1200 calories and still not losing weight
Replies
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Your body's in starvation (lose NO fat unless in dire circumstances) mode because of the level of calories is so low
Check out some medical sources... really... not losing weight? What was the point of starvation mode? Oh yea, store more fat, but also to use existing fat to up the calories to a suitable level for normal functioning.
In starvation, TRUE starvation mode, you will still lose weight, there is no if no but, you will lose weight. Sure your metabolism might slow down, but usually not by much as well it also keeps all organs/brain/muscle etc functioning.
Eating at your metabolism level might cause no weight loss because your body is telling to store fat, and hey, it burns it out! If you eat more OR if you eat much less, you jump that ship and lose weight because either with less, your metabolism won't slow down enough, or if you eat MORE your body doesn't tell itself to store fat anymore.0 -
Your body's in starvation (lose NO fat unless in dire circumstances) mode because of the level of calories is so low
Check out some medical sources... really... not losing weight? What was the point of starvation mode? Oh yea, store more fat, but also to use existing fat to up the calories to a suitable level for normal functioning.
In starvation, TRUE starvation mode, you will still lose weight, there is no if no but, you will lose weight. Sure your metabolism might slow down, but usually not by much as well it also keeps all organs/brain/muscle etc functioning.
Eating at your metabolism level might cause no weight loss because your body is telling to store fat, and hey, it burns it out! If you eat more OR if you eat much less, you jump that ship and lose weight because either with less, your metabolism won't slow down enough, or if you eat MORE your body doesn't tell itself to store fat anymore.
First off it takes appx 3 days of NO food for starvation response.
Secondly with metabolic slowdown youll usually have higher counts of cortisol in your system resulting in lower counts of leptin.
This brings fat loss to a crawl while using active tissue for fuel.
Active tissue being lean mass or skeletal muscle.
Less skeletal muscle and lean tissue means a lower Resting Metabolic Rate or BMR.
This is shown with having obese II and Obese III people who eat 1k calories or lower losing almost no fat mass.
Fuel the fat burn gang!
That means EAT!!!!
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I think what most everyone is saying is right on. You might not be eating enough and you won't be able to drop weight if your body has gone into starvation mode. Also it also has to do with food choice. I have eliminated processed food from diet and eat a wide variety of veggies, whole grains, and lean protein. I also eat about 6 small meals a day and average around 1800 calories a day. To be honest I really don't count calories much anymore because the food choices I have made make all the difference. I am mainly use my fitness pal now just to make sure I am getting enough calories.
Best of luck to you and don't give up!0 -
I just upped my calories.
Going to give this eating more thing a shot. 0 -
I'm going to try the fat2fit method. I upped my calories by 1000, but I'm not eating any exercise cals. That's already figured in. I am doing this because I've been stuck for a really long time at the same weight. We'll see.0
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Your body gets used to how much you eat. This is not necessarily a good thing when you are eating too little.
WHY 1200 CALORIES (or fewer) MIGHT BE A BAD IDEA:
You lose weight for a while and maybe you will make it to goal (the bigger you are, the longer this will work, however most people can't get those last 10-20 lbs off at 1200 calories).
The longer you do this, the longer your metabolism has to adjust downward and get used to 1200 calories. Assuming you make it to goal, you want to maintain, right? What do you think is going to happen when/if you get there and it's time to maintain, when you start trying to eat "maintenance" calories? You'll gain. Welcome back to the yo-yo.
WHY EATING AT THE TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) OF YOUR GOAL WEIGHT MIGHT BE A BETTER IDEA:
Eat now, like the thin you at maintenance. Fat2Ftiradio.com can help you find the TDEE of your ideal weight: Choose ALL CALCULATORS, MILITARY BODY FAT%, then get your bodyfat estimate. Now calculate your BMR, and look in the chart below to see the TDEE of your goal weight -- that is how much the thin you will eat at maintenance.
Eating at maintenance for your ideal weight is a great idea because you will eat THIS SAME AMOUNT of calories for life. Your metabolism will not slow down to match too little fuel (1200 calories), and consequently stall on the way to goal, or cause you to gain when you try to increase calories later to maintain.
