Please help. Need Advice and encouragement

How confident are you that you are eating 1200 calories? Do you log everything? Do you weight/measure? Are you eating back your exercise calories 100% and do you use MFP's calculations for those?

Sometimes people are eating way more than they think they are.

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


Whatever you do, DON'T give up!

Catrina,

Do you weigh your food? Where do you get your calorie estimates from?

Do you log exercise calories? Where do you get your exercise estimates from?

If you are not losing weight, you are eating too much. This generally happens from underestimating calorie intake and overestimating calories burned.

If you don't weigh and measure, it's hard to know how many calories you're eating, which is no big deal in general, but if you're setting a limit of eating a certain number and you eat over it because you didn't measure, it could be a problem.

Since you're on a timeline, it might pay off to measure and weigh. Which, yes, major pain.

OR, just do more cutting back. Eliminate biscuits, cake and all that. Eat normal amounts of fruits, veggies, lean, white meat and whole grains. Exercise. If you eat all healthy food and you exercise, you'll lose weight unless you have some kind of medical problem.

OR, you can eat whatever you want and make portion adjustments...but that leads back to weighing unless you eat really tiny portions.

That's all I can think up.

You're going to get there!! Do you watch Supersize vs. Superskinny? It's very motivating, lol.

I really hope you get there and have my fingers crossed for you!!! You can totally do it! Keep working, don't cheat, don't quit!

I have been reading up more as I was worried about the conflicting information out there about losing weight.
My BMR is around 1700 and I work in an office and go for walks 2-3 a week, hoping to increase exercise once I feel better as i have been unwell for a few weeks. So with the details out there does 1500-1600 sound right

If your BMR is 1700, you should be eating 1700. Calculate your TDEE (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/).
TDEE - BMR = healthy deficit.
When you eat less than your BMR, you negatively affect your body composition because instead of losing predominantly fat, you'll also lose a fair amount of lean body mass (aka muscle).

I eat my BMR, I've lost 70lbs with like 30 to go. It does work. There's no sense in eating way less than you need to, you're just starving your body of nutrients.

I tried several times until I managed to see results. The mistake I was making was to try and approximate the weight of my food when logging it on my diary. Also I was tempted to cheat and sneak in a bit of chocolate here, a bit of ice cream there. The tendency might sometimes be to log in your food and "cheat" the amount you actually ate so it actually adds up to the amount of calories you should be eating. Only when I cut out sugar entirely, bought a kitchen scale and got the mfp app did I start to see results. Be really honest with yourself and log in properly. Weigh everything you eat for about a month. if you tend to eat the same stuff, you will soon learn how much everything weighs. Also the barcode scanner is excellent on the phone app. Makes it a lot faster.

If after a month you still don't see results, try to get some exams. It can be you have thyroid issues (I do) or polycystic ovarian syndrome (even though you would probably know by now if you did).

:sad: I have been eating better since Oct last year and nothing is happening.

I just want to clarify. While eating better is an obvious plus it doesn't mean a calorie deficit.

Eating healthy nutritious foods is essential but you must eat at a calorie deficit to lose fat.

it sounds like you grasp that concept, now you just need to consistently do it.

To answer your how large of a calorie deficit question. The larger the deficit the quicker the fat loss.

To lose the 3 stone in 1 year works out to a 400 calorie per day deficit off your TDEE.

I don't weigh my food (I do measure) and I know it makes it "off" at least a little, probably a lot. To make up for that, I overestimate measurements. If you're coming to your exact goal every day with your calculations it could make a big difference.

I feel your frustration. I'm back on a plan not a diet now because in the past it's the only thing that has ever worked for me. I have a question...that I had to ask myself once...what kinds of calories are you ingesting? Fat content and sugars..processed foods..even diet drinks are prove to be lipohyllic (fat attracting basically. Watch the documentary, Killer at Large. Sugars and high fructose corn syrup are in everything! You sound focused and you inspire me! Perhaps it's the nutritional aspects in what you are eating that are working against you? Good luck to you! The fact that you are posting and reaching out shows dedication..and that always leads to success!