I'm not sure my 1200 calorie diet is working

boachieee
boachieee Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey all!

I'm 24, 5'7 and 145 lbs. I started the 1200 calorie diet last week. The first two days I went from 146 to 142. I've been consistent with the diet and usually fall between 800-1100 calories a day. For some reason though, on Monday I jumped up to 146, and I've only lost 1 pound since. I haven't been cheating and I think I eat pretty good food (avocados, lots of protein, fruit and water daily, etc). I went for a 1.5 mile run last Saturday but haven't done any other exercise during this week that I've been on this diet. I can't figure out what happened that made me just gain the weight I lost so quickly. I feel like I am working really hard, even though I know I should exercise more. Also, I take a saffron extract that has been amazing at curbing my appetite.

Any advice? Thanks

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Replies

  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    1200 calories is WAY too low - according to Scooby's (see link below) you should be eating more like 1800 calories (given that i don't know all your information i assumed some of the things, other than your age, weight and height)

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    Could it possibly be starving because you're not eating enough? I mean, I'm losing a pound a week at 1300 calories, but I'm only 5'1'' and my lifestyle is pretty sedentary. D: Our bodies are remarkably efficient, and like to hold onto stuff when they don't feel like they're getting enough on a regular basis.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Yea, you aren't eating enough.
  • zaftiggirl
    zaftiggirl Posts: 82 Member
    Your initial loss wasn't all fat (mostly water, probably) and your gain probably wasn't fat either (yes, probably water for the most part).

    There are so, so, so many factors that can contribute to a 4 lb overnight weight gain. Hormones, sodium, changing your workout regimen, changing medication or supplements... to gain 4 lbs of fat you'd have to have 14,000 extra calories. To lose 4lbs of fat you'd have to have a deficit of 14,000 calories.

    1200 calories is probably too few, though - it is usually better to shoot for losing 1 -1.5 lbs a week, using the scale as a tool to gauge your average weight loss over months, rather than an indication of how well you did the day before.
  • kmash32
    kmash32 Posts: 275 Member
    I agree with the others, I think you probably are not eating enough. I am on a 1200 calorie diet but that is because I have a pretty sedetary life (though trying to change that) and I also have PCOS and no thyroid. It was a nutritionist that put me on this but most of the other women in the group were at around 1300-1400 a day and if you are really active (i.e. work out at least 3-4 times a week) then the calorie allowance was even higher.

    I don't know a sigal dietician or nutrionist that would recommend you eat lower than 1200 a day and you said most days you aren't even eating that. I think your body is going into starvation mode.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    You're not eating enough. read this, reevaluate, check in with us in a month.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833500-what-do-i-do-common-sense-cliff-notes
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    First of all a person's weight can fluctuate from day to day .... a high sodium meal can do you in ... time of month ... don't worry

    Secondly 800 - 1100 calories is not enough. If you try to lose weight too fast you will lose both fat & muscle .... eat more

    This calculator says your BMR Basal metabolic rate is 1481 .... This should be your lowest NET number. These are the calories needed if you were in a coma. Net calories means you eat your exercise calories back**

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html

    ** Eating exercise calories back can be tricky as machines & MFP will over state many things .... be conservative
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    Eat! It's that simple. Food = Fuel!
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    I'm not going to comment on your caloric intake.

    What I'm going to comment on is the fact that you've been checking your weight on a daily basis. Stop doing that. Weight can fluctuate by 5 pounds or more every day, and what you gained is most likely water weight as a result of your Saturday run.

    A week is not enough time to know if your diet is working. Stay on it for 4-6 weeks, weighing weekly, and see how the trend goes. If it goes down between week 1 and week 4, you're doing fine. If not, it's time to reevaluate.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    "The 1200 Calorie Diet"


    Tell me more...
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    You should also look at the bright side... You've grown an inch today!! So clearly something is working. I think it's the Raspberry Ketones.
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    I'm not going to comment on your caloric intake.

