1200 calories and still not losing weight

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/

this will help you figure out your numbers

if you you are exercising 4 to 5 times a week you should be eating more than 1200 calories a day

Redo your fitness settings - you might not be eating enough, i've had to change mine twice since ive been on here

Do you know what your BMR and TDEE numbers are?

Yep, definitely this.

I was doing what MFP told me and my weight loss had stopped. I upped it to within the BMR and TDEE range and am having protein shakes to get my protein levels up and it has started coming down again.

Someone far more knowledgable will be along to explain better I am sure...

TDEE Calculator here http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

Maybe you're not eating enough....I had that problem for a while so I upped my cals to 1300 and my weight started coming off again.

I strongly suspect you could and should be eating a lot more than 1200 cals. I've had my eyes opened since joining MFP, I want my weight loss to be sustainable, a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix. Investigating your BMR and TDEE would be a v good start, you may be surprised how much you can eat and still lose. You are welcome to add me if you want some support in eating more, all the best!

I'm having the same issue and well then some. A year ago I weight 194 lbs. I started working out and eating healthy and lost quickly 20 lbs. I then became somewhat fearful of food and eat less and less, to the point my hair began falling out. I'd eat crackers for dinner with a glass of milk, or just the milk. I lost weight, down to 155 pounds. Until I was in a bad wreck and working out was painful. So I stopped and hung out with friends more eating out and gained back weight, up to 180 lbs. I stopped eating again and realized I was doing it wrong, so got the app and have been forcing myself to eat the 1200 calories a day. Starting working out at least a 1-3 miles walk a day with the dogs and cycle 2-4 times a week for 15-20 miles. Been at it for 6 weeks now, and will lose 2-4 pounds then gain them back. I've cut out white bread, sugar, lattes, alcohol, even rid myself of soda. I eat healthy and drink lots of water. Still can't lose weight. I know from the near starvation mode that my metabolism has turned to crap... but after 6 weeks, eating small meals, protein, veggies, some fruits... can't lose weight. I want to live a healthy life and wont starve myself again... just hope something changes so the weight comes off again. I am the point i'm thinking of taking CLA supplements and heard mixed things. Any thoughts? Thank you!! PS, I am a female, 37, and 5'6.

I actually went to a nutritionist.... to help me before I joyed my fitness pal. The thing is you have to eat, You have to eat breakfast, you have to eat a snack then lunch, snack and then you eat dinner and depending on what time you go to bed snack again. Now the thing is you eat every three hours..... Eat a good breakfast!!!!! but after you have to calm it down.... once you see what your body is doing you can make changes....and do not watch the scale to much at first watch what your clothes are doing if they are getting lose that means something is working......" and most of all exercise is important" got to got to got to excercise

BUMP
I'm going to hang around for an explanation of the differences between BMR and TDEE

I am doing the 6 week body makeover and keeping track of my calories/exercise on here. I lost 3 lbs in my first 5 days. This allows me 1435 calories a day and I usually fall about 300 under.

What I have learned is that you have to eat the right combination of foods when you eat and you have to eat smaller meals 5 times a day. You HAVE to cut out added salt, eliminate sugar drinks, eat only whole foods and stay away from bread. I know it sounds hard and I guess it is the first few days. Also, reward yourself once a week with something you love but only do it in moderation. Don't deny yourself something because you will end up hating your diet. Use cooking spray, low sodium chicken broth and spray butter when you cook to reduce MEGA calories.

The idea is that you keep your insulin levels...level. When your insulin levels are not level, it tells your body to store food as fat. When you level out your insulin levels, you put your body in the maximum metabolism rate.

If you eat red meat at anytime during this diet, reduce the allotted oz. in half. Chicken breast, fish, shrimp and pork are the best meats for this diet.

Also, exercise by doing cardio 3-5 times a day each week and at least two days weight/tone strengthening exercises. Doing them more will build too much muscle too fast. When you do the exercises to tone, you stress the muscle. Your muscles will reshape themselves during the recuperation period which should be a min. of 3 days between working those muscles. I do upper body on Tuesdays and lower body on Saturdays and abs both days.

