Losing weight on 1300-1500 calories
etherealanwar
Posts: 465 Member
Hi everyone,
So I began my diet roughly a month ago and I've been trying to stick to a 1,200 calorie per day routine. Unfortunately for me I seem to frequently (and by frequently i mean 80-90% of the time) go to the 1300-1500 range. I am a female, 5"4 feet and currently weigh 192 pounds. I've lost 6.8 pounds so far in 4.5 weeks but I feel as though most of that was water weight and not "real" progress. For the last 2 weeks I've been stuck at 192. I purchased a food scale last week and have been measuring everything since (learned this was necessary from these forums actually). Am I able to lose weight at this range of calories and if so what should I be expecting?
So I began my diet roughly a month ago and I've been trying to stick to a 1,200 calorie per day routine. Unfortunately for me I seem to frequently (and by frequently i mean 80-90% of the time) go to the 1300-1500 range. I am a female, 5"4 feet and currently weigh 192 pounds. I've lost 6.8 pounds so far in 4.5 weeks but I feel as though most of that was water weight and not "real" progress. For the last 2 weeks I've been stuck at 192. I purchased a food scale last week and have been measuring everything since (learned this was necessary from these forums actually). Am I able to lose weight at this range of calories and if so what should I be expecting?
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Replies
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6.8lbs in 4.5 weeks is a good rate of loss.
just keep doing what you're doing.
given your stats you don't need to eat as little as 1200 cals to lose weight.12 -
I started off low like you, but I’ve since moved up to 1,300 calories and I’m still losing quite quickly. I’m gonna give it another week and then look at upping by another 100 or 200 calories just to slow things down (I lost about 10lbs in a month). I’m also 5’4” and currently at 128lbs, so I’d recommend sticking to the higher calorie amount and just making sure you’re counting correctly and drinking enough water.1
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Your sedentary TDEE should be around 1920 for your height, weight and sex. So to lose a pound a week, you'd want to net 1420 calories a day.
You've lost almost 7lbs in 4.5 weeks, so that's about 1.5lbs per week! Sure a bit of it might be water weight, but you seem to be right on track.3 -
A lot will depend on your activity, but from what I've seen on the forums, people with your height and weight do lose on 1300-1500 calories (and sometimes eating even more.) Many people find 1200 calories a day to be unsustainable in the long-term, so you may have better results overall if you do eat more to start out with (i.e. because it will be easier to stick to your calorie goals.)3
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I also doubt that a whole 6lbs is water weight. You’ve definitely made progress, and I think sometimes it’s normal to stall for a little while?3
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Thanks everyone, I know I can lose at this calorie amount it's mostly the last 2 week stall that's got me worried that I'm not doing it correctly and perhaps I needed to restrict myself more. My weight has fluctuated between 192.4 to 191.2 over the 2 weeks. It's funny because I can *almost* go the whole day at around 1200 but I always get the munchies late at night and I snack on something that puts me over that amount haha. Got to work on that self restraint I suppose!0
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I have the same stats as you but the difference is I am 60yo. I am losing at a rate of 1/2 lb a week. I log every meal and weigh and measure at 1400 cal. My job is not strenuous but I do move around.
Now for me to lose faster I know I need to do more formal physical activity.0 -
etherealanwar wrote: »Thanks everyone, I know I can lose at this calorie amount it's mostly the last 2 week stall that's got me worried that I'm not doing it correctly and perhaps I needed to restrict myself more. My weight has fluctuated between 192.4 to 191.2 over the 2 weeks. It's funny because I can *almost* go the whole day at around 1200 but I always get the munchies late at night and I snack on something that puts me over that amount haha. Got to work on that self restraint I suppose!
weight loss isn't linear.
the people who are most successful at losing weight are generally the ones who eat as much as possible, not as little.10 -
etherealanwar wrote: »Thanks everyone, I know I can lose at this calorie amount it's mostly the last 2 week stall that's got me worried that I'm not doing it correctly and perhaps I needed to restrict myself more. My weight has fluctuated between 192.4 to 191.2 over the 2 weeks. It's funny because I can *almost* go the whole day at around 1200 but I always get the munchies late at night and I snack on something that puts me over that amount haha. Got to work on that self restraint I suppose!
