What happens if I don't eat all my calories?

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cousinmurgatroyd
cousinmurgatroyd Posts: 7 Member
in Getting Started
Hi! I've been doing this for about three weeks and I can only see a one pound loss. I've been on 1200 calories and I've found it hard but I'm getting by. It's really frustrating not to have lost more though. I checked my profile today and I realised I'd input my weight wrongly and it's recommended that I eat 1400 calories rather than 12. This has confused me even more because surely I should have lost more rather than less if I've been eating less than the calories I was meant to. I have a lot of weight to lose, and I don't have time to exercise just yet but I plan on it in the coming weeks. I'd really appreciate some advice! Thanks! :)
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Replies

  • leslea110
    leslea110 Posts: 2 Member
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    I would like to see some answers as I am in the same situation as you are
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Here's a great flowchart that might help. Created by lemonlionheart a37btb7mxb3t.jpg
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    what are your stats?

    Height:
    Weight:
    Age:
    Goal weight:
    Rate of loss per week:
    Activity level:
    Exercise habits:
    Do you log your food (with a scale):
    Do you eat back exercise calories:

    all of these play into the results you're seeing, and it would be tough to give you any answers without knowing some of them. :)
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    MireyGal76 wrote: »
    what are your stats?

    Height:
    Weight:
    Age:
    Goal weight:
    Rate of loss per week:
    Activity level:
    Exercise habits:
    Do you log your food (with a scale):
    Do you eat back exercise calories:

    all of these play into the results you're seeing, and it would be tough to give you any answers without knowing some of them. :)

    Please and thank you! Additionally, if you are comfortable doing so, opening your diary can help us see if there's anything in your logging that may be adding to this scenario.
  • cousinmurgatroyd
    cousinmurgatroyd Posts: 7 Member
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    Hi all thanks for the replies!

    Height: 5 foot 3 inches
    Weight:248 pounds
    Age: 37
    Goal weight: 160
    Rate of loss per week: 1lb over three weeks
    Activity level:low
    Exercise habits:pretty minimal, just walking
    Do you log your food (with a scale): yes
    Do you eat back exercise calories:no

    I'm not going to open my diary if that's okay but I'm very low carb, having spoken to a dietician, and the carbs I am eating are small portions of brown rice, quinoa, wholegrain bread, no more than 120g per day. I haven't eaten any pasta, white bread or rice and I've greatly increased my vegetable and protein intake. Im in the region of 1200 calories every day, give or take 50 calories or so. I've been found to be glucose intolerant so it's really important to me that I lose weight.

    Thanks again

  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
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    I would recommend using a digital scale and weighing everything that isn't liquid. A "small" portion can vary but a gram is always a gram. When I first started my weight loss, before MFP, I wasn't weighing and sometimes not even measuring. When I began reading the forums on MFP, I decided to begin weighing everything and using USDA in my food searches for most accurate calorie counting. Before MFP I lost weight, after MFP and weighing everything, I have consistently lost 2 lbs a week. I am the same height as you and still over 200 lbs. On non-exercising days I eat 1000 to 1200 calories.
  • cousinmurgatroyd
    cousinmurgatroyd Posts: 7 Member
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    Well if it's worked for you it may be worth investing in a scale. I've been using spoons as measurement (2 tablespoons of rice etc.) But maybe you're right, it's worth a try. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    cousinmurgatroyd wrote: »
    Well if it's worked for you it may be worth investing in a scale. I've been using spoons as measurement (2 tablespoons of rice etc.) But maybe you're right, it's worth a try. I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

    Yea I think especially if you're focusing on carb reduction and are eating a lot of protein and maybe fats as well, you want to be really careful with your measuring because having a 5 oz steak when you think you're having a 3 oz steak can break your deficit just like that. Same if you're eating full-fat dairy, a leveled off tablespoon versus a heaping tablespoon is a big difference.

    PITA, I know! But you'll get the hang of it and you'll find that as you learn and internalize portion sizes for different foods it will get a lot easier.
  • forgivensins
    forgivensins Posts: 90 Member
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    Thanks for posting this. In a similar situation but at least 100+ lbs more than you and cut my calories down from 1800 to 1500 and still. I do measure but I'm getting a scale for accuracy.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    when you set your loss rate in MFP, what did you pick?

    if you're doing light activity, then I agree with not eating back exercise calories. If you do an intense activity, then I recommend eating back at least half.

    That said... take a look at this thread, and see if any of the info/charts make sense:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1318741/in-5-weeks-youll-lose-10lbs-why-is-it-not-working/p1

    If you look at your weight at maintenance (using the livestrong calculator and the stats you provided) it says your maintenance cals are approx 2225 a day. Setting your loss rate to 2 pounds a week is "doable" at that rate, but probably not adviseable / sustainable for long.

