Trying 1400kcal and struggling

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almejandrilla
almejandrilla Posts: 5 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi there! I've been watching my eating for the past 7 days and I'm afraid I've seen no change. Moving from about 2200kcal a day to 1400 and exercise 4times/week hasn't impacted my weight or measures at all. But hey, still here. Need some moral support to get rid of 10-15lb.

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  • zeejane03
    zeejane03 Posts: 993 Member
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    Are you using a food scale to measure out accurate portion sizes? Are you recording all your food intake (including things like condiments, coffee additions etc).

    Is the exercise new/have you upped the intensity?

    Also, 7 days isn't really enough time to see progress. If you're not using a weight trending app it's really helpful-Happy Scale for apple or Libra for android. Focus on your monthly losses and not so much your daily weigh-ins. The number on the scale will fluctuate a bit daily due to normal bodily functions, that aren't necessarily related to fat gains/losses.
  • almejandrilla
    almejandrilla Posts: 5 Member
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    zeejane03 wrote: »
    Are you using a food scale to measure out accurate portion sizes? Are you recording all your food intake (including things like condiments, coffee additions etc).

    Is the exercise new/have you upped the intensity?

    Also, 7 days isn't really enough time to see progress. If you're not using a weight trending app it's really helpful-Happy Scale for apple or Libra for android. Focus on your monthly losses and not so much your daily weigh-ins. The number on the scale will fluctuate a bit daily due to normal bodily functions, that aren't necessarily related to fat gains/losses.

    Thank you so much. I was getting discouraged. I'm not weighing most of my portions but I will have to I think. I know for a fact I'm eating a lot better and less than before. And no alcohol, no desserts. I feel better but I'm not seeing proof of it haha.
    I'll weigh in a couple of weeks and download the app you suggested. I don't know maybe 1440 isn't enough to lose weight for me? I'm not overweight, I just need to lose some because I gained like 7lbs in the past year. I should be getting rid of 10_15. Im afraid I might not be eating what I should but In trying very hard.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited March 2019
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    if you took a year to put it on, it will take a long time to get it off. with only 10-15pds to lose you want a rate of loss of no more than 1pd/a week (better yet 0.5). one week is peanuts. i mean it's AWESOME and great job on getting started on the journey, but it's a marathon not a sprint.

    if you just added or increased exercise then your muscles may also be retaining more water to repair themselves, which would mask any weight loss temporarily.

    if you are not weighing your food you can't be at all sure you are actually eating 1400. eyeballing and estimates are notoriously bad (even using measure cups). so before playing with numbers i'd ensure to have some good data points (more time, and use of food scale).

    it doesn't matter how clean your eat, its' the calories that matter for weight loss.

    ETA: once you are tracking more precisely ensure to eat back the exercise calories. if you are working out you should be eating more than 1400 (assuming that is what you are getting from MFP for no more than 1lb/week rate of loss, ideally 0.5)

  • almejandrilla
    almejandrilla Posts: 5 Member
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    Panini911 wrote: »
    if you took a year to put it on, it will take a long time to get it off. with only 10-15pds to lose you want a rate of loss of no more than 1pd/a week (better yet 0.5). one week is peanuts. i mean it's AWESOME and great job on getting started on the journey, but it's a marathon not a sprint.

    if you just added or increased exercise then your muscles may also be retaining more water to repair themselves, which would mask any weight loss temporarily.

    if you are not weighing your food you can't be at all sure you are actually eating 1400. eyeballing and estimates are notoriously bad (even using measure cups). so before playing with numbers i'd ensure to have some good data points (more time, and use of food scale).

    it doesn't matter how clean your eat, its' the calories that matter for weight loss.

    ETA: once you are tracking more precisely ensure to eat back the exercise calories. if you are working out you should be eating more than 1400 (assuming that is what you are getting from MFP for no more than 1lb/week rate of loss, ideally 0.5)

    Alright. I took my scale out and will be meal planning more accurately. Also.. when it comes to exercise.. what do you recommend! I've been walking/jogging at 5.5-6.5mph for 20-30min and doing weight lifting (which I enjoy So much more than cardio. Should I do more cardio? Can I do cardio some days and some days just lift? I also do (and always have) hot yoga for 90min twice a week. Yoga is probably the reason I didn't put 30lbs in the last year.
    What do you think my exercise routine should look like?
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
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    i'm in NO WAY knowledgable in that. for the last 6 months i've been relagated to walking only due to various injuries that won't seem to heal (on my third physio and tried a chiro and yes, a visit to a sports doctor...) On the plus side, i've been losing the dreaded "last 5" (actually last -5 as i'm way beyond my original goal) steadily despite this, weight loss really is all about what you do in the kitchen.

    i was a runner. i miss running. i miss cardio. was doing yoga but some classes just mess my legs up for weeks.

