Eating 1200 calories a day and not losing weight (5'2)

13

Replies

  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    I just started using MyFitnessPal this past week. I am VERY confused at how it works!! I weigh 160 and would love to be anywhere between 130-140 LBS. It said that I need 1200 calories a day. Is that before all the exercise or after? Do I eat back the calories that I lose? What do I need to do to lose weight and not just maintain!?!? LoL so very confused!!!!!!!!!!!!

    This post is well over a year old and most people will just read the OP and respond. You might try starting your own thread for better responses. :smile:
  • vidyajg
    vidyajg Posts: 1 Member
    Try juice and fruit diet every 15 days for 3 days......3 days only fruits and juices and then 1200 calorie diet for 15 days then again 3 days fruits and juices
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    Try juice and fruit diet every 15 days for 3 days......3 days only fruits and juices and then 1200 calorie diet for 15 days then again 3 days fruits and juices

    ^Lmfao.


    No.
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Try juice and fruit diet every 15 days for 3 days......3 days only fruits and juices and then 1200 calorie diet for 15 days then again 3 days fruits and juices

    I'm pretty sure I'd gnaw off my arm if I tried this.
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
    Try juice and fruit diet every 15 days for 3 days......3 days only fruits and juices and then 1200 calorie diet for 15 days then again 3 days fruits and juices

    Nope nope nope nope
  • fitmek
    fitmek Posts: 277 Member
    I'm 5'3 on a good day. I'm NO expert by any means and have problems being consistent in my weight loss, but I can tell you what works for me. Keep in mind I work a ton and my hubby and I have a 6 yr old with sports activities and a very active 14 month old. Not a lot of time to work out.......however, if I keep my calories between 1350 and 1450 I steadily lose weight. However, I have to keep that calorie count even through weekends and holidays (minus Christmas hehe) (I always go all out on my birthday and Christmas--thats about it). Technically you shouldnt have cheat days anyways, because it's about a lifestyle. No one is ever going to be perfect, hitting their calorie goals every single day without fail forever, but I know I have to aim for that 1350-1450 to lose, I can't vary between that and 1800, otherwise I just maintain.
    It sucks a lot, but it's worth it in the end! I've noticed once I get to a desired weight, it's super easy to maintain.
    Good luck!
  • formerfatboy1
    formerfatboy1 Posts: 76 Member
    Bump your calories up a couple hundres and continue doing what you are doing now as far as exercise. Your metabolism might of slowed down some depending on how long you been at 1200 cals. Try High Intensity Interval Training 3 day out of the week with some weight training to keep your body burning those calories. Switch it up every once in a while.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Try juice and fruit diet every 15 days for 3 days......3 days only fruits and juices and then 1200 calorie diet for 15 days then again 3 days fruits and juices
    Don't pay attention to this, it's very bad advice.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I love year old threads.
  • ninarhys
    ninarhys Posts: 1 Member
    This amount of weight is ideal. Look for it to be about 2 lbs per week. This is the safest way to take off the weight. Keep up the good work!
  • pattymausolf
    pattymausolf Posts: 1 Member
    To the original poster, did you ever find what works for you? I'm in the same boat. I'm eating 1200 calories per day and lost 4 pounds the first week, but then lost nothing the following week, despite eating the same amount of calories as that first week. I work out 3-4 times a week and stay within my calorie goal. I'd love to know what finally worked for you. Thanks!
  • Savannah2990
    Savannah2990 Posts: 19 Member
    My weight lose never shows till late 6th day in evening or 7th day .
    Takes me full week .
    Why I do not know , but it does it every time .
    It's the way by body work I guess so I'll go with the flow -)..
    Plus I must weight in about 6pm
  • TheRawMama
    TheRawMama Posts: 7 Member
    People keep commenting that this entry is a year old -- but obviously it's being searched for and still relevant. ;) I came here for the same reason. Eating 1200 or less and exercising but not losing anything. I am going to try to eat more, but psychologically it goes against everything we learn about "losing weight". After all, we're overweight because we do eat more. ;) I sure wish it wouldn't have happened my first week, though -- because the first few weeks one does really need some kind of bodily notification they're on the right track and anything is possible.. and when you completely overhaul how you eat and exercise and get no where.. it's frustrating.
  • Unknown
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  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    This is a four year old thread, not a year old thread! But anyway, in the spirit of zombie threads, and for all the people who have posted recently saying they are struggling with similar issues - have you read the stickied most helpful forum posts at the top of each section? I bet the answers you seek are in there!

