1,200 causes me to NOT lose weight??

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drey0422
drey0422 Posts: 39
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been stuck at my weight for like 2 weeks now when at first i dropped almost 10 lbs immediately. I am suppose to be consuming 1,200 calories a day... sometimes I'm too busy to realize that i skipped a meal (mom of 3 [6 yr old, 5 yr old & 8 month old] and I work). so there are days when I'm under that. I've read that too little calories can cause you to get stuck at a certain weight, is that true? How does that make sense? I also work out when i get time.. i usually run for an hour which burns 500 calories... please HELP me understand this... i weight 182... i would like to lose at least 20 more by the end of the year... 40 would be ideal but i'm stuck...
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  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    It's only been 2 weeks and weightloss is not linear in all likelihood your probably eating more than you think.

    Check the accuracy of your logging this will help

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594
  • michikade
    michikade Posts: 313 Member
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    It is absolutely normal to have a big drop and then stall for a couple weeks when you're first starting. The big drop is from water weight and then your body has to catch up to your new lifestyle. So long as you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight.

    How are you measuring your calories? Do you have a kitchen scale that measures in grams? If not I recommend you pick one up (they're fairly inexpensive - I think you could get one at Walmart for around $18-20) and it will increase the accuracy of your logging. A lot of people who don't have scales tend to underestimate how much they're eating.

    I would recommend trying your hardest to eat at least 1200 calories and to eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories when you get a chance to exercise. This keeps your body properly fueled and keeps your body from choosing places to get energy from that aren't what you want it to get energy from (i.e. you will preserve more lean muscle mass if you are eating enough - keeps a person from being 'skinny fat').
  • OllyJ_79
    OllyJ_79 Posts: 126 Member
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    How tall are you and how are you measuring your food?

    Do you weigh everything on a digital scale?

    Eating too few calories causes weight loss, there is no magic source of energy apart from your body consuming its fat (energy) stores
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    Although two weeks can seem like a lifetime when you're trying to shed the weight, it's actually a very short period of time. (This is why some people only weigh in once a month.)

    Assuming that your calorie counts are pretty accurate, then the likely culprit is water weight which, especially for women, can vary widely depending on your menstrual cycle, sodium intake, and a whole host of other factors.

    It's easy to counsel patience when it's not you staring at the scale hoping for a change, but that's probably the best course for the moment. If it goes on for another couple of weeks with no weight loss, then I'd start looking at increasing either the duration or intensity of my workout routine rather than further cutting calories.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
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    So I've been stuck at my weight for like 2 weeks now when at first i dropped almost 10 lbs immediately. I am suppose to be consuming 1,200 calories a day... sometimes I'm too busy to realize that i skipped a meal (mom of 3 [6 yr old, 5 yr old & 8 month old] and I work). so there are days when I'm under that. I've read that too little calories can cause you to get stuck at a certain weight, is that true? How does that make sense? I also work out when i get time.. i usually run for an hour which burns 500 calories... please HELP me understand this... i weight 182... i would like to lose at least 20 more by the end of the year... 40 would be ideal but i'm stuck...

    You may also not be eating enough. Yes, it happens.
    1200 is probably too low for you. When I was 168 with 20 lbs to lose I got 1350 with setting MFP to 1 lb a week. I upped my calories from 1200 and started losing.
    (I also eat all my exercise calories back.)
  • shrinkingshreya
    shrinkingshreya Posts: 118 Member
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    Although two weeks can seem like a lifetime when you're trying to shed the weight, it's actually a very short period of time. (This is why some people only weigh in once a month.)

    I agree! I needed to read that this morning. Thank you!
  • CherryOnionKiss
    CherryOnionKiss Posts: 376 Member
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    Unless you have a desk job and only move from the couch to the bathroom, 1200 cals/day is not enough.

    Source: My doctor
  • drey0422
    drey0422 Posts: 39
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    How tall are you and how are you measuring your food?

    Do you weigh everything on a digital scale?


    everything I eat, I measure and weigh and i always go by serving sizes and such... I'm 5'1...I am a translator at a law office and i do sit at a desk all morning but i also work our if i have time right after work...
  • marcellomoo
    marcellomoo Posts: 107 Member
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    If you're coming up to your time of the month, don't even question what your weight does.

    If you're accurately measuring the 1200, you're most likely losing but experiencing some sort of fluctuation that masks the change and it will drop off later.
  • drey0422
    drey0422 Posts: 39
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    I would recommend trying your hardest to eat at least 1200 calories and to eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories when you get a chance to exercise. This keeps your body properly fueled and keeps your body from choosing places to get energy from that aren't what you want it to get energy from (i.e. you will preserve more lean muscle mass if you are eating enough - keeps a person from being 'skinny fat').