I enjoy having a big dinner and some evening snacks so I practice intermittent fasting to fit them into my calorie goal.
I don't eat breakfast and have a small lunch, usually around 400 calories. I save all the rest of my calories for the evening! 1 -
etherealanwar wrote: »Thanks everyone, I know I can lose at this calorie amount it's mostly the last 2 week stall that's got me worried that I'm not doing it correctly and perhaps I needed to restrict myself more. My weight has fluctuated between 192.4 to 191.2 over the 2 weeks. It's funny because I can *almost* go the whole day at around 1200 but I always get the munchies late at night and I snack on something that puts me over that amount haha. Got to work on that self restraint I suppose!
I enjoy having a big dinner and some evening snacks so I practice intermittent fasting to fit them into my calorie goal. I don't eat breakfast and have a small lunch, usually around 400 calories. I save all the rest of my calories for the evening!
I wish I could go without breakfast and not having hunger pangs but I do and it's quite annoying. I might try just having a cheese string or granola bar in the morning to curb that hunger and having a small lunch like you said. It's most definitely easier to not eat while at work, hahaha!0 -
etherealanwar wrote: »etherealanwar wrote: »Thanks everyone, I know I can lose at this calorie amount it's mostly the last 2 week stall that's got me worried that I'm not doing it correctly and perhaps I needed to restrict myself more. My weight has fluctuated between 192.4 to 191.2 over the 2 weeks. It's funny because I can *almost* go the whole day at around 1200 but I always get the munchies late at night and I snack on something that puts me over that amount haha. Got to work on that self restraint I suppose!
I enjoy having a big dinner and some evening snacks so I practice intermittent fasting to fit them into my calorie goal. I don't eat breakfast and have a small lunch, usually around 400 calories. I save all the rest of my calories for the evening!
I wish I could go without breakfast and not having hunger pangs but I do and it's quite annoying. I might try just having a cheese string or granola bar in the morning to curb that hunger and having a small lunch like you said. It's most definitely easier to not eat while at work, hahaha!
It's definitely not for everyone. But I used to NEED breakfast or I'd feel nauseous and starving all morning. I don't know when exactly it changed, but my body just slowly adapted to my new eating schedule and now I have no trouble not eating until 11am-12pm. I just drink nice flavored teas all morning. Anyway! It may not work for you, but it may be worth a try if you don't want to give up your evening snacks.1 -
I used to eat breakfast because various diet gurus said we should........0
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I'm 5'3 and started at 172 and am down to 166 in 5 weeks. I'm eating 1300-1600 a day mattering on my activity level. I'm losing about a pound a week. I did notice I gained almost 2 pounds right before my period and lost it the day after I stated so FYI your weight can fluctuate a lot with your cycle. I find this a good reason to weigh everyday so you can know what your normal fluctuations are. I track it on the Happy Scale app. Many years ago I lost weight on a 1200 diet but it was hard and I gained it back. I'm much happier on this level of calories and am not as hungry at night either.2
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I’m in my mid-twenties and we’re a similar size—I’ve been losing on 1,500 calories a day. I tried 1,200 as well but it was just not sustainable for me.2
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I'm 5'3 and started at 172 and am down to 166 in 5 weeks. I'm eating 1300-1600 a day mattering on my activity level. I'm losing about a pound a week. I did notice I gained almost 2 pounds right before my period and lost it the day after I stated so FYI your weight can fluctuate a lot with your cycle. I find this a good reason to weigh everyday so you can know what your normal fluctuations are. I track it on the Happy Scale app. Many years ago I lost weight on a 1200 diet but it was hard and I gained it back. I'm much happier on this level of calories and am not as hungry at night either.
I gain 3-5 lbs around my time of month but unfortunately due to my IUD my periods have been out of whack and I never know when to expect it. It skips months at times too. I'm going to try limiting my breakfast to allow for my eating habits at night and see how that pans out otherwise I'll stick to what I'm doing currently. Slow progress is better than none I suppose.0 -
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Don't let yourself get too caught up in the idea that the only way to lose weight is to eat at or under 1200 calories. You lose weight if you eat less than the number of calories it takes to support your current weight and general activity level (i.e. maintenance). That number can vary based on a number of factors, but even for us shorter women (5'2" here) it's generally several hundred calories over 1200, and if you're overweight or obese can easily be a thousand or more over. The important things are to estimate your calorie intake and output as accurate as possible and to be patient. If it's been some time (4-6 weeks) and your weight isn't trending down, take a look at your tracking accuracy - chances are extremely good you're eating more than you think you are.2
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If you're premenopausal, one possibility is that you've added some new menstruasl-cycle-related water weight that's temporarily masking fat loss. Different women experience this at different points in their cycles, and the magnitude can be up to several pounds. After a couple of months in a deficit, you'll learn your personal pattern.
