I posted this before but i just need more answers!

I am a 5ft 6in felmale and weigh 149lbs, to reach my goal i want to lose 19 more lbs. the first 21 came off very easily with light workout, now i have intensified my work outs to running 20 mins walking 10, elliptical for 20 mins, and excersise bike for 20 mins every other day. Then i do weight machies, ab work out, and squats and lunges every otherday. And i do this 7 days a week. I eat 1200 calories. But i havnt lost any more weight? Do i eat my calories that i burn? Or strictly eat 1200? Am i eating enough?
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Replies

  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    The more exercise you do, the more fuel you need in order to do them. Which means eatting more. Think of it this way, you can't get to LA from NY on one tank of gas. Just like you can't run a marathon on a simple bowl of cereal.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Also...if you are still trying to lose 2 lbs, you might want to shift it to 0.5 or 1 lb, you have crossed well over that threshold of being able to sustain a higher loss.
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    The answers you got before were accurate. You want people to just report more of the same information?
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Why are you working out so much and eating so little? Aren't you hungry? Do you use an HRM to track your calories burned during cardio? Eat at least half of your exercise calories, and see where that takes you. Introduce a rest day.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    The answers you got before were accurate. You want people to just report more of the same information?

    And this. I just looked at your other thread, and since you posted this thread one day later, it just sounds like you want a miracle cure. Listen to what people are saying.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Are you NETTING 1200 or just eating that much?
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    If you aren't losing weight, you're eating too much. I know you say you eat 1200 calories, but if that were the case, you'd be losing weight. If you don't weigh and measure your food, you don't know how many calories you're eating. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you don't know how many calories you're burning. There is no other answer.
  • mel630
    mel630 Posts: 11
    The answers you got before were accurate. You want people to just report more of the same information?

    And this. I just looked at your other thread, and since you posted this thread one day later, it just sounds like you want a miracle cure. Listen to what people are saying.

    I dont want a miracle cure, i understand that this can take a while, i just want progress, and with my answers before i was just a little confused so i decided to repost with more information on myself for more answers
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    If you aren't losing weight, you're eating too much. I know you say you eat 1200 calories, but if that were the case, you'd be losing weight. If you don't weigh and measure your food, you don't know how many calories you're eating. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you don't know how many calories you're burning. There is no other answer.

    OP, after reading your other thread and this one, this is all you need to know right now. The bottom line is you're not accurately tracking anything.
  • mel630
    mel630 Posts: 11
    Are you NETTING 1200 or just eating that much?


    Just eating, so im not sure if i should be netting 1200 or not
  • mel630
    mel630 Posts: 11
    If you aren't losing weight, you're eating too much. I know you say you eat 1200 calories, but if that were the case, you'd be losing weight. If you don't weigh and measure your food, you don't know how many calories you're eating. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you don't know how many calories you're burning. There is no other answer.

    OP, after reading your other thread and this one, this is all you need to know right now. The bottom line is you're not accurately tracking anything.
    So i should not follow my fittness pals calories for food it gives me? I mean i listen to what my fitness pal tells me, is it wrong?
  • lindsayvernon
    lindsayvernon Posts: 56 Member
    open up your diary so people can look at what you're eating and get a better picture of your eating habits. If you're following what MFP gives you for calories, you want to make sure that you are NETTING 1200 after your exercise...so it would probably mean you need to eat more. You need to fuel your body to keep it going, if you are not eating enough you are only doing yourself a disservice. Also, give your body time. You may have lost a lot of weight quickly to start, but it doesn't stay like that forever. Enjoy where you're at and keep working on it, you need to be doing it for you and doing it at a sustainable level.
  • mel630
    mel630 Posts: 11
    open up your diary so people can look at what you're eating and get a better picture of your eating habits. If you're following what MFP gives you for calories, you want to make sure that you are NETTING 1200 after your exercise...so it would probably mean you need to eat more. You need to fuel your body to keep it going, if you are not eating enough you are only doing yourself a disservice. Also, give your body time. You may have lost a lot of weight quickly to start, but it doesn't stay like that forever. Enjoy where you're at and keep working on it, you need to be doing it for you and doing it at a sustainable level.

    Okay thank you, i know this will take a bit but ill just keep going! I will feel better when i see more progress! Thank you!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Forget about net calories, it's a distraction, and at your level of exercise doesn't mean a whole lot. Plus the fact that you can actually do the work strongly suggests you are not in fact under-fueling.

    Bottom line - if you were eating 1200 calories/day, you would be losing weight. Since you're not losing weight, you are eating more than you think.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Are you NETTING 1200 or just eating that much?


    Just eating, so im not sure if i should be netting 1200 or not

    Either you're not eating the amount you think you are, or you're netting far too low. You should NET 1200.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    If you aren't losing weight, you're eating too much. I know you say you eat 1200 calories, but if that were the case, you'd be losing weight. If you don't weigh and measure your food, you don't know how many calories you're eating. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, you don't know how many calories you're burning. There is no other answer.

    OP, after reading your other thread and this one, this is all you need to know right now. The bottom line is you're not accurately tracking anything.
    So i should not follow my fittness pals calories for food it gives me? I mean i listen to what my fitness pal tells me, is it wrong?
    The answers could not have been more clear and straightforward. Weigh and measure your food. MFP is only as good as the info you put into it (ie, eyeballing v weighing). Don't expect weight loss to be linear, nor for it to be as fast now that you're in a healthy weight range.

    Sigh...this. And also what Mr_Knight said.

