Why am I not losing weight on 1200 cals ?!

[IWantToBeNynaeve]

I'm 50 and have been doing Myfitnesspal since Jan 1, and have stuck to 1200 cals every day since (in fact I'm usually around 1100). I go walking pretty much every day too. I've lost 6 kg since Jan 1st but its really stalled lately, I've only lost 0.3kg each week for the past 3 weeks, its very frustrating! I started off at 84 kg which is far too heavy for my 5ft 4 height and am only down to 77.3kg today 2.5 months later, I can't understand why it is so slow? I'm absolutely diligent about sticking to my 1200 allowance, I never cheat or go over so why? I used to be able to lose weight so easily when I was younger a couple of weeks cutting back and I'd be down 5kgs. What am I doing wrong? I've read enough to know that starvation mode is not a thing! All help appreciated.

@NewmummyJ

Having very effectively lost weight the same way, I found my weight would plateau too- I found eating a slightly higher calorie intake for a few days (1700-2000) before going back to 1200 helped. I can't explain it scientifically but have heard that your body can go into 'starvation mode' so conserves every calorie- by eating more it kicks you back out of this and you start losing weight again. Seems really counterintuitive but worked for me!

It’s called metabolic confusion. I do that too. And I switch my usual 16:8 for 14:10 or do a 3 day water fast. Keeps your body guessing.

No advice but this happened to me too . Am reading the responses with interest!

Metabolic adaption. Your body has become used to the calories in and has adapted to function on less, hence the stall.

Couple of options.

1. Increase steps and physical activity- add some cardio and weight training in a couple of times a week as well to push you back into a deficit. Wait 3 weeks, there should be a change.

1. Drop calories lower- 100 less per day should do it.

1. Diet break. Take yourself slowly back up to maintenance calories and stay there for 4-8 weeks to allow your metabolism to readjust itself. Then back into a deficit.

So many helpful replies! And some really interesting points that I hadn't considered, mainly I'm definitely not drinking enough water and secondly I need to be happier with any loss! I don't count any exercise on MFP so my 1200 are what I'm eating, no allowance made for any exercise iykwim but my food is probably too carb heavy really. I've heard people talk about upping calories now and again as a metabolic boost and a few of you have mentioned that so I think that's definitely worth a go. I'm going to continue my weight loss path, I'm absolutely determined, and it is working, just so slow 😄. But again maybe I'm being unrealistic and need to look at the bigger picture. I'm 6 kgs down and I can certainly feel it in my clothes, a pair of jeans that wouldn't go near me at Christmas now fit. OK not much wiggle room but I'll take it . Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it especially coming from people who are on the same journey as I am.

You’re basically weighing the contents of your body (digestive system/blood etc). There’s nothing meaningful about that number.

Not so long back in our history carbs would not have been available all year round. Berries etc would have been summer foods, root veg into autumn. So carbs signal to the body that winter is coming and your body will hang onto fat in readiness. Worth dropping your carbs to see if that does the trick.

(Spring would have been more meat based, which would signal that winter is over and it’s safe for the body to release the fat it no longer needs. So up your good protein and fat and reduce carbs for that effect.)

@TrooBloo

Weight training. Focus on building muscle and you will naturally lose fat. Weight training is especially important over 40 anyway, you’ll be doing wonders for your health.

Insulin resistant is a real issue as well, is / has your diet been carb heavy? It can take a while to fix.

I agree with this. You can buy some light weights (eg 2 & 4 kg) and use workout videos on YouTube, it doesn’t have to be a big thing. 2x 30 min weight workouts will make a big difference and also good to retain and build muscle as you lose weight

I love weight training. Body pump 2-3 times a week. It's a great feeling afterwards, different to cardio and it changes your body shape plus increases your metabolic rate so you burn more calories even at rest

Both IF and reducing processed foods & carbs, & eating mostly whole foods have helped me too (dropping bread/pasta/potatoes esp at dinner)

are you weighing food? are you counting drinks?

lubeyboobyalt just googled your loss & it’s 9 stone! That’s incredible! How long did it take you?

@SausagePourHomme

are you weighing food? are you counting drinks?

Yes ! I weigh everything so I'm pretty sure the calorie count is correct, and I only drink weak black tea or water, plus maybe one zero cal fizzy drink a day so no extra calories there. I almost wish I did drink extra calories like milky coffee or alcohol because then I could cut those out, but I don't.