    Do pick things you like and may maintain. don't exercise just for weight loss but forever.
  • HoopGrl
    HoopGrl Posts: 6 Member
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    Have you tried ZigZag Calorie Cycling? 😁
  • rdthoms
    rdthoms Posts: 61 Member
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    7 days is way too short. Give it 7 weeks and you'll see results if you are complete and honest with your logging (and hitting your goals). Going from 2200 to 1400 cals is a little aggressive. Generally 20% is more sustainable (try for 1750 cals).
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
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    1) weigh EVERYTHING and choose the usda entried where possible. Steer clear from cup measures.

    2) you are most likely eating more than 1400

    3) if you don't like cardio - don't do it. Not necessary at all. Keep lifting. I lost most of my weight with ZERO cardio apart from walking around. All I did was lift lift lift. But proper lift - not sit on the machines and watch people on Instagram. Actually follow a proper lifting program and stick to it.

    4) 7 days is nothing.

    5) I agree with the trend app thing above. I weight every day in the morning, naked, fasted. Log it into Happy Scale. It helps me maintain my maintenance, because when the little graph starts going red I see that I need to settle down a bit in the food intake so I reduce calories slightly for a week or two and hey presto, back to normal.

    6) Good luck!! :)
  • almejandrilla
    almejandrilla Posts: 5 Member
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    What lift
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    1) weigh EVERYTHING and choose the usda entried where possible. Steer clear from cup measures.

    2) you are most likely eating more than 1400

    3) if you don't like cardio - don't do it. Not necessary at all. Keep lifting. I lost most of my weight with ZERO cardio apart from walking around. All I did was lift lift lift. But proper lift - not sit on the machines and watch people on Instagram. Actually follow a proper lifting program and stick to it.

    4) 7 days is nothing.

    5) I agree with the trend app thing above. I weight every day in the morning, naked, fasted. Log it into Happy Scale. It helps me maintain my maintenance, because when the little graph starts going red I see that I need to settle down a bit in the food intake so I reduce calories slightly for a week or two and hey presto, back to normal.

    6) Good luck!! :)

    Thank you so much, that was super insightful. Do you recommend a lift program??
    I will be gracious with my.body and weight in a month. And I will work on my portions.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    almejandrilla wrote: »
    What lift
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    1) weigh EVERYTHING and choose the usda entried where possible. Steer clear from cup measures.

    2) you are most likely eating more than 1400

    3) if you don't like cardio - don't do it. Not necessary at all. Keep lifting. I lost most of my weight with ZERO cardio apart from walking around. All I did was lift lift lift. But proper lift - not sit on the machines and watch people on Instagram. Actually follow a proper lifting program and stick to it.

    4) 7 days is nothing.

    5) I agree with the trend app thing above. I weight every day in the morning, naked, fasted. Log it into Happy Scale. It helps me maintain my maintenance, because when the little graph starts going red I see that I need to settle down a bit in the food intake so I reduce calories slightly for a week or two and hey presto, back to normal.

    6) Good luck!! :)

    Thank you so much, that was super insightful. Do you recommend a lift program??
    I will be gracious with my.body and weight in a month. And I will work on my portions.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • HoopGrl
    HoopGrl Posts: 6 Member
    edited March 2019
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    This is what I mean by Zigzag Calorie Cycling, I'm going to start next week. Go to www.calculator.net and under health and fitness click under calorie calculator and it gives you 3 options, maintenance, mild weight loss, weight loss, and extreme weight loss. Below is what it gives for me, this week is my first week staying within 1,326. So I will try this for the next two weeks. :wink:

    Zigzag Calorie Cycling:
    As you keep a low-calorie diet, your body will likely adapt to the new, lower energy environment, which can lead to a plateau in your progress. Zigzag calorie cycling, also known as a "zigzag diet," is a method of calorie consumption that can potentially help you overcome this plateau and get you back on track to meeting your goals. Click here to learn more about zigzag diet. The following are two sample 7-day Zigzag calorie cycling schedules.

    Zigzag diet schedule 1

    Extreme weight loss
    Sunday 1,326 Calories
    Monday 1,200 Calories
    Tuesday 1,200 Calories
    Wednesday 1,200 Calories
    Thursday 1,200 Calories
    Friday 1,200 Calories
    Saturday 1,326 Calories

    Zigzag diet schedule 2

    Extreme weight loss
    Sunday 1,200 Calories
    Monday 1,224 Calories
    Tuesday 1,248 Calories
    Wednesday. 1,272 Calories
    Thursday 1,260 Calories
    Friday 1,236 Calories
    Saturday 1,212 Calories

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