BTW, if you have been eating below your BMR for an extended period of time, and especially if you have been stalled/plateaued for an extended period of time, you may experience a slight gain for some weeks after you increase to the proper amount of calories. However, at the point where your body adjusts to the proper amount of fuel based on your dally activities, you will begin to lose again and break through the plateau.
Blessings.0 -
BECAUSE YOUR BODY NEEDS MORE FUEL TO ACTUALLY BURN FAT FROM FAT CELLS. ITS A HARD JOB.0
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Are you counting your carbs?
150g-300g carbs = will make you gain weight
100-150g carbs = will make you maintain wieght
50g-100g Carbs = will make you lose 1-2 lbs a week
50g carbs and under = is just plain unhealthy
Email me if you want to talk.0 -
Are you counting your carbs?
150g-300g carbs = will make you gain weight
100-150g carbs = will make you maintain wieght
50g-100g Carbs = will make you lose 1-2 lbs a week
50g carbs and under = is just plain unhealthy
Email me if you want to talk.
Um . . . according to this, I ought to be obese by now. :laugh:0 -
Oh my there's so much confusion in this thread. For the record, it's the myriad of responses like this that keeps the diet industry in business and the majority of us fat and/or gaining.
Yes, you can lose WEIGHT at 1200 calories for a while, but you are also probably losing muscles along with or instead of fat. Most people, especially those who see themselves as being on a "diet" under eat and lose a ton of health benefits that come from having healthy muscles. This makes it that much easier to pack the weight back on when you stop "dieting".
Check out some of the threads in MFP's unofficial frequently asked questions group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/457-unofficial-mfp-faq
It's not just about what the scale says; it's about what your body needs to be healthy!0 -
Similar scenario for me - my target calorie intake is 1200daily, been maintains just a little over that for 2 weeks now with daily exercise worth about 200-500 calories. However, not only have I not lost weight but I've gained weight. Don't understand it especially as 2years ago I managed to lose weight with the same strategy. I'm 158cm tall, weight 81kg and eventually aiming to lose almost 20kg. I'm eating healthily - plenty of veg, some fruit, lots of water plus green tea. What am I doing wrong?0
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Hi there, I've been watching what I eat since after Christmas and been using MFP for 3 weeks at a recommended 1200 cals a day, and i've been sticking to this like glue.... Yet I have only shed 2Lbs.... After reading on here that I need to check my TDEE (which I have calculated at 2130) and my BMR (which I have also calculated at 1583) which means I should be eating between 1400 - 1600 a day rather than the 1200, I guess my body is in 'starvation mode'.... I am really trying hard to loose and reading everything and adding everything I eat so i know I am eating near to 1200 (and to be honest sometimes under this)..... I know I am answering my own question here but I need some support.... I know I need to eat more to loose more but that seems really stupid.... But I guess these are the facts... So I will try this for the next few weeks and see how I get on... E x0
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I can sympathize, i actually have had to up my calories as I've plateaud this month after losing 15kg over two months with 1200 cals a day (most of the time under) a lot of people recommend "In place of a road map" I've just upped my calories based on the method and hopefully that works, best of luck to you!0
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Have your Insulin checked at the Dr's ASAP along with your Blood glucose levels, this maybe hindering you.
Also eat smaller meals more frequently every 2-3 hrs this will get your metabolisim working and soon your hunger will return.
Boil some eggs to eat in between meals, small tins of tuna/salmon
Cottage cheese on corn thins with tomato
What kinds of fat are you cooking with?
Watch your carbs & sugars. natural sugars ( fruit) are good as they go in and out of the body in about 2 hrs.
Greek yoghurt with berries - low carbs & sugar, berries don't spike your blood sugars like other fruits.
Veggie stiks with hummos etc
Plenty of water
Lots of salads or sauteed veggies, soups ( homemade)
Good luck :flowerforyou:0 -
Hi. I'm on day 8 of a 1200 calorie, 75-80 carb, 80 protein, 17 fiber diet. drinking 60-80oz. water, and exercising everyday, had made a lot of changes over the past 5 weeks...even under 1000 calories some days. NO weightloss...what the heck?0
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How many carbs are you eating? Unused carbs turn into sugar, which if unused gets stored as fat. Reduce your carb intake and you should see a change. I was only counting calories and didn't pay attention to my carbs.0
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Your body gets used to how much you eat. This is not necessarily a good thing when you are eating too little.
