FRUSTRATED!!! I'm working my *ss off to lose weight and noth

aschyvinch
aschyvinch Posts: 4
edited November 10 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok, so I've been in the gym everyday for the last 2 weeks...I work out for an hour and a hlaf everyday after I get off of work at 10pm. I eat healthy BUT I have eating under my target calorie intake everday. My boss told me that if I don't at least eat 1200 calories a day I will actually gain weight because my body thinks I'm going into starvation mode. I don't understand how that is possible. Can anyone please help me understand what I need to do to lose this weight?!? I really appreciate ANY feedback!! Thanks :)

Abby
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Replies

  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
    Your body needs energy. If you're eating less than 1200 calories - which is the minimum your body needs to function, AND exercising - what is your body running on? Nothing!

    You need to eat at least 1200 calories a day. Weight loss, IMO, is not as simple as "calories in, calories out". Don't buy into that. You don't necessarily lose weight from staying under a certain calorie goal.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Read this, then read it again...
    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    Make sure you're eating enough protein to preserve your muscle mass. This is especially important when you are working out and created a large caloric deficit.

    The starvation mode is not really an issue if you have a lot of fat stored. It is an issue as you reach a more lean state. You don't need all this fuel coming in from eating because you have plenty of fat available. But you do need adequate protein. You also need to make sure you aren't overly tired and feeling lazy, which can happen if your caloric intake is very low. People tend to do better with small caloric deficits, which is where the eating back the exercise calories can be helpful.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    You most definitely need to up your caloric intake. I was doing the same thing, but eating the 1200 and NOT my exercise calories earned. Once I started eating more, I started losing more. Try it for one week and see if you see a difference in your weight loss.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Hey, you're working your *kitten* off! That's the good thing!

    Don't get frustrated yet. 2 weeks is such a short time in the greater scheme of things. You'll get there!

    Stay hydrated, don't confuse thirst for hunger!
    Keep eating, your body will hold that weight if you don't get enough food.
    If you only have a few pounds to lose, it frequently takes longer!
    Be 100% honest and log everything you eat and drink. You may find hidden calories you didn't know were there.

    Keep going! You will get there!
  • thinbride0004
    thinbride0004 Posts: 11 Member
    Ok so I have heard the same thing about if you don't eat more than 1200 calories, you will gain weight. It is true that if your body is not getting enough nutrients it will start to become unhealthy and 'hold on' to weight. Is 1200 calories the magic number for everyone? who knows (or at least I don't) ! But..... I know for sure that if you are eating less bad food, more healthy food, and exercising you WILL see results.

    The first time I lost a lot of weight I lost about 40 pounds which put me right at my goal weight. I only lost about 3 of it in the first month. I was so frustrated and then just decided to keep going if for no other reason than to be healthy. After that the weight started to fall off about 5 pounds or more every couple of weeks. Sometimes it just takes time to see results. I promise if you stick to it you will see results.

    Frustration only makes things worse, so I know it's hard but try to relax. For me it helped to focus on getting stronger and healthier and then lighter and thinner followed! Hope this helps stick with it!
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.
  • 2012x
    2012x Posts: 149 Member
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    LOL

    Eat more simple :)
  • mrseelmerfudd
    mrseelmerfudd Posts: 506 Member
    give it another few weeks. it takes time for your body to adjust. and defnately try to eat at least 1200 kcals a day!
  • RachVR6
    RachVR6 Posts: 3,688 Member
    Ummm yea, if you're working out for 90min every day you DEFINITELY need to eat more than 1200cals. Even more-so if you aren't very overweight.
  • MJBez
    MJBez Posts: 43 Member
    I was making the same mistake you were!
    I ate too few calories, worked out hard 5 days a week.. lost nothing and eventually gave up!
    Now, I make sure I eat my 1200 cals a day, eating as healthy as I can (I'm not perfect) But.. i actually only work out 3 days a week now... and am seeing results quickly! In one month I lost 7 lbs... not bad. If you don't eat enough you body will hold onto water weight and whatever fat it can so it can survive the starvation you are putting it through! Working out 90 mins a day isnt necessarily needed, however, if you feel best worling out that much I would be eating SOME of the calories you burn. For example, if you burn 600 calories, dont be afraid to eat a hundred to 2 into that. You will still lose weight. Make sure you are feeding your body right if you are working out that much! I can't stress that enough, if you dont you surely will burn out! Bodies need fuel :smile:
    Keep going, dont give up! If you are working your *ss off and its not working, I think your body is trying to tell you somthing
  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    Rofl. I'd be so rich I could pay people to work out for me.
  • chulie
    chulie Posts: 282
    It didn't take you 2 weeks to put all the weight on, it's not going to come off in 2 weeks.....just stick with it...it's not a race to the finish...be healthy and work out for YOU, not to scale...if you do it for any other reason your going to fail once you reach your "goal".....
  • Molly182
    Molly182 Posts: 406
    Sounds like you could use a rest
  • RNmomto4
    RNmomto4 Posts: 143
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    Rofl. I'd be so rich I could pay people to work out for me.

