Eating 1200 calories a day/burning 600 not losing weight

You are probably burning muscle when you go too low in calories not to mention other things that may happen. I did an 800 calorie diet and lost weight, yes. I gained it all back and then some and it took awhile to build that muscle back! This is important when you get into your 40's and beyond. I am 5'3" as well. The number on the scale does not tell the whole story. You should shoot for a pound a week. You will build muscle with your workout but it takes awhile for the numbers to change on the scale. It's just a number. Go by how your clothes fit and your energy level. I have experienced the same thing, too.

You have to think of your body as a car, and a car needs fuel to run. If you have no gas.....(get it) I'm 38 years old I have no problem eating 1600 plus calories and burning 500. Sometimes I over eat to 1700 to 1800 calories and I don't cry about it. Plus I strength train ( lift weights) so I will build muscle while burning fat, so the scale might not move, but the inches do! A good example: 3 years ago I weighed 140 pounds(im 5"-not good) and a size 8-after losing weight and training I was 133 in a size 3. 5 pounds of fat looks like a pillow, fat is fluffy. Muscle is solid. So with that said.....(I went off corse a bit) but when you eat 1200 and burn 1/2 -your body goes into starvation mode. It will hold on to every bit of food and drink you consume. Your body will pull its nutrients from your muscle first( definitely not good) basically your body is eating your muscles. What's known as fat-skinny and you will remain flabby, tired, frustrated and hungry. You have to eat. But eat clean. Not a bunch of processed food canned or fast food period. Including fast food salads. And 100 calorie packs and diet sodas.. Clean fuel. You will feel the energy ASAP when you do. I promise you. Don't go the starving route.

I looked at these responses because I am a 49 yr old woman eating 1200 calories per day, more to make up for exercise and I lost 10 pounds the first 2 weeks and the last 3 weeks have not lost anything. It was recommended I switch up types of foods and exercises. That has not made any difference this past week. Why can't I lose even a pound??????

How long have you been doing this? Working out and burning that many calories, but only taking in 1200 is not very good for your body. Once it becomes used to this routine of you not eating enough you will get stuck in a rut and your body will refuse to let go of any more weight. It simply see's this routine as you "starving your body". I would definitely suggest upping your cals :flowerforyou:

The smaller you get, the harder it is... I'm 5'2 and once I got to 119, I stopped losing weight. I was happy with my weight so I changed my settings to maintenance which was 1570 net calories. Wouldn't you know it, but after I made that change, 3 more pounds shed away... Amazing!

Edited to say: If you're exercising that much, feed your muscles!

bump

I looked at these responses because I am a 49 yr old woman eating 1200 calories per day, more to make up for exercise and I lost 10 pounds the first 2 weeks and the last 3 weeks have not lost anything. It was recommended I switch up types of foods and exercises. That has not made any difference this past week. Why can't I lose even a pound??????

Are you using a food scale to weigh your food and measuring cups for free-pouring liquids? I'd recommend that you take time to read through all the links posted on this thread.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8017-in-place-of-a-road-map

Please start here. This will explain it all.

^ This, read all of it! You are probably stalled due to your low caloric intake. Eat back your exercise calories.

I'll say if you do that much exercise, you may be gaining muscles. I'll be focusing on body fat if I were you and what your photos say more than the scales. The scales don't often show the true picture

Netting 600 calories is not enough to build muscle. This high of a deficit will cause the body to LOSE muscle.

OP, eat more. You are not consuming enough for just daily living let alone with that much exercise.

My BMR was like 1292 and the TDEE was 2234 something like that.

Try TDEE - 20%, so around 1800cals should be good for you

This. When I started exercising more, I didn't up my calories, and my weight loss slowed. Now that I'm eating more, the weight is coming off quicker.

cmriverside wrote: »

GretchenatErko wrote: »

This whole starvation mode thing is a load of BS. So for anyone reading this thread down the track, read this: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

SIX YEAR OLD THREAD.

Maybe start your own thread if you want to argue this point.

Better yet, let's not argue this point. Again. For the two millionth time. This month.

Amen

pinuplove wrote: »

cmriverside wrote: »

GretchenatErko wrote: »

This whole starvation mode thing is a load of BS. So for anyone reading this thread down the track, read this: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

SIX YEAR OLD THREAD.

Maybe start your own thread if you want to argue this point.

Better yet, let's not argue this point. Again. For the two millionth time. This month.

And it's only June 4th

Exactly!

That is a good article Gretchen linked, though. There are a lot of links enclosed and a lot of good info.

So not all is lost on the six year old thread.

pinuplove wrote: »

cmriverside wrote: »

GretchenatErko wrote: »

This whole starvation mode thing is a load of BS. So for anyone reading this thread down the track, read this: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

SIX YEAR OLD THREAD.

Maybe start your own thread if you want to argue this point.

Better yet, let's not argue this point. Again. For the two millionth time. This month.

And it's only June 4th

Wait till the end of July and the beginning of August, when lots of people are on vacation and new posts are just trickling in. We could be headed for a zombie apocolypse