WHY 1200 CALORIES (or fewer) MIGHT BE A BAD IDEA:
You lose weight for a while and maybe you will make it to goal (the bigger you are, the longer this will work, however most people can't get those last 10-20 lbs off at 1200 calories).
The longer you do this, the longer your metabolism has to adjust downward and get used to 1200 calories. Assuming you make it to goal, you want to maintain, right? What do you think is going to happen when/if you get there and it's time to maintain, when you start trying to eat "maintenance" calories? You'll gain. Welcome back to the yo-yo.
WHY EATING AT THE TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) OF YOUR GOAL WEIGHT MIGHT BE A BETTER IDEA:
Eat now, like the thin you at maintenance. Fat2Ftiradio.com can help you find the TDEE of your ideal weight: Choose ALL CALCULATORS, MILITARY BODY FAT%, then get your bodyfat estimate. Now calculate your BMR, and look in the chart below to see the TDEE of your goal weight -- that is how much the thin you will eat at maintenance.
Eating at maintenance for your ideal weight is a great idea because you will eat THIS SAME AMOUNT of calories for life. Your metabolism will not slow down to match too little fuel (1200 calories), and consequently stall on the way to goal, or cause you to gain when you try to increase calories later to maintain.
BTW, if you have been eating below your BMR for an extended period of time, and especially if you have been stalled/plateaued for an extended period of time, you may experience a slight gain for some weeks after you increase to the proper amount of calories. However, at the point where your body adjusts to the proper amount of fuel based on your dally activities, you will begin to lose again and break through the plateau.
Blessings.0 -
it would help if you made your diary public
This, can't give advice without knowing what you eat. Big thing is to make sure you are also being accurate in your diary. 1200 calories might not be right for you, but if you are truly eating 1200 calories you should be losing. If this continues see a doctor you may have a thyroid issue.0 -
FINALLY!! Someone answers the WHOLE QUESTION and explains it!! I have been at this weight loss thing for my whole life and I'm so sick of stalls and plateaus!! I have tried everything to lose weight for 25 years from low carb, low fat, no fat, to low calorie and everything else!! I lost 68 lbs in 2012 with the help of Phentermine 37.5mg and I was living in Iowa (I'm from FL) that year. I was also VERY stressed and down. I did start exercising, but that didn't last as I was so depressed (not from the weight), I couldn't really function. I was ecstatic to have dropped all the weight I had gained as a result of the initial trauma I had been through which I believe contributed to my weight gain (also anti-depressants did). Anyway, I moved back down to FL and have stalled all this year!! I'm beginning to think altitude and weather also has an effect on weight loss! I want to say I was also using Cutie Juice* Protein Power* juice which they don't make anymore (I wrote Califia Farms and went off about that already). It was all I could eat for quite a long time as I had NO appetite and was so depressed I actually would throw up if I ate solid foods, it would feel as though it were stuck in my throat and I couldn't even drink enough water as I should have been.
Now I have gained about 11 lbs and I am TERRIFIED I will regain all I have lost. I have been doing the 1200 calorie a day thing for about a week, and nothing. I have gained and lost the same 1-2.5 lbs over and over again, it's very confusing and frustrating!! I was already 63 lbs overweight BEFORE gaining another 65 or so lbs (the weight I lost in 2012). I don't know why I have to be "stuck" at this weight the rest of my life!! I HATE IT!!! I am getting desperate and I'm willing to try just about everything now, truth is I'm getting REALLY PISSED (not sure if it's my body or ME I'm mad at)!!
I am no longer on any medication except the Phentermine and now I'm wondering if in my case, the anti-depressants weren't actually working well with the Phentermine and helping me to lose weight!!? I know I have read many articles of medications halting or stalling weight loss but that's not it this time.
