Calories

I've been losing weight pretty consistently but I think I've hit a plateau. I just started to use this website to count my calories and it's telling me that I'm consuming well under the amount of calories that I should be eating. Could this be the reason for the plateau? Also whenever I work out they add extra calories for me to consume. Since I'm trying to lose weight do I eat the extra calories?

Thanks!

How many calories are you consuming?

Around 800-1000 calories a day

Eat more. That's your problem.

Hi there, This program is telling you that you need to consume x amount of calories a day, that is to stay healthy and to lose weight. If you exercise and don't add those calories your body will go into starvation mode. So, yup, you must add the extra calories. A big mistake that people make whe trying to lose weight is that they eat too few calories and that slows down your metabolism and puts your body into starvation mode which means that it holds on to everything that it gets.

So, bottom line is, you must try and get int the calories that MFP has said you should every day. Including the extra calories for the exercise you do. Try it for at least 2 weeks and let us know how you do!

Good luck.

Around 800-1000 calories a day

You aren't eating enough. Eat at your BMR and you will lose, be healthier and have more energy. You are doing damage to your body by eating the amount you are.

You can choose to eat some or all of your exercise calories. As long as you net 1200 or above. It is good to eat a few of your exercise calories because you are working on a deficit already so if you create a bigger deficit by exercising you may not be getting what you need.

You should probably be eating at least SOME of your exercise calories. Don't force yourself too much to be perfect, but certainly focus on getting adequate protein and veggies in. you should be eating closer to 1200 calories if you are trying to be healthy and not hit any plateaus. Upping your cals results in a small gain at first usually, then once your body adjusts it's metabolism, you should drop the gained amount, as well as continue to lose weight.

Actually no.

She should be upping her calories to around her current weight x 14. That will put her around her maintenance. After two weeks, she can go into a deficit the right way. Start off at -10% and go from there. Her metabolism has not stopped but it has clearly slowed down.

To the OP, I would do this:
1. BW x 14 is your ESTIMATED maintenance.
2. Increase calories by 10-20% every few days till you hit that calorie goal.
3. Stay there for two weeks. Once your metabolism "resets" you're primed to go back into a deficit.

Never, consume 1200 calories again.

http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/blog/metabolic-slowdown-part-i/
http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/blog/metabolic-slowdown-part-ii-2/

IF you workout more, eat more than 800, depending on the frequency of your workouts. use the settings of your profile for you to find out how much you can consume for the day assuming you do X amount of workout a week. When I eat with a 1000 cals deficit of the normal total calories a day, I start losing weight. Take into account the type of foods you eat as well. When I started eating right, I saw drastic changes. Good luck!

You should probably be eating at least SOME of your exercise calories. Don't force yourself too much to be perfect, but certainly focus on getting adequate protein and veggies in. you should be eating closer to 1200 calories if you are trying to be healthy and not hit any plateaus. Upping your cals results in a small gain at first usually, then once your body adjusts it's metabolism, you should drop the gained amount, as well as continue to lose weight.

Actually no.

She should be upping her calories to around her current weight x 14. That will put her around her maintenance. After two weeks, she can go into a deficit the right way. Start off at -10% and go from there. Her metabolism has not stopped but it has clearly slowed down.

To the OP, I would do this:
1. BW x 14 is your ESTIMATED maintenance.
2. Increase calories by 10-20% every few days till you hit that calorie goal.
3. Stay there for two weeks. Once your metabolism "resets" you're primed to go back into a deficit.

Never, consume 1200 calories again.

http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/blog/metabolic-slowdown-part-i/
http://leanbodiesconsulting.com/blog/metabolic-slowdown-part-ii-2/

I'm seriously considering doing this, but I'm a little scared being on the homestretch towards beach season...

Anyone tried this and had bad results? Or anyone know of any random control trials etc.?