800 calories/day for 5 days but zero weight loss - why?

nads_ayoub
nads_ayoub Posts: 24 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
OK so my BMI hit 29.9 and weight reached 187lbs hence I'm on a 800 calories per day diet. Strangely it's been five days and I have lost no weight whatsoever despite reading about the wonders it has done for others - quite disappointed needless to say.

I'm eating super healthy - oats for brekkie with fruits and nuts, soup and salad at lunch and heavy protein at dinner (grilled chicken or salmon with spinach/broccoli/zucchini) plus salad. I'm not a junk eater so I don't feel the need to eat in between meals - I do occasionally eat a date or two and I drink way more than 8 glasses of water a day and a few cups of green tea. So what am I doing wrong?

I'm doing light exercise - sit ups, squats, arm exercises with light weights, leg raises and various Pilates exercises. I work from home so I don't get a ton of exercise - why is the 800 a day plan not working for me?!!

Please share your experiences - all advice welcome at this point!

Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    800 is unhealthy- you are not getting the nutrition you need.

    Put your stats into MFP to lose 1-1.5 lbs a week.
    Buy a digital food scale, weigh and log all food. (Liquids cups and spoons)
    Learn to use accurate entries.
    Stick with it for a month or two.

    It takes time to lose weight.

    Cheers, h.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    You didn't gain the weight in 5 days...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    There's nothing healthy about 800 calories...

    It's only been 5 days...

    Expectations are not in line with reality...
  • nads_ayoub
    nads_ayoub Posts: 24 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You didn't gain the weight in 5 days...

    You are so right!! Three pregnancies (3 lovely boys produced over the past 10 years), way too many vacations and lots of 'happy moments' as I call them, have all contributed to the weight. It's just that I keep hearing about people who lose a kg per week and that ain't happening here!! Xx
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    800 calories a day is incredibly unhealthy, and is also dangerous. Your body is burning calories 24/7....HEART, lungs, brain, etc. Because you aren't providing adequate fuel your body has to make choices......fuel a full head of hair....or the heart muscle. Google very low calorie diets and hair loss.

    1200 calories before exercise is as low as MFP will go (for women) ......this is to help you get adequate nutrition.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    nads_ayoub wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You didn't gain the weight in 5 days...

    You are so right!! Three pregnancies (3 lovely boys produced over the past 10 years), way too many vacations and lots of 'happy moments' as I call them, have all contributed to the weight. It's just that I keep hearing about people who lose a kg per week and that ain't happening here!! Xx

    Comparison is the thief of joy...

    Stop the crash diet, start making healthy lifestyle changes....
  • canarysal
    canarysal Posts: 118 Member
    edited August 2017
    I've found on weeks I've felt I've eaten more it equals a weight loss rather than when I've cut calories too low, minimum should be 1200. Slow and steady, there's no quick fix or short cuts. Less doesn't necessarily mean more weight loss when you go below base calories and its not sustainable.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,588 MFP Moderator
    edited August 2017
    nads_ayoub wrote: »

    You are so right!! Three pregnancies (3 lovely boys produced over the past 10 years), way too many vacations and lots of 'happy moments' as I call them, have all contributed to the weight. It's just that I keep hearing about people who lose a kg per week and that ain't happening here!! Xx

    It is easy to fall into this trap, but you have to remember that a kg/week is only healthy for very overweight people. Much more overweight than you. Set goals according to what you and your body need, not others around you.

    This post has some helpful info on setting goals:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
    (quoted from the post linked above) " I think .5 to 1% bodyweight per week is a good general recommendation for most people. Very obese people may go a bit faster."
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    nads_ayoub wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    You didn't gain the weight in 5 days...

    You are so right!! Three pregnancies (3 lovely boys produced over the past 10 years), way too many vacations and lots of 'happy moments' as I call them, have all contributed to the weight. It's just that I keep hearing about people who lose a kg per week and that ain't happening here!! Xx

    Those people are massively overweight...obese/morbidly obese...
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
    TeaBea wrote: »
    800 calories a day is incredibly unhealthy, and is also dangerous. Your body is burning calories 24/7....HEART, lungs, brain, etc. Because you aren't providing adequate fuel your body has to make choices......fuel a full head of hair....or the heart muscle. Google very low calorie diets and hair loss.

    1200 calories before exercise is as low as MFP will go (for women) ......this is to help you get adequate nutrition.

