Dilemma please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jozzierdgz
jozzierdgz Posts: 60 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
I don't need a lecture just help... Here's my dilemma... I have a low caloric goal: 1200 because I am currently not exercising.... When I eat my 1200 calories I gain weight... When I keep it below 1200 I lose weight and keep it off... Is it because I hardly do much during the day so I don't have a high BMR????

I might add I don't work, so I'm usually just sitting at my computer during the day

Edit to add: I'm a mother to 4 children, If I am not at my computer I'm after my 11 month old my 4 yr old and my older boys.... I eat really healthy and exercise 1-2 times a week... Constantly cooking and cleaning up after everyone.... MY DILEMMA IS THAT IF I EAT AT MY GOAL WHETHER I EXERCISE OR NOT I GAIN WEIGHT IF I EAT 1000 CALORIES AND EXERCISE I LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF..... This post was created for the intention of getting feedback as to why that is not to judge me because I don't exercise 5 times a week like some of you....

Replies

  • chmille
    chmille Posts: 1
    I'm kind of in the same delimma. I can't seem to lose weight period. I'm doing the 1200 and working out everyday but sat and sun and it's not going anywhere. none. bummed. I wished I could help. The only thing I know is burning more calories than you eat.
  • haeden
    haeden Posts: 183 Member
    not a lecture at all,trust me..i hate exercising :) but why dont you exercise
  • MindiKat
    MindiKat Posts: 49
    I have the same calorie goal (1200) and am finding that I don't have much (calories) left at the end of the day and am going to have to step up the exercise or start really cutting down portion size at lunch and dinner. I have cut out snacks completely at this point. I feel your pain!! Thus far this week, I've been over two out of three days and run out of time and steam before I worked out both those days.

    I'm anxious to see your replies too.
  • jozzierdgz
    jozzierdgz Posts: 60 Member
    I exercise maybe once or twice a week... which to me is hardly ever.... I don't eat back my calories because I gain weight rather than lose....
  • ItsLessOfMe
    ItsLessOfMe Posts: 374 Member
    Thank you for asking cause I exercise and still have to eat 1200 cals just to loose.
  • goninionlb
    goninionlb Posts: 4
    SINCE YOU DO NOT LIKE TO EXERCISE HOW ABOUT JUST TAKE A WALK AROUND THE HOUSE OR APARTMENT COMFORTABLE PACE NO HURRY IT MIGHTBE JUST THE KEY TO GET BURNING UP THOSE CALORIES NOTHING HARD NO SWEAT JUST WALK....
  • hail87666
    hail87666 Posts: 176 Member
    I say this with love - get off your *kitten*! (unless of course you have a medical condition preventing you....you didn't say) :D I tell myself that every morning. Getting started is the hard part. I'm loving my life so much more now I've discovered all these things to fill my day with. Hugs. Now up! :happy:
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
    Cutting calories alone isn't enough and consistently eating below 1200 calories can become unsafe and put you at health risks. This is not a lecture, but this is coming from someone who suffered from anorexia in high school. If you don't work and spend most of the day on the computer, I would recommend doing some simple exercises. Take a 30 minute walk 1-2 times a day. You can also buy workout dvds or look up simple workouts online that require only household objects. You don't have to get hardcore about it, but getting up and moving around will help boost your metabolism to want to burn 1200 calories a day and it will also make you feel better! Believe me, I was a former couch potato but biking to and from work every day has given me more energy and made me feel better about myself. Plus, it helps me destress!
  • Jwls23
    Jwls23 Posts: 37 Member
    Maybe it has to do with what you are eating. If you open up your diary we can take a look.
  • GreatSetOfBrains
    GreatSetOfBrains Posts: 675 Member
    I used to be 208lbs. I got down to 135lbs, started school again and now I'm back to 160lbs. I feel your pain. I too and at 1200, but just started this week so I'm not sure how it will work for me, but the first time I lost weight the biggest change I made was ALWAYS ALWAYS got my butt out of bed to walk the dogs in the morning. Sometimes a quick 30 mins can help. I would suggest Jillian Michael's 30 day shred, is nice, its a 30 min workout for people who don't have that much time to work out. Sorry I'm not more help.
  • jennkess
    jennkess Posts: 86
    do you know what your resting metabolic rate is? your body may be in starvation mode. each person is different, however we all have a base that we should not go below. add to that base what we burn with basic movement.... gesturing, walking around the house. most studies/ fitness checks will estimate we burn around 500 calories just living... not exercising, just the act of getting out of bed.

    @chmille: when you are exercising, how much/ long and exertion are you putting forward.

    @mindicat: if you are running out of steam by the end of the day you haven't fueled you body enough. if when you are exercising you get light headed.. you are not eating enough!

    it goes with the saying- You have to Eat to lose weight!

    the problem is most of us eat to much of the wrong things, and drink lots of water, it's what the body uses to flush it's system
  • celticfan2011
    celticfan2011 Posts: 3 Member
    Weight loss is a working relationship with diet and exercise. You meet one half by reducing your caloric intake (1200) . Without exercise the other half of the requirement is not being met. This will not work on a PERMANENT basis. It sounds like a lack of motivation on the exercise part. Exercising doesn't have to kill you. Meet your 1200 calorie intake and walk instead of run. Just try to burn 25% of your caloric intake (300).
  • DJmom44
    DJmom44 Posts: 91
    Maybe it has to do with what you are eating. If you open up your diary we can take a look.
    I agree...because it is possible to stay within 1200 calories but still eat the wrong foods. And any exercise you do, eat back the calories...that's what they're for.
  • kaittx13
    kaittx13 Posts: 88 Member
    Maybe it has to do with what you are eating. If you open up your diary we can take a look.

