Calorie deficit but not losing weight

[cdba88]

I have a wedding in 16 weeks time. I happened to have 16lbs to lose so it was an achievable and sustainable target of 1lb per week. I needed to lose it anyway, so the wedding was just a useful goal.

I am currently 5ft 2in and 149lb.

I've been using the nutricheck app to record my calories and have stuck to it for 2 weeks. I've gone to the gym 3 times a week where I do an intense 15 mins of cardio (I've seen much improvement in my stamina which I am pleased with!) Then 30 mins of weight machines, usually a mixture of legs, arms, chest, abs.

I've only lost 0.5 lbs in these two weeks. That's like a big poo

Im really reluctant to drop my calorie target further as I do get hungry as it is and dropping it further would make the whole thing unsustainable.

Where am I going wrong!?

This week I'm planning to drop my carb intake a little and up my fibre and protein to see what difference it makes. If anyone has any tips I'd be most grateful.

1200 is NOT dangerous for someone 5'2"!!!

Also if you are suddenly doing more exercise you are likely to be gaining muscle atm too.

But yeah 1500 calories probably isn't enough to lose much weight given your height. I have to do 1200 - 1300 to manage it, which is a challenge to do and maintain a healthy diet.

Sorry!

I'm 5ft3.5
I will not lose until I go below 1200 calories.
I run three times a week, total 50km a week.
Two hiit type classes
Walk dogs every day.
If I eat more than 1200 calls I gain

I’m 5’5” and I’d put on weight with all that pasta, rice, chips and potatoes.

It’s very likely muscle gain. If you had a scales that measured weight and % body fat, that would give some insight.

I know that event is important, but try look beyond that. Lots of people lose weight, and put it on again. Try to do something sustainable

[quote PickAChew]@accidentallygothereagain at 5'8 you're not exactly having to run on shortarse calories.[/quote]
I'm 6 inches taller not 3 foot taller- and lose weight eating double the calories. I'm not overweight either, BMI about 20.

You don't have to starve your body to lose weight. 1200 calories plus exercise is not healthy.

A 1,200-calorie diet is much too low for most people and can result in negative side effects like dizziness, extreme hunger, nausea, micronutrient deficiencies, fatigue, headaches, and gallstones ( 23 ). Furthermore, a 1,200-calorie diet can set you up for failure if long-term weight loss is your goal - Source Healthline.

accidentally - you’re 5’8” that’s very different to Op’s 5’2” so of course you can eat more calories than she (or I) can.
The point is, if she’s not losing weight very quickly, and wants to lose it faster, she needs to reduce calories, or at least make sure what’s she’s logging at the moment is accurate. It’s a simple thing of cals in vs cals out. If she’s sure she eating 1500 and losing 0.5lb in 2 weeks, she can either carry on like that, and accept the progress will be slow, or decrease cals and lose quicker.

As I said before, I’m 2” taller and I’m having to eat 1200 to lose at a rate of 2lbs per week.

Op, of course if you feel you can’t go lower on the cals, then don’t. But you can eat healthily on fewer.

And I would hope if anyone had those symptoms, they would listen to their body and eat more.
I’ve been on 1200 for 5 weeks now, some days as low as 800 cals, and I’ve not had a single bout of dizziness, nausea, fatigue, headache or extreme hunger. My gut is probably healthier than it’s been in years, because the way I was eating before was more detrimental. I’ve switched from squash and lots of sugary coffee to plain water, green tea and just one coffee per day. I’ve switched white pasta to wholemeal. Fruity, chocolatey yoghurts to natural bio yoghurts. Added granola, nuts and seeds. Smaller portions of my normal dinners. More eggs. No crisps, maybe once a week I have a chocolate bar or pudding. No biscuits or cakes.
How can that be dangerous?

Have you taken your measurements op?
You may not be loosing weight but may be loosing inches.
Starting a new gym regimen with also initially add water weight.

My sister lifts heavy weights and is incredibly slim however she weights a lot more than she used to but is significantly smaller in inches.
I wouldn't drop cals if it's making you hungry, that's not sustainable or realistic.

Im 5'1 / 5'2.

The recommendation for an average woman is 2000 calories a day.

I'm not average. Im short and petite.

My baseline is more like 1500 calories.

So when you say that 1200 calories is much to low, thats based off an average woman cutting 800 calories off her diet of 2000 calories. So no, that's not healthy.

If you are talking about someone below average, with a baseline of 1500 to maintain a healthy weight then yes 1200 is perfectly ok, because you are only reducing your intake by 300 calories. Basic maths.

These blanket number mean fuck all. You should always work out your personal numbers about what is appropriate for your size.

If i followed the recommendation for 2000 calories a day, I'd be the size of a small house! These blanket recommendations mean nothing to me in practical terms. They are just simply, wildly inappropriate.

Engage your brain.

If someone is experiencing dizziness, extreme hunger, nausea, micronutrient deficiencies, fatigue, headaches, and gallstones etc then fuck me they are an idiot for continuing.

If you are below average in size a drop of 300 calories from your recommendation for weight maintenance, is sustainable and isn't ridiculous by any stretch of the imagination.