I upped my calorie allowance today by around 200 calories btw , just to see if that boost does anything! I'll go back to 1200 tomorrow. I'll also look into light weight training, funnily enough my ds2 was urging me to start it because he's learning about osteoporosis in college at the moment!

I'm 56 and have to eat 1000 calories or less per day to lose weight these days.

Some people find that zero calorie fizzy drinks cause weight gain. I know they have no calories but the chemicals in them have some effect on the body so try cutting that out.

@LightSpeeds

I'm 56 and have to eat 1000 calories or less per day to lose weight these days.

It's so unfair isn't it! When I was in my 20s I could just cut down for a few weeks and the weight would fall off :/

Go and find team RH on face book and watch some of their videos. You don’t need to join to see them and it gets rid of a lot of dieting myths.

@RebeccaManderley

Some people find that zero calorie fizzy drinks cause weight gain. I know they have no calories but the chemicals in them have some effect on the body so try cutting that out.

The body has to work harder to deal with the carbon dioxide in the drink. CO2 and O transfer is a big part of fat loss, so you don’t want to be messing with that negatively.

Your body will react to the taste of sweet things in the same way even if they don’t contain sugar, ie release insulin. This will then trigger fat storage.

For those of you having to reduce your calories to under 1200 I’d suggest either reading up on intermittent fasting/time restricted eating or watch Jason Fung videos on YouTube.

Gaining muscle also helps metabolism.

I'm 62 and since I was around 45 I've had to throw everything I've got into losing weight and keeping it off. It's so bloody draining. 1200 is pretty much maintenance for me now (TDEE is only 1450) so not much wriggle room there...

You're doing brilliantly though. I would also endorse chucking away the scales and using something else as a measure of success (I use my Hush jeans as there's no forgiving stretch).

Of all my friends who are the same age as me, the only ones who are slim nowadays are those with very active lifestyles. Weight training has helped me in the past as well (too lazy these days).

You have to weigh everything rather than using units or cup sizes, they are inaccurate

Having said that, if you are sticking to the 1200 a day then all that you need to do is carry on and wait.

There is no such thing as starvation mode, so you dont need to cut down further or up your calories, you can have a plateau and then all of a sudden a massive amount comes off, this is what used to happen to me, I weighed every day so I could see the ups and downs and see the trajectory going down but essentially I would stay the same for 6 weeks then a massive amount off, then the next 6 weeks would stick then another amount off. Very annoying

As long as you have calculated your CICO accurately for the loss you want and you stick to it you will be fine.

Your base metabolic rate will have decreased. It takes more calories to maintain a heavier weight than a lighter weight. So you lose weight quickly in the start but the weight loss gradually slows down as you go. I would not be too disheartened by 0.3kg/week. It’s still a steady weight loss.

If you want to lose faster, you need to add in some strength based exercise. Diet and walking alone are a good start, but the real calorie burner for your base metabolic rate is muscle mass.

You could theoretically eat less, but 1200 per day is the lowest you should go for health and nutrition reasons.

It's so hard when you're short. I'm 50 and 5'3, my TDEE is ridiculously low, to lose .05lb per week it puts me on 1,219 calories.
I agree with the comments about adding in weights, but make sure you have enough of your calories coming from protein, or you won't build any muscle.
I did try the fast800 but couldn't do it. there are some people on the fast800 facebook page who have lost a lot of weight though.

They say that losing 1lb a week is fine, and on average you have been doing better than that, so well done.

Agree with others about the carbs. Try reducing them and replacing with veg, or change to low GI bread etc.

This is all very interesting.

I've upped my protein and increased my exercise, but am hovering around the same weight. I think I need to get back to intermittent fasting properly, I have let it slip.

Well I was down 0.7kg this week which was definitely better than the 0.3kg of the previous 2 weeks. Funnily enough I wasn't quite as strict this week in that I am usually at least 100 cals under my limit per day but last week I was much nearer 1200 or even slightly over , plus I usually walk every day but for various reasons I didn't get out every day. Probably coincidence but it did make me feel better to see 0.7kg down ! I'm 76.7 now so only another 6kg to go, hopefully I'll make that by the summer ;)