    What I'm going to comment on is the fact that you've been checking your weight on a daily basis. Stop doing that. Weight can fluctuate by 5 pounds or more every day, and what you gained is most likely water weight as a result of your Saturday run.

    A week is not enough time to know if your diet is working. Stay on it for 4-6 weeks, weighing weekly, and see how the trend goes. If it goes down between week 1 and week 4, you're doing fine. If not, it's time to reevaluate.

    ^^This. Also, if MFP set your calorie goal at 1200, I'd ask if you chose 2 pounds a week as your goal? If so, that's not very realistic, especially considering that you don't have that much to lose. Go back into your goals and select 1 pound. That will probably give you a higher calorie goal. Gradually increase your calories by 100 a week at a time. You might see slight gains as your body adjusts, but once your adjusted to where you should be, you should lose consistently. (Although there's no guarantee for consistency.)
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    "I haven't been losing consistently, I don't know if this is working."

    Really? You don't?
    She started the diet last week. How could she? Even if 1200 calories is insane, she couldn't possibly know in a week whether it's working...
  • geekette411
    geekette411 Posts: 154 Member
    It helps me when I eat small meals every two hours or so. It keeps me dropping the pounds and getting used to small portions.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
    "I haven't been losing consistently, I don't know if this is working."

    Really? You don't?
    She started the diet last week. How could she? Even if 1200 calories is insane, she couldn't possibly know in a week whether it's working...

    Shhhhh you're stepping on my snark.
  • AprilLove125
    AprilLove125 Posts: 26
    I'd like to hear more about the saffron extract...

    I also think your calories are probably too low, but that's because I just bumped my calorie intake to 1300 from 1200 and I phsically feel better when I eat a little more. You have a calorie goal of 1200 but you are not even taking that in, so my guess is that your body wants everything you put in and isn't keen on giving anything up. You may need to *at least* eat 1200 to keep your body regulated.

    FTR, I am 5'5" and 140, so not too far off from you. My weight fluctuates from 139-143 pretty regularly, so it's totally normal. Water, hormones, sodium...a lot of things can impact weight.

    Don't weight every day. It's a lesson I am learning the hard way since tend to weight myself every 2-3 days.
  • Krys_140
    Krys_140 Posts: 648 Member
    "I haven't been losing consistently, I don't know if this is working."

    Really? You don't?
    She started the diet last week. How could she? Even if 1200 calories is insane, she couldn't possibly know in a week whether it's working...

    Shhhhh you're stepping on my snark.
    Good point. Comment retracted.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    You are already at a healthy weight. 125 is too low for someone your height. On top of that you are under-eating. And you didn't lose 4 pounds of fat in one week (fluids and muscle, yes). Even if you could bear to lose another 5-10 pounds, it should take months to lose it, not days. Get real and shift your focus from the number on the scale to HEALTH.

    If this is a serious post, you need to get help.
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    When you dropped to 1200 calories did you drop a bunch of carbs? Cutting your carbs has a diuretic effect, hence the big weight loss you had in a few days. When you started exercising your body grabbed water to repair your muscles. Hence the water weight gain back.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    so.... you're already within the healthy weight range for your height. Regardless of your methods, did you really expect to see major results in a week?

    - adjust your expectations - this process takes time, and the closer you are to a healthy weight, the slower it is

    - do the calculations to find out how much you should be eating. Try here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

    - weigh weekly, not daily. Daily water fluctuations can make you go stark raving mad.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    A couple things:

    -Eat more than 1200 calories.
    -You have been dieting for a week, that isn't long enough to tell if it is working or not.
    -People saying that you are in the fabled and mysterious "Starvation Mode" after a week should probably be ignored.
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    You are already at a healthy weight. 125 is too low for someone your height. On top of that you are under-eating. And you didn't lose 4 pounds of fat in one week (fluids and muscle, yes). Even if you could bear to lose another 5-10 pounds, it should take months to lose it, not days. Get real and shift your focus from the number on the scale to HEALTH.

    If this is a serious post, you need to get help.

