Not losing at 1200 calories per day

Babygi6003
Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
in Food and Nutrition
MFP has my goal set at 1200 calories per day and I have been on that for the past week and have actually gained 1 lb..what am I doing wrong? I am trying to cut my carbs down also to see if that helps.

My diary is open if anyone wants to check it out.
«1

Replies

  • ashleyShades
    ashleyShades Posts: 375 Member
    People will probably tell you to eat more. Figure out your TDEE and BMR and find a number that works better for you is what they'll probably say.
  • ShannonKirton
    ShannonKirton Posts: 304 Member
    From the one day that I looked at you seem to be ingesting plenty of hidden sugars. I know sugar is not one of your items that you track but maybe you should. Unused sugar turns into fat.

    Also, if you're not willing to cut out grains all together, try making your choices whole grains and also reduce the amount to the minimum. Hope that helps!
  • KathleenMurry
    KathleenMurry Posts: 448 Member
    I am having the same problem. I've been at 1200 calories for about 2 weeks now with no results. I'm eating really well and working my butt off! I do eat my calories back though, so I end up consuming around 1600-1800 a day.

    I think I might increase my net calories to 1400. I have a few friends on mfp that have tried increasing calories to lose weight. The first week had no results, but then it started kicking in. It gets your body out of starvation mode and it will stop storing fat. I'm guessing that's the problem?
  • alt1268
    alt1268 Posts: 159 Member
    People will probably tell you to eat more. Figure out your TDEE and BMR and find a number that works better for you is what they'll probably say.
    I agree , plus instead of candy and coke eat veggies and fruit
  • kimiel51
    kimiel51 Posts: 299 Member
    I would say cutting some carbs might help, or else just give yourself some more time.
  • mhouston2011
    mhouston2011 Posts: 155
    You definitely need to up your protein and cut down on sodium levels. So much of what I saw in your diary is processed...loaded with sodium. I have trouble with the same thing at times.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Several things may be happening here. A gain of 1 pound while in a caloric deficit is usually water weight. This can be caused by stress, sodium, hormones, TOM, exercise, or any number of other things. Most common around here is that either you've just started or increased and exercise routine (causing the body to flood sore muscles with water to help cushion and heal them).

    Additionally, make sure you're logging your exercise and eating back some of those earned calories. A lot of us have found that 1200 is too little for our bodies, especially if you're active.

    Weight loss is never linear. You'll have good weeks and bad. You have to keep going and learn to ignore the scale when it's being a jerk.
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    you are over in ALL of your macros EXCEPT Protein.

    Try switching that around to only being over in your PROTEIN and eat only lean meats. ...not crappy red meats and such....

    and no processed crappy foods either. that might help.

    and hit some hard cardio AND lifting.
  • delaniecastillo
    delaniecastillo Posts: 284
    I stalled at 1200 then bumped up to 1650 and more 1800 on workout days and been losing body fat and gaining muscle!
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
    People will probably tell you to eat more. Figure out your TDEE and BMR and find a number that works better for you is what they'll probably say.
    I agree , plus instead of candy and coke eat veggies and fruit

    My thoughts exactly - very lacking in fruits and vegetables.
  • Dmkolls
    Dmkolls Posts: 150 Member
    I see a few things:

    1) A lot of processed foods that are high in sodium. Try eating REAL food.
    2) A lot of sugar - even processed sugar. You do realize that even diet soda can make you fat, right?
    3) Not a whole not of vegetables.
    4) Carbs are way to high with too little protein.

    You're needing those 5 hour energy because you're not FEEDING your body what it needs. Cut out processed foods and eat whole REAL chicken, fish, meat, fruits, veggies, nuts and you'll be amazing at how much food you can eat and not need all of those drinks.
  • maybeazure
    maybeazure Posts: 301 Member
    A week is really not a long enough test. I would agree with those that said increase protein and fruits and vegetables. I'm also wondering how much you currently weigh and how tall you are. You look pretty thin in your picture. If you are already close to a healthy weight, it will go more slowly.
  • SteveStedge1
    SteveStedge1 Posts: 149 Member
    Your diet is almost entirely junk food/diet food/processed food.

