Well under recommended Intake.

Drake940
Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I want to lose about a pound a week but I clicked on 'lose 2 pounds' a week instead. It says I should eat no more than 1500 calories to lose 2 pounds a week. However I've been eating no more than 1200 and still my weight is the same. It goes up and down by 1 pound but nothing else. In surprised because I clicked on lose 2 pounds and I still manage to stay under and yet I lose no weight. I do stregnth training 3 times a week with decent weight and occasionally cardio. I'm always at a caloric deficit yet I lose no weight. Any tips??

Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    A few questions.

    What is your current height/weight/age/gender?

    How long have you been eating 'no more than 1200' per day?

    How do you determine your portions and what calories they contain? Food scale? Log everything, every day?
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    A few questions.

    What is your current height/weight/age/gender?

    How long have you been eating 'no more than 1200' per day?

    How do you determine your portions and what calories they contain? Food scale? Log everything, every day?



    I use food scales and o still log more than I eat to be sure. I've been eating like this for a month at least.

    20 yrs old
    6 ft
    154 pounds
    Male

  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    You're 6 feet tall and 154lbs? You're already at a very healthy weight for your height. Why do you want to keep losing weight, let alone so much of it?
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    segacs wrote: »
    You're 6 feet tall and 154lbs? You're already at a very healthy weight for your height. Why do you want to keep losing weight, let alone so much of it?

    Bmi suggests I'm healthy weight but I've got such a big stomach and chest fat that needs to go. I've got no fat on my shoulders and arms but I have everywhere else.
  • katsmo
    katsmo Posts: 219 Member
    I ask out of concern for your well being: Is there a reason you want to lose weight? 154 is very lean for a male of your height. Be good to yourself, sweetie.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Holy cow.. I ran your stats at 154 pound, 6'0" and 20 years old..

    BMR = 1803
    TDEE = 2164
    To loose approx 2 lbs = 1731
    To loose approx 1 lbs = 1947

    This is wrong on so many levels...
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    You need to fuel your body. I'm an inch shorter than you (and 17 years older) and losing 1.5lb/wk while eating at 2000 calories. If you aren't losing then I suspect something is wrong with your logging or weighing of your food.
  • Nuke807
    Nuke807 Posts: 160 Member
    KasimH1996 wrote: »
    segacs wrote: »
    You're 6 feet tall and 154lbs? You're already at a very healthy weight for your height. Why do you want to keep losing weight, let alone so much of it?

    Bmi suggests I'm healthy weight but I've got such a big stomach and chest fat that needs to go. I've got no fat on my shoulders and arms but I have everywhere else.

    I am 5'5" and at my healthiest I weighed 155 (which is WELL within my BMI scale), I would say that you are gaining muscle as you are exercising which is offsetting the weightloss that you are after. Judging by your stats I would say you are a pretty skinny guy and are bulking up from lifting weights.

  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    I don't want to lose a stone. Just half a stone to get rid of my gut. I don't want to be unhealthy so don't worry about that.
  • Nuke807
    Nuke807 Posts: 160 Member
    Plus, you are pretty young, and probably still growing into your body. I did not fully fill in until I was 25, then it started going downhill from there...
  • AndyCool22
    AndyCool22 Posts: 131 Member
    i agree, i calculate your BMI to be 21.1 in the lower-middle of the ''ideal'' range which is 146-183lbs.
    segacs wrote: »
    You're 6 feet tall and 154lbs? You're already at a very healthy weight for your height. Why do you want to keep losing weight, let alone so much of it?

  • goaliesmate
    goaliesmate Posts: 49 Member
    You can't have too much weight to lose for your age and height. 1200 cal seems incredibly low - may even be so low as to cause loss of lean tissue mass. Try eating more. Change to lose a half pound a week and compare the loss under those calories. Is that net or gross calories you give?
  • FitStrongHealthy
    FitStrongHealthy Posts: 220 Member
    If I were you, I'd consider doing recomp instead of trying to lose more weight. Eat close to maintenance and lift heavy, while progressively getting heavier.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    bmorss807 wrote: »
    I am 5'5" and at my healthiest I weighed 155 (which is WELL within my BMI scale), I would say that you are gaining muscle as you are exercising which is offsetting the weightloss that you are after. Judging by your stats I would say you are a pretty skinny guy and are bulking up from lifting weights.