Here is a sample of what I eat every day, basically the diet. I am sharing it with you all because it works! I lost 24 lbs in 5 weeks last time I did it, but then I got hurt and couldn't exercise so I gave up.

I hope this helps some of you!

Breakfast: 2 oz protein, 1/2 cup fruit

I make a 2 egg white omelet with 1 tbsp. salsa (salsa is a no-no, but I can't eat them without it) and 1/2 cup strawberries or pineapple.

Watermelon and cantaloupe are HIGH sugar...believe it or not, fresh cut pineapple is better and any berry is a great choice. You can use apple, 1/2 banana or peaches too!

Two hours later, mid-morning snack: 2 oz protein, 1/2 cup fruit

I do 2 oz chicken and 1/2 cup fruit

Two hours later, lunch: 2 oz protein, 1/2 cup carb, 1/2 cup veggies

Again, and I know its frequent, but you get used to it:
2oz chicken, 1/2 baked potato (I put spray butter, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper on it - yummy) and 1/2 cup frozen broccoli

Two hours later, afternoon snack: 2 oz protein, 1/2 carb:

Chicken and the other 1/2 of potato made the same way

Two hours later, dinner: 2 oz protein, 1/2 Cup carb and 1-2 cups veggies.

Fish, 1/2 cup rice and 2 cups of baby carrots steamed with spray butter

ALSO...cucumbers, cabbage, celery and lettuce are FREE...so if you are really hungry at any of the meals, make a 2 cup lettuce salad and add your veggies for that meal to it, or don't. If you are hungry in between, eat the cucumbers, salad, etc. if you have to use a dressing, try a lite dressing and make it one that is oily not creamy, because you can cover the salad with less. I like balsamic vinegrette. ALSO, MEASURE the dressing and try your salad with just the allotted amount first.

I have so many extra pointers...but these are the main ones.

If you are interested in being my "pal" on here, please send a request because I am looking for very motivated people to be my dieting pals and to help keep me on track!!!!

I know the frustration! Everyone's suggestions are great for you to try because every person's body is different. I also suggest eating a lot of greens, water and or natural green tea. It helps with going to the restroom and flushing out daily which helps with weight loss as well. Oh, and another is add lemon juice to your water. it doens't hurt to try. When and if you do let us know what worked.

You might want to get your thyroid checked out. It might not be functioning properly.

Your body's in starvation (lose NO fat unless in dire circumstances) mode because of the level of calories is so low

Up the calories a little each day, definately past your BMR (which you might currently be lower than). You'll feel full, but after a week or so it will normalise. Try to get around 10-15% less than your TDEE (calculated for all the exercise your doing - 25% MAX)

To be honest, you could probaly do yourself a favour and cut back a little on the exercise and still lose weight

There's lots of threads on here about the 1200 calorie range and getting knowhere - how to up it and lose weight

>>>>>IMPORTANT!!! To get your numbers right please visit---> http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/538381-in-place-of-a-road-map <---read the instructions. I lay everything out to help you have a true fat burning diet.<<<<<<<

Track you sodium. It is recommended while lossing weight, 1500 mg per day.

Buy a new set of kitchen scales and start weighing everything you eat AND DRINK carefully. Be very careful about logging every single thing you consume to get properly into the habit. Every time you log a new food it goes into your recent list, and your most used list - it becomes easier to enter into your diary.

There's no way you would not be losing on 1200 cals a day. You may be a sleep eater? Also - if you have only recently started dieting, and started exercising at the same time, maybe your muscles are swollen?

when's your period due? Do you usually gain when that's coming?

Are you eating more bulk in meals, more vegetables that weigh more going through your gut?

Heaps of reasons. Just eliminate them but one thing is for sure if you are eating only 1200 cals a day, you are burning more calories than you are ingesting and are therefore using your body's stores of fat to do so. Otherwise you would be dead.

Exactly.

In addition, even if you weigh and measure everything, food companies are allowed a margin of error of at least 15% on food labels because it's difficult to be exact. If only a few foods you ate were over the stated calorie amount it would be very easy to exceed 1,200 calories. In addition, many ordinary dieters overestimate the calories burned through exercise.

You should also have a means of estimating your body fat composition.