    Jiimy D and soda for breakfast? Yikes.

    Start eating real food. Full fat food.

    You are a shining example that just counting calories isnt going to work if its just manufactured food.

    Much of what we think of "food" is just a factory product. They strip anyway anything good for humans, get this batch of pharmaceutical grade raw materials and cook it up in a factory to make the OPPOSITE of real food. Stuff that humans will crave that is shelf stable, profitable, and mass produced.

    If its most or any of these three things, I would suggest not eating it.

    Cottage cheese, chicken breast (low sodium turkey is great!), nuts (great healthy fats), fruit veggie.

    Get the junk outta your body and you will be okay.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    1 week? Chilllllllll.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Too much sweets and processed foods, sodas and candy, not enough fruits and veggies. Get rid of the crap food and eat real, nutritious foods.
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
    I am 5'6 and 182 lbs. My goal is 155.

    I will start trying to eat more REAL foods, I just haven't had much time lately to make real foods and have been eating too much processed junk.
  • slim4health56
    slim4health56 Posts: 439 Member
    Your diary is not open so I can't see what you're doing. But...are you building muscle on your health plan? It's literally impossible to gain weight if you're burning more calories than you consume unless, of course, you're building muscle or retaining water. I know it can be frustrating watching the scales, but remember the scale doesn't measure everything that's going on inside your body.
  • shabbychick81
    shabbychick81 Posts: 168 Member
    exactly . what she said . you can't feed you body fake food and expect results
    I see a few things:

    1) A lot of processed foods that are high in sodium. Try eating REAL food.
    2) A lot of sugar - even processed sugar. You do realize that even diet soda can make you fat, right?
    3) Not a whole not of vegetables.
    4) Carbs are way to high with too little protein.

    You're needing those 5 hour energy because you're not FEEDING your body what it needs. Cut out processed foods and eat whole REAL chicken, fish, meat, fruits, veggies, nuts and you'll be amazing at how much food you can eat and not need all of those drinks.
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
    I might be building muscle with boot camp and running but I am not sure.

    I was eating 1480 calories per day for the past couple months and not losing at that either so the change to 1200 has only been a week
  • pwittek10
    pwittek10 Posts: 723 Member
    Are you drinking water?
    That is how fats leave your body.
    Stay your course and you will loose.
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    Red meats are not a crappy source of protein, I eat it at 1 meal per day and is a great way to get healthy protein and fat. I also eat a full 1/2 lb chicken breast once a day as well as 8 egg whites for my main protein sources, any lean meat is a good option.

    Reasons why 1200 may not be working could be dependant on what your BMR & TDEE are (they may be more than 1000 kcals per day in difference... would be good to know) and if you are eating at too low of a deficit then you will not lose weight, you will in turn start storing unused carbs/fats/proteins as body fat which will increase your weight.

    Something else that can be a factor is water weight which is affected by sodium intakes and exercise. You need to replenish the proteins in your musles to reduce water retention after a good strength workout and also need to ensure you are consuming a proper level of sodium for your activity. If you are sweating buckets all day long I'd suppose 2500-3500mg of sodium would be useful while not sweating and not doing a lot of activity you should have between 500-1500mg of sodium. Consuming too little or too much sodium can affect your water weight.

    Other reason is that you may not be accurately measuring your intakes and burns, are you calculating everything as accurately as possible and tracking everything down to the last morsel that passes your lips and the last set you did during your workout?

    Many factors and it's good to take a look at all of them to figure out why you aren't getting results.

    Best of luck!
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Lift weights, figure out what your TDEE is and eat 10-15% below that number (MFP is pretty generic to start with, but once you tweak it, it's awesome), and hit your macros - you're way under on your protein the few days I saw in your diary. And limit the "processed junk" as you say. (But DON'T cut out entire food groups, like carbs.) Best of luck.
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    People will probably tell you to eat more. Figure out your TDEE and BMR and find a number that works better for you is what they'll probably say.

