I stopped losing weight even at 1000 cals/day! Help!?
rosalieken
Posts: 7 Member
So I've been on my weightloss journey just over 2 months. I'm currently down 25 pounds. I count everything I eat and NEVER go over. A couple of weeks ago (about 3) I just stopped losing weight. I figured it was a lull, and tried to wait it out. After 2 weeks of no change, I panicked and lowered my calories to about 1000. I know this isn't good, but I figured it would give my body the kick it needs and I can start eating more gradually. Well it worked, at first. I lost 3 more pounds, but then stopped again. I'm trying to get myself back up to my standard 1400, but I'm worried because I'm holding steady on only 1000 Cals a day. The only thing I can think of is that it's because I slacked off on my exercise during that time. Still, with a bmr of 1700 I should still be losing weight. I've heard a cheat day could help kick off my metabolism again, but I'm worried that it'll send me spirling out of control. Has anyone else had to deal with this? What do you suggest?
I'm new, so if I broke any of the rules just let me know! I know CC frowns upon such low calorie intake, but as I said it was only to give my body a push.
I'm new, so if I broke any of the rules just let me know! I know CC frowns upon such low calorie intake, but as I said it was only to give my body a push.
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Replies
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Are you weighing your foods? Open your diary too.0
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Yeah. I have a scale that weighs in ounces.0
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Open your diary0
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Sorry. Took a sec to figure out how0
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Weigh in grams. Be patient. Up your calories to the minimum so you don't get burned out and binge. Drink lots of water. I was once in a two month plateau and I spent about a week and a half eating like crazy, gained 3-4 pounds or so and then went back down to lower calories and that seemed to kick it into gear again.0
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The first question -- what are your statistics? How tall are you, old are you, what is your current weight? If you are close to normal weight, it will be much harder to lose. Secondly, I checked your diet, and you eat a lot of packaged/processed foods -- lean cuisine, rice a roni. These foods are high in sodium, so they add water weight. You might also shift the balance of your diet toward more protein, for instance, cut the rice a roni in half, and eat some lean chicken with it or substitute a greek yogurt for the Clif Bar.0
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If you are not losing you are simply not in a deficit. I know you said you count everything you eat but there is something off somewhere. Barring some kind of medical condition if you are truly in a deficit you will lose weight. You are either eating more than you think or burning less than you think, if you count exercise calories, or a combination of the two. You'll have to figure out which one it is and correct it. You didn't give your current weight and height but 1000 calories is very low and would cause anyone to lose weight. You just have to figure out where the error is.
Good luck!0 -
You've still got a lot of things in your diary in cups, slices, spoons, etc. If you've got scales, you might as well use them!
Though I doubt that's really your problem considering how many hundreds of calories you are below what you should probably be eating. What are your stats (height, weight, age)? A BMR of 1700 seems pretty high.
Eat your goal (1400, not 1000!), make sure you have a reasonable deficit (don't aim for 2lbs a week if you're a healthy weight), weigh everything and stick to it - 3 week stalls aren't all that uncommon and can happen.0 -
It could be a number of things as outlined here:
Unexplainable Weight Loss Plateaus
The most likely explanation in my view is that mentally you are exhausted which has led to an unconscious fall in the accuracy of your logging meaning your deficit is no longer in place or any deficit is small and therefore any fat loss is being masked by water retention.
Perhaps try taking a week or two off to eat at maintenance (accepting that while you may put on some weight very little will be actual fat unless you are massively bingeing) and then when you are feeling refreshed get back to it with ruthless accuracy.0 -
I am 5"6 206lbs 26yo. I used to be a lot worse with sodium, 90% of the time I stay within my daily limit, I just tend to take most of it in at once. I try to eat boiled chicken when I have the rice, but the last few days I've just been eating to get my calorie count up since I keep getting full around 7000
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25 pounds in 2 months and you're not happy?
Weight loss isn't linear. You won't lose weight every week.0 -
1000 calories is too low. Your body may be in starvation mode and holding onto every calorie you take in. Try more lean protein, fruits, and veggies. Drink more water and measure your foods.-1
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Step 1. Remain calm, and step away from the scale
Step 2. Recognize the achievement of losing 28 pounds in about 3 months
Step 3. Go back to eating the 1400. Go back to exercising.
Step 4. Yes, watch your logging for ways to tighten it up, although having lost 25 pounds, I doubt its that error-prone.
Step 5. Re-evaluate in 4 weeks. yes, 4 weeks.0 -
spunkydawn9 wrote: »1000 calories is too low. Your body may be in starvation mode and holding onto every calorie you take in. Try more lean protein, fruits, and veggies. Drink more water and measure your foods.
That isn't how starvation mode works. Eating too little will not stop you losing weight.0 -
This!
I started counting again after a period of absence about 40 days ago and have been netting about 1600kcals (my limit is 1500kcals, but I tend to go over sometimes and I do not log my daily 40-90 minute walks, so am likely to be about 1500kcals). My plan is to loose it very slowly, because I have lost the weight fast at 1200kcals before and put it all back on.
