Hard time staying within calorie goal...
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yogaski83
Posts: 17 Member
Hey guys,
I'm new on here, and struggling to stay within my daily calorie allowance (1,200). I was just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to be successful with this calorie goal. I know to some, 1200 may sound like a big allowance, but I'm having a very hard time staying at this goal.
I'm 33, no kids, and only looking to lose about 15 - 20 lbs so this should be easy, right?
I'm also pretty active (ski 5+ days a week in the winter; hike, run, yoga in the summer etc), and live at a relatively high altitude so I've typically been able to eat healthy(ish) without counting calories and stay within in the 120-125 lb range, which is a good weight for me, even though I'm only 5'2. However, over the course of the past 6 months, I've put on roughly 15 pounds due to a surgery that had me very sedentary. During this time the only exercise I was able to do besides my PT was very low impact aerobics and walking - which is an incredibly huge drop in my normal activity level. So this 15 lb gain is a loss of muscle and a gain of fat, so I'm ready to get rid of it!
Luckily, now I'm nearly fully recovered, have started working out again, but the weight keeps creeping on, which led me to this site. I've been tracking for the past two or so weeks and have only lost 1 lb, which is incredibly frustrating. I should mention that I do allow myself to eat all the calories I've "earned" by working out. Maybe this is to much?
Anyway, I was just wondering if there is anyone else who has felt these frustrations, and has found a path to success.
Thanks in advance!
Steph
I'm new on here, and struggling to stay within my daily calorie allowance (1,200). I was just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to be successful with this calorie goal. I know to some, 1200 may sound like a big allowance, but I'm having a very hard time staying at this goal.
I'm 33, no kids, and only looking to lose about 15 - 20 lbs so this should be easy, right?
I'm also pretty active (ski 5+ days a week in the winter; hike, run, yoga in the summer etc), and live at a relatively high altitude so I've typically been able to eat healthy(ish) without counting calories and stay within in the 120-125 lb range, which is a good weight for me, even though I'm only 5'2. However, over the course of the past 6 months, I've put on roughly 15 pounds due to a surgery that had me very sedentary. During this time the only exercise I was able to do besides my PT was very low impact aerobics and walking - which is an incredibly huge drop in my normal activity level. So this 15 lb gain is a loss of muscle and a gain of fat, so I'm ready to get rid of it!
Luckily, now I'm nearly fully recovered, have started working out again, but the weight keeps creeping on, which led me to this site. I've been tracking for the past two or so weeks and have only lost 1 lb, which is incredibly frustrating. I should mention that I do allow myself to eat all the calories I've "earned" by working out. Maybe this is to much?
Anyway, I was just wondering if there is anyone else who has felt these frustrations, and has found a path to success.
Thanks in advance!
Steph
1
Replies
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With only 15-20lbs to lose, you should probably set your deficit to .5lb per week.
1200 is not a lot of calories. It's the bare minimum MFP will set for women. There aren't a lot of people that can manage it for long from what I've seen, myself included.11 -
Sounds like you're on the right track, but I'd ask how you're tracking your work-out calories. MFP always overestimates exercise calorie burn, (as does most gym equipment) - sometimes as much as double which is why you'll see a lot of people on here advising to only eat back about 50%. Heart rate monitors are generally more accurate (for cardio work), but still have a significant margin of error. I would try cutting your "eat back" calories a bit, (or increasing exercise as you get back into the swing), and see if that makes a difference.
There are lots of good tips/recipes etc in the forums for low-cal meals/snacks so have a look around at those also, and hopefully others will chip in with some good ideas here. I sometimes struggle with my allowance [1500] on non-exercise days so also looking forward to reading people's thoughts.3 -
What are you eating? Try going a little higher on protein and a bit more fat so you will stay satisfied longer and reduce your carbs. Give yourself a few more calories too maybe and try intermittent fasting.2
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Yeah, you don't need to eat as low as 1200, you can choose to lose weight a bit slower - you don't have much to lose so 1/2lb a week will mean you'll get more calories and you'll still lose. And you can eat back some exercise calories too, if you're active you get to eat more and lose as you will be burning more - win win
. 2 -
I agree with poster #1--you've set your deficit too low and your weight-loss goal is too aggressive. With that little to lose, you should set your goal for .5 lbs per week. If you keep restricting your calories to that extreme, you'll be more likely to binge. A higher calorie goal and a little more protein will also help minimize the loss of lean body mass. Upping the % or protein and healthy fat and fiber will help you stay fuller longer.4
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I'm working at a desk all day. Walk 8000+ steps a day, work out 5 days a week and I could NEVER eat that low. My weight loss stalls when I do anything below 1300 calories, so I have upped my calories to 1700 on the days I work out and now I am loosing again. I would say only do 1200 if you're not active, but since you are you will need a lot more to sustain your body.2