    There's no way he's gaining muscle while eating at such a steep deficit. Nuh-uh. Not a chance.
    KasimH1996 wrote: »
    Bmi suggests I'm healthy weight but I've got such a big stomach and chest fat that needs to go. I've got no fat on my shoulders and arms but I have everywhere else.

    Eat at maintenance, which for you is probably in the neighbourhood of 2700-3000/day. Start a weight lifting program in the gym. That's how you'll get the results you want.
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    KasimH1996 wrote: »
    I don't want to lose a stone. Just half a stone to get rid of my gut. I don't want to be unhealthy so don't worry about that.

    Have you looked into strength training at all? A lot of times when you're at a healthy weight, lifting weights can give you the more toned look you're going for better than losing pounds. You can lose inches while eating a reasonable amount of food (1200 isn't enough for really any male. 1200 is the low-end benchmark for short women). You may not lose weight, but if you're putting in the work and eating at about maintenance, you'll probably see the results you're looking for.
  • bfischer76
    bfischer76 Posts: 3 Member
    It could be that you're not taking in enough calories and your metabolism has slowed as a result. I agree with everyone else, don't do it by starving yourself. I suggest trying to hit the 1500 "net calories" and getting your nutrition in if you're working out on top of everything.
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    Ok. Taking into account everything you said I'll start to eat more. I can eat up to 4000 Cals if I had to but 1200 seems right as I don't feel hungry. My main aim was to lose chest and belly fat so I thought I'll lose half a stone and that would help.
  • cazbit
    cazbit Posts: 122 Member
    You need to fuel your body. I'm an inch shorter than you (and 17 years older) and losing 1.5lb/wk while eating at 2000 calories. If you aren't losing then I suspect something is wrong with your logging or weighing of your food.

    Completely second this. If you are only eating 1200 calories a day your body might actually be in shock. Try and eat at the recommended amount for a few months which might make your body relax and start working better. You could be doing a lot of damage that isn't obvious with eating so little at your height, weight and age.
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    Either we are dealing with someone that has a thick skull and wont' listen or a troll...I'm leaning towards a troll at this point.
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    I'm no troll. 1200 Cals seem normal. Look at what I'm eating and tell me if I'm logging wrong.
    Breakfast. 2 boiled eggs with tea.
    Lunch : medium sized grilled chicken wrap
    Snack : banana
    Diner: nothing more than 400 calories usually.
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    KasimH1996 wrote: »
    Ok. Taking into account everything you said I'll start to eat more. I can eat up to 4000 Cals if I had to but 1200 seems right as I don't feel hungry. My main aim was to lose chest and belly fat so I thought I'll lose half a stone and that would help.

    Eat more. Goodness, I eat more than you to lose weight and I am a 5'4" woman. At such a steep deficit, you are losing all of your lean mass right along with the fat. Eat.

  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    If you feel like you may want to talk to a professional about your difficulty in eating more than 1200 calories, here are some good places to start:

    https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1575987-eating-disorder-resources

    Best of luck to you!
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    KasimH1996 wrote: »
    I'm no troll. 1200 Cals seem normal. Look at what I'm eating and tell me if I'm logging wrong.
    Breakfast. 2 boiled eggs with tea.
    Lunch : medium sized grilled chicken wrap
    Snack : banana
    Dinner: nothing more than 400 calories usually.

    Sometimes I replace 2 eggs with 2 breads. My biggest breakfast is 2 breads and an egg or beans.
  • cazbit
    cazbit Posts: 122 Member
    If your approach isn't working maybe try increasing your calorie intake, I would double it if I were you and do strength training, I know through the folk on here that actually once your down into the noise (smaller weight losses) it's actually strength training that will change your body and you may look better and even be higher on the scale.

    Give that a go, if in two months you still are no further forward then no harm no foul.
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    KasimH1996 wrote: »
    I'm no troll. 1200 Cals seem normal. Look at what I'm eating and tell me if I'm logging wrong.
    Breakfast. 2 boiled eggs with tea.
    Lunch : medium sized grilled chicken wrap
    Snack : banana
    Diner: nothing more than 400 calories usually.

    Then I apologize but you need to eat more. Your maintenance without exercise is 2400. As others have suggested, I would eat at or very close to maintenance and start some strength training.
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
    I will start eating more. I don't have an eating disorder. If I thought it was ok I could 4000 Cals happily. It's just that 1200 felt right. But I'll increase to 2000 then. Thanks for the help.
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