why oh why have i put on 3lbs in two weeks of being so careful.

[piratecat]

i did so well on MFP, 1200 cals. lost 2 stone over about 8months in 2012, and have maintained it up till the new year 2014.
Went from 11st 10, to 9st 10. I am 5ft 3.

Put on a few pounds at xmas 2013, and got rid of them by Feb. Yet despite the last two weeks doing MFP again, i have put on again!!

All in all i have put on 7lbs since xmas. So am 10.5 this morning, despite being 10.2 two weeks back.
Am mid cycle. grrrr grrr rant rant.!!

Not eating enough? Or eating too much of something. Do you feel bloated?

It will all balance out in the end.

I would agree that 1200 seems low and may in some weird way be counter-productive.

And yes you maybe retaining water too. or a giant poo

Too many coffee or teas or fizzy 'diet' drinks? I find that I always put on weight if I eat a meal too late at night. it's only 3lbs though don't worry!

ooh hiya, i am sticking to what i did before, when i lost the original weight.

I don't drink fizzy drinks, haven't changed my tea intake from when i last did the plan. Maybe something needs changing, 1200 worked last time.

I put in my details again for 1/2-1 lb a week loss, and it came up with the 1200.
It's just a bit disheartening, when you work hard to cut down, then put it on instead.
I am a bit bloated today, you're right got a bit of a tummy ache this afternoon.
I often read posts about putting on weight and think similar things, to what you've suggested, but can't think of why it would happen.

Like you said, maybe it will even out. :)

not sure what the deleted message said, but 1200 worked well for me before, MFP is my fitness pal, and i ate a really good balance of alot more protein than i would have, less carbs, and lots of veg. I don't do low fat or diet products. I have a tiny bit of what a consider treats, as i don't like to feel like I am missing out.
Being a vegetarian sourcing/remembering the proteins is sometimes tricky.

Perhaps it's time to find another eating plan? Yet i found MFP effective, very slow but steady weightloss.

I've never heard of anyone being given any other target on MFP than 1200, it's not exactly scientific. I would eat a bit more if I were you and not weigh too often.

It is notoriously difficult to lose that last few lbs please do not be down hearted, going by your height and weight you can't have much to lose.

hi hugoagogo, you're right 1200 does seem to be a very once size fits all amount.

I am very bottom heavy, the pear shape. So this half a stone really shows up with my clothes. I was kidding myself that my jeans must have shrunk !

Piratecat you have very, very similar stats to me. I've been 5:2 ing for 3 months and have lost about 5lbs, erratically, and only when I add in low-carbing. I'm also veggie.

This week I 'm having a pre-holiday, 4:3 fasting, low carbing extravaganza in order to slim down my giant thighs a bit. It's not fun.

Low cal has never ever worked for me. Eventually, I understand, it just slows your metabolism. And now you've lost 2stone, 1200 is less of a drop from your maintaining calorie intake, which is higher if you are bigger.

I reckon shake it up and try something new, with plenty of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. New exercise regime maybe?

Piratecat you have very, very similar stats to me. I've been 5:2 ing for 3 months and have lost about 5lbs, erratically, and only when I add in low-carbing. I'm also veggie.

This week I 'm having a pre-holiday, 4:3 fasting, low carbing extravaganza in order to slim down my giant thighs a bit. It's not fun.

Low cal has never ever worked for me. Eventually, I understand, it just slows your metabolism. And now you've lost 2stone, 1200 is less of a drop from your maintaining calorie intake, which is higher if you are bigger.

I reckon shake it up and try something new, with plenty of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. New exercise regime maybe?

hiya, really good to hear your perspective. Are you a similar weight to me?

It does make sense to shake it up a bit, in the right direction. I am fairly sedentary, as have a few health problems. Age wise, i wonder if we are similar, i am early 40's, and my mum said it gets harder to lose!

What veggie things do you like? Proteins?

