Eating 1200 Calories but not losing weight

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  • iceey
    iceey Posts: 354 Member
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    Everyone above is correct. I am about your height and weight. I eat net 1700 calories a day. You don't have much to lose and that is harder sometimes. Focus on how you look and feel and don't focus on your weight. My weight fluctuates every day, which is why I rarely weigh myself. Scale isn't everything.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Yah I looked at your diary and I could see you don't use a scale.

    Often times you are under 1200 per your diary

    There are days that are not complete or nothing at all.

    Get that kitchen scale our and use it.
  • Snow__White
    Snow__White Posts: 1,650 Member
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    EAT MORE!
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    It took me almost a year to lose my last 5 pounds eating at a net of 1500. The closer you are to goal the longer it is going to take.

    If you are getting frustrated, maybe you should give up. Your weight is excellent for your height. Why make yourself crazy?

    ONE YEAR?!! O_O

    Yup, and I loved every minute of it. I didn't have to obsess about numbers, deprive myself, or freak out if I had a high day (or week). Years and years of yo-yo dieting were the result of trying to lose too much too fast. I am thrilled with my results and have maintained my sanity in the process.
  • ThatSoundsHard
    ThatSoundsHard Posts: 475 Member
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    Well, there could be a lot of reasons.

    I agree fully with the people saying that you're probably not eating enough, 1200 calories isn't usually enough calories for anyone. However that being said. For your height you're actually at a good weight.

    Your weight fluctuates throughout the day/week, in simplest terms, because you eat food and drink liquid

    Suggestions:

    Try scaling back your goal from 2lbs per week to half. Or look into TDEE - 15% or 20%. Read up on TDEE and BMR and make sure you're not eating under your BMR.

    Make sure you're logging accurately. food scale and all that happy jazz

    BE PATIENT. When I started counting calories and exercising regularly I didn't see the scale move for nearly 3 months. Yes, that's right, it took at least a full 10 weeks to drop even 1 pound.
  • ThatSoundsHard
    ThatSoundsHard Posts: 475 Member
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    It took me almost a year to lose my last 5 pounds eating at a net of 1500. The closer you are to goal the longer it is going to take.

    If you are getting frustrated, maybe you should give up. Your weight is excellent for your height. Why make yourself crazy?

    ONE YEAR?!! O_O

    Yup, and I loved every minute of it. I didn't have to obsess about numbers, deprive myself, or freak out if I had a high day (or week). Years and years of yo-yo dieting were the result of trying to lose too much too fast. I am thrilled with my results and have maintained my sanity in the process.

    And you look awesome!
  • belletar
    belletar Posts: 14 Member
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    It took me almost a year to lose my last 5 pounds eating at a net of 1500. The closer you are to goal the longer it is going to take.

    If you are getting frustrated, maybe you should give up. Your weight is excellent for your height. Why make yourself crazy?

    ONE YEAR?!! O_O

    Yup, and I loved every minute of it. I didn't have to obsess about numbers, deprive myself, or freak out if I had a high day (or week). Years and years of yo-yo dieting were the result of trying to lose too much too fast. I am thrilled with my results and have maintained my sanity in the process.

    And you look awesome!

    She sure does!
  • denniskillz
    denniskillz Posts: 62 Member
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    You 1200 calorie diet might actually be the hindrance, eat clean and eat more calories. Your body might be going into starvation mode due to which, the body starts storing food.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    She is not in starvation mode. Since 11/4, she's had two 1700 + calorie days and a 1500 + calorie day. (Which is fine, it's just not starvation mode.) There are also days that aren't logged or incomplete. The lighter we are, the less we get to eat unless our activity makes it up for us. OP, you seemed to like the idea of upping to 1500 calories. Why not try eating at 1500 daily and not adding in more for exercise calories?

    Whether you stick to 1200 + exercise calories or go with a flat 1500, logging daily and accurately will probably make the difference for you. Maybe consider shifting your mental focus to your working out since you really are at a great weight. You'll still lose the fat, but if you focus in on fitness, you'll be less likely to be as impatient.
  • belletar
    belletar Posts: 14 Member
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    She is not in starvation mode. Since 11/4, she's had two 1700 + calorie days and a 1500 + calorie day. (Which is fine, it's just not starvation mode.) There are also days that aren't logged or incomplete. The lighter we are, the less we get to eat unless our activity makes it up for us. OP, you seemed to like the idea of upping to 1500 calories. Why not try eating at 1500 daily and not adding in more for exercise calories?

    Whether you stick to 1200 + exercise calories or go with a flat 1500, logging daily and accurately will probably make the difference for you. Maybe consider shifting your mental focus to your working out since you really are at a great weight. You'll still lose the fat, but if you focus in on fitness, you'll be less likely to be as impatient.

