Please tell me what i'm doing wrong!

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Naturechick80
Naturechick80 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
I will start by saying that I followed a 1200 calorie a day diet at age 26 and lost 27 pounds (of the 35 that I had gained from too many bar nights). I was easily able to maintain for 4 years. After a family member died, I ate more junk than usual, not crazy amounts, just a bit more and BAM-gained 20 back within 2 years. I started in January with a much stricter diet, making sure to get cardio in and some weights too. So here is my question:

I'm now 32 years old. I have been on myfitnesspal at 1200 calories a day only going over the amount by a few hundred calories once a week, since January 1. Everyday I get the "If everyday was like today, you would weigh 135 in 5 weeks!" message. I lost 7 solid pounds (from 155 to 148) at a moderate pace and then nothing for a long time. I amped it up and am burning 400-something calories from walking/jogging 5 miles a day. It seems impossible that the scale doesn't move. I've heard about eating more than 1200 calories, but when I do that I gain as much as 2 pounds per week. What is going on??

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  • Princesspam04
    Princesspam04 Posts: 4
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    try incorporating weight training into your excercise routine. mix it up and eat more lean protein :) good luck!
  • jaymesjourney
    jaymesjourney Posts: 85
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    you are starving yourself....
  • scottyg70
    scottyg70 Posts: 388 Member
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    It's kind of hard to say without seeing what you are eating every day. If you could open up your diary, that may help.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I've heard about eating more than 1200 calories, but when I do that I gain as much as 2 pounds per week. What is going on??


    Chances are, by eating @ 1200 for so long, you've screwed up your metabolism. As such, your metabolism needs to get back to where it's supposed to be. That is achieved by eating more. As such, yes - your weight will go up for a period. Eat at around maintenance Calories until your weight stops going up. Then eat less - just not too much less. Try aiming for a simple 1 lb per week loss and ensure you eat back most of your exercise Calories.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    You likely need to eat more. I know you said you will gain that way, and you may at first, but it will eventually even out and you will get off your plateau. Incorporate weight training too - it is a great fat burner.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Essentially, you eat 800 calories a day. Intake = 1200, Burn = 400, so Net calories is 800. You need to feed your body more calories. Essentially, you shoudl aim for 1 lb per week or less and aim to eat 50% of your exercise calories. Weight training will benefit you as it helps with muscle retention. More muscle means a tighter and leaner body. Also, when you up your calories initially or go over occasionally, it's your body adapting to more calories, and inevitably, more carbs. More carbs means more water weight. Heck body weight fluctuation alone can be 7-10 lbs per day.

    Based on your stats, you will probably see better results around 1800 calories. I know it seems like a lot but the average women I know is eating 1700-2100 calories. Heck, my wife is smaller than you, has a heart condition so she can't do much cardio if any at all, and she is eating 1550 calories and losing.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    THIS: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/943139-weight-loss-cheat-sheet-ipoarm
  • ccmccoy09
    ccmccoy09 Posts: 284 Member
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    THIS: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/943139-weight-loss-cheat-sheet-ipoarm

    This is basically what I did when I stopped losing after an initial 5 lb weight loss. I increased my cal intake from 1200 to 1500 average calories per day, cycled so some days were as high as 1800 and some as low as 1200, always totaling (around) 10,500 calories per week. I got to the 1500 average figure by taking into account 7 intense workouts per week plus my sedentary job. Also, by basing your calorie intake on your average daily energy expenditure, you don't have to calculate "eating back exercise calories" and have one less thing to log. It works for a lot of people. My results were slow but steady (about 15 more lbs over 8 months), and I managed to keep most of it off over the winter with less than ideal eating and exercise.

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