Think I may be eating too little calories :(

Options
minime0424
minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
edited August 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost 7 pounds so far this month, I felt I was ready to make my goal a 2 pound loss per week instead of 1.5 on my fitness pal, (that was on Sunday) and it dropped my calories to 1200 per day instead of 1340. Anyways I made the change and this week I am now stalling on weight loss almost completely. I think it's because my body was not ready for such a small cal intake even though it is only a 140 cal difference. Should I maintain and see if the weight loss starts up again? Or change back to my 1340 cals a day?? ( I also work out hard three times a week for about an hour )
«1

Replies

  • jessleon1984
    jessleon1984 Posts: 50 Member
    Options
    I used to eat so so much food like 6 peices of bread a day with brekki and lunch was normal
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,182 Member
    Options
    minime0424 wrote: »
    I have lost 7 pounds so far this month, I felt I was ready to make my goal a 2 pound loss per week instead of 1.5 on my fitness pal, (that was on Sunday) and it dropped my calories to 1200 per day instead of 1340. Anyways I made the change and this week I am now stalling on weight loss almost completely. I think it's because my body was not ready for such a small cal intake even though it is only a 140 cal difference. Should I maintain and see if the weight loss starts up again? Or change back to my 1340 cals a day?? ( I also work out hard three times a week for about an hour )

    It's only been a week ... give it three.

  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    The last time I stalled, I gave it time and ended up stalling for almost a month and a half, i have a goal date that I'm trying to reach so I am trying to nip this stall in the butt before it drags out like it did last time.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    Options
    minime0424 wrote: »
    I have lost 7 pounds so far this month, I felt I was ready to make my goal a 2 pound loss per week instead of 1.5 on my fitness pal, (that was on Sunday) and it dropped my calories to 1200 per day instead of 1340. Anyways I made the change and this week I am now stalling on weight loss almost completely. I think it's because my body was not ready for such a small cal intake even though it is only a 140 cal difference. Should I maintain and see if the weight loss starts up again? Or change back to my 1340 cals a day?? ( I also work out hard three times a week for about an hour )

    Reducing caloric intake will not cause a stall in weight loss.

    However, 1200 is pretty low. For me? Pretty painful, and non-sustainable long term.

    However, your log is not viewable, so any advice is a shot in the dark.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Options
    1.5 pounds per week is probably the most you can expect, if MFP set your calories to 1200, and you have stuck to your calories. The body responds to what you do to it, it doesn't have to be "ready" for more or less food. You can't expect to see a loss an the scales every week - normal weight fluctuations are quite large. You may be retaining water from exercise. So be patient. Weight loss does not start up or accelerate spontanely by eating at maintenance.

    Hot tip: Stop reading women's magazines ;)
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Well I will try to be patient and hope that it is merely water weight, or that I'm just not showing any weight loss from this week yet lol, I will keep my fingers crossed that I will hopefully see some difference in another week or so ;)
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited August 2016
    Options
    minime0424 wrote: »
    Well I will try to be patient and hope that it is merely water weight, or that I'm just not showing any weight loss from this week yet lol, I will keep my fingers crossed that I will hopefully see some difference in another week or so ;)

    Its been less than 5 days. I know that it took you more than 5 days to start losing the first 7 pounds. So anytime you make a change in your diet like this, give it a min 3 weeks. But again, why need to go more aggressively? you have the opportunity to eat more and not lose potential muscle mass by creating a larger deficit?
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Well I have actually lost a total of 42 pounds in 18 weeks, my current profile is a new one because my other one started having issues so I had to make a new one just a few weeks ago. I have been averaging a two pound weight loss a week not taking into consideration the stall I had for about 5 weeks in June...I am going at it more aggresively because I have a goal date, and i am out to challenge myself.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,182 Member
    Options
    Another reason to give it 3 weeks is that, if you are a woman, you could be in a heavy part of your cycle right now, but in 2 or 3 weeks, you might be in a lighter part of your cycle.
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    That's true, I kinda forget about that!!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Options
    minime0424 wrote: »
    Well I have actually lost a total of 42 pounds in 18 weeks, my current profile is a new one because my other one started having issues so I had to make a new one just a few weeks ago. I have been averaging a two pound weight loss a week not taking into consideration the stall I had for about 5 weeks in June...I am going at it more aggresively because I have a goal date, and i am out to challenge myself.

    Your title in your post stated you thought you were eating too little, so hinse my reply, there was no need to consider eating even smaller amount than you were! When you loose a good amount of weight in the beginning, you do get smaller and need less calories, so do not forget to change your weight goals in MFP at every 9-10 pounds. Also the scale can be masked by many factors like hormones, sodium, hydration or lack there of, carb intake, changes in your deficit, muscle repair. Weightloss is not linear, There is gonna be weeks when you drop and some when you don't.

    As a recommendation you can use the scale to trend your weight as you loose. It is pretty handy to use something like weightgrapher or another app, It can help you with the water weight trends and you can see as you loose that you can indeed be loosing fat when the scale may not say you are. just a thought.

    Good luck!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Options
    This may be helpful to you:

    f7yoqbnssjnf.jpg
  • lisasimpsondoops28
    lisasimpsondoops28 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    Any help with portion control
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    I divide my food so that I am eating 6 different times throughout the day
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    Snickerscharlie I am at the big round circle on the chart you posted, I excercise, stick to my calorie intake, and I just had a checkup last week and all looks well. I'm just going to chop it up to water weight or that I'm just starting to lose slower.....and that's ok, I knew that would happen eventually. Just wanted to see from others if maybe by dropping my calories I accidentally put my body in starvation mode. Thank for everyone's replys!! Very much appreciated!!
  • pdm3547
    pdm3547 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Options
    lisasimpsondoops28 wrote: »
    Any help with portion control

    Not quite sure what you mean. If you are looking for help with portion control, then I would put it like this:
    If you eat everything on your plate after you are full because you don't like wasting food, you are still wasting the food, but making yourself unhealthy at the same time.
  • pdm3547
    pdm3547 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Options
    minime0424 wrote: »
    I divide my food so that I am eating 6 different times throughout the day

    Why?
  • minime0424
    minime0424 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    So that I am always keeping my metabolism up, the more small meals you eat throughout the day the better you keep your metabolism functioning. Your supposed to eat every two to three hours to keep your metabolism up.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Options
    Starvation mode isn't really a thing, so don't worry about that. You need to eat enough so that you don't crash and burn, though. Your metabolism doesn't stop functioning until you're dead. Eat when you want to.

Categories