I have a problem, I am NOT losing wieght. I have been eating aroudn 1200 calories a day for over two months. I am NOT cheating or forgetting to count anything that goes into my mouth. I have started weight training 3 days a week and I am on my 7th week. I thought I had finally lost 3 pounds to get on the scales and see that I am back up again. Yes, I do weigh myself everyday. I am a female 5'3" and I weight 150 pounds I need to get this weight off. Why is 1200 calories and sometimes less not working????

Fr_Chuck

What other exercise are you doing besides weight training ( buidling up muscles) walking, running, swimming, arobics, you need to increase your over all exercise probram.

Tessy777

No, I'm not walking everyday or anything else...but you would think 1000 to 1200 calories a day along with weight training might be good for at least a pound a week. geesh

lovelesspa

Now you need to go over what these 1200 calories are. Is the food your eating foods like fruits, (2-4 servings per day) and veggies, (3-5 servings per day)..How about meat choices, lean meats, like skinless chicken, (baked or broiled) turkey breast, fish, (not fried), and lean, loin type red/white meats? Are you cooking them with olive, or canola oils? After really thinking about this, we need to go over how much... The serving size for meat is 3 ounces, about the size of an open palm. Are you eating any processed foods? Sugary snacks or salty ones, like chips? Are you eating 100% grain breads, rice- (Wheat), pasta, and whole wheat type breads? Cutting out white flour really is important. Did you know eating 3-4 servings of Lowfat 1-2% milk, nonfat yogurt and cheese will actually increase fat breakdown in fat cells. 3-4 servings of low fat dairy can adjust the fat burning ,echanism in your body, the more calcium stored in a fat cell the more calories the body will burn. 1 serving is 1 cup milk or yogurt or 1 1/2 oz of low fat skim or part skim cheese. Read nutritional labels and find out what it says a serving/portion is of a product and stick by it, no seconds. Our plates should be 1/2 fruit, 1/4 whole grains, pasta, rice, cereal, breads, and 1/4 protein. A small reduction in calories might also help you, 10-15% less will protect lean muscle and less likely to slow down your metabolism. That would still keep you slighlty about 1,000 calories. Besides weight training you need to incorporate other exercise programs, like biking, ellipiticals, jogging, aerobics, stairs climbing, even just a good 1/2 hr. walk. You sound like your really trying hard, the best advice I can give you is "stop" weighing yourself everyday, not good for your attitude and you won't see changes. If you weight yourself say every two weeks when you lose a few pounds you'll be proud of them! And drink lots of water (you have cut out sodas and presweetened drinks , right?) Water is very important! Hope this helps, remember it takes time and patience but your on your way!

Tessy777

Ok, in all fairness, I eat what I want but very small amounts. i count the calories exactly. When you are only taken in 1000 to 1200 calories, you really can't eat lots of fats and sweets. but I am not careful to have the best food either such as, whole wheats, fruits and veggies. I eat a lot of weight watcher meals but every calorie I take in is counted. I don't eat it unless I know exactly how much it is. I thought a calorie was a calorie....that is what the experts say. Well thanks for your advice.

Becca1025

Maybe with all the weight training you have gained muscle and lost, muscle weighs so much more than fat. So the good news is, you probably gained lots of muscle. Try to add swimming to your exercise. Iwas a swimmer in high school and ever swim season I would lost a lot of weight and get very toned. It works out just about every muscle in your body. Get a trained person at your gym to do it with you to show you all the strokes and set up your patterns. Dont cheat, like if they tell you to swim a 500 then swim your 500 thats the only way you can actually get results from this. Also instead of eating anything you want with smaller portions, why dont you get some veggies, fruits, trail mix or anything like that and snack on that, also when craving chocolate try hot chocolate, or wanting anything sweet try a lowfat smoothing or low fat popcicles. Goodluc

lovelesspa

But that's the whole point healthy natural foods, have less bad flour, (white), less sodium, and less sugar, and fats, that's why I'm advising changing over to all wheat, multigrain products, like breads, rice and cereals, pastas. Weight watchers are great, because they have the correct "portions", and low calories, but you also need low fat, dairy and lots of veggies and fruits. Dairy Products like 2-3 servings low fat, skim milk, low fat, non fat yogurt or low fat, skim or partially skim cheese, (1 1/2 oz, is one serving, 1 cup of milk or yogurt is one serving.) This will help your body, calcium regulates energy metabolism, which increases fat breakdonw and decreases the amount of body fat you have. A "calorie" is NOT always a "calorie",Another important part of the nutritional labels is sodium, tansfat, and sugar content, as well as cholestrol, a nutrient that is 5% DV is low, which is good, if it states 20% or more, in DV, thats high, choose something else. Check on calories from Fat- it's usually located right next to calories, A fat calorie comes from fat, Fat contains 9 calories (i.e 1 cup whole milk contains 8 grams of fat, so 8 X 9 = 72 fat calories) Fat intake should be 20-30% of daily calories, (50-80 grams of fat per day)
Hope this explains why a whole diet change is necessary, if you change bad habits now, it will help you for good, portion sizes and what's in the food you are eating, as well as healthy choices.

Morganite

Drop it to 1000 C per diem. Try thaty for four weeks. You should lose at a rate of half a pound each week. Exercise will make it happen faster.

Good luck.

GlindaofOz

You actually need to eat more. It seems counterintuitive but you are putting your body into starvation mode. When you start adding weight bearing exercise like weights you have to add more protein and more calories. You also need to do some kind of cardio. You have to get your heart pumping in order to burn fat.

My recommendation would be to alternate your calorie intake - one day 1400 the next 1300 the next 1200 then back to 1400. You have to feed your metabolism in order for it work. You don't expect a fire to burn without wood right? Its the same way with your body.

If you have health insurance and its covered I would also recommend going to a nutritionist they are typically awesome with getting you into a healthier eating plan.

Good luck!

randomguy19

Yeah, the best thing to do for loosing weight is cardio. Get your heart rate pumping for atleast 20-30 mins a day. Start out small first though and work your way up. You will see a major difference. Drink plenty of water!