MFP puts me on 1200 cals but not losing weight...
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Thomaskerrya
Posts: 34 Member
I have 4-5 stone to lose. Am 44 and 5'5". I do a desk job but cross train 30 mins, 3-5 times a week (on a high resistance rather than bat-out-of-hell speed) and I'm not losing weight! I tried to cut down to 800 cals but felt ill after 5 days so quit and went back to 1200 cals. Still no weight loss. What do I do???
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Replies
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dont cut under 1200.. thats dangerous! if you are eating 1200 or a little more, and eating the proper nutrition - i would leave that and just increase your intensity or amount of physical activity. you dont want to starve yourself, that will not make matters better. but maybe look at what your eating and see if theres some nutrition missing or something that should be swapped for something healthier
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Start by weighing everything you eat on a food scale, use measuring cups for liquids only. Then log absolutely everything you eat honestly and accurately here in your diary.
How long have you been on this plan? Sometimes it can take a couple of weeks to start seeing the scale move down. Patience and consistency is key when it comes to weight loss.
When someone is experiencing a weight loss stall or is gaining weight, 99.9% of the time it comes down to food aka they're eating more than they think.8 -
How long have you been at it? 5 days is too soon to know if something is working or not (not suggesting you go back to the 800 because that is way too low but just wondering if you gave up on other more healthy calorie intakes just as quick). You have to be patient.
Also-do you weigh all of your food? If not, there's a good chance you are eating more than you think. Get a food scale and weigh/log ALL food (even prepackaged).1 -
I weigh/scan everything I eat. Have been dieting a couple of months. Lost 11 for first few weeks (was v happy) then it just stalled. I have cut out junk food and drink lots of water. Should I increase my calories despite what MFP suggests?0
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Thomaskerrya wrote: »I weigh/scan everything I eat. Have been dieting a couple of months. Lost 11 for first few weeks (was v happy) then it just stalled. I have cut out junk food and drink lots of water. Should I increase my calories despite what MFP suggests?
The answer is never increase calories if you aren't losing weight.8 -
Starvation Mode - you'll get a lot of people on here saying it's nonsense. I tend to agree with them.
Are you eating back all of the exercise calories? Popular MFP opinion has it that it's pretty inaccurate so lots of people only eat back 50% and some don't do it at all.
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Skinneeweesie wrote: »Your body is probably not getting enough calories and is going into starvation mode where it holds onto everything. Since 1200 is usually just how many you need just for normal functioning. I would try drinking protein shakes after your workouts and increasing protein in your day in general. You should never go under 1200 because your body wont get enough nutrients to function. So i would try 1400 calories a day. Also it would probably help to change up your workout and keep your body guessing because your body becomes adjusted to the same workout. Strength exercises make and tone muscle which burns fat faster than regular cardio.
Nope. Starvation mode does not exist the way people think it does.5 -
Thomaskerrya wrote: »I have 4-5 stone to lose. Am 44 and 5'5". I do a desk job but cross train 30 mins, 3-5 times a week (on a high resistance rather than bat-out-of-hell speed) and I'm not losing weight! I tried to cut down to 800 cals but felt ill after 5 days so quit and went back to 1200 cals. Still no weight loss. What do I do???Thomaskerrya wrote: »I weigh/scan everything I eat. Have been dieting a couple of months. Lost 11 for first few weeks (was v happy) then it just stalled. I have cut out junk food and drink lots of water. Should I increase my calories despite what MFP suggests?
Are you logging your exercise?
Are you eating your exercise calories back?0 -
Skinneeweesie wrote: »Your body is probably not getting enough calories and is going into starvation mode where it holds onto everything. Since 1200 is usually just how many you need just for normal functioning. I would try drinking protein shakes after your workouts and increasing protein in your day in general. You should never go under 1200 because your body wont get enough nutrients to function. So i would try 1400 calories a day. Also it would probably help to change up your workout and keep your body guessing because your body becomes adjusted to the same workout. Strength exercises make and tone muscle which burns fat faster than regular cardio.
OP has 4-5 stone to lose, rest assured she is not in "starvation mode".
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/5 -
I don't eat back my exercise calories - I don't trust the figures! 20/30 mins on a cross trainer at resistance 8/9... Other than that I sit all day. Surely I don't need to eat more based on such small workout sessions?
I have read a lot on adaptive thermogenesis (aka starvation mode) and it makes a lot of sense, I don't think my yo-yo ing had helped my metabolism but I am where I am, now trying to eat right and exercise. I'm just scared to up the calories as I can't afford to gain
Do you think if I upped an additional 200 calories it'd make a difference?0 -
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Thomaskerrya wrote: »Do you think if I upped an additional 200 calories it'd make a difference?
