1200 calories per day, but losing less than 2 lbs/week

rachiech13
rachiech13 Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I've been using MFP religiously for about 3 weeks now. My goal is to lose about 30 lbs total. I am patient and I know that it will take time.

MFP advised me to eat 1200 calories per day with a weight loss of about 2 lbs per week..
I am logging everything I eat, I am making wiser choices all together and I am lightly active.
On days where I have some cardio exercise, I will log it and I tend to eat up those calories again.
For example, if I bicycle to work I add in about 20 mins and about 200 calories burned, if I am really hungry that day I will eat the 200 calories that I burned.
On days where I had no physical activity, I will stay strictly to my 1200 calories only ever going over by about 30-60 cals from time to time.
Here's the thing though, in the 3 weeks I've only lost about 2 lbs! I have been weighing myself a lot and recently got a new scale. I know eweight fluctuates from day to day, morning to night. But mine will not seem to go below the 2 lbs I've lost.
What gives?
To Maintain my weight, I would be eating about 2100 calories per day and I've created a daily defecit of 900 calories! Equalling 6300 calories per week. That's approx 1.8 lbs lost a week.

Any extra adivce is welcomed!
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Replies

  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,670 Member
    inb4 you're not eating enough
  • EchoOfYourPast
    EchoOfYourPast Posts: 459 Member
    This is exactly how i am...ive been on it for about 3 weeks...set at 1200.....sometimes i go over some cals...i usually eat my exercise cals back......my weight has only dropped one lb.....i have mine set to drop higher and i have about 30 lbs to lose. I have been losing inches....1 and 1/2 in my neck, 2 in my bust, 2 in my waist and 1 in my hips.....
    Start measuring ...or watching how your close fit!
    San :)
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    Hi everyone, I've been using MFP religiously for about 3 weeks now. My goal is to lose about 30 lbs total. I am patient and I know that it will take time.

    MFP advised me to eat 1200 calories per day with a weight loss of about 2 lbs per week..
    I am logging everything I eat, I am making wiser choices all together and I am lightly active.
    On days where I have some cardio exercise, I will log it and I tend to eat up those calories again.
    For example, if I bicycle to work I add in about 20 mins and about 200 calories burned, if I am really hungry that day I will eat the 200 calories that I burned.
    On days where I had no physical activity, I will stay strictly to my 1200 calories only ever going over by about 30-60 cals from time to time.
    Here's the thing though, in the 3 weeks I've only lost about 2 lbs! I have been weighing myself a lot and recently got a new scale. I know eweight fluctuates from day to day, morning to night. But mine will not seem to go below the 2 lbs I've lost.
    What gives?
    To Maintain my weight, I would be eating about 2100 calories per day and I've created a daily defecit of 900 calories! Equalling 6300 calories per week. That's approx 1.8 lbs lost a week.

    Any extra adivce is welcomed!

    being able to see your food diary would help!:flowerforyou:
  • Sonnie124
    Sonnie124 Posts: 96 Member
    Don't eat your excersize calories! And drink TONS of water!
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    First of fyou should be set to 1lb a week not 2, second you are eating WAY too little and we can't see what you're eating.
  • Maude_Lewbowski
    Maude_Lewbowski Posts: 395 Member
    I am set at the same and losing about 2lbs per week but my couselor considers me extremely active. I work out 5-6 times week, play ice hockey and complet two 2+ hour training sessions a week. You're body is naturally going to hold on to everything for 2-3 weeks b/c it's in shock and trying to hold on to what it can. If it doesn't even out on a week or two consult your doctor or nutritionist and see what they have to say.

    Otherwise stick with it you'll get there. :drinker:
  • HiKaren
    HiKaren Posts: 1,306 Member
    I know alot of people would tell you, you need to up your calories a few hundred a day. I know it sounds strange. But many people lose this way... If you tried 1400-1500 for a week. Increase exercise and water. I know we want to lose weight fast, but sometimes that restricts our calories a little too much. You could try that for a week, and see what happens. And it would amount to a protein bar per day on top of what your doing.... Thats not much more.. Try it... It may work. And drink water....... Your doing a good job...
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    i have the same problem.
    If i increase my calories, do my extra calories need to be something specific? like protein based? do i eat back my exercise calories?
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    I'm also at 1200/day. I don't eat all of my calories burned because I know the burn rates are OVERestimated on MFP. Plus it is possible my calories are underestimated as well.

    I've managed to lose 1lb per week. I've had 2 week-end sabotages (bridal shower & baby shower) recently, so my weight plateaued a bit.