    yeah it could be what your eating. eating under calories doesnt mean you are eating healthy and could be a cause to you not losing weight.
  • robertf57
    robertf57 Posts: 560 Member
    You Daily energy expenditure may be quite low. The guidelines on calories are estimates. You could go have you BMR measure to see what your true baseline caloric need might be. The other thing I would ask is if you truly are measuring everything you eat. I know if I don't measure, I underestimate how much I am consuming. This is a recurring theme in dieting. When you think you are consuing 1200 you may actually be at 1400 or 1500.
  • jozzierdgz
    jozzierdgz Posts: 60 Member
    Thank you!!! Yes I was thinking that maybe my BMR is lower than indicated on MFP.... I actually measure everything I eat and I mean everything LOL... I am really focused on getting all of this weight off and like I mentioned I am eating healthier than I've ever eaten... I drink nothing but water, eat tons of veggies, fruits, whole wheat, no processed foods, very low sodium and no red meat....
    You Daily energy expenditure may be quite low. The guidelines on calories are estimates. You could go have you BMR measure to see what your true baseline caloric need might be. The other thing I would ask is if you truly are measuring everything you eat. I know if I don't measure, I underestimate how much I am consuming. This is a recurring theme in dieting. When you think you are consuing 1200 you may actually be at 1400 or 1500.
  • hayley_m
    hayley_m Posts: 61 Member
    how long have you been dieting? after a while your body will 'get' what youre doing! thats why if you eat a certain amount of calories all the time under the reccomended guidelines then you body has to work extra hard to burn the energy, then when you do eat more than normal it will say 'wow im keeping that extra and storing it as fat'!!
    its brilliant that youre eating healthy and fruit and veggies will always be good for your body so definitely keep going with that but maybe you should get a more accurate reading on your bmr. if your body is in starvation mode (for want of a better term, i hate that term because from what you say you're obviously not starving yourself!!) then you wont lose the weight in a healthy way. Nobody can make you exercise but it is definitely something to consider, even if its just a 20 minute workout a day it will get your metobolism up and running!! good luck!!
  • Butterflynma
    Butterflynma Posts: 22 Member
    From what I've read in the past if we don't consume enough calories whatever we do eat out body will hold on to it. Basically the body goes into starvation mode. So even though you're not working out much, you may have to up your calorie intake a little. Something strange happened to me a few times in the past. I called myself being on a diet and restricting my calories, with very little results. I ate over my calorie intake and I dropped a few pounds.......go figure!!! And the other thing could be your metabolism. I know mine was very slow, which is another reason I wasn't loosing weight even though I was working out and cutting back on calories. This can be contributed to low thyroid functioning. Hope that helps.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    I think our bodies just get used to a certain way. If you've been doing the 1200 cals plus 1/2 days exercise plus the usual kids and computer stuff every day, it just seems to me that your body is happy and content. IE you've hit a plateau!

    The only way to get over a plateau is to change things. No point eating less, cos your body will just get used to less. And when you then eat normal, then the pounds will fly back on. So its either eating more, zig zagging cals, carb cycling and/ or exercising differently.

    You need to shake things up, confuse the body into letting go again. By the way, we should shake things up every 6 weeks!

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I say this with love - get off your *kitten*! (unless of course you have a medical condition preventing you....you didn't say) :D I tell myself that every morning. Getting started is the hard part. I'm loving my life so much more now I've discovered all these things to fill my day with. Hugs. Now up! :happy:


    I couldn't agree more. eating right is a way of losing weight but combined with exercise really accelerates the process!! sometimes it's tougher to look than it is to leap..once you get into a routine, you will grow to love your excellent choice in making a healthier lifestyle for yourself!!
  • jozzierdgz
    jozzierdgz Posts: 60 Member
    That's the thing though, I haven't hit a plateau.... I'm still steadily losing weight about 1.5 lbs per week... but I've noticed that lets say today I eat 1000 cals and tomorrow 1200 and exercise I lose weight... But if I stay steadily at 1200 all week w/ exercise I gain it....
    I think our bodies just get used to a certain way. If you've been doing the 1200 cals plus 1/2 days exercise plus the usual kids and computer stuff every day, it just seems to me that your body is happy and content. IE you've hit a plateau!

    The only way to get over a plateau is to change things. No point eating less, cos your body will just get used to less. And when you then eat normal, then the pounds will fly back on. So its either eating more, zig zagging cals, carb cycling and/ or exercising differently.

    You need to shake things up, confuse the body into letting go again. By the way, we should shake things up every 6 weeks!

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • mattbryan
    mattbryan Posts: 147
    No judging here....the simple answer to your question.

    Your body has very slow metabolism. By increasing your activity level (I didn't say excercise....lol), it will help your body increase your metabolism and burn food (fuel) more effectively rather than trying to store it (because it didn't need it).
  • Eleay
    Eleay Posts: 1
    I don't know if you've tried to cut out sugar and cut back on carbs. My husband got diabetes and he cut out all sugary things and ate less carbs and he lost 45 pounds in three months without exercise. I find if I'm eating less sugar/carbs, I lose easier. You can't cut sugar totally out of your diet, but can cut out concentrated sugars which make your blood sugar spike. Fruit drinks have a lot of sugar, so you have to watch those. Just look at the labels to see how much sugar is in everything. Fresh fruit is usually okay, even though it has some sugar, except that bananas and grapes have more concentrated sugar and are not as good. The best fruits for low glycemic index are any kind of berries and melons.
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