This evening on mfp, i still have 300 cals left, and one fat. So that's obviously not enough food today, but this is not indicative of the past two weeks, as i said i am quite bloated today with a bit of a tummy ache so haven't felt like much.

x

Yes, lost a few pounds so just under 10 stone, and I'm early 30s. I used to stay fit and lean through exercise but I just can't make it happen with work and a young child and both me and DH travelling a lot.

I firmly believe that fat and protein is really important. There have been studies lately about long term calorie restriction not working for sustained weight loss - metabolism just adjusts to the new lower level.

I like tofu, lentils, pulses, nuts, seeds etc. when low carbing I get by on cauli cheese, aubergine parmagiana, curries, warm salads, soups, eggs. I'm growing a lot of fruit & veg this year so will try to make that the bulk of my diet.

hmm seem to have lost 2 lbs overnight

Soups are great, i am going to make one today, it's my own throw it together carrot, onion, brocolli, indian spices and lentils.

Have to say your garden sounds lovely. I like tofu, but only know how to cook it stir fried, and thru experience it needs a fair amount of oil to do so?
How do you eat it? x

weigh yourself weekly at most.

dieting is a waste of time. It is simple balance between calories in and effort expended. Eat a healthy mix of food in reasonable proportions and move around. High calorie foods such as cauliflower cheese need to be in small portions.

Piratecat I did say don't worry! I caught an 'all fats are bad' vibe from you we need good oils and fats like olive oil (not taken to really high temps though). Some of us are good with animal fat and some are not

I lost my 3 stone with mindful eating ;paul Mckenna ,and I have olive oil a lot for my health.

In what universe is cauliflower cheese 'high calorie'?
Cheese sauce might be, but pour it on the cauliflower and the combination is not.

Glad your scales are looking better today pirate, but that is the reason it's not a good idea to weigh yourself too often as these minor temporary fluctuations can cause you to panic and then not eat enough or to splurge as the whole thing seems pointless.

Do not weigh again for a week

hmm i am careful about fats, only because of MFP, so introducing say more olive oil etc freaks me out a tad. I do nuts, love them as a snack.

I promise i don't weigh very often, once a week. I did so today as i wanted to see if the bloating (not feeling well tummy wise) had been the source/factor yesterday. Hadn't weighed for two weeks previous to that, and mindful eating for two weeks, well it now transpires i didn't lose anything, but i didn't put anything on.

x

oh am veggie so no animal fats, but i do keep an eye on saturated fats.

Just done a quick calculation for you (inputting your age as a nominal 30 - if you're older the calculated figures will be lower).

At 5'3" and a sedentary lifestyle, your total daily energy expenditure would be around 1600 calories a day. Add in light exercise 1 to 3 days a week and you'd be at 1850 calories a day.

I'd suggest mixing things up a bit - sticking to 1200 calories a day may mean that your body is trying hard to hang onto its reserves. Eat healthily (good fats, avoid low fat stuff as it's often stuffed with sugar), add in exercise if you haven't already, consider 5:2 as an option?

thanks squirreled, i am early 40's. I expect, having lost steadily, approx a pound a week on MFP at the 1200, i am too vigilant.

will deffo look at what i am eating, eat more protein and not worry about the fats. i don't have low fat stuff, it's vile!

I lost my weight without counting a calorie at all (or weighing more than once or twice in 2 months). You could do worse than look at Paul Mckenna because he makes a lot of sense!

Yes I do cook tofu with a splash of olive oil, though you can get the silky kind for soups and curries which goes in as is. Like the pp I believe that good fats are essential and that not all calories are equal - the body processes them differently. There is some evidence coming through, I read, that low carb diets are more effective and sustainable than low fat or low cal. It certainly worked for me.

Cauli cheese may well have high proportions of fat and calories but the fats and proteins from the dairy really fill you and and are satisfying. I cook it with soya cream and some hard cheese.

If you're restricting your diet in any way OP, just realise that it's even more important to make what you do eat count. Low cal stuff can really lack nutrients - 10kcal jelly for example just doesn't nourish.