Is THAT why I can't lose anything?

XxYeaIrocxX
XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been the same weight since having my daughter. (almost 4 years ago)
Though looking through pictures you'd think otherwise, I look about 10-15lbs heavier. and my clothes say the same.

I always heard 1200 calories is the absolute lowest to eat, and thats what I average daily.....without trying. I'm just never really hungry and I'm not a huge soda drinker (maybe 4 a month,if that)
I work from home but exercise as much as i can, running on my treadmill, doing small exercises here and there.

But my question is, I drink water, I eat low calories, I exercise.....WHY are these pounds I want gone.....well GONE!. I'd like to lose 10 to be more healthy even though I'm not over weight.


Any advise would be helpful =)

Replies

  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    If you are eating 1200 calories and then exercising, you aren't eating enough. You may be netting way below 1200 calories and your body is desperately holding onto every ounce of food you give it. You may not be hungry because you eat so little. Your bodies metabolism maybe out of whack because you've been eating so little for so long.
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
    Any tips on what I can go to get my metabolism straight again?

    For as long as I can remember I've always been this way. But you think if i eat more than I should be seeing some kind of results???
  • nikkiw29
    nikkiw29 Posts: 25
    May sound like silly advice...but you need to eat MORE! Try 6 small healthy meals a day, once your body realizes its no longer being deprived of nutrients it will begin to regain a metabolism and burn off what you eat instead of sitting stagnant in your fat cells for fuel. Also if you work out be sure to eat back what your burn off to ensure your system doesn't start attacking your muscles and you maintain your 1200 daily goal. Good Luck!
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    Any tips on what I can go to get my metabolism straight again?

    For as long as I can remember I've always been this way. But you think if i eat more than I should be seeing some kind of results???

    Calculate your TDEE and eat at a reasonable deficit (50+ pounds to lose = 20% cut; 25-49 to lose = 15% cut; less than 25 to lose = 10% cut.)

    You are not eating enough so you can either jump directly to the higher amount of calories and wait 6 weeks to weight in (because you will likely gain at first then lose it again and more as your body adjusts), or you can gradually increase your calories by 100 per day until you get there (this method will take a while, but you have a better chance at not gaining while you adjust).
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
    Thanks so much ladies!
  • nope31
    nope31 Posts: 174
    Eat More.
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
    Any tips on what I can go to get my metabolism straight again?

    For as long as I can remember I've always been this way. But you think if i eat more than I should be seeing some kind of results???

    Calculate your TDEE and eat at a reasonable deficit (50+ pounds to lose = 20% cut; 25-49 to lose = 15% cut; less than 25 to lose = 10% cut.)

    You are not eating enough so you can either jump directly to the higher amount of calories and wait 6 weeks to weight in (because you will likely gain at first then lose it again and more as your body adjusts), or you can gradually increase your calories by 100 per day until you get there (this method will take a while, but you have a better chance at not gaining while you adjust).


    Okay....TDEE sounds like foreign language to me. What exactly is that? and how do i calculate it?
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    search TDEE calculators.

    And eat more - i eat 1400-1500 after stalling at 1300 a day. I lost at 1200, but was STARVING. bumped to 1300, plateau for 4 weeks. Started eating 1400-1500 and started losing again. If you are exercising, you need to eat a lot more than 1200.
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    I've been the same weight since having my daughter. (almost 4 years ago)
    Though looking through pictures you'd think otherwise, I look about 10-15lbs heavier. and my clothes say the same.

    I always heard 1200 calories is the absolute lowest to eat, and thats what I average daily.....without trying. I'm just never really hungry and I'm not a huge soda drinker (maybe 4 a month,if that)
    I work from home but exercise as much as i can, running on my treadmill, doing small exercises here and there.

    But my question is, I drink water, I eat low calories, I exercise.....WHY are these pounds I want gone.....well GONE!. I'd like to lose 10 to be more healthy even though I'm not over weight.


    Any advise would be helpful =)

    Assuming you're healthy (it would be good to consult a doctor), I think you must be eating more than you think and exercising less rigorously than you believe. I would track everything, measure everything, weigh everything with a digital food scale. Don't forget that food may have more calories than are listed on the label. Use a heart rate monitor to see how hard you're working. Look into interval training, which is supposed to be more efficient than steady-state exercise. Ignore the calorie burn estimates. Never eat back calories unless you've worked out exceptionally hard and feel weak. Buy a scale that estimates your body composition.

    It's very easy to consume more than you think.
  • sjbuescher
    sjbuescher Posts: 45 Member
    If you're tracking your food intake and your exercise using just the MFP numbers, make sure you eat back your exercise calories. The MFP number already includes a deficit, so if you eat your alloted calories and then burn some more through exercise, you're now in an even larger deficit which could stall a healthy weight loss.

    For example, my MFP daily allotment is at 1480 for 1 lb weight loss per week. I work out almost every day and eat back almost all of my calories, which normally puts me at total calories consumed equalling 16-1800 (which is in line with my TDEE if I would choose to use that, I just prefer the ease of using the straight MFP numbers.)

    If you have problem fitting in calories, look for some high calorie small portion healthy foods, like avacodos, peanut butter, unsalted nuts, whole grains, eggs, etc. Also , just because something is low calorie, doesn't mean that it is nutritious. I try to make as many of my snacks standard fruits and veggies and limit my processed food intake if

    Good Luck!
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    Any tips on what I can go to get my metabolism straight again?