    Like from where do I not want my body to get energy from? I don't know why but I am so lost and confused... what do you think is good to eat and high in calories?
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    It is absolutely normal to have a big drop and then stall for a couple weeks when you're first starting. The big drop is from water weight and then your body has to catch up to your new lifestyle. So long as you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight.

    My weight followed this pattern for several weeks when I first began. I was certain I was in a deficit so I hung there. I'd have another big drop, then maintain again. It seems to be finally settling down now and I'm about 12 weeks in.
  • HerbertNenenger
    HerbertNenenger Posts: 453 Member
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    1200 is too low for the amount of activity you do. That doesn't help. Weigh and measure your food to make sure you're being accurate. Adjust your calorie goal to reflect your lifestyle, and most importantly, have patience.
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
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    It is absolutely normal to have a big drop and then stall for a couple weeks when you're first starting. The big drop is from water weight and then your body has to catch up to your new lifestyle. So long as you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight.

    My weight followed this pattern for several weeks when I first began. I was certain I was in a deficit so I hung there. I'd have another big drop, then maintain again. It seems to be finally settling down now and I'm about 12 weeks in.

    Me as well. Big drop at the start and then a stall,.. actually, any time I make a change to my diet to shed a couple extra pounds this is what happens. Big drop and then a 3 week stall (sometimes 4 weeks)

    Hang in there, it will start dropping again as long as you are in a deficit... Just stick with it!
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
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    I would recommend trying your hardest to eat at least 1200 calories and to eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories when you get a chance to exercise. This keeps your body properly fueled and keeps your body from choosing places to get energy from that aren't what you want it to get energy from (i.e. you will preserve more lean muscle mass if you are eating enough - keeps a person from being 'skinny fat').

    Like from where do I not want my body to get energy from? I don't know why but I am so lost and confused... what do you think is good to eat and high in calories?

    You don't want to lose muscle do you? It's very hard to gain muscle, so it's better not to lose the muscle you do have. Unless you want to just lay on the floor all day long because you can't move.

    You need to eat more so you can fuel your body. You will still lose weight eating more calories, but you won't be doing so much harm to your body that way. Your brain alone needs around 300-500 calories to function properly.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Try this calculator - you might not be eating enough.

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • patriciapowerswilliamson
    patriciapowerswilliamson Posts: 109
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    Not sure what is up as I have the same issue BUT for me, one of the posters on here is correct. I don't always accurately log my calories eg. meaning I may be eating more than my 1200 and sometimes I eat less than when I exercise. I tested this theory yesterday. I measured and weighed everything I ate and then tracked it. I didn't exercise as I was exhausted and sore - I ate EXACTLY 1200 calories, I was full after dinner.

    I am a lot older than the poster here though, hormones, menopause and other issues going on. I am not about to reduce my calories further as that just seem stupid. Today I am walking 6 miles and may eat slightly more.

    You are lucky, 10 lbs in that time period is great! I have been on this thing almost a year and have only lost 7 pounds after 8 months.

    Hang in there!
  • Fit_Chef_NE
    Fit_Chef_NE Posts: 110 Member
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    Calorie cycling saved my life. I started my diet at about 1200 calories/day. At first I dropped weight like crazy. Then after a month, the weight loss just. stopped.

    I kept doing what I was doing for another month, sure that it was just a plateau and that I would start to see the scale move again soon. I was just maintaining and started getting frustrated.

    Now I count my calories for the whole week, not just for the day. I eat 1200 some days and close to 2000 once or twice a week. As long as my weekly calories are in a deficit, it really does work. The first week I tried it, the scale moved again. Granted, it is much harder to track this using MFP alone. I made a spreadsheet in excel to help me.

    The other major change I made was upping my water intake considerable. When I did that, my extra water weight fell right off and while that isn't really fat loss, it helped to keep me motivated.

    I am also as realistic as possible about making this a lifestyle change, not a crash course diet. I want to lose it and keep it off for life, so I try to make it sustainable. If I go on vacation, I relax my standards a bit (not all the way, but I allow myself to have fun). I eat at maintenance for a week sometimes just to give myself a break. I am not trying to rush the process because the temptation for most dieters is to lose the weight then stop the "diet".

    When I stopped looking at it as a diet, I stopped stressing. Now I see a steady, if somewhat slow, weight loss. It's not a race. Some weeks I lose nothing. Other weeks I lose several pounds. It really isn't linear and it won't go exactly the way we want. Such is life. :ohwell:
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    It's very normal after dropping '10 lbs almost immediately' to plateau for a while. It just doesn't happen in a nice, linear trend. You're doing great. Good luck, be patient!
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    Its not uncommon to have fat loss masked by water retention. If you lost 10lbs quickly most of it was probably water and your body just replaced it. This will mask some of the real weight loss going on underneath.

    Be patient and make sure you are paying attention to nutrient in your food. Eating that low of calories can make it difficult to get all the nutrients you need.

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