    Also in your other thread, someone said that you need to adjust your goals to lose .5 pounds per week instead of 2 pounds per week. You should take that advice since you don't have a lot of weight to lose. Also, be patient.
  • Rai007
    Rai007 Posts: 387 Member
    if you have increased the intensity of your workouts you need to eat more a bit.
    otherwise you would feel so hungry with only 1200
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    You're probably overheating or overestimating calories burned or a combination of the two. Get a digital scale and measuring cups. Even labels can be off (ie label will say one slice of cheese is 20 g and it's actually 25 etc and it can add up).. People who are saying that eating more will help to lose weight are wrong. I think there's good reason to net sufficient calories - to get your nutrients for example but ignore the advice saying that to lose more you need to eat more.
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    I totally understand what you're asking and your frustration, too. Several years ago, I started at 180 (I'm also 5'8"), female. I stuck to 1200 cals and did similar exercise as you. The weight came off. When I got to about 150 (same as you), it STOPPED. I had to buckle down and really, really eat 1100-1200 very strictly to get the last 10 pounds off. It took months and months. Very slow and frustrating, and I was hungry. And you can guess what happened next. I had to basically pretend I was trying to lose weight just to maintain, which I did for 4 years. Then, old habits came back, I never learned how to maintain properly, and the weight cam eback on in a flash. Here I am, starting over.

    But all this to say -- it sounds like you have plateaued and you are so so close to your goal that every half pound will be a hard-fought battle. Try one week of being super, super strict and careful with every morsel you put in your mouth. And I TOTALLY agree on adding a couple rest days into your routine. rest days are so important. Try it. You might be surprised to see the scale move again.
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    Forget about net calories, it's a distraction, and at your level of exercise doesn't mean a whole lot. Plus the fact that you can actually do the work strongly suggests you are not in fact under-fueling.

    Bottom line - if you were eating 1200 calories/day, you would be losing weight. Since you're not losing weight, you are eating more than you think.

    Qft. You do want to NET 1200 calories per day, but you must log accurately. You need to weigh your food and measure the liquids. I'm not sure how long your weight loss has stalled. If it's only a couple weeks, be patient. It's gonna take time. If it's longer than 6 weeks, you're off somewhere in your calorie count and you need to be more accurate. It's as simple as that.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    You should probably post this again, but worded differently to get the same answers.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member

    Bottom line - if you were eating 1200 calories/day, you would be losing weight. Since you're not losing weight, you are eating more than you think.

    That is total horse****. I am 5'2, 175lbs and for MONTHS ate 1200 calories without losing. Wanna know why? I'm burning nearly 2000 calories everyday and I was only eating 1200 calories. Now, I eat between 1500-1700 calories, burning around 2000 daily... and I'm losing. Also, I stopped doing nothing but cardio day in and out and starting lifting. New Rules of Lifting for Women... it will change your entire outlook on this whole thing. Up your calories... (logging accurately of course).... work out less (and lift) and you will lose. Trust me. Good luck.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Are you NETTING 1200 or just eating that much?


    Just eating, so im not sure if i should be netting 1200 or not

    Net calories (MFP uses this method) ...................Eat 1700 ....exercise for 500 = 1200 NET. The reason for eating calories back (using MFP method) ......you were given a calorie deficit BEFORE any exercise....exercise makes the deficit bigger.

    When you eat too little......you lose fat+muscle

    When you eat less (but not too little) & exercise ......you lose fat ......your choice, do you want to lose fat+muscle......or just fat?

    The closer you get to goal....the slower weight loss will be.....it sucks.....but that's how it is.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    The more exercise you do, the more fuel you need in order to do them. Which means eatting more. Think of it this way, you can't get to LA from NY on one tank of gas. Just like you can't run a marathon on a simple bowl of cereal.

    I can if I start hitchhiking around palm springs.

    also if I drive that car to LAX and just fly.

    also If i just drive to the nike store and set out running like forest gump.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member

    Bottom line - if you were eating 1200 calories/day, you would be losing weight. Since you're not losing weight, you are eating more than you think.

    That is total horse****. I am 5'2, 175lbs and for MONTHS ate 1200 calories without losing. Wanna know why? I'm burning nearly 2000 calories everyday and I was only eating 1200 calories. Now, I eat between 1500-1700 calories, burning around 2000 daily... and I'm losing. Also, I stopped doing nothing but cardio day in and out and starting lifting. New Rules of Lifting for Women... it will change your entire outlook on this whole thing. Up your calories... (logging accurately of course).... work out less (and lift) and you will lose. Trust me. Good luck.

    If you were burning 2000 cals and eating 1200, just where do you think your body took the other 800 from since you didn't lose any weight? Either you didn't burn 2000 or you didn't take in 1200.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Why don't you bump your initial post for more answers? A bit weird to start flooding the forums with the same topic...

    In general, though, I'm a bit confused as the, "You're eating too much." That CAN be a reason for maintenance, and gains, definitely. However, stalls/plateaus definitely happen from overexercising/undereating.

    It'd be helpful to know which is which with you, if you could show your diary. If you're weighing and measuring food and consistently logging at that specific number, then there's reason to think you need to up calories gradually and/or dial down exercise, and see if it makes a difference. For most people, after a few weeks, it does.

    If you're NOT logging EVERYTHING, then look at your food first.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
    The more exercise you do, the more fuel you need in order to do them. Which means eatting more. Think of it this way, you can't get to LA from NY on one tank of gas. Just like you can't run a marathon on a simple bowl of cereal.

    I can if I start hitchhiking around palm springs.

    also if I drive that car to LAX and just fly.

    also If i just drive to the nike store and set out running like forest gump.

    tumblr_mg9tqt2Xyo1r317bvo1_500.gif

    When-you-prepared-all-the-food.gif
  • The answers you got before were accurate. You want people to just report more of the same information?

    ^^This. Sometimes people repost a question if they didnt like or didnt agree with the answers they got the first time.