There are other things that can add a bit of water weight, too: Muscle repair from new exercise, a little extra sodium or carbs eaten vs. usual (even if a perfectly healthy amount, within calorie goal), fighting off a minor virus/infection and more.
So, hang in there, give it two or three weeks, and don't panic. I predict you'll be fine.
(I lost most of the weight from 180s to 120s in less than a year, at 5'5", age 59-60, on 1400-1600 net calories.)0 -
Your weight seems to fluctuate a mere pound. You're doing great!!1
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DebLaBounty wrote: »Your weight seems to fluctuate a mere pound. You're doing great!!
Awe thank you! I think making this thread was a good idea to reassure myself everything is going just fine and not to freak out. It's just that i've decided to really take it seriously this time and not give up as I have all others so any thoughts of me messing up irk me a lot. So far its a downward trend and i'll keep my eye on that 0 -
I've been stuck within the same pound for as long as 4 weeks, then woosh....huge loss, followed by "on schedule" smaller losses for a month. Weight loss is far from linear! I always see a jump when I expect a drop, and a drop when I expect a jump, so I've just stopped expecting anything1
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I’m aiming to just maintain from Thanksgiving to New Years. I’m usually at 1200 plus half my exercise calories (another 100-150 calories). I’m 5’2” and 63 yo. Weight is 129 (GW is 124 but I got stuck a few months ago). You’re doing great!0
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That’s perfect. Keep doing what your doing. No need to suffer assuming this is long-term Plan.2
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I totally know how you're feeling. I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but here are some changes that I've made that helped me to "lose weight" (more on that further down) and still feel as if I've been eating a lot:
- I upped my calories to about 1,450 and changed where those calories come from
- I have eliminated all "obvious" sources of carbs (e.g. granola, muesli, bread, rice and potatoes)
- I am eating a lot more fat than I used to (think smoked salmon, poached eggs, full fat cream cheese)
- I make sure I hit my protein goal for the day (if you're a carnivore this will be fun but there are also good vegetarian and vegan options )
- I have stopped weighing myself more than once every two weeks but take body measurements once a week which consistently have shown progress (which wasn't always reflected in my body weight)
If you're exercising and depending on what type of exercise you are doing, you might be gaining weight in muscle which would then lead to you not seeing any difference or even an increase in weight on the scales. Try taking your measurements instead as you'll see your body "shrinking" even when you're not losing weight.
I found changing from the scales to the measuring tape the one key thing that keeps me going as I used to beat myself up over not making any progress when actually, my body composition was probably changing and I looked smaller but it just didn't show on the scales. Nevertheless, I would get discouraged and fall off the wagon because I felt as if all of my efforts were for nothing. When I started measuring myself, I was able to celebrate every millimeter lost when I knew I had stayed on track food-wise but didn't see a change on the scales.
This is now turning into a lengthy post, but I just want to finish by saying that it sounds as if you're doing amazingly well. Don't beat yourself up. We're so used to being promised "diet wonders" of "lose 7 pounds in 7 days" which all aim to get us to invest in the multi billion dollar industry that's weight loss that sometimes we lose sight of what's realistic, healthy and sustainable long term.
You're doing this for you (and you're doing well!) so be kind to yourself, trust the process and think positive. You can do it, lovely!! 2 -
I am 5' 4" and started at 189, and am currently 168 and I have been eating a lot more than 1200 calories. I have some weeks were even when I stick to my calories I don't lose and others (like this week) where I lost 1.4lbs. Use the guided set up that MFP gives you, log your exercise and stay within the weekly calories. Just remember if you want to keep it off, this is not going to take a couple weeks or even a couple months. 1lb a week and just keep at it.1
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At your weight you could probably still lose at 1660 which is my calorie goal. I am 221 at the moment but 1660 was a calorie goal that was given to me when I was here before and just under 200 pounds.0
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Honestly, it sounds like you are doing great!