    I'm not concerned about the speed of which I am losing. I know I am healthier, stronger and leaner than I was last Xmas. I still have 6lbs to go.... It's slow, but if I see a plateau, I will probably shake-up my workout routine since the body adapts to routine exercise in a matter of 6 weeks. It just means your body requires less energy to do the same workout over time.
  • ColleenRoss50
    ColleenRoss50 Posts: 199 Member
    Weight loss is never linear and water retention could be a factor. I would give it at least a full month before making any changes.
  • A_New_Horizon
    A_New_Horizon Posts: 1,555 Member
    I have to agree with some of the others - I don't believe you are eating enough. I would try upper your calorie intake for a while and see what happens. Give your body time to adjust though - usualyy 3 to 4 weeks. I know it sounds backwards to eat more to lose weight, but it is very true. Your body needs fuel to burn especiall with any time of cardio. I would just try it - you can always readjust later. Also, make sure to be getting your 8 glasses of water - very important to flush your system out.
  • rachiech13
    rachiech13 Posts: 37 Member
    I have been reading a lot about the 1200 calorie diet and I've been led to believe it shouldn't be too little?
    MFP recomended 1200 to me, as well.
  • rachiech13
    rachiech13 Posts: 37 Member
    I think you are right, I am definitely not drinkign enough water.
  • xcharlottex92
    xcharlottex92 Posts: 13 Member
    I also had this problem, find out your BMR and dont get less than that because your body needs a certain amount of food otherwise it goes into starvation mode. I finally started doing this on monday nad already seen results and feeling better. :)
  • fakeplastictree
    fakeplastictree Posts: 836 Member
    It's too little, unless you are naturally small. I would say try 1400 at least. and eat back your exercise calories. Make sure to drink plenty of water.
  • rachiech13
    rachiech13 Posts: 37 Member
    I changed my settings!
  • VMArven
    VMArven Posts: 2
    You need to be burning 500 more calories/day than you eat...which is hard (that amounts to losing 1 lb per week if you can do it). I normally burn between 300-400 calories a day doing cardio...you CANNOT eat the calories you burn. MFP has me on the 1200 calories per day program also...and I usually eat between 800-1000 and then burn the 300-400 extra. If you're eating the calories you burn, you will see very little weight loss. "Coach Calorie" I think is his name, has an excellent website with great articles about this problem and how to get the weight loss going. Also, if you're only able to do about 20 minutes a day in light exercise, that definitely will make a difference. I do at least 65 minutes/day 5-6 times per week. And like several others have mentioned....DRINK AT LEAST 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY. And you may need to eat more, but you also it sounds like need to work in more exercise. It's hard to lose without a good work out program, but that's just how it works for me. Everyone is different.
  • Mellie13
    Mellie13 Posts: 424
    I agree with what many have said-eat more!!! 1 lb a week is still a tough goal unless you are very overweight and just starting out or a man :)! Eating those exercise calories is a HUGE debate, but from my experience eating most, or at least some of them helps a lot. The biggest thing is to listen to your body and to know that there are huge fluctuations based on uncontrollable things like water retention. If you are drinking water, watching your portion sizes and filling your body with good, wholesome food (not processed junk) and exercising you will do great!
  • fun65
    fun65 Posts: 9
    I LOVE this post! I am having the SAME issue...but after reading some of the replies....I am going to try some of the suggestions offered! I am on week three and have lost between 3-5 pounds only.
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    It seems to me the young girls or first time dieters are always in a hurry. Believe it or not, I was a young girl and I was in a hurry too. Being in a hurry is what leads to a lifetime of yo-yo dieting. You don't *have* to lose weight by next week, so slow down and learn to eat healthy in a way you can continue with after you achieve your weight loss goal. When you go for the fast fix, you aren't eating in a way you can sustain, so you will gain the weight back.. and again.. and again. That's how yo-yo dieting happens. Don't set yourself up for a lifetime of hating how you look. Okay?

    Edit: Changed "young girls" to include "first time dieters". I guess being young isn't the main issue, it's that a lot of first time dieters are young. Sorry :smile:
  • Craigggggggggg
    Craigggggggggg Posts: 5
    You could very well not be eating enough. Take a look at this thread I just stumbled across. It talks about how increasing your calories really does help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/577479-seriously-eat-more-i-did-and-look-what-happened-pics
  • ElHombre23
    ElHombre23 Posts: 126 Member
    Check you sodium and water intake...sodium should be low and water should be high...dont just start eating more just yet..if you have a naturally slow metabolism and start eating more this is counteract what you are trying to do. This is why eating more to lose weight works for some and its a complete disaster for others.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I agree with what many have said-eat more!!! 1 lb a week is still a tough goal unless you are very overweight and just starting out or a man :)! Eating those exercise calories is a HUGE debate, but from my experience eating most, or at least some of them helps a lot. The biggest thing is to listen to your body and to know that there are huge fluctuations based on uncontrollable things like water retention. If you are drinking water, watching your portion sizes and filling your body with good, wholesome food (not processed junk) and exercising you will do great!


