I'm intaking less calories than I should...why no weight loss?

Hi, this is my first question here.  I joined June 25th and started out losing weight pretty good, below the trend.  Now I've gone for almost a week and haven't lost any weight.

I'm still below the trend but wondered if anyone else has had this problem and if they could advise.

Thanks for your help,

Dawn

1) Sometimes weight loss takes a little longer to show on the scale - one week is nothing to worry about.

2) Don't eat less than recommended. What are your stats and activity level?

Original Post by amethystgirl:

1) Sometimes weight loss takes a little longer to show on the scale - one week is nothing to worry about.

2) Don't eat less than recommended. What are your stats and activity level?

 

My activity level is higher on my 4 days off.  I walk at least a mile and then housework and other stuff around the house.  When I work I'm stuck in a fee booth.  At times when I'm off I go to the beach and walk.

I've lost 12 pounds so far.  I'm not discouraged yet.  I'm just not hungry, don't know why.

 

'dumpling, amethyst is asking for your stats: age, height, weight.  start weight and goal weight are also helpful information.

also, you stated that you intake "less calories than [you] should."  what does that mean?  are you counting calories or not?  do you really know how much you eat, or how much you "should" eat?

Original Post by pgeorgian:

'dumpling, amethyst is asking for your stats: age, height, weight.  start weight and goal weight are also helpful information.

also, you stated that you intake "less calories than [you] should."  what does that mean?  are you counting calories or not?  do you really know how much you eat, or how much you "should" eat?

 

Oops, sorry.  I'm 50, 5'3" and weigh 170.  My start weight was 182 and my goal weight is 136-140.

I've been using CC since 6/25 and have been watching everything I eat and logging it.  My goal intake of calories according to this site is 1200 calories a day.  The past few days I'm not even made 1000 calories and not really hungry.

You've lost 12 lbs in 3 weeks? That's 4lb/week - twice the maximum recommended rate of weight loss. It can happen that you drop some extra pounds your first week or two, because of water weight, but don't expect that rate to continue. Or if it does, you need to eat more.

0.5-2lb/week is considered healthy, although depending on your size, it might not be recommended to lose 2lb/week.

You need to eat at least 1200, and probably better to eat closer to 1350-1400, since that's around your BMR (what you burn in a coma, not even getting out of bed in the morning).

Either you aren't counting accurately (which happens a lot, esp if you don't measure or even weigh food, and just rely on eye balling), or you are too much in the mind set that "less is better" and that's not always the case.

If you don't eat enough, it can slow down your weight loss. Plus, at 1000 cals, you aren't getting enough nutrition for your body.

Original Post by amethystgirl:

You've lost 12 lbs in 3 weeks? That's 4lb/week - twice the maximum recommended rate of weight loss. It can happen that you drop some extra pounds your first week or two, because of water weight, but don't expect that rate to continue. Or if it does, you need to eat more.

0.5-2lb/week is considered healthy, although depending on your size, it might not be recommended to lose 2lb/week.

 

Thank you for your insight.

Original Post by amethystgirl:

You need to eat at least 1200, and probably better to eat closer to 1350-1400, since that's around your BMR (what you burn in a coma, not even getting out of bed in the morning).

Either you aren't counting accurately (which happens a lot, esp if you don't measure or even weigh food, and just rely on eye balling), or you are too much in the mind set that "less is better" and that's not always the case.

If you don't eat enough, it can slow down your weight loss. Plus, at 1000 cals, you aren't getting enough nutrition for your body.

 

Thank you.  I guess I was thinking less is better and now I'm just not hungry.  I'll at least get 1200 and bump it up a little from there.

 

Thank you for your help,

Dawn

You need to eat more. It's very helpful to remember that the 1200 cal recommendation is not only the absolute minimum but it is also given as the 'one size fits all' suggestion for weight loss, which I'm sure is NOT the case for you.

I will second Amethysgirl's suggestion of increasing your cal consumption to 1350 - 1400 cals per day at least! you have to listen to your body and right now, it is telling you that you are eating too little... Also, make sure that you appropriately weigh (this is best) or measure your food for accuracy. It is very easy to under or over estimate your calories when eye balling...

Good luck!

Same thing happened to me and I followed the advice on here and bumped up my calories and started losing again (hard to imagine but it works) and its been consistent since I started watching that my deficit stays between 500-1,000 calories per day.  Some days I have to up my calories because I'm adding in additional activities or exercise but I use the tools on here to track it all.

Original Post by v_avila:

You need to eat more. It's very helpful to remember that the 1200 cal recommendation is not only the absolute minimum but it is also given as the 'one size fits all' suggestion for weight loss, which I'm sure is NOT the case for you.

I will second Amethysgirl's suggestion of increasing your cal consumption to 1350 - 1400 cals per day at least! you have to listen to your body and right now, it is telling you that you are eating too little... Also, make sure that you appropriately weigh (this is best) or measure your food for accuracy. It is very easy to under or over estimate your calories when eye balling...

Good luck!

When you eat too little for your body to run, it will think you are starving it, and it will hold on to anything and everything resulting in no weight loss. It also slows your metabolism down a lot! So yes, I reccomend that you up your calories as well! ^_^

Dumpling,

If you take in less calories than recommended, your body will start to hoard calories because it will believe there is a shortage. Your metabolism will slow and you will do more long-term damage to your fat loss mechanism than had you taken in the proper amount of calories.

I know it's hard, you kind of get greedy about the gratification you see on the scale. Let me ask you this, are you noticing that you feel a little chilly, perhaps even cold? This is a sign your metabolism is slowing, trying to conserve resources.

Some nutritionists recommend not going any lower that 1,500 calories. I know, that seems like a lot and I have a coronary when I see myself getting close to that. But all nutritionists will tell you it is unwise and even unsafe to go below 1,200 to 1,300 calories a day.

What I've found helps me reconcile what I still think of as a high number, I look at the analysis. As long as I keep the fat content about 25-30% and the carbs (good quality, whole grains, fruits and veggies) about 50-55% I feel better. We have to change our perception, and change the way we measure our success.

I'm going to take y'all's advise and up my calorie intake. 

Starting today.  :-)