    I guess you dont have to open these forum topics if they disturb you so much that you want to bang your head against a wall, huh? Not everyone is as smart and educated as yourselves, so maybe trying to use your degrees that you have in fitness and nutrition would best be put to use by helping the young lady out?
  • leanmachinedream
    leanmachinedream Posts: 223
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    Rofl. I'd be so rich I could pay people to work out for me.

    I guess you dont have to open these forum topics if they disturb you so much that you want to bang your head against a wall, huh? Not everyone is as smart and educated as yourselves, so maybe trying to use your degrees that you have in fitness and nutrition would best be put to use by helping the young lady out?

    blah blah blah. She received help and advice.
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    Rofl. I'd be so rich I could pay people to work out for me.

    I guess you dont have to open these forum topics if they disturb you so much that you want to bang your head against a wall, huh? Not everyone is as smart and educated as yourselves, so maybe trying to use your degrees that you have in fitness and nutrition would best be put to use by helping the young lady out?

    Sure. Just pay the consultation fee.
    Representatives are standing by to take your call.
  • lmalaschak
    lmalaschak Posts: 346 Member
    I'm totally feeling the love in the room right now!!

    Bottom line...relax...keep working out, make sure you eat enough, and drink your water. You'll be fine, I promise. :) Oh, and...weigh yourself less often. (Ok, so I weigh myself every day too because I can't help it, but in times of frustration this will help you.)
  • infinitusetperfectum
    infinitusetperfectum Posts: 17
    If you're working out for an hour and a half a day, and eating under 1200 calories, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
    You're probably spending an hour and a half on the treadmill or elliptical or the stair master. Depending on how many calories you BURN during a workout, you need to up the calories you EAT. If you eat 1200 calories a day and don't exercise, you still lose weight! (As long as they're healthy calories).

    I know you may be grossed out by the idea, but 30 to 40 minutes of body weight workouts and using the free weights will help you both lose weight and tone up at the same time. It also takes less time for you to be in the gym and more time to get home and snuggle up in bed.
    Women don't get all bulky from weight training like men do because we don't have as much testosterone, which means all we get is nicely toned, and muscle mass.

    I have a guru about this stuff! His name is Steve Kamb, he runs this blog here: http://nerdfitness.com/blog/ and he promotes using your own body to lose weight, and also eating a Paleo diet. You should check it out! Good luck with your weight loss xox
  • jsong11
    jsong11 Posts: 8 Member
    I have a similar situation to the original poster.
    I have been eating healthy and exercising 3x week for the past month.

    I have lost 6lbs total and do feel a bit healthier, but I've plateau'd for the past 1-2 weeks.

    I realize I might be asking an obvious question, but I just want to make sure I understand:
    If I eat 1200 calories/day, and then burn 300-500 in a workout, I should make sure to consume 300-500 calories post-workout to make up for the deficit?
    I want my daily balance to always be 1200 calories taking into account any workouts?

    I guess it just seems strange because I've always subscribed to simple input/output. If I eat less than I expend, my body will burn the excess stored fat to compensate. Maybe it's too simplistic with things like starvation mode, lowered metabolisms and such, and the body becoming used to exercises and having to change up what I do in my exercise as well to see results.

    But if people who have successfully lost weight say that I need to keep sticking to it and eventually I'll overcome the plateau, I can only take their word for it.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    @jsong. If you are eating 1200 cals a day and you burn 500 in a workout, then you need to eat 1700 calories that day. You can eat them any time in the same day.