    Thank you
  • adgirl618
    adgirl618 Posts: 7 Member
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    Looking at your food diary, the one major thing I noticed is that there is a lot of sugar but also not a lot of variety. Fruits do have natural sugar and good nutrients but at the end of the day it still adds up. Are you a vegetarian? if not, I would try adding in some additional lean proteins like grilled chicken. Beans add some good protein as well as fiber. And another way to get some great nutrients and fiber (very filling) is to eat some vegetables. You can eat a lot of them without adding a lot of calories. My best advice...be patient, try mixing things up and step outside of the hummus, fruit, white pita and oatmeal groove just a little. Good luck!
  • belletar
    belletar Posts: 14 Member
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    Looking at your food diary, the one major thing I noticed is that there is a lot of sugar but also not a lot of variety. Fruits do have natural sugar and good nutrients but at the end of the day it still adds up. Are you a vegetarian? if not, I would try adding in some additional lean proteins like grilled chicken. Beans add some good protein as well as fiber. And another way to get some great nutrients and fiber (very filling) is to eat some vegetables. You can eat a lot of them without adding a lot of calories. My best advice...be patient, try mixing things up and step outside of the hummus, fruit, white pita and oatmeal groove just a little. Good luck!

    I AM addicted to sugar, and I am trying to eliminate it (with oatmeal, tea etc). I will add vegetables, chicken and beans as you suggested. I'm usually in a rush in the mornings to pack my lunch, which is why I end up eating the same thing during the week. Thanks!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I am 33-- so maybe my metabolism is slower now. In the past I would lose the weight very quickly. Maybe I should increase my intake to 1500?

    Set your goal to half a pound a week. How many calories does it give you?

    Are you weighing all of your food?
  • shraniken
    shraniken Posts: 37 Member
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    As others have said, make SURE you're consuming the amount of calories you think you are. In all likelihood, you're eating more than you think. I do this often, as I tend to be a bit biased when calculating my meals.

    The solution is almost never to eat more.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    You 1200 calorie diet might actually be the hindrance, eat clean and eat more calories. Your body might be going into starvation mode due to which, the body starts storing food.

    :laugh:

    ETA: One laugh was plenty.
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
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    I am 5'6 and currently 133-135 pounds. I would like to get down to 128. I have been eating 1200 calories net for the past 4 weeks, and I work out 2-4 times a week. I don't understand why I haven't lost any weight, and why my weight fluctuates by 1-2 during the week. It's very fraustrating and I want to give up. Please help!

    Well, there's your problem. "Net". Yeah, right, you're "netting" 1200 calories.

    You're not "netting" 1200 calories, it's that simple. And maybe you need to be "netting" slightly fewer than 1200 calories, depending on your age.

    I wish people didn't use exercise as a snack generator, an excuse to eat more calories. Because what inevitably happens is that they "totally worked out for, like, an hour and burned 700 calories!!!!", and then proceed to eat 700 calories as their "reward". And then they come here, and just can't understand why their weight loss stalls… :grumble:
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
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    EAT MORE!

    The solution to all weight loss problems, apparently. :huh:

    It's obvious that every person who becomes overweight simply doesn't eat enough. I mean, look at all the fatties in famine-stricken areas, who clearly aren't getting enough to eat, and are just ballooning as a result. Yeah, that totally happens. You can tell a person who is starving by the amount of weight they gain. Conversely, really skinny people just eat everything in sight. :indifferent:
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    I am 5'6 and currently 133-135 pounds. I would like to get down to 128. I have been eating 1200 calories net for the past 4 weeks, and I work out 2-4 times a week. I don't understand why I haven't lost any weight, and why my weight fluctuates by 1-2 during the week. It's very fraustrating and I want to give up. Please help!

    Well, there's your problem. "Net". Yeah, right, you're "netting" 1200 calories.

    You're not "netting" 1200 calories, it's that simple. And maybe you need to be "netting" slightly fewer than 1200 calories, depending on your age.

    I feel like you need to clarify why you are using quotation marks around Netting, because it comes off as you telling someone to actually net less than 1200 calories. Which is ridiculous.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    I am 5'6 and currently 133-135 pounds. I would like to get down to 128. I have been eating 1200 calories net for the past 4 weeks, and I work out 2-4 times a week. I don't understand why I haven't lost any weight, and why my weight fluctuates by 1-2 during the week. It's very fraustrating and I want to give up. Please help!

    I wish people didn't use exercise as a snack generator, an excuse to eat more calories. Because what inevitably happens is that they "totally worked out for, like, an hour and burned 700 calories!!!!", and then proceed to eat 700 calories as their "reward". And then they come here, and just can't understand why their weight loss stalls… :grumble:

    I've seen people claim 1500 calories for an hour of exercise before-- and these weren't Olympic swimmers. :laugh:
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
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    You're 5 foot 6 and max 135lbs and "struggling" for a month trying to lose weight that you just don't have to spare.

    It's time to switch metrics. Maybe measure bicep inches, or number of abs you can see.

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