Why am I not losing on 1200cal per day?

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  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    I just got out of a terribly long plateau by doing phase one of 17 day diet. I have done phase 1 of 17 day diet before for 17 days as prescribed and that was when I lost the most. Then I went back to normal eating because much research shows that the body gets used to the new diet in 22 days. That is why the diet is called the 17 day diet, each phase (there are 4) is for 17 days, so the body doesn't get used to it.

    So because weight loss had been very slow for a long time and then plateaued, and I had tried everything, I started 17 day diet phase 1 again. It is a special kind of low carb diet, you can still have fruit and berries, just a limited variety in the first phase and then it builds on more variety for each phase. These fruits or berries should be eaten before 2 pm or 6 hours before bed (which is logical since then body uses carbs for energy before anything else, so to use of the carb storage to get to fat for energy) and then the veggies also has a list of veggies allowed in phase 1, but it is very long, so there is plenty, but the veggies on this list is called cleansing veggies.

    Basically phase 1 is pretty much about emptying the body's carb storage. And that worked for me, even when I cheat,maybe a day or two during the week I have garlic bread with my dinner or pancakes for dessert I still see good losses :)

    Never heard of this one. But I am not keen on doing another prescribed diet as I am trying to find a style of eating that I can maintain. Out of curiosity though I will look it up. Thanks
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Just taking a quick peek at your diary I see you don't eat breakfast. That is a huge jump to your metabolism. I know some people don't like eating Bfast ( that used to be me) but now I know it really is important so I have something lite to get me going then I have a snack mid morning before lunch. I have found that eating small amounts throughout the day is better than 2 or 3 big meals. I also noticed you did not log your water.....if you are not drinking at least 64 oz. per day you should try that. Water is huge to weight loss. I am also 53 years old and it is hard to change what you have been doing for so many years but you can do it. It has to be a life style change which will require you to do things you are willing to do for the rest of your life....I log before I eat to check to see if it is going to put me over in sugar, carbs, sodium ect. Sometimes I will adjust what I eat to stay in the green :) Good luck to you .....you can do this :)

    Eating breakfast has no direct impact on your metabolism, assuming your calories are the same at the end of the day. When you should eat your meals should be based on energy levels, lifestyle, preference, adherence and satiety.

    I agree with that. I am trying to work with my body instead of against it. If I am not hungry I allow myself not to eat rather than eating just because it is dinner time etc.

    Please do not take my explanation of breakfast having no impact on your metabolism as an 'ok' to under eat. Undereating will have an impact on your metabolism. Hormones mess up hunger signals and you should absolutely not 'listen to your body' with that regard. Pick a reasonable calorie target (with a reasonable deficit) and eat to that number.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    Just taking a quick peek at your diary I see you don't eat breakfast. That is a huge jump to your metabolism. I know some people don't like eating Bfast ( that used to be me) but now I know it really is important so I have something lite to get me going then I have a snack mid morning before lunch. I have found that eating small amounts throughout the day is better than 2 or 3 big meals. I also noticed you did not log your water.....if you are not drinking at least 64 oz. per day you should try that. Water is huge to weight loss. I am also 53 years old and it is hard to change what you have been doing for so many years but you can do it. It has to be a life style change which will require you to do things you are willing to do for the rest of your life....I log before I eat to check to see if it is going to put me over in sugar, carbs, sodium ect. Sometimes I will adjust what I eat to stay in the green :) Good luck to you .....you can do this :)

    Eating breakfast has no direct impact on your metabolism, assuming your calories are the same at the end of the day. When you should eat your meals should be based on energy levels, lifestyle, preference, adherence and satiety.

    I agree with that. I am trying to work with my body instead of against it. If I am not hungry I allow myself not to eat rather than eating just because it is dinner time etc.

    Please do not take my explanation of breakfast having no impact on your metabolism as an 'ok' to under eat. Undereating will have an impact on your metabolism. Hormones mess up hunger signals and you should absolutely not 'listen to your body' with that regard. Pick a reasonable calorie target (with a reasonable deficit) and eat to that number.

    in other words, breakfast becomes important if you find yourself having difficulty meeting your calorie needs through just two meals a day (or however many). some people find it easier if they space the calories out over the course of the day, some people find it easier to eat them all at once.

    as sara said, the important thing is to make sure you hit your calories, no matter how you do it. that's goal #1
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    I lost all my body fat lost so far after starting leangains. I don't eat until about 1 pm every day.


    1) metabolic damage happens only after sever deficits for a long time, and you would have some very nasty side effects which you would probably notice
    2) your diet is one big freaking "unknown" and I get the sense you are not telling the truth to yourself about it
    3) the human body, while home to a powerful set of emotions, is not able to defy the basic laws of thermodynamics. If you eat less than you burn, you lose mass. If you burn less than you eat, you gain mass. The only exception to this would be if you have a problem absorbing what you eat, for instance if you have a parasite that is grabbing your calories.

    If eating more gives you a greater ability to be active, and that activity burns more than the additional calories you ingest, you will lose, because again, the basic natural laws governing reality state that energy and matter can not be created or destroyed.

