1200 calories diet with exercise

Yes it's possible to work hard and not lose weight.everybody is different and everybody's metabolism is different. Could take 2 weeks to see results, could take a month or even more.just keep doing what you're doing. Numbers in theory don't necessarily correlate with reality. I religiously measure and log everything I eat and all my exercise and the numbers say I should have lost 8 pounds in the past month but the reality is I only lost 2.all that work and effort for only 2 pounds.

You are working hard, keep it up it's coming. I started a 1200+ calorie plan in January and it took me almost 2 weeks.then 3 lbs. came off! You might be under eating calories and your body might be holding onto fat. (since your working out so much) I lost my weight without workout. Keep it up.

1200 cal is on the low end, especially for someone active.

your body will get use to the low cal intake and do everything in it's power to keep on as much fat as possible to prevent you from starving.

a lot of people think they can lose weight if they stop eating but that is far from the truth. in order for your body to burn fat, you need to provide it with enough fuel or it would simply not burn the fat.

up your intake to 1500 and eat every 3 to 4 hours and you should see better results.

I understand what your saying about increasing my daily intake, however I went with 1200 because that's what this website told me I should be intaking. I think i'll try to up it to 1300 and be sensable and see how things go. Thanks for all your input.

it could also be muscle weight

Be patient, it's only been a week. It could take a fews weeks for your body to wake up and realize what's going on. As a pp mentioned, 1200 calories may also be too low if you're working out hard for an hour 5 days a week. Something to also keep in mind is that you're weight can fluctuate throughout the month due to your cycle. Finally one last thought, you didn't mention what your workout consists of, but include some strength training. Be patient, be diligent and you'll see results.

You shouldn't have to be hungry all the time. If you want your achieved goal to last, be realistic and adapt to a life style change that is comfortable and enjoyable.. otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure. Measure yourself by inches not pounds so much. The scale can be tricky, and you could lose 2 lbs in one day of just water weight but that doesn't change your body composition. Keep your eye on the prize and know that it is all going to be worth it. Patience and diligence is the key. Be nice to yourself and you will feel the benefits of being healthy insead of the stress of trying to drop weight asap.

Original Post by alh121778:

It told you 1200 probably b/c of a goal date

Sometimes, what I noticed, it comes off in little bunches (like 2 0r 3 lbs) at a time.
Keep at it and you'll see results! Good Luck to you.

I know that you said the website told you that your calorie intake should be 1200 but that seems REALLY low for all the exercise you doing. I think you should re-calculate.

I am also 31 and 5' 7"...I started CC in late September on my own and then early October on this site. I lost 25 lbs in the first 3 months eating 1450-1600 calories a day and doing NO exercise at all. I am a very sedentary person as both my jobs and my volunteer work involve computer work and driving.

I upped my calories over the holidays with a plan to maintain so I could indulge a little. I didn't gain anything back and as soon as I started lowered my calories back to the 1450-1600 a day, I lost another 3 lbs.

I am not sure what you entered for activity level or for how fast you wanted to lose the weight. However, I think that your body is probably trying to store as much as possible to fuel your workouts.

If you're hungry all the time, eating only 1200 calories and working out hard 5x a week, you're most likely putting your body in starvation mode, which means that your body is going to hold onto everything its got. Eat when you're hungry - try 5-6 small meals a day. You'd be surprised at how little it takes to satisfy hunger, and it will also keep your metabolism up.

One week? Relax.

A few things could be going on here. "Starvation mode" is a pretty good theory, if your calorie-intake is based on your old sedentary lifestyle. Muscle-weight is another possibility.

You would benefit from tracking your body composition, because you can lose fat without losing weight. Your body is made up of bone, muscle, fat, water, and other great stuff. Using a body composition scale will help you see what's growing and what's shrinking.

Stick with it. Your body will adjust soon. Keep it up.

When I plug your stats (31, 5'0", CW: 170, GW: 130, moderate activity level) into CC, it suggests eating 1, 432 calories daily to lose 1.5 pounds per week, reaching your goal on September 21st.

Glad to know I'm not the only one frustrated by this! I've had the same dang problem. Found out I wasn't eating ENOUGH calories, go figure. Bumped it up to be at or closer to 1200 and bam, 1.5lb fell off. So all your hard work isn't for nothing! Also, I started taking my measurements thinking maybe something's changing but I'm not noticing. Might want to try it to. I did loose a LITTLE bit of tummy (but hey I'll take it!). Good luck!

Original Post by alh121778:

What do you have your settings on??? I am similar in size to you. I am 5' 2" 172 pounds, with a medium frame, and my activity is on Moderately Active. I eat 1600 calories per day, because that's what this website recommends. I would do a recheck on what you are supposed to be eating.

I have been on CC for 2 years now with varying activity levels and NEVER has it given me a recommendation to eat below 1400 calories.

I would certainly check something.

The reason CC's told me 1200 calories was because of the goals I set. I'm realizing now that the goal of loosing 30 pounds before august MIGHT be a little far fetched. I am going to change my goal and recalculate more calories.