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I have had a similar hard time and have a similar lifestyle/ amount of weight to lose and I've found 3 major things helpful: 1. Eat really, really slowly. Savor every bite. Put down the fork between bites, take tiny bites at a time, etc. Try to make each meal last 40 minutes to an hour, time allowing. Take the time to eat and enjoy, and the bonus effects of this are better digestion, more enjoyment of eating, a better relationship with your food, and the list goes on. Honestly this one thing unlocked my ability to diet at all. 2. Starving yourself is never a good strategy. If it's between eating 1200 calories while feeling mentally or emotionally unsatisfied and physically hungry, which is unsustainable-and eating 1200 calories plus a small 150 calorie snack, ideally protein, eat the 1350 calories. You'll still be at a deficit, and it's far easier to stick to. (I do find eating protein at meals is satiating while carbs leave me wanting more in an hour and things that taste sweet are hard to put down at all). 3. I'm guessing you know what the macrostructure of a rock climbing location is, and I found this analogy helpful. The macrostructure of losing weight is hard. Make the microstructure-each move, each meal, each decision-as easy as possible for yourself. Don't waste energy in the first third of the route, y'know? You'll need it for the top third of that route. You already have a challenge in front of you. It's hard enough. Therefore, make each small decision as easy as possible. Make small easy moves that conserve your strength. Best of luck to you!!4
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Also, drink a cup of water mid-meal, every meal. The whole glass. Hydration never hurts!0
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I am also at a 1200 calorie goal. I cut out almost all of my refined carbs (pasta, bread, cake, cookies, etc) and I eat very little dairy due to the fact that i'm lactose intolerant. I eat LOTS of veggies (the steamfresh single serve are awesome, and the little 8-10 oz boxes are a great 200 cal snack). I snack mostly on deli meat, surimi, frozen grilled chicken strips (or the thawed purdue ones), and sometimes tuna. I will occasionally snack on fruit, which is low in calories but high in sugar. I substitute all of the rice in things like stirfry with cauliflower rice (all you need is a food pro), and I've become a huge fan of replacing pasta with zucchini noodles. A lot of people swear by greek yogurt and hard boiled eggs, I just can't abide them. I will say that oikos frozen greek yogurt is some fantastic stuff, and there are people here who love halotop (haven't tried it). I also substitute some of my eggs for egg whites. I can't abide a plate of scrambled whites, but I'll use 1-2 eggs and then a 1/2c or more of whites in order to get more calories and protein, but preserve the taste a little bit.
I find that on days I work out, i sometimes struggle to eat 1200 + half my exercise cals back this way, but I'm consistently getting 100+g of protein, which has been amazing for my body comp and muscle gains.2 -
Thanks to all the replies, very helpful information!0
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I am also at a 1200 calorie goal. I cut out almost all of my refined carbs (pasta, bread, cake, cookies, etc) and I eat very little dairy due to the fact that i'm lactose intolerant. I eat LOTS of veggies (the steamfresh single serve are awesome, and the little 8-10 oz boxes are a great 200 cal snack). I snack mostly on deli meat, surimi, frozen grilled chicken strips (or the thawed purdue ones), and sometimes tuna. I will occasionally snack on fruit, which is low in calories but high in sugar. I substitute all of the rice in things like stirfry with cauliflower rice (all you need is a food pro), and I've become a huge fan of replacing pasta with zucchini noodles. A lot of people swear by greek yogurt and hard boiled eggs, I just can't abide them. I will say that oikos frozen greek yogurt is some fantastic stuff, and there are people here who love halotop (haven't tried it). I also substitute some of my eggs for egg whites. I can't abide a plate of scrambled whites, but I'll use 1-2 eggs and then a 1/2c or more of whites in order to get more calories and protein, but preserve the taste a little bit.
Cauliflower rice sounds awesome, I need to try it!0 -
You're supposed to eat back exercise calories.2
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With only 15-20lbs to lose, you should probably set your deficit to .5lb per week.
1200 is not a lot of calories. It's the bare minimum MFP will set for women. There aren't a lot of people that can manage it for long from what I've seen, myself included.
I could never follow this advice. Calorie restricting for 40 weeks rather than 10 weeks would be brutal. I'd rather "suffer" (it's really not that bad) a few lean weeks than nearly a whole lean year.0 -
I see a couple of likely issues:
1. You've selected too aggressive of a goal for the amount of weight you want to lose. With less than 20 lbs it should be no more than 0.5 lb/week to preserve lean body mass and ample energy.
2. You aren't eating back exercise calories. For as active as you are, you should be eating back at least half your logged exercise cals, or if you are consistently active, choose a higher activity setting than sedentary.
For what it's worth I'm 5'2 and lost 30 lbs and am now maintaining. I ate 1600-1900 while losing and am maintaining with a TDEE of 2200.
I tried 1200 and was miserable, so I read the good advice on these boards about upping my calories to a more manageable level, that worked for me!5 -
With only 15-20lbs to lose, you should probably set your deficit to .5lb per week.
1200 is not a lot of calories. It's the bare minimum MFP will set for women. There aren't a lot of people that can manage it for long from what I've seen, myself included.
