How long should I stay at 1200 Calories ?

frozen2late
frozen2late Posts: 13 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am reaching 1 year of eating 1200 calories and I recently stopped eating back my workout calories because I stopped losing. I am still 10 lbs away from my goal weight.
I know that it is common for the last ten pounds to go but any advice on what I can do differently. The scale hasn't budged in weeks.

I am vegetarian. I work out 3-4 times a week for one hour doing Spin class or running. Any tips are appreciated!!
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Replies

  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    1200 calories only works for so long, because the closer you get to your goal, the less calories you should be eating, which on 1200 is impossible. That's why you had to stop eating your exercise calories. You need to eat more calories and eat your exercise calories back. Try the TDEE calculation (though I don't use this I have upped my calories recently and am still losing, I know others have found it helpful)
  • moment_to_arise
    moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
    stop focusing on the number on the scale, take measurements of your arms, waist, thighs, etc and start lifting weights. you may stay at the same weight, but you will shrink.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Stop eating 1200 calories when it stops working. I would gradually increase your calories and change your workout routine until something starts working. I know that's very general advice, but at the very least, keep eating your exercise calories back. You don't want to start netting below 1200 calories.
  • ngressman
    ngressman Posts: 229 Member
    I would ignore the number on the scale. Check your measurements. Also maybe go up in calories for a week or two, and then go back to the 1200 calorie diet.
  • metallison
    metallison Posts: 16 Member
    I am in the same situation as you. I'm within 9 pounds of my goal weight, eating 1200 calories a day, not eating my exercise cals, and my weight loss is at a standstill. Any help is appreciated.
  • jpolinisse
    jpolinisse Posts: 149 Member
    Also, consider a diet break and eat at maintenance.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
    If you're eating at 1200 and not eating your exercise calories back you're likely not eating enough.. Instead of decreasing I would eat your exercise calories and add heavy-strength training to your routine... I know it's been proven and disproven but I believe in the after-burn effects of heavy lifting... and it always seems to boost me over a plateau when I add lifting... problem is I hate lifting so I never do it consistently.
  • emAZn
    emAZn Posts: 413 Member
    Also, consider a diet break and eat at maintenance.

    This is a good suggestion as well... Though I would slowly increase to maintenance by adding 100 cals per week and then stay there for a couple weeks as to not gain any weight back.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    stop focusing on the number on the scale, take measurements of your arms, waist, thighs, etc and start lifting weights. you may stay at the same weight, but you will shrink.

    This^

    When you are that close to goal .... a 1/2 pound loss each week is good progress. Strength training will change your measurements.
  • LisaGNV
    LisaGNV Posts: 159 Member
    The thought of 1200 calories a day makes me weep. Have you ever calculated your TDEE? I've based my intake on that minus 20% and continue to lose. I'm less than 10 lbs from GW and plan on decreasing my % to 10% below TDEE. For reference, I'm 5'6", SW was 226 lbs, CW is 134 & GW is 126. My TDEE is ~2300 and daily intake is ~1840 cals (eating clean, PFC% 25/50/25).
  • frozen2late
    frozen2late Posts: 13 Member
    I love strength training and find that it does have a big impact on my body measurements. The first fifteen pounds I lost = a decrease in 2 pants size and I am noticing that things are shrinking.

    I noticed that the longer I count my calories, the more anxious I become when I go "over" and eat back my workout calories. This is more of a mental thing for sure.

    I LOVE all the advice!!

    Does any one have any good strength training workouts that have worked for them and shown a lot of results? What about classes? I love classes and keep focused but most classes are cardio only.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Calculate your TDEE and eat 10% less than that. It is slow to lose the last 10 pounds. I agree, concentrate on body composition instead of scale weight.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member

    Does any one have any good strength training workouts that have worked for them and shown a lot of results? What about classes? I love classes and keep focused but most classes are cardio only.

    I started with New Rules of Lifting for Women which I recommend reading even if you don't follow that workout plan. I did part of that plan but then switched to Nia Shanks. Stronglifts and Starting Strength are also good beginner programs.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I am going to go against the grain, and suggest that your numbers may not be adding up. Either your calorie counts are off, or you are overestimating your calorie burn. How do you measure your food? Weight? Volume? How tall are you?
  • moment_to_arise
    moment_to_arise Posts: 207 Member
    Does any one have any good strength training workouts that have worked for them and shown a lot of results? What about classes? I love classes and keep focused but most classes are cardio only.