    125 is not too low for someone her age at 5 foot 7 inches. It is at the bottom range of normal. If she can get there by eating healthy foods and adding muscle to her frame then I say go for it!
  • david1e
    david1e Posts: 4
    I'm not going to comment on your caloric intake.

    What I'm going to comment on is the fact that you've been checking your weight on a daily basis. Stop doing that. Weight can fluctuate by 5 pounds or more every day, and what you gained is most likely water weight as a result of your Saturday run.

    A week is not enough time to know if your diet is working. Stay on it for 4-6 weeks, weighing weekly, and see how the trend goes. If it goes down between week 1 and week 4, you're doing fine. If not, it's time to reevaluate.

    this is my seocn time on a 1200 calorie diet.
    the first time it took 3 weeks to show a change on the scaile, could feel the difference in clothes after 1 1/2 weeks.
    dropped 30 pound in 6 months. have maintained for 1 yr.
    back on it still need to lose 50 pounds. (diabetic and trying to get off medicines)
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    I agree-eat more. Specially if you're only getting 800-1000 (and I hope that's at least NET) Also, try weighing yourself less (once a week, or if that's too tough, every few days-sodium and water (or lack there of) will make the scale change. Taking measurements and pictures were 2 of the best things I've done instead of just going off the scale.
  • rachelilb
    rachelilb Posts: 179 Member
    Oh lord! Eat more and stop weighing yourself everyday. The end
  • boachieee
    boachieee Posts: 5 Member
    I'd like to hear more about the saffron extract...

    I also think your calories are probably too low, but that's because I just bumped my calorie intake to 1300 from 1200 and I phsically feel better when I eat a little more. You have a calorie goal of 1200 but you are not even taking that in, so my guess is that your body wants everything you put in and isn't keen on giving anything up. You may need to *at least* eat 1200 to keep your body regulated.

    FTR, I am 5'5" and 140, so not too far off from you. My weight fluctuates from 139-143 pretty regularly, so it's totally normal. Water, hormones, sodium...a lot of things can impact weight.

    Don't weight every day. It's a lesson I am learning the hard way since tend to weight myself every 2-3 days.

    this is the saffron extract i use. I first heard about it on Dr. Oz and decided to do some research. The amazon reviews have a lot of mixed reactions. I've been using it for maybe a week and a half and started noticing a difference by the third day. I take is as instructed, once in the morning and evening. It has not only allowed me to eat less, but I've also stopped snacking at work (eating when bored lol). It's really helped me make better food decisions because I'm not craving vending machine snacks. I told a coworker about it and she loves it too.

    But with anything, it may work for some and not for others. I would say if you're curious, just give it a try and see if it helps you. I love it!

    http://www.amazon.com/Rebody-Hunger-Capsules-60-Count/dp/B007BCX1YM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1368640056&sr=8-4&keywords=saffron+extract
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
    More exercise?

    I've been on 1200 or less for almost two months (I've only been here for a week). I have lost steadily, about 3 - 4 lbs a week. But I burn as many calories as I eat so my body is using my fat for energy, not the food I put into it.
  • shaleyn
    shaleyn Posts: 125 Member
    More exercise?

    I've been on 1200 or less for almost two months (I've only been here for a week). I have lost steadily, about 3 - 4 lbs a week. But I burn as many calories as I eat so my body is using my fat for energy, not the food I put into it.

    You do realize your body burns calories from just being alive, right? Not only from exercise...
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    More exercise?

    I've been on 1200 or less for almost two months (I've only been here for a week). I have lost steadily, about 3 - 4 lbs a week. But I burn as many calories as I eat so my body is using my fat for energy, not the food I put into it.

    Wow ...... um ..... bad advice

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
    More exercise?

    I've been on 1200 or less for almost two months (I've only been here for a week). I have lost steadily, about 3 - 4 lbs a week. But I burn as many calories as I eat so my body is using my fat for energy, not the food I put into it.

    You do realize your body burns calories from just being alive, right? Not only from exercise...

    Yes, and if I don't put them in my body it's burning stored fat.

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