1200 Calories causing "skinny fat"?

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  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    I don't log the walks because I walked before I went on this journey.. So I believe that it's just a usual thing... For example, you know that food servers walk a lot in a restaurant all day at work right. Would they count that as exercise? I doubt it... So I really don't think that it would be beneficial for me to log walking when I was already doing it at a much larger size, and never lost any weight while doing it. The weight loss started after I started to eat less, go to the gym & doing my work out dvds, & eating much healthier food.

    But they still count when you're trying to determine your calorie needs/set your deficit. Food servers might not count their job as 'exercise', but they're still going to need more calories than someone with a desk job to maintain their weight.

    Now, of course, they (and you) are free to set the deficit however you like. You can use those walks to increase your deficit if you want. But it's still going to burn calories whether or not you log it.
  • future_runner
    future_runner Posts: 136 Member
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    I don't log the walks because I walked before I went on this journey.. So I believe that it's just a usual thing... For example, you know that food servers walk a lot in a restaurant all day at work right. Would they count that as exercise? I doubt it... So I really don't think that it would be beneficial for me to log walking when I was already doing it at a much larger size, and never lost any weight while doing it. The weight loss started after I started to eat less, go to the gym & doing my work out dvds, & eating much healthier food.
    If you go to a doctor and get your tdee checked yes you would see it absolutely counts as exercise. People dont just stop burning calories because you think so. Everyone estimating their tdee should absolutely not say they have a desk job when they are on their feet all day...unless they are like you and trying to be as inaccurate as possible. Weight loss is full of math and science. It doesnt change just because you choose to ignore it.

    How do you know she didn't include walking in her daily activity when she first set up her profile? People don't just cheat the system because you think they do.
  • EEpling89
    EEpling89 Posts: 152
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    The whole EM2WL thing sounds GREAT but it honestly did not work for me. I was super diligent for about four months and did not lose a single ounce, even though I was eating in a calorie deficit. I finally lowered my cals to 1400 (even though that's considered "giving up", I guess) and I'm losing like crazy. I don't feel deprived because I eat tons of protein and I'm always full. It just depends on what you feel most comfortable with and what works for you personally.
  • future_runner
    future_runner Posts: 136 Member
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    i am managing fine on 1200 calories and exercise normally about 500 extra calories a day and rarely eat them all back, think peoples bodies react differently and you should try different levels til you find something you are comfortable at. i am still losing weight this way.

    Sounds like you're on the anorexia plan. That means ' youre getting about 600 NET calories a day.
    Unless you had bariatric in the last month and need to lose 100+ pounds you really should rethink this.
    I'm not even going to go into all the reasons why and this kind of post just make me want scream.

    This too. She said she rarely eats them all back, and her diary isn't public. Unless you know she doesn't any of them back, she could mean most days she eats 400 of the 500 and other days all....since that is more what is her post implys. Now if you can see her diary you are right and I apologize, but seriously the assumptions people make on this site make my want to scream
  • kalynn06
    kalynn06 Posts: 368 Member
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    Maybe you're super sensitive to something in your diet?
    We're complex beings in a 21st century world of food that mostly isn't natural for us.
    /.../

    Everyone's talking about eating lots of protein but I'd like to just throw this out - excessive protein can really tax the kidneys, and there is a respectable amount of research showing that over time, this can seriously damage your kidneys.

    The only research of which I am aware says that high protein diets can accelerate the progression of ongoing or underlying renal disease. High protein increases GFR and, in animal models, at least, can lead to renal hypertrophy, but it doesn't seem to induce disease or impair function. The only study I know where protein was toxic to healthy kidneys is a rat study where females of one particular strain of rats sustained kidney damage from being fed a diet high in a certain bacterial protein. Do you have a link to any other human (or even animal) studies that show dietary protein as a causative agent of kidney disease in previously healthy individuals with no underlying renal issues?

    Well if your body has to work the kidneys extra hard to remove the protein, it makes sense to me that perhaps there is a place of diminishing returns with it. Your body must not need that much if the kidneys have to remove it, right? I'm not convinced that over-taxed hypertrophied kidneys is a beneficial thing.

    Be that as it may, and again, I'm just throwing this out there -- we don't always know if we have an underlying renal issue. We could walk around on a regular diet getting the RDA of protein and not experience any problems until we start getting too much protein. So ... just a caution.

    EDIT to add - this actually happened to my mom, her kidneys functioned very well on a moderate protein intake but she started having problems after increasing it. I know that's not the scientific link you asked for but at least for me, I have seen it can happen.

