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Original poster

To think I don't need to eat more

99 replies

user1489592537 · 29/07/2017 10:55

I am on a journey to losing weight, I have been eating between 1,200-1,400 calories with everything tracked and written into my fitness pal (including oil and cooking prep). I work out three times a week at the gym and walk a lot and have an active job. I drink two litres of water a day, all my meals are healthy and I've been doing this for about one and a half months. I have not lost any weight and seemed to have gained this week, my DH says it's because I'm not eating enough and need to eat over 1600 calories a day but at my height (5ft) and weight (11st) I would just be gaining rapidly?! He's now in a mood with me because I said I wouldn't do it.

OP posts:
Crunchymum · 29/07/2017 10:57

He is in a mood with you? Because you won't do as he says?

For fear of being a complete cliché I have to ask if he is generally controlling?

Weebitty · 29/07/2017 10:58

I put on at least 2lbs before my period...drops off right after. could be that maybe

Crunchymum · 29/07/2017 10:58

Fwiw 1200-1300 calories is fine for me to lose. 1500-1600 for me to maintain.

Original poster
user1489592537 · 29/07/2017 10:59

@crunchymum no not controlling at all, he says he doesn't like seeing me upset about my weight and is trying to help and that he knows what he's saying because he eats ten times as much as that! But he's 6ft, goes to the gym all the time and has a very fast motabolism and eats around 3,000 calories a day so can't understand I need to eat less to lose weight as he struggles to put it on

OP posts:
Original poster
user1489592537 · 29/07/2017 11:00

@weebitty I don't have periods anymore as I'm on the implant!

OP posts:
Sarahrose21 · 29/07/2017 11:01

Sounds a reasonable amount of calories for trying to lose weight but I wouldnt go by what the numbers on the scale say as you say you are going to the gym and working out, you a probably burning fat and gaining muscle which is more dense therefore weighs more, also I would cut out anything that says 'low fat' as it means more sugar and it's the sugar that contributes more to weight gain than fats do. As for your DH tell him to back off

ASDismynormality · 29/07/2017 11:03

I'm a massively advocate of low carb high fat eating, maybe give that a go. It could be the types of food you are eating rather than the number of calories.

MrTrebus · 29/07/2017 11:03

There is some truth to what he says, have a google. Maybe try 2 weeks on more calories and see what happens. Maybe too many carbs? Not enough "good" fats? Too much sugar? Beware anything that says low fat/fat free is loaded with sugar.

sallysparkle · 29/07/2017 11:06

Have a look at Richie Howey on Facebook (RH Fitess I think). You don't have to sign up to it to get the general gist of what he's talking about. But yes, not eating enough can make the body go into siege mentality.

elessar · 29/07/2017 11:08

You are not being unreasonable.

If you haven't lost any weight at all in 6 weeks though it might be that you need to eat a bit less even than you are, or eat different types of things. I would definitely not say that it's not because you aren't eating enough.

At your height even 1400 calories could be enough to maintain weight rather than lose it.

Original poster
user1489592537 · 29/07/2017 11:10

An average day on my meal plan is

Quak, honey, blueberries for breakfast

Vegetable pasta (weighed so the calories are 230) for lunch

Lean chicken burgers (from muscle food) with carrot sticks and cucumbers

OP posts:
RJnomore1 · 29/07/2017 11:17

If your pasta lunch is 230 calories you're not eating 1400 a day abs he's probably correct.

ClashCityRocker · 29/07/2017 11:20

I'd have thought that would be well under fourteen hundred calories. It doesn't seem very much.

Original poster
user1489592537 · 29/07/2017 11:21

@RJnomore1 breakfast is 300 calories, lunch is 250 and then dinner is 750 as we have two burgers in buns with the veg

OP posts:
squirreltrap · 29/07/2017 11:24

I'm 5.7 and 1400 cals just maintains weight (9.5stone)
I think you prob need to cut to 1000-1200 for weight loss

Flightywoman · 29/07/2017 11:25

Eating fewer calories to lose weight does not put you into 'starvation mode'! It just doesn't.

Starvation mode comes as a result of long-term and extreme calorie deficit, such as in a concentration camp or a famine-struck area, and you have completely exhausted all your fat reserves.

You don't go into starvation from a bit of cake-avoidance.

OP, have a look at the composition of your diet - is it high in sugars or carbs? Maybe reduce those and increase protein. Drink more water. And don't eat back your exercise calories.

Fingers crossed for you!

AdoraBell · 29/07/2017 11:33

When you say you work out, what are you doing? It could be you are building mire muscle mass. Have you measured your waist, hips. Do your close fit better than before you started? That a better way to asses weight loss imo. And how do you feel in terms of energy levels on that amount of calories?

luckylucky24 · 29/07/2017 11:36

I stuck rigidly to 1200 calories for a week or two with no change. Started eating a bit more fat biscuits and started losing it. Maybe you do need a little more of certain things.

RJnomore1 · 29/07/2017 11:36

Ah ok I thought you weren't eating buns with the burgers apologies.

JaneEyre70 · 29/07/2017 11:47

I have to stay well below 1200 calories to lose weight, and maintenance seems to be around 1400 for me. But I'm also 46. I can't eat a lot of carbs, I have yogurt, berries and protein powder for breakfast, crackers and cheese/salad at lunch and no carbs at evening meal. Eating 2 buns at night is quite carb dense, so I'd drop the evening carbs and see if that helps. It is very frustrating though, and the scales go up far quicker than they go down. It's also very common to plateau as your body gets used to what you're doing, so perhaps a change of exercise routine may help.

elessar · 29/07/2017 11:48

It sounds quite carb heavy OP to be honest. I'd either get rid of the buns with the burgers for dinner, or eat a salad or soup for lunch.

Ollivander84 · 29/07/2017 11:50

Are you weighing every day? That can actually help. I use an app to track mine

PrettyGreyEyes · 29/07/2017 11:54

Agree it sounds carb heavy.

For comparison, i need to eat under 1000 cals per day to lose and Im 5'6" & 10 stone and work out with weights 3 or 4 times per week for 30 minutes.

Have you thought about seeing a fitness trainer? A good one mind.

DollyLlama · 29/07/2017 11:58

When me and my OH met I was on the 5:2 and using myfitnesspal. I'd lost 2 stone and was very strict with myself (I'm now 3 stone heavier, getting comfortable is not good for your weight) and I would eat 1000 calories worth of food day to day and 500 on fasting days with the odd treat here and there.

I agree with Sarahrose though, if you're going to the gym you could be replacing fat with muscle. I decided some time ago not to look at scales as I think it matters how you look, not what you weigh. You can be happy with your size but unhappy with your weight.

FatGirlWithChocolate · 29/07/2017 11:59

Have you calculated your Tdee, so you know the level you need to eat beneath to lose weight? ( remember that Tdee takes account of your activity levels, so you can't eat back exercise calories). Sometimes you can be losing, but it's masked by water retention - Google "whoosh theory". If you are genuinely eating at a deficit you will lose, so hang in there. Great calculator here, it worked for me.

www.precisionnutrition.com/weight-loss-calculator