    This means there are only two questions you can really ask to find out why aren't losing
    1)how much do I burn
    2)how much do I take in


    Bottom line - you are not losing weight because you aren't running a deficit. Start with a logical assumption like that, then methodically explore your daily habits to find out where YOU are making a mistake. Don't go hunting for magical reasons why the universe is making a mistake.

    Like you I rarely eat before 1pm.

    Not sure what you mean by: 2) your diet is one big freaking "unknown" and I get the sense you are not telling the truth to yourself about it
    or why you would assume i am lying about what I am eating.
    I have had 30+ years of screwing up my body with fad and yo yo dieting - look at my profile it list some of the stuff I tried over the years and not even all of them.

    So yes I think my body could quite easily resist losing any of the fat it so willing put on. I know and acknowledge this. I am not looking for a magic formula, just a way to do things differently that will be healthy and effective.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    I think I see a problem. You need to eat breakfast...for sure. I also read that you get most of your calories in one meal..I suggest that you have 3 small meals a day...plus 2 or 3 snacks in between. Even when your not hungry you should eat all your meals everyday. Spread those calories out. So your body can burn them up in a controlled way.:wink:

    I appreciate the thought but breakfast is simply an almost guaranteed way for me to get a couple of hours of stomach cramps which is part of the reason I dont eat it. I am trying to spread my calories more evenly over my 2 meals.
    .
  • janel867
    janel867 Posts: 53
    This!! I love my scale...I weigh EVERYTHING :)
    If you aren't weighing your food, adding your own recipes, and logging everything you eat, then you really don't know if you are eating 1200 calories or not.

    I'd suggest buying a digital food scale if you don't have one already. I use one now and it has really helped me to stay on track with my calories.

    Good luck!
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    Don't ever say your losing the will to live....that makes me sad. I hope your just being playfully dramatic. If you really feel that way...I hope you friend me....because your physical health will always suffer if your mental health is poor. I'm just a person who generally cares about my fellow humans ability to live a Happy life...because Happiness is the ONLY thing that truly matters in our world.

    I am sorry this is me just being uber frustrated, very dispirited so somewhat dramatic. Im fine, thank you for caring.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    Because 1200 calories a day is not sustainable unless you're really short or on some medically recommended diet. This kind of thing comes up all the time.. you get the 1200 calorie people arguing with the people telling you to eat more.

    I did about 1200 calories for years and never moved after a few months. Sure, you might lose weight at first but it is more likely going to be muscle you're losing and eventually you will have to eat next to nothing (starve) to lose weight or exercise like a maniac (which then leads to other metabolism problems).

    I started losing weight again when I started eating more. Now I eat like 1600 cals a day.. and I don't eat "clean" either. I eat whatever the heck I want. So I don't believe you HAVE to eat clean, but I guess when you only got 1200 calories a day you're forced to make the most of them... most people's BMR (survival calories if I laid in bed all day) is higher than 1200 cals.. mine is 1460 something, eat less than that and your body kind of freaks out and wants to cling to fat to adapt and survive. (Muscle costs calories to maintain).

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    A bit of reading, but worth it... and surely beats being "skinny fat" and starving for calories.

    Thank you for this. I have come to the conclusion that I am eating far too little.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    yet another example of 1200 not working.

    why do people still waste their time trying it?

    Because I my case, I used the MFP calculation.
  • Breizier
    Breizier Posts: 221 Member
    Just taking a quick peek at your diary I see you don't eat breakfast. That is a huge jump to your metabolism. I know some people don't like eating Bfast ( that used to be me) but now I know it really is important so I have something lite to get me going then I have a snack mid morning before lunch. I have found that eating small amounts throughout the day is better than 2 or 3 big meals. I also noticed you did not log your water.....if you are not drinking at least 64 oz. per day you should try that. Water is huge to weight loss. I am also 53 years old and it is hard to change what you have been doing for so many years but you can do it. It has to be a life style change which will require you to do things you are willing to do for the rest of your life....I log before I eat to check to see if it is going to put me over in sugar, carbs, sodium ect. Sometimes I will adjust what I eat to stay in the green :) Good luck to you .....you can do this :)

    Eating breakfast has no direct impact on your metabolism, assuming your calories are the same at the end of the day. When you should eat your meals should be based on energy levels, lifestyle, preference, adherence and satiety.

    I agree with that. I am trying to work with my body instead of against it. If I am not hungry I allow myself not to eat rather than eating just because it is dinner time etc.

    Please do not take my explanation of breakfast having no impact on your metabolism as an 'ok' to under eat. Undereating will have an impact on your metabolism. Hormones mess up hunger signals and you should absolutely not 'listen to your body' with that regard. Pick a reasonable calorie target (with a reasonable deficit) and eat to that number.

    I am not. Like I keep saying I dont eat breakfast simply because eating early and having to do things give me stomach cramps. I have come to the conclusion that I am under eating hence not losing weight.
  • Bettyeditor
    Bettyeditor Posts: 327 Member
    Yes, sorry just did a slight amendment.