Not in the way you're (wishfully) thinking it will.2 -
Thomaskerrya wrote: »I don't eat back my exercise calories - I don't trust the figures! 20/30 mins on a cross trainer at resistance 8/9... Other than that I sit all day. Surely I don't need to eat more based on such small workout sessions?
OK that's good.Thomaskerrya wrote: »I have read a lot on adaptive thermogenesis (aka starvation mode) and it makes a lot of sense, I don't think my yo-yo ing had helped my metabolism but I am where I am, now trying to eat right and exercise. I'm just scared to up the calories as I can't afford to gain
Do you think if I upped an additional 200 calories it'd make a difference?
Yep, it probably would make a difference.
You should start noticing the weight gain in about 2 weeks.
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When you can't drop your calories any lower - the key is to increase the exercise. It doesn't have to be all high intensity (in fact it shouldn't be). Adults should be aiming for a min of 1hr per day, most days of the week - so you have lots of room to move here. Try putting in a walk each morning to kick start your metabolism and burn a few extra calories. A half hour walk may burn an extra 100 - 150 cals/day.4
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Thomaskerrya wrote: »I weigh/scan everything I eat. Have been dieting a couple of months. Lost 11 for first few weeks (was v happy) then it just stalled. I have cut out junk food and drink lots of water. Should I increase my calories despite what MFP suggests?
Do you double-check the results of scans or searches against the information on the package? Scans lead to the MFP database, and as that is mostly user-created it's often incorrect (even the so-called 'verified' entries).
Are you weighing pre-packed items or trusting the weight on the label?
Are you literally weighing everything you eat? I see .25 of a pitta for example, did you weigh that and do the calculation or did you estimate?
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OP, it is normal that weight loss stops for a while - but if it's been a month or so without any loss I would think you are eating at maintenance. However I do not believe 1200 is your maintenance calories so you are likely eating more than you think you are. Weighing everything (prepacked food can be legally 30% off weight-wise) and choosing the correct entries from MFP database are crucial. On top of that patience is the key. If you do all that and weight still stalls I would suggest seeing a doctor and getting at least you thyroid function checked. Good luck!4
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CurlyCockney wrote: »Thomaskerrya wrote: »I weigh/scan everything I eat. Have been dieting a couple of months. Lost 11 for first few weeks (was v happy) then it just stalled. I have cut out junk food and drink lots of water. Should I increase my calories despite what MFP suggests?
Do you double-check the results of scans or searches against the information on the package? Scans lead to the MFP database, and as that is mostly user-created it's often incorrect (even the so-called 'verified' entries).
Are you weighing pre-packed items or trusting the weight on the label?
Are you literally weighing everything you eat? I see .25 of a pitta for example, did you weigh that and do the calculation or did you estimate?
I can personally vouch for having seen "verified" entries that were very very wrong. Always double check.3 -
Do you double-check the results of scans or searches against the information on the package? Scans lead to the MFP database, and as that is mostly user-created it's often incorrect (even the so-called 'verified' entries).
Are you weighing pre-packed items or trusting the weight on the label?
Are you literally weighing everything you eat? I see .25 of a pitta for example, did you weigh that and do the calculation or did you estimate?
I must admit, I trust the database, will be checking with more scrutiny from herein! The 0.25 pitta was based on a recipe I made with one whole one and shared between 5 (1/4 because they don't have 1/5!) namely stuffed mushrooms. I try to be as realistic in my logging as possible.
Doc tested my thyroid - didn't tell me what the numbers were - but said it was normal. He didn't really seem interested, said to stick to a low fat diet and the weight will come off. He didn't inspire me. Not sure what else they would test for?
I really do appreciate all the input, makes me feel less like I'm going crazy. If only there were right and wrong answers.
This dieting lark is certainly harder as you get older!!!0 -
You're not going crazy, it's just that if you're not losing (or are gaining) logging is the easiest thing to fix. Weigh everything, all our packaging has the weight per 100g so you can be quite precise and will never need to round up/down. Remember that the weight listed on the pack is seldom the weight of the contents (not every slice of your bread will be 11g for example). Check that you're using the correct entries - I enter my own data on the My Foods tab, using the info label on the pack, so I know it's correct. Use the Recipe Builder for your recipes (but still double check each entry!), and set each serving to be 100g so that when you weigh it as you plate up it's also accurate e.g if you have 175g of the whole recipe it's 1.75 servings. Use a measuring jug or teaspoon/tablespoon for liquids only.2
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Oh and cups are for bras and tea only ;-) Good luck!10
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