    Okay, but don't say there are lots of studies that prove something that, despite a lot of effort, no one has been able to prove. Of course it's a risk that you could have underlying renal disease, just like it's a risk you could have underlying heart disease. That's why it is always recommended that you get blood work and clearance from a doctor before starting a diet or fitness program.
  • NoxDineen
    NoxDineen Posts: 497 Member
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    You don't mention any exercise. Work some strength training and a bit of cardio into your week and stop eating crap, you should be able to shift your body composition.
  • turningstar
    turningstar Posts: 393 Member
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    It sounds like you are already at a reasonable weight, unless you are 4 feet tall...lol. I think you are definitely eating too little. 1200 calories is below most peoples b.m.r. My advice would be to get the book "New Rules of Lifting for Women" and start a strength training program. By lifting heavy, you will build muscle and burn fat, while getting a lean, sexy body. This also means you get to eat a lot more, which your body will thank you for!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    The whole EM2WL thing sounds GREAT but it honestly did not work for me. I was super diligent for about four months and did not lose a single ounce, even though I was eating in a calorie deficit. I finally lowered my cals to 1400 (even though that's considered "giving up", I guess) and I'm losing like crazy. I don't feel deprived because I eat tons of protein and I'm always full. It just depends on what you feel most comfortable with and what works for you personally.

    You do realize that 1400 means you ate your BRAIN and you're ANOREXIC, right? :bigsmile: BMR= brain munching rate. Seriously. It happened to my aunt. :laugh:
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
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    It would be good to see your diary. You say you have bad eating habits but that could mean you just think eating a few large meals to hit your calories is bad, but it's not inherently bad and works for a lot of people. When I hear bad habits I take that to mean you get your 1200 calories from bad sources, like 2 slices of pizza, a salad with ranch, and a coke. If that's the case your problem has nothing to do with how many calories you are eating and everything to do with how you are getting them.

    I'm not sure what you mean about your work schedule either. Do you mean you find out that morning when you work? Like when you wake up? You can plan for it if you even know a day in advance. I would say though you need some fruit, hummus, hard boiled eggs, baby carrots, and some sort of whole grain mini bagels or crackers. Every week you put these snacks in containers for each day to take to work with you. You get breaks at work. If you don't do not bother telling me that, call a lawyer and the local BBB. You take the things I mentioned to work to snack on during your breaks. Eat fruit first thing when you wake up, have a meal with veggies and proteins a little later, then veggie, protein and carbs for dinner. Don't forget healthy fats like nuts and avocados. You can eat better with your schedule, it will just take some work.

    I don't mean I eat a lot of crap just that I tend to lean toward the eat as little as possible on a lot of days. Or eat as late in the day as I can or I ignore hunger. It's a very bad habit that I'm trying to break. For the most part I eat fairly healthy lots of veggies TONS of chicken... but I guess I eat kind of crappy lunches I'm out a lot running errands so I end up at fast food places often I get low cal options but even so...

    I do eat at work but sometimes things are so crazy that it's tough. My point was more that my schedule is never the same from day to day or week to week. Therefore I never know when I'll be waking up in the morning or how late I'll be up. It makes it difficult to get my body on a schedule where I eat at certain times of the day. But my job certainly allows me opportunities to eat while there and it includes a dinner break. Part of my responsibilities is actually to cook dinner so often times I can decide what to be eaten.

    This is my diary by the way.http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/SomeoneSomeplace It should be public now

    I exercise as much as I can. At least twice a week but I try and go much more often when I can. When I do go to the gym I do around 45 minutes of lifting (quads,hams,calves etc one day arms/chest/lats etc another day) I do between 30 minutes to an hour of cardio every time I go to the gym. Jogging/running or the elliptical. I also do an ab work out every time I go to the gym. Normally I spend at least 2 hours at the gym on the days I actually go to the gym.

    I often find it tough to get my net to 1200 on the days I work out tho.

    Also many of you have been starting 118 is pretty tiny. You are correct. I am only 5'2 so it is quite normal for my height, however I am not really looking at my weight so much as the amount of body fat. I would like to lose body fat for a leaner tighter look.
  • KarinFit4Life
    KarinFit4Life Posts: 424 Member
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    The whole EM2WL thing sounds GREAT but it honestly did not work for me. I was super diligent for about four months and did not lose a single ounce, even though I was eating in a calorie deficit. I finally lowered my cals to 1400 (even though that's considered "giving up", I guess) and I'm losing like crazy. I don't feel deprived because I eat tons of protein and I'm always full. It just depends on what you feel most comfortable with and what works for you personally.

    I agree. What the eat more weight less theory forgets is pretty simple. Sure the more you eat the more your metabolism speeds up, the less you eat the slower your metabolism. That's true, but what they forget is the more you eat "THE MORE CALORIES YOU CONSUME" the less you eat, the less calories you consume. So it really doesn't make a difference.

    It is acceptable for people who are eating very low calories, most people who eat in the 1,200 range.

    Have you actually been to the group and read up on the stickies etc?
    We are aware that "consume" and "eat" are the same thing by the way...
    EMTWL is simply eating more than your BMR but less than your TDEE. As far I know that is the way one lose fat right...
    Anyway, its working for loads of people, NOT for only those that eat very low calories.

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