Eaten 1200 cals all week and not lost even one ounce - can anyone explain?

[Blondiebeachbabe]

Just that really. In the last 7 days, I've only eaten 1200 cals a day, plus I've been walking loads. On 2 of the days I had some wine (but still stuck to 1200 cals on food). I haven't even lost one ounce. How can this be right?

In case it makes a difference, I'm 12 stone 3, and 5 ft 1.

so frustrating when this happens!
have you calculated everything such as cups of teas / coffees? Those sneaky calories sometimes really add up! Otherwise I would say is it just the one week so far? I would keep going and re weigh in another couple of weeks x

Are you weighing all your food to get an accurate calorie count? I also think you need to take into account your wine calories.

Make sure you are drinking lots of water

Have you weighed absolutely everything and tracked it all, down to oil, dressings, butter etc. sometimes, it can take a week or 2 to see a difference on the scales. Wine is heavy on the calories so even if your food intake was 1200, the wine will definitely have out you over. I can have 2 glasses of wine on a Saturday night with food and wake up 2lb heavier in the morning. I just retain it. It can take a couple of days with plenty water to flush it out. Empty calories reslly.

How much wine on top of the 1200 calories for food though? It's laden with calories. How frustrating for you when you were hoping for a loss! Did you drink plenty water as well?

Sadly I think it takes about 3 weeks for weightloss to kick in. Hang in there, keep doing what you’re doing, make sure the calories you eat are nutritious (not crisps/biscuits!). Good luck! You’ve taken the first steps.

Are you absolutely sure on the calorie count?

Moving forward. I’d stop drinking any booze. Stop drinking any calories like juice, fizzy drinks etc. Stop eating sugar. Get some proper fill on exercise in, walking is great but a proper burn with some weights.

wine is high calorie (around 150 per glass) so you need to count this

Liquid calories do matter. Alcohol is very high in calories. As are most coffee shop drinks. If you’re aiming for a deficit yiu need to count what you drink as well as what you eat.

If I only ate 1200 calories a day for a week, my body would go into alert and I'd be tired and grumpy but not lose anything.

What are you eating?

Keep away from anything processed or preprepared. Stick to simple things like a boiled egg with wholemeal fingers for breakfast, a large bowl of homemade veggie soup for lunch and then a salmon fillet with three veg for supper.

If you need a snack in between, a banana or other fruit. Only drink water.

I often use to find that in that first week even after being saintly I wouldn’t even shift a lb, but by week 2 it would start catching up. If you’re definitely within your calories then just be patient and it will soon start coming off.

The quality of the calories count to. When I was at college a doctor said to me, you could lose weight on wine and crisps, but you wouldn't feel very well. Make sure you are hitting your nutrients too.

I’m 5’1” , 1200 cals isn’t very much below our neutral point so you really do need to be honest and complete with that calorie count, there’s not much wiggle room,
how far is the ‘loads’ of walking, and what speed, is it flat or hilly? Do you use a fitness tracker at all - that can give a guide to how much energy you’re expending.

Thanks for replies! To answer some questions;

I have absolutely logged everything on My fitness pal.

I have one coffee a day with coffee mate, which I have logged as well. Apart from the nights I had wine, I only drink water. Oh, and one herbal "sleepy" tea before bed.

I am eating salad for breakfast and lunch. This is salad leaves, topped with cherry toms, radish, cucumber, and then a variant of ham, sliced beef or mackerel fillet (fresh not tinned), and sometimes one boiled egg. No dressing.

Dinner is usually around 500 cals, just a "normal" meal.

Snacks are fruit, or sometimes a packet of french fries crisps (78 cals) or cup soup (98 cals).

Definitely stayed within the 1200 cals every single day. Gah!

Totally hear what everyone is saying about the wine. I used to drink every single night, so 2 nights a week is good for me. I've been dieting for 2 weeks now. 1st week, I lost 3 pounds, but as I say, last week, nothing.

Keep going! Weight loss isn’t always a steady downward gradient and 3lbs in your first week is a huge loss.
carry on and weight again in a couple of weeks and you’ll see a difference!

Weight loss will vary though. For all manner of reasons. As long as the line of best fit on your graph is heading the right way all is good.

Weight loss does go up and down depending on the amount of carbs you’ve eaten, the amount of water your body holds and where you are in your menstrual cycle.
Please don’t be disheartened, keep going, make sure you weigh yourself fasted at the same time each week and you’ll will get there.

I'm definitely carrying on! In 2014 (yes, a long time ago!), I lost 30lb, so I know I can do it. Mind you, I was younger then! On the upside, ditching the wine has made me feel fantastic!

Yes, I'm weighing at 630am every Monday morning.

Key question for me would be - where are you in your cycle? I find I don’t lose weight for a week before and few days after period starts. Then you have a sudden loss.

I'm 55 and so this is a good question!! Periods have been quite regular, however, I missed March and April, so I have no idea what's what really. Every time I miss one, I pray I'm finished, but then I get another one!

This was my first thought too.

This happened to me too. I asked for advice on here. The consensus was to cut out wine and pop, ans stick to water. As a result I gave up wine and pesi max and the weight started coming off.

Depending on your activity levels you might (depressingly) not be in as much of a deficit as you think.

Up your water i seemingly lose more weight even when eating the same if well hydrated

I'd do weekly averages (ie week 1 is your base) and keep going revisit at 1 month

Oh, 3lb in the first week is loads! Maybe a bit more than could be true fat loss? Your gut may be adjusting to the change in diet - emptying out and then re-equilibrating sort of thing.