Only lost 3lbs why?

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I've been eating 1,200 calories give or take a few for 4 weeks now and only lost 3 lbs. I've been running 1.5 miles 5 days a week. I expected to have lost more. Am I doing something wrong?

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  • jacobsl221
    jacobsl221 Posts: 75 Member
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    Three pounds is wonderful! Don't beat yourself up. Body changes take time.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,080 Member
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    "give or take"

    :huh:
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    edited April 2017
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    I've been eating 1,200 calories give or take a few for 4 weeks now and only lost 3 lbs. I've been running 1.5 miles 5 days a week. I expected to have lost more. Am I doing something wrong?

    The only thing 'wrong' is your expectations. You're losing at a great rate. Are you eating back any exercise calories?
    Weighing and measuring your food?
    Logging everything?
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    3 pounds is good!!!

    I don't recommend starting out at 1200 calories though- doesn't give you much wiggle room. As you lose weight, you will have to reduce your calories to keep losing. Use a tdee calc or reset mfp for .5 pound/week weight loss. Then eat that amount accurately every day using a good scale.
  • greenbay0824
    greenbay0824 Posts: 3 Member
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    Yes I log everything . I work in law enforcement so it's difficult for me to get on a schedule. Sleep times are off as well as times I eat. TDEE says I should be at 1934 minus 15-20% so I'm well under what I need to be. Not sure if I'm building muscle from running and doing sprints or why I can't lose more.
  • GeoffTKirk
    GeoffTKirk Posts: 10 Member
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    It's possible that due to the extreme reduction in your energy intake, your body is in starvation mode. Be careful not to reduce to harshly as you can do some metabolic damage. On the bright side, if you are gaining muscle, that will help to positively affect your metabolism. ☺️
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    GeoffTKirk wrote: »
    It's possible that due to the extreme reduction in your energy intake, your body is in starvation mode. Be careful not to reduce to harshly as you can do some metabolic damage. On the bright side, if you are gaining muscle, that will help to positively affect your metabolism. ☺️

    She's in starvation mode but building muscle? Not sure that's how it works.
    Don't recall seeing any one get to incredible hulk status from undereating. Or anyone staying fat from not eating enough....

    How are you determining your intake - logging is great, but how are you working out what to log?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,080 Member
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    GeoffTKirk wrote: »
    It's possible that due to the extreme reduction in your energy intake, your body is in starvation mode. Be careful not to reduce to harshly as you can do some metabolic damage. On the bright side, if you are gaining muscle, that will help to positively affect your metabolism. ☺️

    NO. No, to all of this except the harsh reduction not really being necessary.

    "Starvation mode" doesn't exist in this way. "Metabolic damage" also doesn't happen by eating at 1200 .

    @greenbay0824, you haven't gained muscle in a month but you may be holding a little water if you're not used to the exercise.

    It is likely you don't need to be eating 1200, 1500 is probably good - but three pounds loss in a month is right on track.

    Here: read through the sticky "Most helpful posts"

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest
  • greenbay0824
    greenbay0824 Posts: 3 Member
    edited April 2017
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    I track everything on MyFitnessPal and through my iwatch.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,669 Member
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    Yes I log everything . I work in law enforcement so it's difficult for me to get on a schedule. Sleep times are off as well as times I eat. TDEE says I should be at 1934 minus 15-20% so I'm well under what I need to be. Not sure if I'm building muscle from running and doing sprints or why I can't lose more.
    Are you sure on TDEE? The most average person would be around 1500 and even if your work was sedentary, that would get you at about 1800. Add in your running and I'm thinking you're closer to at least 2100. What's your stats? (height, weight, age)

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    I track everything on MyFitnessPal and through my iwatch.

    Do you weigh all solids on a scale, measure all liquids, and use accurate database entries?
  • nrbutton
    nrbutton Posts: 165 Member
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    When you start a new workout routine your body goes through an adjustment period where it's trying to prepare for the next day and repair muscles being used so the inflammation and water retention in your muscles will add pounds to the scale but it's not fat. You will not gain fat at 1200 calories so no matter what the scale is saying (as long as you are measuring and logging your intake accurately) you are losing fat and probably more than is showing up on the scale right now since you've also added increased activity. You will most likely see a drop or series of dropping in pounds once your body doesn't need to store extra water for your workouts.

    Increasing your water intake is a great way to relieve water retention and keep an eye on high sodium days, they will cause you to retain water as well
  • SylviazSpirit
    SylviazSpirit Posts: 694 Member
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    It sounds like you aren't eating enough. An active female base calorie is 1500. 1200 is a base for sedentary.... You don't sound sedentary at all... Your metabolism will slow as you keep feeding it less than it needs... Give it the fuel it needs and you will see the scale move.