    As your weight drops, your maintenance cals will too, and then you'll find that trying to lose that many pounds a week will stall out if your eating habits and exercise levels remain static. To maintain a 2lb/week average loss, you'd need to supplement with more exercise and not eating back exercise calories.

    Because you're on the lower end of the height spectrum, it's a bit tougher to lose faster, than if you are taller (because of your total calories burned per day).

    Also, when you set your exercise levels, know that they assume a level of activity that you would not log.


    Lastly... I recommend considering this:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1343719/get-rich-quick/p1

    I encourage you to consider accepting a slower loss rate, and learning to adapt your lifestyle to a new way of life (as opposed to dieting to lose weight).

    It may take longer, but in my opinion. will be more sustainable over the long run.


    Sorry for the wall of text. Hope this helps. :flowerforyou:
  • ReidTate
    ReidTate Posts: 4 Member
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    what are you eating? you need to eat healthy or you wont see as much change as you like you cant keep the same foods and expect to see change junk it out. eat healthy candy is dandy but fruit helps you poop
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    ReidTate wrote: »
    what are you eating? you need to eat healthy or you wont see as much change as you like you cant keep the same foods and expect to see change junk it out. eat healthy candy is dandy but fruit helps you poop

    Not necessary to cut out "junk" food. Calorie deficit and moderation can get results.
  • cousinmurgatroyd
    cousinmurgatroyd Posts: 7 Member
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    I am mainly eating "healthy" foods, chicken breast, salad, tofu, veggie stir fries, omelettes, oats etc. I won't lie though I'm definitely having treats like a small pot of mousse or something but they're all included in my daily allowance and logged.

    I initially picked 2lbs a week because I do have so much to lose I felt at least the opening stages that would be a realistic goal. I've started a "diet" in the past and lost five or six pounds th first week. I feel like I'm making more of a lifestyle change this time because of the glucose Intolerance but it's still pretty demotivating to not lose anything.

    One quick question - should I stick to the 1200 I've been on or eat the 1400 that it's recommended since I fixed my weight in the profile?
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    1400. IMO.
  • cousinmurgatroyd
    cousinmurgatroyd Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks MireyGal and everyone else -this is my first time posting and it's so nice of you to take the time to answer me. It definitely helps to have the support!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    ReidTate wrote: »
    what are you eating? you need to eat healthy or you wont see as much change as you like you cant keep the same foods and expect to see change junk it out. eat healthy candy is dandy but fruit helps you poop

    dead wrong and ignore
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    cousinmurgatroyd wrote: »
    I am mainly eating "healthy" foods, chicken breast, salad, tofu, veggie stir fries, omelettes, oats etc. I won't lie though I'm definitely having treats like a small pot of mousse or something but they're all included in my daily allowance and logged.

    I initially picked 2lbs a week because I do have so much to lose I felt at least the opening stages that would be a realistic goal. I've started a "diet" in the past and lost five or six pounds th first week. I feel like I'm making more of a lifestyle change this time because of the glucose Intolerance but it's still pretty demotivating to not lose anything.

    One quick question - should I stick to the 1200 I've been on or eat the 1400 that it's recommended since I fixed my weight in the profile?

    so you are not logging your "treats" …the is probably part of your issue right there.

    Also, it has only been three weeks….
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    edited June 2015
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    If analogies help you... think of it this way...

    Weight loss is more like a credit card system than a debit card system. What you spend today is not instantly due. Your balance owing doesn't change overnight. At the end of the month, the transactions you've made are all reported and you see whether you owe, or don't. (Sadly, in my case I always owe)

    3 weeks isn't enough time to receive a billing statement. You may see the deposits you've made reflected next week, or the week after.

    When I started way back (I didn't have a lot of weight to lose, so my situation was different) it took me almost 6 months before I saw a difference in myself. My weight didn't change much, but my clothes started to fit differently. Then it was like I looked in the mirror, and I was a hugely different person.

    Be patient. Keep doing the right things. You'll get your bill, and it WILL eventually reflect your actual deposits of hard work.
  • cousinmurgatroyd
    cousinmurgatroyd Posts: 7 Member
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    No i am logging them...sorry if that wasn't clear. I'm logging every single thing that passes my lips! :)
  • ReidTate
    ReidTate Posts: 4 Member
    edited June 2015
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    missiontofitness wrote: »
    ReidTate wrote: »
    what are you eating? you need to eat healthy or you wont see as much change as you like you cant keep the same foods and expect to see change junk it out. eat healthy candy is dandy but fruit helps you poop

    Not necessary to cut out "junk" food. Calorie deficit and moderation can get results.

    I never said that you cant eat junk. I said you cant eat junk and get the results as quick.but there problem was that they are not losing as much as they would like.therefore if your in your limit but all your calories are empty its not as fine. so how do you help increase weight lose you increase good habits.

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