1200 calories no longer working

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Hey guys I started my journey a little over a year ago and in eight months had lost 30 pounds (yay!)

I've recently turned my attention to muscle building and getting rid of the last few stubborn pounds of fat and building a better booty. I stared lifting about 6 months ago and I am pretty stoked on my results. I've really built a lot of muscle mass and I love the way I look aside from some stubborn belly fat.

I have been eating about 1200 net calories a day and have not lost any weight in about 5 or 6 months. I no longer think this is just a regular plateau lol. Anyway, here are my stats please let me know what you think and what suggestions you might have

28, female, 5'1" 116lbs 16% bfp, BMR 1300
1200 net calories a day between 90-120 grams of protein a day. Weight lifting 5 times a week for between 40-60 minutes with heavy weights 10 reps per set 6 sets for each exercise, plus half an hour to an hour of cardio 3 times a week. I take multi vitamins, magnesium supplements, probiotics, and calcium supplements. I use a Fitbit to track my calories burned.

I'd like to get my bfp between 14.5% and 15% but for the life of me I cannot seem to get rid of this last bit of fat

Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated. I don't know what's up exactly, and I'm not sure if I've been doing 1200 calories too long and it's just not working any more. Should I up them? Last time I upped them to 1400 for a month and gained five pounds instead of losing.

TIA
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Your diary is closed.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I find it hard to believe you are doing heavy lifting for an hour 5x a week plus cardio on 1200 net calories...and are building muscle....that doesn't happen.

    1. How did you calculate bf%? if it is that low you have probably lost your period.

    If you are gaining on 1400...you are eating more than you think.
  • atgoallifer
    atgoallifer Posts: 1 Member
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    I would think that at that size it is probably right where you need to be weight wise. Is it fat or excess skin? Excess skin (slight roll) can not be exercised or dieted off.
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
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    Your not actually eating 1200 calories if your not losing weight. Your eating more. Do you weigh all food on a digital food scale and log in MFP everything you eat to know you actually ate 1200 calories?
  • intactbynature
    intactbynature Posts: 12 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Your diary is closed.

    Fixed the diary settings
  • intactbynature
    intactbynature Posts: 12 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I have a food scale and use it along with measuring cups when cooking.

    Aside from a few *kitten* up days of emotional eating I always stay within track

    Bfp taken by personal trainer twice went from 16.9% in December to 16% at the beginning of this month

    I don't know about my period I have an IUD and haven't had one in a while

    I have some loose skin from having children but that's not what really concerns me
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Your diary is closed.

    Fixed the diary settings

    It looks like you're not weighing your solid food (or at least not some of it) and you're using generic entries for things like pasta sauce (which can throw you off because how do you know your recipe is close to that of the person who created the entry?). There are some odd measurements -- for example, how do you determine .7 of a tablespoon of peanut butter? How are you calculating your exercise calorie burns?
  • rempejeff
    rempejeff Posts: 46 Member
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    When you're taking in the food its going straight to your muscles your equaling your muscle mass to your weight-loss. You half to change up your meals.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    rempejeff wrote: »
    When you're taking in the food its going straight to your muscles your equaling your muscle mass to your weight-loss. You half to change up your meals.

    How does...what? No.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    My first thought is overestimating calorie burns. You are being given 700+ calories. What are you doing on those days?
  • rempejeff
    rempejeff Posts: 46 Member
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    If you are wanting to lose weight or gain it. Everyone is different you will have to just change stuff up to see what works for you on food Products
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    rempejeff wrote: »
    When you're taking in the food its going straight to your muscles your equaling your muscle mass to your weight-loss. You half to change up your meals.
    rempejeff wrote: »
    If you are wanting to lose weight or gain it. Everyone is different you will have to just change stuff up to see what works for you on food Products

    Wut?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    rempejeff wrote: »
    If you are wanting to lose weight or gain it. Everyone is different you will have to just change stuff up to see what works for you on food Products

    No. You're over-complicating it. People who want to lose weight should consume fewer calories than they burn. People who want to gain weight should eat more calories than they burn. Changing up food products is only going to help someone accomplish weight loss or gain if it also changes how many calories they're consuming.
  • LindsNW05
    LindsNW05 Posts: 36 Member
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    rempejeff wrote: »
    When you're taking in the food its going straight to your muscles your equaling your muscle mass to your weight-loss. You half to change up your meals.

    :|:| I don't think that's how that works.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    edited April 2016
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    rempejeff wrote: »
    When you're taking in the food its going straight to your muscles your equaling your muscle mass to your weight-loss. You half to change up your meals.
    rempejeff wrote: »
    If you are wanting to lose weight or gain it. Everyone is different you will have to just change stuff up to see what works for you on food Products

    Um, say what now?
    regardless of using food scale if you aren't using the correct entries you are eating more than you think.

    For example today...

    8 oz chicken tenders 200 calories?...raw it's 390 cooked 375
    oatmeal 1/2cup
    white rice 2.25 cup (loosely packed?) or jammed in there...
    generic tenderloin chicken 10 oz...338 calories...covered above except the "generic" part of the entry...

    most entries I don't see weighed...if you are using a food scale your diary doesn't reflect it.

    as for PT taking BF% that doesn't explain how they are doing it...Dexa scan is the most reliable as calipers are well...unreliable along with scales etc.

    and if you have a personal trainer and they told you that you can build muscle on 1200 calories....fire them.

    And yes to the above
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I have a food scale and use it along with measuring cups when cooking.

    Aside from a few *kitten* up days of emotional eating I always stay within track

    Bfp taken by personal trainer twice went from 16.9% in December to 16% at the beginning of this month

    I don't know about my period I have an IUD and haven't had one in a while

    I have some loose skin from having children but that's not what really concerns me

    regardless of using food scale if you aren't using the correct entries you are eating more than you think.

    For example today...

    8 oz chicken tenders 200 calories?...raw it's 390 cooked 375
    oatmeal 1/2cup
    white rice 2.25 cup (loosely packed?) or jammed in there...
    generic tenderloin chicken 10 oz...338 calories...covered above except the "generic" part of the entry...

    most entries I don't see weighed...if you are using a food scale your diary doesn't reflect it.

    as for PT taking BF% that doesn't explain how they are doing it...Dexa scan is the most reliable as calipers are well...unreliable along with scales etc.

    and if you have a personal trainer and they told you that you can build muscle on 1200 calories....fire them.

    She is right you know
  • intactbynature
    intactbynature Posts: 12 Member
    edited April 2016
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    My first thought is overestimating calorie burns. You are being given 700+ calories. What are you doing on those days?

    Step class and weight lifting
  • intactbynature
    intactbynature Posts: 12 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Oops double post