Why am I not losing weight?

[Mumtogremlins]

I've been on a new diet the last few weeks which consists of 800 cals per day. Low, I know, but I can cope with it without being hungry. I'm burning 1700-1800 cals per day according to my Fitbit so I should be losing weight right? Not a lb!
Diet is generally fruit for breakfast, toast and fruit for lunch, plain chicken, mash and veg for tea. I've cut out all biscuits, cake and chocolate. I'm not a big salad or veg person.
I read about too few calories leading to the body slowing down metabolism but how do skinny models lose weight on low cal diets?
I'm also trying to increase exercise but also read losing weight is 80% food, 20% exercise. I'm getting really down about it now and feel like giving up :(

[MattDillonsPants]

How much do you currently weigh and how tall are you?

[IgglePiggleIsDead]

Are you drinking enough water?

[MattDillonsPants]

Yes, are you peeing much? Your body could actually be retaining more water. Drink some herbal teas through the day...cleansing ones.

[Mumtogremlins]

I'm 11st and 5'5 tall. Not huge but belly is awful! I do have a tendency not to drink enough water but I have been trying more - water and tea mainly - so I'm going every couple of hours. I've lost weight doing something similar before so wondering if it's just age (just turned 40).

[BeautyGoesToBenidorm]

Watching this thread with interest. I did something similar recently, calorie restriction wise, and I didn't lose weight either. I was drinking 3-4 litres of water a day too, and only eating moderate amounts of carbs.

Weirdly enough, I had 2 days of eating complete shit (those miserable wraps from One Stop, Doritos, chocolate bars etc) and found myself 4lbs lighter by the end of the week!

[Lighteningirll]

800 calories? That can't be good for you why don't you try SW or weight watchers they both work and you won't totally screw up your metabolic rate.

[CarrieLouise25]

Not an expert but I do know if you're not consumimg enough to function basically, then body goes into starvation mode. Body will keep onto the fat and metabolism will slow down.

You run risk of burning muscle for protein and not fat.

Only way to burn fat is to build muscle and to cut out junk. Calories shouldn't be cut so drastically. Water is good.

In same boat with my weight. Good luck x

[MattDillonsPants]

Every couple of hours isn't much OP...but I'm sure you know that. Up your water or herbal tea intake. Try to double it.

My DH is a real know it all when it comes to diet and fitness. You won't go into starvation mode yet.....that's when you're already an appropriate weight or underweight.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

Your calorie intake is too low and your body is going into starvation mode aka clingingto every last pound.

You need to rehaul your attitude to food extirely and add exercise. The Body Cosch and the Lean in 15 book is a good place to start for food and exercise advice.

If you have £150 to spare you could do the 90 bespoke day plan.

I don't have the money but like the recipe book.

[MattDillonsPants]

I disagree. I've gone on restricted diets like this when I was about a stone overweight as the OP is...and mine certainly didn't go into starvation mode.

It's not a LOT of food but it's not a famine diet either.

[knitknack]

Starvation mode is something that happens when you are seriously underweight.... It's just a diet myth base on an old study carried out after ww2.

[knitknack]

Have you read 'the blood sugar diet'? He recommends 800 cakes a day - might be wirth checking out?

[MattDillonsPants]

Knit exactly.

[ayesar]

I am a dietitian and the absolute lowest caloric intake you should try is 1000 kcal. I didn't get your weight from your post so don't know how many calories you need daily. The problem with 800 kcal a day, as donee mentioned, is that you will start burning fat and protein for energy, which then puts your body in an acidic state, which is dangerous for you. It is very difficult for you to get all the nutrients you need from 800 kcal, and the biggest problem with this diet is that it's absolutely not realistic to maintain. So if you do lose weight on it, you will likely gain of all back and more because your metabolism will slow down and as you start eating more you will store more of it as far.

Anyway, aim for a minimum of 1000kcal a day, with a serving of protein, carb and veg at every meal. Eat 3 meals a day without skipping any meals. Stay away from pop, juice and sugary or salty snacks. And give it time. Weight loss doesn't happen overnight. If you follow a plan that you can actually maintain and be happy with long term then you will definitely lose weight, but it might take a few weeks to see any results at all.

[MattDillonsPants]

Aye OP is 11 stones and 5.5.

[lougle]

Are you using my fitness pal or similar? I'm having 1200 calories per day, 5'8" and weighed 69kg and have lost 4.6kg in just over one month. Either you calories aren't as low as you think they are or you're not eating enough.

[Mumtogremlins]

I'm very careful counting the calories, down to the last carrot! And keeping a nice spreadsheet. Have used MFP in the past but didn't find all I was looking for on there. Haven't tried one of those eating plans as I'm quite a picky eater and wouldn't eat most of what they suggest. I tend to stick with plain and simple foods.
I don't feel like I'm in starvation mode - I don't feel really hungry at any point, just hungry enough. Instead of stuffing my face when I'm not hungry like I have been before!

[Mumtogremlins]

Ironically I'm eating more nutritious foods now on lower calories - more fruit and veg - so should be healthier and body happier. I might increase it to 1000 cals and see if that makes any difference

[Mumtogremlins]

And this diet has worked successfully for me before, so weird it's not now. I've put weight back on through the winter through overeating and spending time in hospital with my DS, just eating rubbish. Comfort eating!

[whirlygirly]

Knit knack, I fancy any diet which recommends 800 cakes a day

Op, I reckon you need to shock your body by eating more ( at least 1500 calls) twice a week. My colleague has done several v low cal diets. She then eats normally and regains the weight. Every subsequent time she tries the low cal diet it takes longer and has worse results. I think slow and steady is really the most effective long term method, dull though it is.

[QuimReaper]

Sorry, just had to jump in to say I cant stop laughing at "800 cakes a day"! Surely the best autocorrect ever!

[Middleoftheroad]

I lost weight on 800 cals per day. It was tough but I did it. When i dieted and exercised though i didn't. I guess it was the old building muscle story. So now i just diet. I lose weight but then im still wobbly underneath my clothes. I think im do obsessed with scales rather than shape that i never see the bigger picture of diet andexercise.

[flanjabelle]

I think you are not logging carefully enough. Are you weighing (with actual scales, not by packaging sizes) and measuring absolutely everything that goes into your body? Anyone on 800 calories per day would be losing weight, fast. You are clearly eating more than that. You would also be starving hungry on 800 calories, which again makes me think you are eating more than that. I really think it's a logging problem.

[TurnOffTheTv]

You need to think about the food you're actually eating
B-fruit. lots of sugar
L- fruit and toast. Sugar again and carbs
D- chicken mash and veg. Not too bad but not ideal.

You could have
B- scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes 150 cals
L- chicken and avocado salad/tuna nicoise/rice cakes with toppings 300 cals
D-chilli/spag bol with sweet potato 300 cals

I normally lose 5 pounds in 5 days on this