Please tell me what im doing wrong!!

You need to net 1200 a day or your body will enter starvation mode and will hold onto your fat cells. (Trust me, I KNOW this is easier said than done... I've been having a problem netting 1200 this week because I've felt a little off.)

Have MFP do your goals for you, don't set them yourself. Good luck!

800 calories a day sounds like a crash diet. And from what I understand those suck and don't work. Up your calories to 1200 a day, earn exercise calories, and then eat all those too. Otherwise you're just gonna burn your body out and get nowhere.

Yep SuzMac1981 is right , if you lower your intake your metabolism will grind down and really it is better to eat more often to speed it up. Granted your not gonna be eating bigmacs but I try to eat breakfast every morning around 8:30 AM then at 11 ish I have a snack like a banana or a apple then 2:00 I eat lunch then around 7:00 I have a small dinner and at 9:00 I eat a activa yogurt and a decaf coffee.

I have heard allot of people say that eating too late can add weight I agree with that , I normally go to bed around midnight.
That is my routine I don't know what yours is but I do have days that I eat 2000 cal and some days I eat 1200
I am doing P90X program as well and have lost 40 pounds in 8 weeks on that program. I am taking a break from the program because I hurt my knee but I joined this site to help keep me on track with eating.

Building muscle burns fat and keeps it off , allot of women say they don't want to lift weights well if your lifting like 5 pounds at a time or even get some leg weights and wrist weights that strap on while your doing house work or going for a walk can greatly help in keeping you tone and this will do wonders for arm fat , jello arms. The first time I worked out on the p90x program I could only do 7 minutes of cardio that was it I was laying on my couch and heart was pounding i was sweating like crazy and I realized OMG I am 42 years old and I am in serious trouble.

I am not a exercise expert so I can't tell you exactly what will work for you all I can say is what is working for me. I do take a vitamin every day , I like the gummy ones cause it is almost like having a piece of candy that is good for you ..

When I first started to diet I was a midnight eater now if my stomach is rumbling before I go to bed I will eat cheerios 1/2 cup with a little milk just to stave off the tummy monster till I can get to sleep.

You have to fuel your body to build muscle because if your not building it your losing it.
Especially if your in your 40's + years

agree with everyone! up the healthy calories! and don't forget muscle weighs more than fat!! maybe you should take measurements to track your inches lost! that may boost your spirits! don't give up!!!! :flowerforyou:

800 calories a day sounds far too low. You won't be able to sustain that in the long term.

Also, try not to worry TOO much about the numbers on the scale. I know that's easier said than done, but try to find another way to measure your progress.

I've been using MFP for over two months now. I've been doing a 5k training plan, 3 times a week and I'm now running at least 5k, 4 times a week. I've also started strength training and I belly dance every now and again. I'm almost always under my calorie allowance and I've lost... 4lbs. BUT my clothes are much looser, I can see in the mirror that I'm slimmer, I can now run for an hour without stopping whereas 2 months ago I could barely manage 10 minutes. That's much more important than what the scale says.

What is your exercise routine? Are you doing any strength training? Muscle burns fat.

Just eat more and net 1200 calories. Go online and read a little about starvation mode, eating your calories, etc... It is very helpful. and be sure that you are drinking enough fluids, getting a good balance of protein, carbs and fiber, and watch your sodium intake. You will succeed.

When i up my calories to 1200 a day i gain weight!

In that case, the most likely reasons are either:

1. The scales readings were false, eg you weighed yourself just after and before a period, after a meal, after eating salt which causes fluid retention, when you were constipated etc.

2. You are about four foot six.

3. You are not measuring your food, and estimating those 1200 calories incorrectly.

4. You have a serious metabolic disorder and should see your doctor.

Only you can know which of those is more likely.

If you're constantly on the go, then your body will NEED more than 800 cals a day to keep functioning.

Ive been walking 4.0 for 60 mins several days a week, been gardening for 3-5 hours a day, i used the weights a few times, and im constantly on the go.

Keep going like this and you'll pass out. If you really are only eating 800 calories a day, and yet doing all of this exercise, you're doing your body a load of damage.

Oh, and you won't lose any of your fat.

jerzite - when you say you gain weight when you up your calories to 1200, it's probably because your body is used to surviving on 800 a day and therefore your metabolism will be very slow, holding onto all the calories it can get, so by suddenly 'shocking' it with 1200, you will gain weight for a bit as your metabolism speeds up and gets back to normal, then you will start losing again, and at a faster pace, trust me.

Exactly.

You have to give your body time to adjust. If you are strength training you will gain in the beginning as well and then you will start to lose. Your body has to get use to the new changes. It doesn't happen over night.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing


Right there. Read up!

Never seen this before.. awesome article, thanks!! That's funny.. I wasn't quite that bad, but I was close. I was always so confused as to why i couldn't lose weight when I felt like I never ate. Now I eat several meals a day and I feel like I'm always eating.. and have overall lost almost 30lbs since. I wish more people were aware of this.

When you were at 1200 calories, what were they made up of? Were you eating healthy at 1200 or were you eating what ever you wanted and stopping at 1200? Were you eating a lot of carbs? That might be the reason you gained at 1200. If that is not the answer, and 1200 is too high and obviously 800 is too low (your body thinks your starving so it is shutting down your metabolism), go for a happy medium of 1000 and see what happens. Good luck.