds to go your body won't allow you to lose 1-2 lbs a week. That's what you aren't losing. Eat more.
  • shelbygt350h
    shelbygt350h Posts: 12
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    Hi...if you are anything like me...while trying to lose weight, I only lose by keeping the calories way down, but still eating my large portions that I am somewhat used to. When I get close to my final goal weight and add more muscle, I am able to increase the calories a bit. But if I increased my calories in order to lose weight faster... I would definitely GAIN WIEGHT !! If you are full at the amount of calories you are taking in...I would try decreasing them by about 300 for two weeks. There are some very low caloric healthy foods out there that I eat while trying to lose weight that will fill you up. The more you eat, the more you have to work to burn it off ! (My experience) I think a lot has to do with age and metabolism also. If you want any help...I could share some of the things that work for me.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Hi...if you are anything like me...while trying to lose weight, I only lose by keeping the calories way down, but still eating my large portions that I am somewhat used to. When I get close to my final goal weight and add more muscle, I am able to increase the calories a bit. But if I increased my calories in order to lose weight faster... I would definitely GAIN WIEGHT !! If you are full at the amount of calories you are taking in...I would try decreasing them by about 300 for two weeks. There are some very low caloric healthy foods out there that I eat while trying to lose weight that will fill you up. The more you eat, the more you have to work to burn it off ! (My experience) I think a lot has to do with age and metabolism also. If you want any help...I could share some of the things that work for me.

    So you are suggesting she eat 900 or less calories a day? That's insane.

    You shouldn't have to starve yourself to lose weight. Eating to little slows your metabolism which in turn makes it harder to lose weight. Figure out what you need to be eating, create a moderate deficit and eat. Give it some time.

    You may want to read this thread
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/919536-get-your-metabolic-rate-tested-my-metabolic-reset-story
  • svermace
    svermace Posts: 8 Member
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    So based on comments in this thread, I just changed from my profile to lose 1 lb per week instead of 2 and it raised by daily calorie intake to 1240. I DO eat the calories I earn when exercising. We'll see if this change helps. I'm sure my weekly glasses of wine don't help my weight loss, but it is not a lot of wine. I also have only 2 cups of coffee each morning before work, then water only the rest of the day, 8 or more cups per day.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    So based on comments in this thread, I just changed from my profile to lose 1 lb per week instead of 2 and it raised by daily calorie intake to 1240. I DO eat the calories I earn when exercising. We'll see if this change helps. I'm sure my weekly glasses of wine don't help my weight loss, but it is not a lot of wine. I also have only 2 cups of coffee each morning before work, then water only the rest of the day, 8 or more cups per day.

    I drank wine and beer the whole way through my weight loss - I also lost really slow - 40 pounds over 1.5 years, but it's still off a year later...I honestly think you'd benefit from reducing your loss per week to .5lbs/week, but that's just me. Doing it slow makes you think you really aren't dieting but you lose weight. My friends ask me how I did it and if it was hard and I can honestly say "no, it was quite easy once I got the pattern". Good luck to you!
  • tjk71
    tjk71 Posts: 167
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    This advice comes from my trainer. I was having a problem losing. Try to eat clean as possible, up your protein, eat like a king at breakfast, prince for lunch, pauper for dinner, no carbs or fruit after 4p.m. Protein & veggies for dinner.

    Note: I do not follow mfp recommeneded calories. Figure out your bmr/ tdee.....take 15-20% off of tdee. 1200/1240 is not enough calories! Especially if your excercising. Lift weights!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    what is your work out regimen like?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    This advice comes from my trainer. I was having a problem losing. Try to eat clean as possible, up your protein, eat like a king at breakfast, prince for lunch, pauper for dinner, no carbs or fruit after 4p.m. Protein & veggies for dinner.

    Note: I do not follow mfp recommeneded calories. Figure out your bmr/ tdee.....take 15-20% off of tdee. 1200/1240 is not enough calories! Especially if your excercising. Lift weights!

    i disagree...and the carbs after 4pm thing has been dismissed as a myth....
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
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    Patience. Weight loss is not linear. One pound per week is a fast weight loss for someone with so little weight to lose. If you truly are doing everything right then you will see results just maybe not in your time frame. I have had to wait as long as 3 weeks to see a loss doing everything right and then a huge loss showed, sometimes it shows on the scale in chunks.
  • SamanthaClarexo
    SamanthaClarexo Posts: 353 Member
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    I started at 162 lbs. I want to get down to 140 for now. The program set my daily at 1200 because I want to lose 1-2 lbs/week.

    I realize you WANT to lose 1-2lbs a week (don't we all) but with 15 pounds to go your body won't allow you to lose 1-2 lbs a week. That's what you aren't losing. Eat more.

    This. Always this. Your body needs fuel. Eat more, exercise.

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