    This - eat at a 15% deficit - with only 27 pounds to lose you should be aiming for .5 pound loss a week, instead of 1 or 2 pounds. You should be eating more than 1200 calories.
  • DVaughan1975
    DVaughan1975 Posts: 158 Member
    Your diet is almost entirely junk food/diet food/processed food.

    Jiimy D and soda for breakfast? Yikes.

    Start eating real food. Full fat food.

    You are a shining example that just counting calories isnt going to work if its just manufactured food.

    Much of what we think of "food" is just a factory product. They strip anyway anything good for humans, get this batch of pharmaceutical grade raw materials and cook it up in a factory to make the OPPOSITE of real food. Stuff that humans will crave that is shelf stable, profitable, and mass produced.

    If its most or any of these three things, I would suggest not eating it.

    Cottage cheese, chicken breast (low sodium turkey is great!), nuts (great healthy fats), fruit veggie.

    Get the junk outta your body and you will be okay.

    My thoughts exactly.....Up your protein, lower your sodium, get rid of all that processed stuff. I have a friend that hounds me about sodium!! You can do this but you have to research and be willing to make some changes.
  • meg_mucklebones
    meg_mucklebones Posts: 19
    I might be building muscle with boot camp and running but I am not sure.
    False. Certainly not on 1200 calories a day.
  • kayaksara
    kayaksara Posts: 157 Member
    I would throw in some fruits and veggies. I would hold onto my weight too if I ate the foods in your diary. Not sure if you should eat more or not. I don't preach 1200 calories but I eat 1200 calories a day and do just fine. Depends on your size. I am 5' 1". I really don't need a lot of food. But I need a lot of nutrition. So eating right is really important. I hardly cook at all so if you don't have time it's easy to grab a fruit or veggie. Most days my lunch is fruits and veggies. I eat yogurt, cereal, eggs, peanut butter, veggies and fruit. I rarely cook. You can do it. Stick with it. Only a week into also...don't be too hard on yourself. Go for the lifestyle change. It takes time. :flowerforyou:
  • alexandra_may
    alexandra_may Posts: 1 Member
    1. 8 glasses of water a day
    2. fruits & veggies - start with just fixing one thing at a time - breakfast. Instead of what you are eating, eating oatmeal and fruit or fruit and yogurt or cereal and fruit...etc.
    3. Make sure to eat at least 3 full meals a day - even if you feel you will go over your caloric intake because of it, it is very important to be consistent and structured.
    4. Once you have that down you can replace your lunches with soups and salads - whole wheat sandwiches. Then dinner can be the next thing.

    + Get rid of the diet coke. That bloats you up and helps to expand your stomach. Simply removing that from your diet will help to shrink your stomach and you will feel full faster!
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
    I am drinking between 64-100 oz of water per day
  • curvygirl77
    curvygirl77 Posts: 769 Member
    I started at about 180 and I lost NOTHING eating at 1200, a few people on here told me to eat more and I upped my calorie intake to 1400 - 1500 and started to eat back all my exercise calories.---That is when the scale started moving. ---Whatever you do, take slow and try one thing at a time so you know which thing actually works for you. When I decided to ear more---it was hard because I was scared I would gain but two weeks into I was losing about a pound per week. Some weeks I lost nothing and other weeks I lost more but my monthly average was about 1 - 1/2 pounds per week and I'm good with that.
  • edack72
    edack72 Posts: 173 Member
    Instead of cutting carbs look at the sodium intake looks like you have some high sodium foods so it could be water weight that being said I am by far a saint when it comes to a low sodium diet and if you look at my diary you will see doritos and ham etc. I didn't see any results until I changed to a 1200 cal a day diet and I try not to eat back all my exercise calories even with some not so great days I have lost. Forget all these formulas the bottom line less calories + calories burned =a loss Good Luck

Categories