I could never follow this advice. Calorie restricting for 40 weeks rather than 10 weeks would be brutal. I'd rather "suffer" (it's really not that bad) a few lean weeks than nearly a whole lean year.
But if the 1200 is difficult for the OP to stay at, it will take her longer anyway and she'll risk losing lean muscle. Slow and steady wins the race!!2 -
1200 is NOT a lot of calories. 1200 calories is the minimum amount that you are supposed to eat in a day. Try upping it to maybe 1500-1600 calories and see how that works out for you.
2 -
I am in a somewhat similar situation - I had an accident last year, leaving me completely off my feet for around 3 months, and then slowly building up strength and basic fitness again - and by basic fitness I mean being able to walk my kids to school and back which is not much more than 500 metres from my house. In fact just being able to walk was a big thing just a few short months ago! I thought I was doing well at first, but that was just because the pain/drugs were suppressing my appetite and I physically couldn't get to the kitchen to get food. Once I was mobile that was when I put on some weight!!
I am on 1200 a day at the moment too (sedentary activity level). I have just reshuffled my eating schedule a little which has worked for me. I keep my breakfast and lunch small to leave me a decent amount for dinner and maybe an evening snack as that is my hungriest time of day. I find that more satisfying personally, and have never been a huge breakfast eater (skipped it regularly for many years) so it doesn't feel like a sacrifice. Other than that I just eat what I always ate but measured portions which are a little smaller than before.
Another thing I have done is look at what my maintenance calories are. It was just good for me to get an idea of what that is - it's a good reminder for me that if I do go over my daily goal by a hundred Cals or so, it's not actually going to make me gain weight as it's still under maintenance.1 -
I'm on a 1400 calorie intake. Lots of fiber helps. I have some favorite chips. Millet and Flax chips.
I try to get some healthy fats. Lots of protein. I keep sugar from any source down. And as much as possible avoid processed foods. I don't 'watch' carbs but I avoid starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice.1 -
With only 15-20lbs to lose, you should probably set your deficit to .5lb per week.
1200 is not a lot of calories. It's the bare minimum MFP will set for women. There aren't a lot of people that can manage it for long from what I've seen, myself included.
I could never follow this advice. Calorie restricting for 40 weeks rather than 10 weeks would be brutal. I'd rather "suffer" (it's really not that bad) a few lean weeks than nearly a whole lean year.
Too large a calorie deficit leads to unnecessary loss of lean body mass in addition to fat. Your body can only metabolize a certain amount of fat daily from each pound of body fat you have - if I recall correctly, it's around 30-some calories of fat per day per pound of body fat. If your deficit is greater than that, your body will find the extra energy somewhere, such as from muscle tissue.
Beyond that, too-rapid weight loss increases risk of adaptive thermogenesis, i.e., a long-term calorie burn (even after weight loss is done) that is potentially hundreds of calories less than similar-sized people who never adopted extreme calorie deficits.
Therefore, the less you have to lose, the slower you should lose it, if you want to stay strong and healthy, plus keep your metabolism robust. Your call, though.5 -
I am in a somewhat similar situation - I had an accident last year, leaving me completely off my feet for around 3 months, and then slowly building up strength and basic fitness again - and by basic fitness I mean being able to walk my kids to school and back which is not much more than 500 metres from my house. In fact just being able to walk was a big thing just a few short months ago! I thought I was doing well at first, but that was just because the pain/drugs were suppressing my appetite and I physically couldn't get to the kitchen to get food. Once I was mobile that was when I put on some weight!!
I am on 1200 a day at the moment too (sedentary activity level). I have just reshuffled my eating schedule a little which has worked for me. I keep my breakfast and lunch small to leave me a decent amount for dinner and maybe an evening snack as that is my hungriest time of day. I find that more satisfying personally, and have never been a huge breakfast eater (skipped it regularly for many years) so it doesn't feel like a sacrifice. Other than that I just eat what I always ate but measured portions which are a little smaller than before.
Another thing I have done is look at what my maintenance calories are. It was just good for me to get an idea of what that is - it's a good reminder for me that if I do go over my daily goal by a hundred Cals or so, it's not actually going to make me gain weight as it's still under maintenance.I am in a somewhat similar situation - I had an accident last year, leaving me completely off my feet for around 3 months, and then slowly building up strength and basic fitness again - and by basic fitness I mean being able to walk my kids to school and back which is not much more than 500 metres from my house. In fact just being able to walk was a big thing just a few short months ago! I thought I was doing well at first, but that was just because the pain/drugs were suppressing my appetite and I physically couldn't get to the kitchen to get food. Once I was mobile that was when I put on some weight!! .
Same thing happened to me, the first two - three months of recovery I was in too much pain and WAY too frustrated to eat. I had shoulder reconstruction surgery after a ski accident (6-8 month recovery). Around month 4 I was able to use my shoulder and the pounds started creeping on. I actually started running 4 months post op but was unable to do any upper body strength training. I think around this time I started snacking, since reaching for a snack wasn't as painful. I thought that once I started working out again, the pounds would melt off, but that had not been the case...
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