I was on a plateau for about 2 weeks with the scales always averaging at about 68.6kg. This Sunday and Monday I had binge days (over 2000kcals net each day) because of the time of month (I am talking takeaways, cakes, etc) and boom, when I weighed myself yesterday I was 67.9kg and this morning I was 67.7kg. Go figure!!
It is definitely not linear, and I agree that a couple days at maintenance might be good for you. Don't forget to still log those maintenance days so you don't release the reins completely, and then start again at 1400kcals and see if it makes a change.
Also, don't forget to log the oil, ketchup, etc etc. BE very tenacious with it! Good luck!
25 pounds in 2 months and you're not happy?
Weight loss isn't linear. You won't lose weight every week.
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From past experiences I have had, I have noticed that sometimes, if I reach a plateau, bumping my calorie intake a bit jump starts it again. It basically tricks my metabolism. I found a link with some information on this. I myself haven't tried the calorie guide they use, but it kind of supports the theory of tricking the metabolism. http://www.myfitstation.com/2012/01/31/calorie-shifting-perfecting-your-figure-tricking-your-metabolism-diet/0
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You...are aware that 25 pounds in two months is actually more than the generally accepted healthy rate of loss, right?
And that the human body does sometimes plateau naturally for a few weeks, and that two weeks means nothing?0 -
28lbs in 3 months is a staggering amount of weight. Seriously, that's the kind of weight loss I see as a bariatric patient post-surgery. Deep breath, eat your allowed calories, and realize that you'll lose, but it will vary week to week.
Also, pay no attention to talk about "starvation mode" talk. Trust the process and follow the MFP guidelines.0 -
Take your caloric intake up to 2000 for a week while mixing up your macro amounts(proteins, carbs, fats). In other words- high protein one day, high complex carbs the next, etc...and make sure are active daily or exercising. You have plateaued and need to surprise your body/metabolism. Trust me- try it.0
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Take your caloric intake up to 2000 for a week while mixing up your macro amounts(proteins, carbs, fats). In other words- high protein one day, high complex carbs the next, etc...and make sure are active daily or exercising. You have plateaued and need to surprise your body/metabolism. Trust me- try it.
Second post
offers information contradictory to what the experienced and successful members of mfp offer
pretty sure a metabolism can't be/doesn't need to be surprised
forgive me if I don't trust you0 -
1. You're eating more than you think. Weigh everything meticulously and measure all your caloric beverages!
2. Weight loss slows down after a while so have patience.
3. Drink lots of water if you're eating lots of salt (packaged prepared foods)
4. ETA-as a mother and grandmother. I'm taking this moment to ask you-where are your veggies and fruit?!?0 -
Here's what you need to understand:
If you're being accurate with your calorie intake (i.e. using a scale to weigh everything and logging everything) YOU WILL NOT GAIN FAT if you eat anywhere below 2000 calories per day. That is your maintenance calories with no exercise. One day to the next you might gain water weight from sodium or TOM, but you will NOT GAIN FAT if you eat less than 2000 calories every day.
I think you should eat at least 1400 calories per day. Hopefully this will give you the energy to exercise again. If so, "eat back" about half the exercise calories you earn. Ok?0 -
It's not unusual to plateau a bit. Weight loss is not linear, and you did lose 25 lbs. in 2 months, which is a bout 3 lbs. a week, a really good rate. I'd stick to 1400, be tighter about tracking, and cut back on sodium, packaged foods. If you need to eat because you're "full" at 700 calories, choose nutrient dense foods such as lean meat, eggs, nuts.0
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Don't trust him. Your metabolism isn't sentient and doesn't need to be surprised.Take your caloric intake up to 2000 for a week while mixing up your macro amounts(proteins, carbs, fats). In other words- high protein one day, high complex carbs the next, etc...and make sure are active daily or exercising. You have plateaued and need to surprise your body/metabolism. Trust me- try it.
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Wait, you lost 25 pounds in 5 weeks?0
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You just have really unreasonable expectations, OP. You're not going to lose weight every week. Maybe not every month even. There will be times when you are losing fat but water retention will mask it. You just need to keep eating at a reasonable deficit and keep at it. Eating 1000 calories is not a reasonable deficit. There is absolutely no reason at all for you to eat that low. A net of 1400-1500 is fine (you should be eating exercise calories, or at least 50% of them btw.)
And I'll go ahead and echo the reminder that your 25 pound loss was fast. Don't think that's going to continue or pick up again. It's just not going to happen.0 -
Yeah reading this it looks like you've been stalled for a week. That isn't even enough to call a plateau. Just up your calories and take your time.0
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There is no way my body went into starvation mode after 1 week of eating at 1000 cals. It should be noted that I lost the first few pounds before I really started tracking. Up until the 25th of last month I was losing 2-3 lbs a week, which I was happy about but now I'm down to like 1 lb a week, which just doesn't make sense. I'm obviously burning more calories than I'm I taking so water weight is the only thing I can think of.0
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First, there is no such thing as starvation mode and second, weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you will lose more some weeks you will lose less. Even if you change nothing you will have ups and downs. You need to focus on the long term trend.
And 1 week is not a plateau.0 -
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