1250 cals/day -- no weight loss?

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lq022
lq022 Posts: 232 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi MFP’ers .. so I have a question for those of you who have been on diets for awhile. Since May of this year, I have been increasing my exercise and cleaned up my eating habits. I was consuming anywhere between 1400-1700calories per day, and initally lost 15 pounds. The beginning of this month, I enlisted the help of my friends fiance who is a bodybuilder/personal trainer/nutritionist. He gave me a 1,250 calorie diet to follow along with my regular workout routine. The first two weeks were rough – I was sick, only made it to the gym twice each week and just generally felt runned down. I tried to stick to the diet as much as I could, with most days hitting the 1200 calorie mark. This week, I am finally feeling better, back to the gym on my regular schedule (fasted cardio x3-4 days, plus ~3 lifting sessions), and keeping to the diet to a T . While I understand I didn’t follow the diet exactly the first two weeks, I at least thought I’d make some progress ..... I am staying the same!
Here is what I am thinking about this: 1) I need to give it probably another week of solid dieting and exercising to see the weight drop; 2) my body was used to losing those first 15 pounds so now it might be going into starvation mode, or at the very least, it is fighting to hang onto this weight; 3) I might be doing more damage on my cheat day than I realize.

I’d just like some of your opinions if anyone has ever been in this same type of situation before. I feel like with eating 1250 calories I should be dropping this weight like nothing, but thats not the case. I seemed to drop more when I was doing my own diet – eating more than just protein, veggies and 60g of carbs day – and going hard in the gym.
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  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Starvation mode is a myth so factor that out of the equation. If you aren't tracking on your cheat day, and know that you're going a bit overboard, then yes, it could certainly be hurting you.

    I'd definitely give it another week or two to see if you start getting results, especially since you weren't able to follow the plan at the beginning.
  • aneary1980
    aneary1980 Posts: 461 Member
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    How tall are you?
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
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    Hi MFP’ers .. so I have a question for those of you who have been on diets for awhile. Since May of this year, I have been increasing my exercise and cleaned up my eating habits. I was consuming anywhere between 1400-1700calories per day, and initally lost 15 pounds. The beginning of this month, I enlisted the help of my friends fiance who is a bodybuilder/personal trainer/nutritionist. He gave me a 1,250 calorie diet to follow along with my regular workout routine. The first two weeks were rough – I was sick, only made it to the gym twice each week and just generally felt runned down. I tried to stick to the diet as much as I could, with most days hitting the 1200 calorie mark. This week, I am finally feeling better, back to the gym on my regular schedule (fasted cardio x3-4 days, plus ~3 lifting sessions), and keeping to the diet to a T . While I understand I didn’t follow the diet exactly the first two weeks, I at least thought I’d make some progress ..... I am staying the same!
    Here is what I am thinking about this: 1) I need to give it probably another week of solid dieting and exercising to see the weight drop; 2) my body was used to losing those first 15 pounds so now it might be going into starvation mode, or at the very least, it is fighting to hang onto this weight; 3) I might be doing more damage on my cheat day than I realize.

    I’d just like some of your opinions if anyone has ever been in this same type of situation before. I feel like with eating 1250 calories I should be dropping this weight like nothing, but thats not the case. I seemed to drop more when I was doing my own diet – eating more than just protein, veggies and 60g of carbs day – and going hard in the gym.

    Most likely you're experiencing water weight. This can be caused by, among other things, 1. water retention in muscles for the purpose of repair after increasing or changing your workouts. 2. hormonal fluctuations. 3. fluctuations in the amount of sodium consumed in the past few days.

    From your story, it is probably the exercise that is causing water retention, and that's normal. Give it more time. A lot of times, people will hang onto that water until they take a break from the gym, and then will suddenly lose several pounds at once as the water is released and flushed from the body.
  • lq022
    lq022 Posts: 232 Member
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    How tall are you?


    I am 5'4
  • lq022
    lq022 Posts: 232 Member
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    I agree with everything you're all saying .... I think its probably a combo of going overboard on cheat days plus needing to give it more time

    I figured I'd ask if there was anyone else going through this!! Thanks a bunch!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Likely a combination of 1(need to give it more time) & 3.

    If your previous plan was working better for you then why not go back to that?
  • Dragn77
    Dragn77 Posts: 810 Member
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    Are you tracking your measurements? You may not be losing on the scale just yet, but changing your body composition from the exercise which of course is progress. The scale is only one part of the equation.
  • aneary1980
    aneary1980 Posts: 461 Member
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    How tall are you?


    I am 5'4

    I think you need to eat more I'm the same height and weigh less and eat more the deficit you are on is huge!
  • beautifuldisasta
    beautifuldisasta Posts: 89 Member
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    I've been going through this too, 11 days eating under 1200, exercising, and no weight loss, its frustrating, but we just gotta keep at it. I've decided to up my calories to 1500 for a little bit to see if that helps.
  • saralikn
    saralikn Posts: 10
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    In order to burn more calories, you need to build more muscle. That doesn't mean you're going to bulk up, just work the larger muscle groups, and they will then require more energy (calories) to sustain themselves. If you're going to work out, you need to eat. Lot's of protein, lot's of vegetables, some fruit, some fat, and make sure you're eating complex carbs in the morning and/or as a pre/post workout. And get enough water. Check out Precision Nutrition/Dr. Jon Berardi. 1250 is too low, I don't care what your height/weight/age etc is.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    I’d just like some of your opinions if anyone has ever been in this same type of situation before. I feel like with eating 1250 calories I should be dropping this weight like nothing, but thats not the case. I seemed to drop more when I was doing my own diet – eating more than just protein, veggies and 60g of carbs day – and going hard in the gym.