    I am currently doing Strong Lifts 5x5, its great for beginners building strength so that you can get into other forms of strength training
  • Wretched61
    Wretched61 Posts: 36 Member
    What is TDEE??? :ohwell:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    What is TDEE??? :ohwell:

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure. All of the calories you need in a day to fuel all of your activities. Also known as "Maintenance Calories", it is the amount where you would not gain or lose weight. Eat below that number = weight loss. Eat over that number = weight gain.
  • Wretched61
    Wretched61 Posts: 36 Member
    What is TDEE???

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure. All of the calories you need in a day to fuel all of your activities. Also known as "Maintenance Calories", it is the amount where you would not gain or lose weight. Eat below that number = weight loss. Eat over that number = weight gain.

    Thank you for your response!
    One more question,
    How do you figure out the amount of calories you would need in a day?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    What is TDEE???

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure. All of the calories you need in a day to fuel all of your activities. Also known as "Maintenance Calories", it is the amount where you would not gain or lose weight. Eat below that number = weight loss. Eat over that number = weight gain.

    Thank you for your response!
    One more question,
    How do you figure out the amount of calories you would need in a day?

    There are calculators to estimate it based on your gender, age, height and weight and the amount of activity you say you do.

    Google TDEE calculator.
  • Wretched61
    Wretched61 Posts: 36 Member
    What is TDEE???

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure. All of the calories you need in a day to fuel all of your activities. Also known as "Maintenance Calories", it is the amount where you would not gain or lose weight. Eat below that number = weight loss. Eat over that number = weight gain.


    Thank you for your response!
    One more question,
    How do you figure out the amount of calories you would need in a day?

    There are calculators to estimate it based on your gender, age, height and weight and the amount of activity you say you do.

    Google TDEE calculator.

    Thank you so much!
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    till lunch
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    till lunch

    :flowerforyou:
  • 2bassets
    2bassets Posts: 193 Member
    I assumed that MFP would adjust your calories as you lost weight. Am I wrong?
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I assumed that MFP would adjust your calories as you lost weight. Am I wrong?

    MFP simply deducts a flat amount of calories based on how many pounds per week you say you want to lose. As you lose weight, you need to readjust the amount of calories per week. You can't lose 2 pounds per week when you don't have a lot of weight to lose.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    i lose best around 1500-1600 calories.. you're not eating enough..
  • frozen2late
    frozen2late Posts: 13 Member
    Yes but what kind of work outs are you doing?

    I am sooo strict with how I measure. I use a scale and create my own meals.

    I also think the problem is that I eat pretty much the same thing everyday.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Why would you eat only the bare minimum if you didn't have to? And I'm not talking about gluttony or enjoyment here. For your body to perform at peak, you need to fuel it.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I am reaching 1 year of eating 1200 calories and I recently stopped eating back my workout calories because I stopped losing. I am still 10 lbs away from my goal weight.
    I know that it is common for the last ten pounds to go but any advice on what I can do differently. The scale hasn't budged in weeks.

    I am vegetarian. I work out 3-4 times a week for one hour doing Spin class or running. Any tips are appreciated!!

    1200 seems really high.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    i lose best around 1500-1600 calories.. you're not eating enough..

    It depends on how tall she is. We are not all created equal. I love how when someone posts that they have been accurately counting calories and losing weight, until they reach a plateau, they are told to EAT MORE. Uh - no. It's physics. If she is no longer losing weight by eating back all her exercise calories she has probably been over estimating her burn all this time, and has now reached homeostasis. Time to start eating back only SOME of the exercise calories to start back up the weight loss process.
  • JoJo__Fit
    JoJo__Fit Posts: 258 Member
    Start increasing those calories ASAP, Increase by 150 calories every 2 weeks, it's a process don't rush into it you have to rebuild your metabolism. Your body has adjusted to not being efficient anymore, That's why you haven't been able to drop those last 10lbs

    You need to shock your body, why don't you start lifting weights a couple times out of the week, take it easy on the spinning and running and increase your calories gradually and see what happens :)

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