    For as long as I can remember I've always been this way. But you think if i eat more than I should be seeing some kind of results???

    Calculate your TDEE and eat at a reasonable deficit (50+ pounds to lose = 20% cut; 25-49 to lose = 15% cut; less than 25 to lose = 10% cut.)

    You are not eating enough so you can either jump directly to the higher amount of calories and wait 6 weeks to weight in (because you will likely gain at first then lose it again and more as your body adjusts), or you can gradually increase your calories by 100 per day until you get there (this method will take a while, but you have a better chance at not gaining while you adjust).


    Okay....TDEE sounds like foreign language to me. What exactly is that? and how do i calculate it?

    TDEE is Total daily Energy Expenditure - the amount of daily calories needed to maintain your weight (I use the fat2fitradio.com BMR calculator (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/) - or the Scooby calculator - Scooby is more accurate for me (http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/).

    Once you plug in your numbers, you select an activity level modifier (HINT: you are not sedentary unless you never get off your *kitten*). The calculators will show you how much to eat to lose weight and your estimated TDEE based on your activity level. Tweaking those numbers is usually necessary since they are estimates, but test a number for 6 weeks and then re-evaluate and make changes if necessary (6 weeks is a good test period for your body to adjust to something new).
  • kiramaniac
    kiramaniac Posts: 800 Member
    Okay....TDEE sounds like foreign language to me. What exactly is that? and how do i calculate it?

    This was from a few weeks ago. I found it very helpful:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/931670-bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide

    I use sedentary for my settings - that way I can still add back in exercise for those days that I'm working out. Otherwise, you don't add exercise calories back in.
  • stephanielynn76
    stephanielynn76 Posts: 709 Member
    Others are right... you aren't eating enough.

    Watch these:

    #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QHHzie6XRGk
    #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EY1DsZMNfNw
    #3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hw3kfRkqVWU

    I'm going to keep posting these links on this site as much as possible. Too many people here are just not eating enough food.
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
    Oh wow, i did that TDEE calculator and it said i should be eating about 1800 calories a day....


    How can I eat more, when I'm not hungry though??
    I'm talking I eat a handful of peanuts, and boom I'm full for about 5 hours...
  • stephanielynn76
    stephanielynn76 Posts: 709 Member
    You aren't hungry because you've suppressed your metabolism by eating such a low calorie diet for so long. The lack of hunger is a BAD thing... Watch the videos...
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
    Watching the 1st one now.
    I mean my diet isn't intentional. I've literally ate like this for so long. My mom used to take me to the doctors all the time thinking something was medically wrong with me because i just never really ate. But I'm constantly thirsty.
    Doctor used to say I was fine.. so i'm not sure why i'm like this..
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    I've been the same weight since having my daughter. (almost 4 years ago)
    Though looking through pictures you'd think otherwise, I look about 10-15lbs heavier. and my clothes say the same.

    I always heard 1200 calories is the absolute lowest to eat, and thats what I average daily.....without trying. I'm just never really hungry and I'm not a huge soda drinker (maybe 4 a month,if that)
    I work from home but exercise as much as i can, running on my treadmill, doing small exercises here and there.

    But my question is, I drink water, I eat low calories, I exercise.....WHY are these pounds I want gone.....well GONE!. I'd like to lose 10 to be more healthy even though I'm not over weight.


    Any advise would be helpful =)





    You sound EXACTLY LIKE ME! I had my daughter over a year ago and I eat healthy, don't gorge often, exercize, etc. no lbs lost in 8 months. I heard that when pregnant you lose a lot of muscle due to inactivity (in my case due to preeclampsia), so aparently lifting weights and cutting cardio in half may work. (i'm a runner too). I' m not over weight, 10 lbs more than I was when I concieved.
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    Oh wow, i did that TDEE calculator and it said i should be eating about 1800 calories a day....


    How can I eat more, when I'm not hungry though??
    I'm talking I eat a handful of peanuts, and boom I'm full for about 5 hours...

    pack in higher calorie foods, not quantity (avocados, protein powder in shakes etc). Those are good for you anyway and help out a lot.
  • PenYu76
    PenYu76 Posts: 5 Member
    It is SCARY to eat more, because you think you'll gain weight, but for me it was the key to finally losing! I've lost almost 50 lbs total (10 lbs before I started using MFP) and it was the key to losing for me. Now I get to eat, and maintain my weight, and it is fabulous! :)
  • krissagray
    krissagray Posts: 105 Member
    You aren't hungry because you've suppressed your metabolism by eating such a low calorie diet for so long. The lack of hunger is a BAD thing... Watch the videos...

    I would have to listen to this chick :)
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
    Thanks so much everyone....
    I feel so weird eating more, when i want to lose weight. But everything you all have been saying makes perfect sense. :flowerforyou:
  • ktully93
    ktully93 Posts: 160 Member
    Bump to view videos.
  • silken555
    silken555 Posts: 478 Member
    Calculating my TDEE was one of the BEST things I've ever done...:) I eat everything in moderation and I keep track of my calorie intake...I exercise between 3-7 hours a week and I've been steadily losing between 1-2lbs per week. I feel great too and I'm never hungry unless I undereat (which can happen sometimes if I'm having a fatique bout from fibro...I end up sleeping for 12 hours so dinner kinda gets skipped! Not a good thing!)

    Here's something else for you to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

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