    +1 Seriously. 800 is too low.
  • nads_ayoub
    nads_ayoub Posts: 24 Member
    I am consuming 80g of protein and 60g of carbs and 27g of fat daily. I know that's more than required amount of protein needed for a day and just a little lower on the carb and fat allowances recommended for daily intake. So how is it unhealthy? All advice welcome as I really need to learn more about this. Thanks
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    nads_ayoub wrote: »
    I am consuming 80g of protein and 60g of carbs and 27g of fat daily. I know that's more than required amount of protein needed for a day and just a little lower on the carb and fat allowances recommended for daily intake. So how is it unhealthy? All advice welcome as I really need to learn more about this. Thanks

    If 800cals a day was healthy, why would mfp have given you at least 1200 when you put your stats in?!
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  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/931670/bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide/p1

    In addition to the Guide to Sexy pants link, here is another one to help explain Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)- if you are confused about why you need to eat at least 1200 calories (MFP's minimum).
  • krushal8880
    krushal8880 Posts: 80 Member
    1200 is the lowest you should go. Good luck on your journey and be healthy! :)
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,588 MFP Moderator
    nads_ayoub wrote: »
    I am consuming 80g of protein and 60g of carbs and 27g of fat daily. I know that's more than required amount of protein needed for a day and just a little lower on the carb and fat allowances recommended for daily intake. So how is it unhealthy? All advice welcome as I really need to learn more about this. Thanks

    you might find this post helpful
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10569458/why-eating-too-little-calories-is-a-bad-idea/p1
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited August 2017
    nads_ayoub wrote: »
    I am consuming 80g of protein and 60g of carbs and 27g of fat daily. I know that's more than required amount of protein needed for a day and just a little lower on the carb and fat allowances recommended for daily intake. So how is it unhealthy? All advice welcome as I really need to learn more about this. Thanks

    fat shouldnt be that low unless you have to follow a low fat diet per drs orders. otherwise fat wont make you fat and its needed to help with hormone regulation and to help with vitamin and mineral breakdown.with your carbs that low you also need to up the fat.low carb low fat isnt healthy.when one macro comes down you need to up another
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited August 2017
    nads_ayoub wrote: »
    I am consuming 80g of protein and 60g of carbs and 27g of fat daily. I know that's more than required amount of protein needed for a day and just a little lower on the carb and fat allowances recommended for daily intake. So how is it unhealthy? All advice welcome as I really need to learn more about this. Thanks

    Part of "healthy" is providing the body with an appropriate amount of energy...that's what a calorie is...energy. Your body needs nutrition as well as energy (calories) to function...

    This is what would be considered a VLCD and should only be done under the care of a medical professional...typically reserved for the morbidly obese...
  • Slimpossible007
    Slimpossible007 Posts: 16,475 Member
    edited August 2017
    I consume 1600 calories a day and have lost 15 lbs in 15 weeks ...

    it could be that your sit ups etc have caused muscle soreness which in turn causes your muscles to hold onto water which makes it appear like you are not losing weight ... on 800 calories a day you are most certainly losing weight it just takes a little longer sometimes to show on the scales

    however ... 800 calories is still not enough to eat, I am talking from experience .. I done a diet like this many years ago and ended up with the scale showing me a weight loss but the mirror showing me muscle loss and lack of muscle definition

    I had a 2 inch larger waist at 180 lbs than I do now at 198 lbs .. all thanks to a 800-1000 calorie diet

    This time round I am looking after my precious muscle mass .
  • nads_ayoub
    nads_ayoub Posts: 24 Member
    Just like to thank you to each and every one of you for sharing good advice - I know how easy it is to move on to the next post! Have lots of reading to do on this tomorrow - I do feel extremely full with everything that I eat so I'm not sure if I can add too many more calories but perhaps I can gobble a Tbp of peanut butter and other good fats to get a higher count.

    Re obesity, my recent medical reports did declare me as obese so I know that weight needs to be shed but perhaps I need to do some cardio and just move more!

    Bless you all for being a great bunch for advice. Xx
  • nicoleandersen
    nicoleandersen Posts: 2 Member
    If your body isn't getting the calories and nutrients it needs, it's possible your metabolism will slow down and you will lose weight much slower, and it's definitely not healthy. Also, make sure you measure out everything you eat, because chances are, you may be consuming more calories than you think. Having a food scale has helped me immensely because I realized my power of estimating portions wasn't quite as good as I thought. Using a fitbit or other tracker is also helpful in getting you to move more so you can see the difference between calories in and calories out. As long as you are burning more calories than you are consuming, you should be losing some weight each week. Check out this article for more information: http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/daily-calorie-intake-calories-in-vs-calories-out/ Good luck!
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  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    Sounds like way more than 800 calories, tbh. Open your diary so that we can make better recommendations.

    Make sure you're tracking ACCURATELY, by weighing everything BEFORE you cook it. Don't forget to log the cooking oils, salad dressings, etc.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    willnevergiveup wrote: »
    Your metabolism has slowed down in response to your lower calorie needs. A year ago I did an experiment eating the same number of calories/macros while walking 20 miles a day every single day for a week. How much weight did I lose? Nothing! My body had concluded we were in the middle of a famine and so began conserving my energy.

    I did find a way around this. Eating several meals, low calorie, slows the metabolism down. But fasting for16-18 hours a day, with only water, and eating only in the remaining hours does not. Read or watch you tube videos of Dr, Jason Fung or visit Diet Doctor for more information.

    Utter tosh....
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