    I was trying to make her feel better by saying 1lbs. I set mine for .5lbs a week and eat back my exercise calories and I lose .6-1.5 a week. And slow and steady wins the race. I've lost 8lbs in 2months and when i "have a bad day" or what have you I don't gain the weight back
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to get some water right now!
  • Marge321
    Marge321 Posts: 131 Member
    Take a look at the Eatmore weigh less group here on MFP. Interesting stuff to read about your calories intake and how many you should eat up.
  • rachiech13
    rachiech13 Posts: 37 Member
    I think I will keep doing what I'm doing for a bit longer and see what happens. If I don't see any results, then I will reevaluate. Thank you all for the awesome advice!
  • abbybean11
    abbybean11 Posts: 122 Member
    hey - are you sure you are burning 200 calories on your way to work? do you have a heart rate monitor? it takes me 40 minutes to get to work on a bike and i burn between 230 to 330 calories each way.
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 775 Member
    You need to be burning 500 more calories/day than you eat...which is hard (that amounts to losing 1 lb per week if you can do it). I normally burn between 300-400 calories a day doing cardio...you CANNOT eat the calories you burn. MFP has me on the 1200 calories per day program also...and I usually eat between 800-1000 and then burn the 300-400 extra. If you're eating the calories you burn, you will see very little weight loss. "Coach Calorie" I think is his name, has an excellent website with great articles about this problem and how to get the weight loss going. Also, if you're only able to do about 20 minutes a day in light exercise, that definitely will make a difference. I do at least 65 minutes/day 5-6 times per week. And like several others have mentioned....DRINK AT LEAST 8 GLASSES OF WATER A DAY. And you may need to eat more, but you also it sounds like need to work in more exercise. It's hard to lose without a good work out program, but that's just how it works for me. Everyone is different.

    mfp already has the deficit built in and you CAN eat your calories
    that is why on here it is called net calories

    --
    to the OP with such a small amount to lose, you really should be more set to 1 pound a week ( 2 pounds is more for people like me)
    --

    net calories is
    calories eaten - calories burned

    example you have 2,000 net calories a day
    you can eat 2500 then burn 500 to get 2,000

    look it up under help, it is there (now for some one your size i would say try eating half your workout cals, cuz MFP is said to over est.)
    also make sure you have your settings right " sedentary, lightly active, etc"
  • mnmss2930
    mnmss2930 Posts: 34 Member
    Hi everyone, I've been using MFP religiously for about 3 weeks now. My goal is to lose about 30 lbs total. I am patient and I know that it will take time.

    MFP advised me to eat 1200 calories per day with a weight loss of about 2 lbs per week..
    I am logging everything I eat, I am making wiser choices all together and I am lightly active.
    On days where I have some cardio exercise, I will log it and I tend to eat up those calories again.
    For example, if I bicycle to work I add in about 20 mins and about 200 calories burned, if I am really hungry that day I will eat the 200 calories that I burned.
    On days where I had no physical activity, I will stay strictly to my 1200 calories only ever going over by about 30-60 cals from time to time.
    Here's the thing though, in the 3 weeks I've only lost about 2 lbs! I have been weighing myself a lot and recently got a new scale. I know eweight fluctuates from day to day, morning to night. But mine will not seem to go below the 2 lbs I've lost.
    What gives?
    To Maintain my weight, I would be eating about 2100 calories per day and I've created a daily defecit of 900 calories! Equalling 6300 calories per week. That's approx 1.8 lbs lost a week.

    Any extra adivce is welcomed!


    Something I have to continually tell myself is...I didn't put this weight on in 3 or 4 weeks, it is not going to come off quickly either. Don't let your scale hold you captive. As someone else suggested, let your clothes guide you on your weight loss; muscle weighs more than fat.
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    I also had this problem, find out your BMR and dont get less than that because your body needs a certain amount of food otherwise it goes into starvation mode. I finally started doing this on monday nad already seen results and feeling better. :)

    It says my BMR is 1,518. You think I should be eating 1,500 a day? I workout 6 days a week on average for 30 minutes a day.

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