What am I doing wrong?

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babber1170
babber1170 Posts: 6
in Motivation and Support
Hi. All I seem to do is come on here and moan! Oh well, life is about communicating. OK, I really need some advice. At the back end of December last year, I revisited this site and started to diet. 1200 calories. Up til now, a rabbit would be jealousy of my diet! I do aim to eat my allowances of calories and vary my diet. I have IBS, so I try and get my roughage from lots of salad, jackets, veg and some fruit. I know I am not drinking as much as I could but to be honest trying to drink what you are supposed to each day is hard!. Anyway, it got to the beginng of Feb and I had only lost 2lbs. So I joined a gym. Since then I now do 2 sessions of spin (1 half hour, 1 full hour) on Mondays and Fridays, I also go to aquafit once a week for an hour, Pilate's and have a personal training session for an hour. I play vigorous ping pong for half an hour each day. I have only lost 3lbs so that's 5 in total. I was a couch sitting, carb munching, cake eating blob who thought that getting active and eating healthily would help. My personal trainer is confused. What am I doing wrong? Last week I put 2lbs on! I relax my intake of calories at the weekends but only add 300 calories to my daily consumption and even then I make careful choices. Despite being unfit and overweight, I am an ex ballet dancer and sport fanatic and am also still stocky because of that. I am loving the exercise though and won't stop but am perplexed! I taking amytriptaline but only 20g for my bad back. Any ideas?

Replies

  • Brooke4206
    Brooke4206 Posts: 140 Member
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    Do you measure your food? If not, you could be overestimating. A more possible answer is that you're not eating enough. 1200 calories is not a very caloric intake for anyone. I've done it, so i'm not just dishing information. I upped my calories to 1500 NET a day. That means I eat 2000 if I burn 500. Try this for two weeks and then report back. Use this calculator to help you determine how much you should be eating. MFP isn't the best for this.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • mactaffy84
    mactaffy84 Posts: 398 Member
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    If you are not losing weight, the answer is NOT to up your calories! I agree that you are probably underestimating your intake and/or overestimating your burn.
  • Brooke4206
    Brooke4206 Posts: 140 Member
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    If you are not losing weight, the answer is NOT to up your calories! I agree that you are probably underestimating your intake and/or overestimating your burn.


    This is wrong. Do not listen to her. Your body is plateauing because you're not getting the nutrients it needs. You need to fuel your body--not starve it. Look it up if you don't want to take my word for it. I'VE DONE THE 1200 DIET. I upped mine to 1500 and started losing more weight.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    1. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    2. If you aren't already using one, get and use a food scale. Weigh all solids. Measuring cups/spoons are not accurate:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    3. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    4. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    For more personalized advice, you would need to open your food diary.
  • jkd132
    jkd132 Posts: 10
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    I agree a slight elevation in your caloric intake may help, also could it be hormonal? Seeing a doctor you trust and like may be able to complete some basic blood work to ensure that all your body systems are in check.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    How about opening your diary and letting us give you some feedback? How tall are you? What's your goal?

    In the past you have wonderd about metabolic problems from a lifetime of restricting calories. I'd tend to support try increasing calories and see what happens.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Are you using a food scale? You may be eating more than you think. Are you eating back exercise calories? It is very easy to over estimate calorie burns.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    If you are not losing weight, the answer is NOT to up your calories! I agree that you are probably underestimating your intake and/or overestimating your burn.


    This is wrong. Do not listen to her. Your body is plateauing because you're not getting the nutrients it needs. You need to fuel your body--not starve it. Look it up if you don't want to take my word for it. I'VE DONE THE 1200 DIET. I upped mine to 1500 and started losing more weight.

    Her advice is spot on. If you can up your calories and still lose weight, by all means do it! But it is physically impossible to be in a calorie deficit and not lose weight.
  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
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  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
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    Hi. All I seem to do is come on here and moan! Oh well, life is about communicating. OK, I really need some advice. At the back end of December last year, I revisited this site and started to diet. 1200 calories. Up til now, a rabbit would be jealousy of my diet! I do aim to eat my allowances of calories and vary my diet. I have IBS, so I try and get my roughage from lots of salad, jackets, veg and some fruit. I know I am not drinking as much as I could but to be honest trying to drink what you are supposed to each day is hard!. Anyway, it got to the beginng of Feb and I had only lost 2lbs. So I joined a gym. Since then I now do 2 sessions of spin (1 half hour, 1 full hour) on Mondays and Fridays, I also go to aquafit once a week for an hour, Pilate's and have a personal training session for an hour. I play vigorous ping pong for half an hour each day. I have only lost 3lbs so that's 5 in total. I was a couch sitting, carb munching, cake eating blob who thought that getting active and eating healthily would help. My personal trainer is confused. What am I doing wrong? Last week I put 2lbs on! I relax my intake of calories at the weekends but only add 300 calories to my daily consumption and even then I make careful choices. Despite being unfit and overweight, I am an ex ballet dancer and sport fanatic and am also still stocky because of that. I am loving the exercise though and won't stop but am perplexed! I taking amytriptaline but only 20g for my bad back. Any ideas?

    When you say you are eating 1200 calories a day is that your gross or net? because (while I am only an expert at gaining) Its my understanding, for me to loose about 1 lb a week. I need to eat a gross of 2060 calories, burn 460 a day, leaving a net of 1600 calories. Everyone complains about how hard it its to get your water in, you really only need 8- 8 oz glasses a day. I use 32oz bottles. I keep in the refer. I drink about 3 of those through out the day. not counting any coffee or tea. I crave water.
    If you are eating a gross of 1200, then with your work outs, I cant imagine your NET. your poor body is starving.

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