It's taken me quite some time to learn to trust the process but I finally have. Some weeks I lose a pound. Other times I'll go three or four weeks without anything and then a large jump. Some days I am starving and craving pizza or ice cream and other days I want nothing more than to eat a salad or a smoothie or something. You should be setting yourself up for a healthy life, not a diet (which it sounds like you are doing). If your body is much happier eating around 1300 or 1400 calories then do that. I've found my sweet spot is about 1600. Much less and I'm starving and weight loss stalls, much more and weight loss stalls and I feel sluggish. If you need to eat breakfast then do that. I work out in the morning so right after I drink a protein shake smoothie at work. If not I feel light headed.
Take measurements and photos! Sometimes I feel light I haven't changed and then I take a photo and I'm like wait a minute, there used to be a roll there or this shirt used to dig in here, etc.
You got this!1 -
As @TavistockToad mentioned, weight loss is not linear. Here is an interesting article by Lyle McDonald: https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/.
Several MFPers have mentioned that they use a trending app. Here's an example from the web app (https://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/HackDiet/) that I use:
The white diamonds are my daily weights; they are all over the place. The red line is my weight trend.
As others have mentioned, do the right things and trust the process. The weight will come off. :-)1 -
etherealanwar wrote: »Thanks everyone, I know I can lose at this calorie amount it's mostly the last 2 week stall that's got me worried that I'm not doing it correctly and perhaps I needed to restrict myself more. My weight has fluctuated between 192.4 to 191.2 over the 2 weeks. It's funny because I can *almost* go the whole day at around 1200 but I always get the munchies late at night and I snack on something that puts me over that amount haha. Got to work on that self restraint I suppose!
If you're finding you get the munchies late at night it's possible that you are simply restricting too much during the day. Personally I'd be gnawing my leg off if I were to try and restrict myself to 1200 Calories a day. Granted I'm pretty (well very) active now, but I wasn't so active when I was 190lb at 5'2" (and wasn't at all active at 290lb) and have very rarely dropped below 2000 Calories a day while losing weight.0 -
kshearer13 wrote: »Honestly, it sounds like you are doing great!
It's taken me quite some time to learn to trust the process but I finally have. Some weeks I lose a pound. Other times I'll go three or four weeks without anything and then a large jump. Some days I am starving and craving pizza or ice cream and other days I want nothing more than to eat a salad or a smoothie or something. You should be setting yourself up for a healthy life, not a diet (which it sounds like you are doing). If your body is much happier eating around 1300 or 1400 calories then do that. I've found my sweet spot is about 1600. Much less and I'm starving and weight loss stalls, much more and weight loss stalls and I feel sluggish. If you need to eat breakfast then do that.
Ditto this! My body is happiest when I eat around 1600. I'm also 5'4" and I (re)started this October at 191. (After almost meeting my goal weight last year at an average of 1600 calories, I gained a lot back when I stopped running AND counting calories this year) So since October I had been eating between 1200-1400 and I've lost a good amount of weight, but I then stalled for two weeks. I was also suddenly getting hungrier more often. I decided to listen to my body, upped my calories to 1600,and Bam, the scale went down two pounds within a week. So really I think the best thing you can do is to look at this in the long term. Take the time to listen to the cues your body gives you. If you have been feeling hungrier and hungrier, maybe your body is missing essential nutrition. Even though it might sound counter intuitive, go ahead and aim to eat 1500 calories (The high limit you set) for a week and see what happens. Don't just mind your macros, but take a look at the vitamins and minerals that you are taking in, healthy fats, etc. Last year I was unable to even start my weight loss process until I learned that I had a pretty bad vitamin D deficiency and went about correcting that. Once at healthy levels it was SO much easier for me to get my head into losing weight.This time around I felt pretty foggy headed the first few weeks until I realized I was not getting enough potassium. I Started taking a daily electrolyte mix high in potassium and that fixed that. So sorry, I'm probably giving more advice than you asked but I have learned to just listen to the cues my body gives me and if something feels off, I read, read, read until I'm able to figure out the problem. As you've probably learned from reading the threads, everyone has advice to offer, I'm just humbly submitting mine. Hope some of it helps.1
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