1,200 calories...to eat or not to eat.

I'm struggling to get my last 20 pounds off too so curious to see what everyone has to say about this. I've been told that I don't eat enough calories thru the day so I've been trying to increase them gradually the past week now. I guess I'll find out if that has helped when I do my next weigh in.

I wouldn't eat less than that. You need those calories to fuel your body and mind. Try shaking up your exercise routine, if you usually walk on a treadmill every day try an elliptical for 20-30min 2-3 times a week and to add in a weight routine as well or something along those lines.

I would eat more, try to eat your BMR at least

Getting closer to goal = slower loss unfortunately.

I have heard that some people have success with ketogenic diets to get those last stubborn lbs off though. Perhaps do a short ketogenic stint (dropping your carbs to 30 or 40% of total cals and replacing them with either extra fat or extra protein) and see what happens.

Also, are you weight lifting? If not, start.

As you get closer to your goal weight, you should be steadily increasing calories, not decreasing. Try raising it to say, 1400-1600.

I have 8.5 pounds left to lose...I eat 1200 or a little under. After losing 25 pounds at an average of 2 pounds per week I know notice that I lose slower so I am happy when I see a .5 - 1 pound loss a week. I work out 7 days a week for 60 minutes. 3 days of strength training, 3 days of cardio, and 1 day of pilates/yoga/tai chi, etc.

My allowance is 1250 a day but I've only been doing it for a week... Sometimes I find that I end up going over by about 50 calories, and other days, like today, I have almost 300 leftover after having my evening meal! Are we actually meant to use all the calories?

Yes, but you don't have to use them all every day. It should average out to what you are alotted over a week or so, though. I was very careful about sticking to it every day when I first joined MFP, but now I go over some days and under some days, but try to make sure I'm pretty close if I average out 7-10 days. This also allows me to eat more on the weekends and at events without going over. And I'm still maintaining my loss just fine.

Either decrease your requested rate of weightloss so that you have a higher daily calorie goal, OR go on maintenance calories for like a week or two and then go back to your deficit, OR allow yourself one high-calorie (maintenance or higher) day every week or two and keep your deficit the rest of the time, OR try going on freedieting.com and get a 'zig-zag' schedule to change things up a bit. Any of those options might be helpful in busting your plateau. :-)

I eat more now that I am closer to my goal. In the beginning when I had 40 lbs to lose, I did 1200 for awhile. Then I started exercising and so I ate 1200 + exercise calories. Currently I have decreased my requested rate of weightloss to 1/2 lb per week since I'm very close to goal, and that gives me 1360 per day plus I eat my exercise calories.

I am having the same problem!!! i exercise like a lunatic, and i eat all the right things, yet the scale won't budge. I am down 60 pounds and want to lose about 30-40 more. it's so frustrating..

1200 is as low as you can go

Jillian Michaels says to eat more, up your calorie intake by 10%

Eat more, not less.

This is based on my personal experience.

As I neared the last pounds I wanted to lose I changed my goal from 2 lbs lost/week to 1 lb/week and then 1/2 lb/week, and the weight came right off.

I know it sounds counterintuitive but it definitely works.

Also, start lifting weights!!! (if you don't already do so)

Bump

I agree about trying to reduce carbs and increase protein for ketosis for a few days...that might jump start you again. Eat your calories, though.

Interesting topic this. There are many myths surrounding calorie intake and metabolism, so much so that I did an extensive (Medical-student-dorky) research on the topic. The fact remains, calorie deficit = weight loss. You will loose weight at 1200 calories if your DCN (Daily Calorie Needs) is higher then this and as you loose weight this number drops just because it does not take you as much energy to move around. Your BMR can slow down when eating a very low calorie diet, but this is _very_ little, your bodies are amazingly efficient. Now, there are a lot of things that effect your weight, the amount of water your body carries (This fluctuates a lot!), amount of muscle and so on. I understand your frustration, but I think my biggest suggestion for you is, do you trust your goals? Do you trust that the things you are doing is right? Your calorie goal, calorie count and exercise routine is correct? Then TRUST what you are doing and give it time! Don't get the reward from your scale, get it from you and each day give yourself credit for doing so well and keep going because, if your goals and calories are correct, you will loose weight. Trust that.

My second recommendation would be to look at your macros, where does your calories come from? For me, I feel better when on a low calorie diet to up my proteins, I feel it makes me fuller, keeps my sugar even. And when you get stuck like this, think your goals through and make some changes and see how it feels! Maybe up your protein to 50%? Mix up your exercise routine. But most important, feel good, feel what you are doing is right and give yourself credit for that each day!