Thanks all!

I won't be reducing lower than 1500, I just won't be able to keep going on less than that I'm hungry as it is.

If that means slower progress than I initially expected then that's alright. I'll be keeping up with the gym as I'm beginning to see changes, even if they aren't reflected on the scales!

I must just be an abnormally hungry person! I do love my food

If your using my fitness pal, weigh everything. Don't just put bread 1 slice as they can differ in calories. I looked on a tin of soup 200 calories, when I warmed it and weighed it 180.

Also look at Team RH

1200 is not dangerous it it's for weight loss, then you increase to maintain your weight!

It allows:

300 cals breakfast

400 lunch

100 afternoon snack

400 dinner

Losing weight very slowly is fine. You probably didn't put it all on in a month or so. Find out what your tdee would be at the weight you want to be and eat that.

@dipdye

1890 is too many cals. Drop to 1300 and you'll lose. Tough but true, I feel your pain

What do you eat for breakfast?

I'm not eating 1890!!! That's my BMR

Sorry op, if you want to loose weight you need to restrict further, yoire not dieting you’re just eating mindfully.

Decide what your goal is, if it’s to loose weight then the amount of time it will take you at 1500 is likely going to see you give up long before you see any decent results.

@PickAChew this calculator suggests 2130. I eat 1500 so that's quite a good deficit.

Who knows. All these calculators are estimates and I'll never be able to count my calories with 100% accuracy.

I weigh and measure my food, there's not much more that I can do!

@Chestofdraws

Sorry op, if you want to loose weight you need to restrict further, yoire not dieting you’re just eating mindfully.

Decide what your goal is, if it’s to loose weight then the amount of time it will take you at 1500 is likely going to see you give up long before you see any decent results.

Restricting too much is not sustainable for me. What's the point if it's not sustainable?

Going slowly IS sustainable for me. I'd rather lose weight slowly and keep it off.

Eating mindfully is not a bad thing!!!

It's very well documented that diets do not work! Especially crash diets!

We're all different. You might manage fine on 1200 calories a day, but I wouldn't. I'd last no more than a week and put all the weight and more back on. It'd be bad for my body, my mind, and would be a total waste of time. I'm listening to my body. I don't care if it takes me months and months.

Op, your post was asking “where am I going wrong?” And saying you wanted to lose 1lb per week. Most of us have replied, saying unfortunately, based on your height and our own research and experiences, if you want to lose at that rate, you’d need to drop your calories. You asked. Now you’re just arguing with everyone that you can’t do any more than you are, so that’s fine. Carry on as you are, but then don’t expect to lose any faster.

I think you might be better rethinking your goals and stretching them over a longer period. Perhaps 1lb a week is too much of a stretch given your height and your current weight.

Are you sure you’re tracking accurately and including everything? Biscuits at work, that kind of thing.

Have you set a protein target? I’d aim for 1500 cals, 100g of protein a day, 5 or 6 portions fruit and veg. Protein is really satiating. 0% fat Greek yogurt is high protein, low cal. You can also get flavoured protein yoghurts which might be good to take to work, Lindhal’s and Arla do them.

If you’re a hungry person then eating high volume foods should help, vegetables eg.

I'm 5'3 and started my health kick on the 1st of Jan. I've lost 10lbs so far using the calories in vs calories out method. I don't restrict any foods. I just build them into my allowance. If I feel like eating some exercise calories then I will. This actually helps keep my motivation up.
I exercise about 5 times a week. A mix of hiit, walking and strength training. Usually 30mins a day or a 5 or 6km walk.
I've stopped drinking alcohol for the time being. This definitely helps keeps me on track.
I don't mind skipping breakfast so I usually eat my first meal between 11.30-12.
Looking at Nutracheck, my average calories intake is 1463. My fat and protein targets are met but carbs and sugar are around 60% of targets.

As @SingaporeSlinky says, you've asked for advice, you've got it. You now say you don't care if it takes you months and months - fine! No need for further questions or discussion.

I’m sorry op, there’s no point in being angry with posters. You don’t need to reduce of course you don’t. But you stated the thread and asked what you were doing wrong, so people have been helpful. Half a pound is just a fluctuation. You’re eating enough to maintain. You said you wanted to do it in sixteen weeks for the wedding, now that’s not the case and you don’t care anymore.

That’s fine, but if you don’t care and it can take months and months, why start a thread saying you wanted to lose a pound a week and sixteen pounds in sixteen weeks?

If your heads not on the game, it’s not in the game, just keep on with the mindful eating and be healthy as you said it doesn’t matter about the sixteen pounds in sixteen weeks if it’s unachievable for you.

I’m no expert but I’d say if you’re hungry on 1500 at your height then upping the protein will definitely help. We eat and are hungry until our protein needs are met.

I really feel for you because I understand your frustration, but the fact you are maintaining means that you are not in a deficit. You will not lose weight on 1500. No amount of "it's not sustainable" to go lower will help you. Make peace with the weight you are if you want to eat 1500 and set your goal to maintain and not get any bigger.