I had even tried going back to Atkins* way of eating but I ended up gaining (I lost that 11 lbs by doing low calorie/low fat). That was last month.
Anyone have any kind of luck with a certain diet or restricting certain things? I'm not stupid when it comes to weight loss, as I mentioned, I have been doing this a LONG time, but I am at my wits end now and need any advice I can get.
I'm going to try what you suggested about the BMR and TDEE.
I have to say also I agree with what was mentioned about eating at the recommended calories for your goal weight, that makes sense to me. I'm just worried about weight gain again. I don't want to starve myself because I know that doesn't work either, but I shouldn't be afraid to EAT!! This is crazy!!0 -
FINALLY!! Someone answers the WHOLE QUESTION and explains it!! I have been at this weight loss thing for my whole life and I'm so sick of stalls and plateaus!! I have tried everything to lose weight for 25 years from low carb, low fat, no fat, to low calorie and everything else!! I lost 68 lbs in 2012 with the help of Phentermine 37.5mg and I was living in Iowa (I'm from FL) that year. I was also VERY stressed and down. I did start exercising, but that didn't last as I was so depressed (not from the weight), I couldn't really function. I was ecstatic to have dropped all the weight I had gained as a result of the initial trauma I had been through which I believe contributed to my weight gain (also anti-depressants did). Anyway, I moved back down to FL and have stalled all this year!! I'm beginning to think altitude and weather also has an effect on weight loss! I want to say I was also using Cutie Juice* Protein Power* juice which they don't make anymore (I wrote Califia Farms and went off about that already). It was all I could eat for quite a long time as I had NO appetite and was so depressed I actually would throw up if I ate solid foods, it would feel as though it were stuck in my throat and I couldn't even drink enough water as I should have been.
Now I have gained about 11 lbs and I am TERRIFIED I will regain all I have lost. I have been doing the 1200 calorie a day thing for about a week, and nothing. I have gained and lost the same 1-2.5 lbs over and over again, it's very confusing and frustrating!! I was already 63 lbs overweight BEFORE gaining another 65 or so lbs (the weight I lost in 2012). I don't know why I have to be "stuck" at this weight the rest of my life!! I HATE IT!!! I am getting desperate and I'm willing to try just about everything now, truth is I'm getting REALLY PISSED (not sure if it's my body or ME I'm mad at)!!
I am no longer on any medication except the Phentermine and now I'm wondering if in my case, the anti-depressants weren't actually working well with the Phentermine and helping me to lose weight!!? I know I have read many articles of medications halting or stalling weight loss but that's not it this time.
I had even tried going back to Atkins* way of eating but I ended up gaining (I lost that 11 lbs by doing low calorie/low fat). That was last month.
Anyone have any kind of luck with a certain diet or restricting certain things? I'm not stupid when it comes to weight loss, as I mentioned, I have been doing this a LONG time, but I am at my wits end now and need any advice I can get.
I'm going to try what you suggested about the BMR and TDEE.
I have to say also I agree with what was mentioned about eating at the recommended calories for your goal weight, that makes sense to me. I'm just worried about weight gain again. I don't want to starve myself because I know that doesn't work either, but I shouldn't be afraid to EAT!! This is crazy!!
Okay blow this for a joke. If you need an antidepressant, it's okay to take it. It makes all the difference in the world to your ability to maintain motivation. Motivation's almost impossible to maintain when you're depressed.
But also: not all antidepressants are the same. I was on one which made me pack on 10kg in a month. That's a month. Wow. Now I've been changed to another one, Buproprion, which helps me lose weight. I'm not constantly starving on this one, or if I am hungry I don't care. I eat what I decide to eat without any difficulty sticking to my decisions. It's used for quitting smoking using probably the same mechanism in the brain; helping you stick to your decisions.
You might be contraindicated for buproprion, which would be a shame. I believe it can raise risks of seizure in some kinds of people. But if you can take it, firstly: it's a really good antidepressant for me although your psychiatrist will know best about you. And secondly; I'm feckin losing weight! Where has this stuff been all my life?
Maybe go to the psych and say you want an antidepressant that makes you lose weight, not gain it.
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