To think I don't need to eat more

[user1489592537]

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.

And why starvation mode is a myth :

www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

If you're not losing it might be worth reading this:

www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

If you are exercising heavily/strenuously you might need to up calories, but take a look at your macros too, this will help you to build lean muscle which is denser than fat so your body shape can change loads but weight not so much IYSWIM?

Whoosh theory - www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/

I know for me at 5ft 2in and 10st 10lbs (i went down to 8st 10lbs a couple of years ago) I have to eat below 1200 kcal to lose weight. I cannot do what MFP suggests at 1550kcal as I tried it and I remained the same. I also run around 2-4 times and week and rarely ate back those calories.

Eat more veg- your dinner sounds so bland and very high in calories for what it is!

I'm 5ft and eat 1300cals on lazy weeks and 1600cals when I am more active- 10km walking a day and 2 workouts a week to maintain 8st 3lbs. Although I don't count calories when socialising so easily go well over 3000 some days. In general I eat a very high fat diet but have decent muscle tone to burn it off. When I want to diet- I like to be around 7st 7lbs for events- I go down to 400cal shake diets which I find super effective.

At 11 stone I'd take it down to 800 and 1200cals alternating days as there is a fair bit to come off.

This is what my figure looks like, a lot of my weight is in my bust and I have quite muscular legs... it's my pudgy tummy that gets me down! I mostly do ab building and cardio!

You have a lovely shape! I definitely wouldn't look like that at 11 stone!

Might advise a larger bikini top though!

In my opinion you need to introduce some healthy fats and no carbs after 4pm

For stomach toning its also important to work on your back muscles as they help support you which will in turn help you engage your core in everyday life more.

@beepbeepmove I know it's last years!! The implant has increased my bust and my bra collection has yet to keep up

Just ignore him OP. People who have never tried to lose weight are so often full of wisdom which they impart with unassailable confidence. It's maddening.

Weight loss is bonkers, it's never linear, but the general trend will be downwards. It can help to track your weight weekly on a chart (I'm sure there are fancy apps for it - I think MFP may even do it): then you can see the general downward trend and not freak out so much about plateaus and losses.

I was just going to post about the "whoosh" thing as well.

You look terrific though OP, I do so envy an hourglass!

This is my weight line
The trend line is yellow, the daily weight is blue. So you can see if I weighed once a week I might stay the same or even gain but I'm actually losing

I agree with you dh but maybe you r doctor or a nutritionalist would be best placed to advise. Why don't you try a diet of 1500 stick to that for 4 weeks and see what happens.

I wish I could eat 1,200 calories to lose 🙁

I'm 5ft 1 - about 9st 12 and if I wanna lose I have to drop it down to 800 - pain in the arse if I'm honest and I don't feel the best

If I ate over 1,200 a day I'd gain weight

A moderately active 5ft 11 stone woman aged 30 needs :
You need 2,077 Calories/day to maintain your weight.
2,077
You need 1,577 Calories/day to lose 1 lb per week.
1,577

If you are very active
You need 2,312 Calories/day to maintain your weight.
2,312
You need 1,812 Calories/day to lose 1 lb per week.
1,812

So why don't you try 1500 kcal. It should be more easy to keep up as well. Drink lots too.

If you're not losing then you're consuming more calories than you're burning. I think it's a 500 calories deficit you need. Richie Howie is interesting but I don't like all his swearing etc. However, he has got me looking at my macros on My Fitness Pal for the first time. It's really interesting.

This is an average look at my macros

Do you eat pasta daily for lunch? I struggle eating too much pasta. Have found an omelette may be higher calories but more filling.

@groovee No not everyday! That was just an example! My weekly 'work' lunches are: chicken salad, chicken wraps, tomato soup, vegetable pasta, sandwiches! Then at home I usually make a low calorie hot meal!

Those who need to eat so little to lose weight, bear in mind that the poster has an active job, trains 3x a week, walks a lot and weighs 11stone. I really don't think it would be wise to eat any less than you currently are. Maybe replace bread/pasta with other sources of carbs sometimes though. Potatoes, rice, quinoa, piles of veggies etc.

Based on those macros I'd consider reducing down the carbs and increasing the amount of lean protein you eat.
Don't wipe out carbs entirely but I'd reduce the processed sugary carbs and go for more low GI options.
if I was eating that many carbs a day I'd gain (I just have to look at a bowl of pasta to gain!).

Fannyan that's really reductionist, not every woman of the same height and weight needs the same amount.

I'm 5"2 and don't lose weight unless I really restrict, 1200 or less. I put on weight at 2000 calories. In fact the minute I stop trying to lose weight it goes on, very annoying. So 1200 is fine, 1600 would be a good aim for a large man losing weight but not a small woman. As a PP said starvation mode is not a thing.

Gut microbes play a big part in weight and weight loss, which were only just starting to understand. Eating a range of gut friendly foods is likely to help weight loss as well and general health.

I did mpf plus exercise for weight loss earlier in year with a similar calorie intake. I lost about 5lbs in a couple of months but I was bored as fuck doing it. I ate no junk whatsoever as I knew once I said yes to one bit of chocolate it would be the end.
Muscle does weigh more than fat so you need to use a tape measure.

I'm losing about 1.5lbs a week on 1200-1500 cals. Eat more towards 1500 on the days I'm exercising. Yesterday was 1100 cals and I fasted 3pm - 6.30am
(5ft 10)

May I suggest you ditch all that bread ? Wraps, sandwiches and buns far too much bread.
At 55 I was told I had mild COPD and started to go to the gym to try to get a bit fitter and shed some weight 105kg 38 inch waist 191 cm tall.
Could not do normal cardio due to the COPD, but as my gym is a bit 'old skool' it was flipping tractor tiers, prowlers, squats, RDL's etc. got down to 89kg and 32 inch waist in under a year.
Try Strip Shake (from Amazon) I found it helpful along with cutting out the bread.