    You don't have to match your post-workout meal cals to what you burned. After a workout your body needs a replenishment of fluids, carbohydrates and protein. A recent study suggested a chocolate milkshake was actually an ideal post workout meal.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Ok, so I've been in the gym everyday for the last 2 weeks...I work out for an hour and a hlaf everyday after I get off of work at 10pm. I eat healthy BUT I have eating under my target calorie intake everday. My boss told me that if I don't at least eat 1200 calories a day I will actually gain weight because my body thinks I'm going into starvation mode. I don't understand how that is possible. Can anyone please help me understand what I need to do to lose this weight?!? I really appreciate ANY feedback!! Thanks :)

    Abby
    You are going to fail with this approach.

    Starvation diets don't work.
    Why?
    Because if your calorie deficit is too great you can easily suffer from
    loss of muscle mass (slows down your metabolism) and impaired general progress.
    You have to find what is right for you but you also need to remember that your body
    is a machine and without the right type and amount of fuel there could be problems
    either with loss of muscle, loss of energy, less weight loss/plateaus, etc.

    Stick with the MFP recommendations.
  • dianefisher47
    dianefisher47 Posts: 223 Member
    he is right, I could not believe it also. I ate under my calories for quit awhile and took my body into starvation mode...ever since I upped my calories up , I am starting to loose again ...it took awhile cause my body was always thinking I was going to starve it again...so eat more....please :flowerforyou:
  • RockChick1984
    RockChick1984 Posts: 239
    i learnt from this very mistake... was netting less than 1000 cals after my exercise and sent my body into starvation mode for near 2 weeks n barely lost 1lb... plus with so much exercise i realised i wasn't actually eating enough... i agree.. its very frustrating... but try to net 1200 and you should start to lose
  • georgina1970
    georgina1970 Posts: 333 Member
    Remember, that if you're exercising more that you used to, you will be building muscle. Your body is most likely exchanging fat for muscle, so your weight will stay the same. You should looking at how your clothes are fitting you, and taking body measurements. Recommended weight loss is only 1pound or 1/2kg per week. Be patient.
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
    Starvation mode will never lead to weight gain. That is a myth. But it always leads to plateau.

    Can we stop with the 1200 calories a day, please? I think MFP should get rid of that number altogether, because it's an absurd goal. That kind of calorie goal is ONLY for people who are either very small, lay in bed 24/7, or have medical issues.

    Eat healthy. Eat more. Have energy. Be happy. Lose weight. Keep it off.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Try looking at the size and shape of your body and not the number on the scale. I, for one, gain muscle very quickly and while I have only lost 12 pounds, I've lost 2 inches each on my waist, bust and hips. If you are lifting weights (which all weight loss goers should do) this can equate for the lack of weight loss. Also, I have read before that if you're doing over an hour of cardio in one session your body starts to burn your muscle. Muscle Loss = Metabolism drop and NO ONE wants that.

    Personally, I also believe that the "starvation mode" is a bunch of bull. It isn't so much as how many calories you're eating, its how often you're eating. Why do you think they put super obese people on less than 800 calorie a day diets? As long as you're not skipping any meals your body knows that there is food out there in the world. Another thing I would suggest is maybe look at your diet in terms of where your calories are coming from. I have had a lot of success sticking to a 40-30-30 ratio of protein, carbs and fats.
  • grumpy2day
    grumpy2day Posts: 198 Member
    Ok, so I've been in the gym everyday for the last 2 weeks...I work out for an hour and a hlaf everyday after I get off of work at 10pm. I eat healthy BUT I have eating under my target calorie intake everday. My boss told me that if I don't at least eat 1200 calories a day I will actually gain weight because my body thinks I'm going into starvation mode. I don't understand how that is possible. Can anyone please help me understand what I need to do to lose this weight?!? I really appreciate ANY feedback!! Thanks :)

    Abby

    Don't go only by the scale check your measurements. It can show better results, I'd rather see more lean muscle and smaller waist size than less weight. I lost only one pound but lost an inch and half in my waist and an inch from my hips!
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Oh, and also. I have found that if I allow myself a day or two a week of excess calories it helps with the plateau. Say you're only eating 1200 calories a day, try bumping it up to 1700 every third day or so. I think of it as a little metabolism boost.
  • Kristinemomof3
    Kristinemomof3 Posts: 636 Member
    I wish I had a nickle every time someone here made me want to bang my head against a wall.

    We'd all be rich by now!
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