    Yes pretty accurate. The only thing I dont log is my coffee intake. I drink about 3 half cups a day at work and 3 full ones at home all with semi skim milk.

    I changed to stop me plateau-ing, but I have been stuck since just after Easter. I am wondering if changing back will help.

    Funny you mention the coffee. I am reading a book right now (Accidentally Overweight by Dr. Libby Weaver) and she explains how coffee affects your insulin and blood sugar. She had a patient who lost weight by doing nothing other than eliminating coffee.

    If you aren't logging your coffee and have 3 cups with creamer, that could be an extra 300 calories in your diet right there.

    If you lost on high calories and aren't on lower calories, isn't that your answer right there staring you in the face? Our bodies are not DESIGNED to lose weight when we feed them too little. Your body's first priority is survival. Second priority is stasis (balance). If you distract your body with code-red-alert-too-few-calories it will never focus on returning your weight to balance.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Decrease empty calories, eat LOTS of veggies, not potatoes, pasta, etc., add fruits, lean protein, and water and you should see a drop. Best of luck!

    whats wrong with potatoes and pasta?
  • redheaddee
    redheaddee Posts: 2,005 Member
    Exercise and eat more. 1200 is too low for the most people. If breakfast makes you sick, try juicing fresh fruit & veg in the morning. Stop eating fried anything (eww). Water. Oh yeah and exercise. Plus, you are older and due to loss of hormones it gets harder for us, especially women. PS lifting weights increases bone density. Perfect for us older (seasoned? LOL) women as our bones slowly weaken. (Thanks for that Mother Nature)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    sigh another 1200 calorie why am I not losing thread..

    I swear I see like ten of these a day...

    without really reading through I can see the answers...

    Up your calories...always a popular one
    Your in starvation mode - another popular slogan - so eat 24 meals spaced out at one hour intervals to get out of it
    calculate TDDE and deduct 20% (the road mappers)
    stop eating carbs but its ok to eat lots of veggies LOL
    Eat raspberry ketones..I just added that for ****s and giggles...
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    Decrease empty calories, eat LOTS of veggies, not potatoes, pasta, etc., add fruits, lean protein, and water and you should see a drop. Best of luck!

    whats wrong with potatoes and pasta?

    start a thread if you're curious. lets not hijack this one. ;)
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    It's not just eating too little! I looked at your diary and it is what you are eating as well. You are eating a lot of beef brisket. You should try switching it to lean proteins such as chicken and turkey. Try tuna as well. Too much red meat is not a good thing for you either. Once or twice a week at most! And you are having too many carbs too. Too much bread will cause you not to lose weight also. Try having a "treat" meal once a week of whatever you'd like. I do that typically on Saturdays, and the rest of the week I stick to lots of fruits, veggies, and lean proteins.

    If you are in a rush in the morning, try making yourself a smoothie the night before and refrigerate it. I have a good recipe you should try:

    1/3 cup rolled oats
    1 cup of Almond Milk or Skim Milk
    1 tbsp of cinnamon
    1 tbsp of ground flax seed
    1 medium banana or 1/3 cup of frozen blueberries or 1/2 cup of frozen berries

    Blend it all together the night before and put in your fridge. The oats will soak up the milk by the morning time leaving a nice thick smoothie. I have one of these every morning and I stay full. Usually after a few hours I have a morning snack, then I have lunch, a mid afternoon snack, dinner, and then if I'm hungry a snack no later than 7pm.

    But you for sure need to stay away from eating just 1200 cals. Keep it at least 1600-1800 a day minimum. If you exercise, don't be afraid to eat some of them back as well!

    Also you have to log pretty much everything that goes into your mouth to get an accurate count.
  • jonikeffer
    jonikeffer Posts: 218 Member
    In before this explodes.

    If you were losing when you were eating more why did you drop your calories? Try going back to eating 1500-1900 and see what happens.

    LOL, that's what I was thinking too. ;)
    Yes, believe it or not, sometimes eating too few cals will backfire on you and stall your loss. Don't make the mistake of thinking "less will make me lose faster/more". If you did well at 1600-1900, go back to that. Easy peasy.
  • VitaleEm
    VitaleEm Posts: 1 Member
    I'm in the same boat. I eat between 1200 and 1350 a day and I've been completely stuck for two to three months.
  • ThatDamnRobyn
    ThatDamnRobyn Posts: 47 Member
    Has anyone suggested this site yet? http://www.coachcalorie.com/not-eating-enough-calories-to-lose-weight/

    I think dropping down to 1200-1300 cals for a short while can work, but not for a long while. I read that article and bumped up my calorie and lost a bit more by eating more.
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
    i wish u the best of luck with ur weight loss. i dont not think it is becuz u r eating 1200 cals that u r not losing weight. i looked at ur profile and it seems that u have tried many many diets and not been successful. all diets have pretty much the same principle-burn more cals than u take in. maybe try to find out the real reason u have been unsuccessful in finding one that works for u. i wouldnt blame the diet. good luck in ur journey.

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