    Boom. right there. Done. You aren't eating enough fat. That is why you feel like ****. Proteins in combination with low carbs are not a sustainable energy source, and the body doesn't like using protein for energy. It hates using it for energy. If there are no carbs left, what is left for the body to use? Of course you felt sick....anyone would. I bet that personal trainer guy doesn't have any long-term clients, because that diet plan sucks balls.

    You need a large source of energy, and judging by your stature (not judging), you are undereating by quite a bunch if most your calories are protein. I am on a ketogenic diet, and my main macro is fat. In my opinion, protein should be somewhere in the 20-30% range of total macros. Your major macro should be one of these two: fat or carbs. Whatever you decide should be your big macro, it should be at least double, if not triple, protein, and the other should be less than protein. Low-carbers tend to tuck carbs under protein, and high carbers (the vast majority of diets) will tuck fat under protein.

    if you would like to know more about the high fat diet I am on, please send me a message. It can probable help your situation.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    cheat days can add more calories to a week than you are cutting. btw, how sure are you that the new diet plan is actually the amount of calories claimed - are you measuring, weighing and logging or going with the new diet plan on amounts and calories?
  • lq022
    lq022 Posts: 232 Member
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    Here is my macro breakdown:
    -carbs 60 g's. (240 cals)
    -protein 140 g's (560 cals)
    -fat 50 g's (450 cals)



    The fat comes from egg yolks, macadamia nut oils, and all natural peanut butter. I am weighing/portioning out the carbs/protein ... veggies are a free--for-all ....maybe more fat would be key? I am checking in with him either the end of this week or next .... I might give it another week like this before speaking w/him about it. I just think that with this low of calories I should be seeing big results
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    Adding onto my post above:

    I looked at your diet. I don't know who told you to eat that diet, but they are medically dumb. Eating THAT much protein will literally kill you. Here is the fact: you need to have two macros that you get a majority of your calories from at all time. If you are on a 70% protein diet, you are opening the door for so many health problems, and you will not lose weight. If you are going to do high protein, you need to pair it with something else, and probably not be over 50% for any prolonged time. 40c/40p/20f ratios are sustainable, the diet I am on (70f/20p/10c) is sustainable. Most commonly, 60c/20p/20f is about what most people go by, but protein need support because protein has to go through so many hoops before it can be used for energy, and really, you don't want to be using the protein you eat for energy. It is sort of a last resort for the body. consider that.

    You can research diets all day, but you have to listen to your body. When I switched from mostly carbs to mostly fat, my body went though a metabolical change, and I felt weird for a few days in that first week, as is generally predicted for that diet. But I got through it, and once I got to a ketogenic state, I felt great! If that "flu" would have lasted longer than a few days, and I wasn't able to function, I would have not continued with it.

    Good job recognizing that something was wrong. you were most likely depriving your body of so many micronutrients, on top of its necessary macros.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
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    Veggies aren't really a free-for-all. You can add hundreds of calories to your day by eating a few servings of veggies, especially the starchier ones like potatoes/sweet potatoes.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
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    Here is my macro breakdown:
    -carbs 60 g's. (240 cals)
    -protein 140 g's (560 cals)
    -fat 50 g's (450 cals)



    The fat comes from egg yolks, macadamia nut oils, and all natural peanut butter. I am weighing/portioning out the carbs/protein ... veggies are a free--for-all ....maybe more fat would be key? I am checking in with him either the end of this week or next .... I might give it another week like this before speaking w/him about it. I just think that with this low of calories I should be seeing big results

    that diet (percentage-wise) is mostly used for men who are looking to bulk up. Just fyi. Who comprises the majority of his clientel?You said it yourself in the OP...dude is a meathead. I think he is biased, and it shows. You need a different coach, plain and simple.
  • LoneWolf_70
    LoneWolf_70 Posts: 1,151 Member
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    a few things...

    Weightloss/fitness is a marathon not a sprint. Forget even looking for results in the first 4 weeks. Just stick to the plan...

    that said, as part of the plan, what amount of protein are you taking? U should be between 1-1.5g of protein per day per body weight goal (with 70% coming from non-processed food.)

    ALso, remember, it IS harder for a woman to lose (or gain) weight. Be patient, but STICK TO THE PLAN.
  • lq022
    lq022 Posts: 232 Member
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    Veggies aren't really a free-for-all. You can add hundreds of calories to your day by eating a few servings of veggies, especially the starchier ones like potatoes/sweet potatoes.


    My veggies are typically broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower, kale, spinach. I count sweet potatos as a carb, and I don't eat regular potatos
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    I agree that 140 g protein is a bit much for a 5'4" woman but it won't "literally" kill her.

    OP, I'm 5'3" and I lift heavy a couple of days per week and run a few miles on the other days. I also usually consume around 1250 calories per day, limit my carbs and typically consume 85 - 105 g of protein per day. I'm definitely seeing muscle gains while losing pounds. I'm losing slowly (but I don't have a lot to lose, either) and I'm seeing marked decreases with the measuring tape, as well.. There's really no need for you to be eating that much protein and a closer protein to fat ratio would be better for you. It might not be a bad idea for you to talk to the man who set you up on this plan about results he's seen with other woman of your size and needs. If he's only worked with men, and especially men who were trying to solely build muscle, it might be time to look elsewhere for advice.
  • lq022
    lq022 Posts: 232 Member
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    Thank you for sharing .... Yeah the more people I talk to, the more I think the protein is too much. I think I need to increase my fat intake. I'm OK with the carbs, which is surprising ... plus I notice when I eat more fat, I feel less "hangry" ..; THanks for the advice!

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