    Here is a collection of favorites to get you started:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260499/i-like-old-posts-and-i-cannot-lie/p1

    And in particular, for the new posters:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1235566/so-youre-new-here/p1

    And just to hit on what seems to be a common theme in this thread...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1



  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    itsjustdawn wrote: »
    And this is a 7 month old post. Sigh.
    Damn it!!!
  • lumenosis
    lumenosis Posts: 66 Member
    I stopped being scared to eat back a good portion of my exercise calories and since then I have been losing faster. Trust the MFP math. On exercise days you need to eat more than 1200.
  • kayeroze
    kayeroze Posts: 146 Member
    I'm 5'2 and I tried 1200 calories a day plus exercise, and it's the worse to be consistent about (and I had to lose 70lbs, not 30). Like others before me have said, up the calories, try eating more proteins and fats (higher in calories), and add more strength and resistance to your workouts. You need energy to fuel your body, and you get energy through food.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    fascha wrote: »
    itsjustdawn wrote: »
    And this is a 7 month old post. Sigh.
    Damn it!!!

    Not anymore!
  • in51der
    in51der Posts: 1 Member
    Lordy lawks a mussy this is an old, old thread and yet it somehow refuses to die
  • StevenBassett1969
    StevenBassett1969 Posts: 2 Member
    At 48 it is a nightmare. I don't understand why people say not eating enough when eating more than enough is what got me here. I am not falling for that again. It is simple math, take in less calories than your body burns. I found that lying to myself by not properly measuring portions and eating out even one day kills everything I did that week. Someone here said just wait for your body to catch up if you are doing everything correctly, I believe that.
  • Porshiana
    Porshiana Posts: 20 Member
    Also, women are going to retain water before her cycle. But, it's like water in your stomach. If you drink a pound of water, then step on the scale, you will be a pound heavier. But, you've gained no actual fat. As soon as you empty your bladder, you'll be a pound lighter again. It has no staying power and no work to eliminate. It's not in your bladder, but it is in your muscle/fat. #1 rain why or stomachs gets bigger at that time. That water will simply go away on its own when the cycle is over.

    There are other reasons we retain water. Men have testosterone cycles too. Too much salt can make you retain water. So can caffeine and numerous other things.

    We can't separate measuring water weight from fat weight. What we can do is look at our monthly weight. That gives us a clearer view.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    Porshiana wrote: »
    You aren't factoring in metabolism. You have to zig zag. To confuse your body. See, you may not notice it, but when you eat X amount of calories a day, your body adjusts your metabolism. When you also do x ambling of exercise, your body adjusts more. You may not notice it, but you sit a little longer, move a little slower, move a little less, all in micro phases throughout your day. Because after a few days your body slows you down to match your calories. It also slows down on burning calories during exercise, by making you ache more.

    Randomly change what parts of your body you are going to exercise. Legs one day, arms the next, stomachs another time. Include your exercise in your calories. Randomly change your total calorie intake(including exercise). 1000 one day, 1500 the next. Then 1100, 1600 1800 1000, 1300, 1100. Etc.

    LOL, no.

    Also, how many times does this poor thread need to be resurrected??
  • TRXRocks
    TRXRocks Posts: 19 Member
    Mathlete22 wrote: »
    I have been dieting for about 3 weeks now. I have started at about 153 and am now 148. I lost most of that weight in the first week. I havent lost any weight in about 5 days. I eat exactly 1200 calories a day, weighing out all my food. I exercise about 3-5 times a week. I usually run about 2-3 miles or use the elliptical for about 30 min on my not so intense days. Is there something I am doing wrong? It is very discouraging when I put so much work into eating healthy and exercising and not losing weight. I wanted to lose about 1.5 lbs a week. So i need to lose about .2 lbs a day. WHY HAVE I STOPPED LOSING WEIGHT? Is this normal.

    Any suggestions/help is appreciated.

    Are you lifting weights, too? That will really help you lose weight. 1200 calories is not very much at all to eat! Is that a number you were prescribed? Did you get tested? Because when you don't eat enough, your body holds on to fat because it needs it to survive.

  • dunnyflynn
    dunnyflynn Posts: 4 Member
    I think it is unrealistic that you will to lose 5lb per week. You always lose more weight in the first week as you lose a water. I started at 170lb back in April and have been exercising at least 5 times per week 2x PT session with weights, 2 Spin classes and 1 GRIT class per week. My base calories are 1200 but when I exercise I will take myself up to 1400 as on these days as I am burning 2000 calories+ I am now at 141 lbs. I have lost an average of 1lb per week. At least one week every month, I have stayed the same weight then the next week I would lose 1 1/2- 2 lbs. Also are you measuring yourself and taking progress photos. This is key, especially if you are doing any weights. Muscle is denser, so the same weight of muscle will take up less room in your body. I have shifted from being a size 14 to a size 8 but technically I am still overweight, which is ridiculous! Be patient and keep consistent and the results will come. And make sure on the days you have exercised that you up your calorie intake if you are hungry.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    OP I am curious to know what happened and if you finally found success and if so what you changed or found out.
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