Calories

1200 calories seems to low. When you go up focus on protein, watch out for sodium!!!
freddie-ray

I only lost weight the first week then nothing (mind you i had been on weight watchers the weeks previous so it was not water loss). Due to a low calorie level at first I was not exercising, then I added a minimum of 30 minutes daily (either treadmills alternating speed or incline, kinect games or zumba)..still nothing. I am this week raising my calorie level going by the post you mentioned. Using the spreadsheet my calorie level should be 1514...I had a hard enough time netting 1200 daily I always fell below so this will be a struggle. I want to lose weight so bad that i choose the lowest (healthiest) foods but end up with too little. I am hardly ever hungry now so raising the calories is not only scary to think about..but if I can not net 1200 how the heck can I do 1500 LOL - I am just going to try to do what i can and go from there...I also lowered my carb and fat allowance as I know if I keep my carbs at about 80 - 90 I do really well from previous experience. This is where the real struggle is! I have read in so many places people not losing with 1200 - so they raise and it helps. If you are afraid start by raising it 100 a day for a week - then to 200. Best of luck!!

First off... CONGRATS on trying to lose the healthy way!!!

I did the 1200 calorie thing for a while when I first started (1200 PLUS eating back calories). It worked to start losing but then I felt like I BARELY had enough food in me! So I did some reading and realised that obviously if my body is saying it's not enough, then it's not enough!

So I upped it to 1350. Ate 1350 calories for about 2 weeks (maybe less), then upped it to 1550 which is what I've been at for the past month or so. Today I decided to up it again and am now at 1730. Even at 1730 calories I will still lose about 0.5 lb/wk which is all I need In another month or so I may even change it to maintance and just work on toning.

Note: I eat my excercise calories so I'm pretty much always around my net goal. (Aside from occasional exceptions like my birthday).

How long have you been trying to survive off of 1200 calories? I did it for about 2 months and I did NOT mess up my metabolism (although I struggled to eat only 1200!!), when I started to increase the calories I still lost weight overall. When you increase it, remember you have to give your body a few weeks to adjust, so don't get down on yourself if you gain a lb or two Just focus on progress pics and measurements for the few weeks after you up the calories

Friend me if you would like, it's great to see someone decide to attact this the healthy way

I was just talking about this on my Weight-Loss Update. I was sad because I'd only lost 1.9 pounds in a week after working at a 1000+ deficit by working out 6 days a week and eating about 1200 (non workout days) - 1400 (workout days) calories. Which according to MFP I should have lost more than that (and I have before) but after reviewing my intake I saw that I wasn't consuming enough good foods like green leafy healthy veggies. I saw the other weeks when I lost a substantial amount of weight I was consuming half my plate of those types of veggies and 1/4 lean meat and 1/4 or less of carbs (see the healthy plate guide for more information; it's really helpful). My rationale is that we can eat 1200 calories of chocolate cake and ice cream and gain weight because it's nothing but fat and sugar but eat 1200 of a combination of healthy choices and lose weight; only having the occasional fatty treat. It may not be scientific but that's what I see with my body...