Why am I losing weight so slowly now when I eat less than 1000cals a day?

[Anonymous]

I eat between 590-800cals a day. I should be losing at a fast rate but I'm not. I even cut back on the carbs and workout. I don't understand why I'm not losing fast.

I've only lost 2.2lbs this week and I lost way more in previous weeks. Like all of January the weight loss went by fast. I lost 21lbs in a month.

This month... only 7lbs. Like wtf.

At my size I should be losing faster than what I am losing. I'm still above 250lbs.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

I think you have to see weight loss as a balancing act to some degree between input and output. The two aren't necessarily independent of each other. Simply dialing down input to the lowest extremity might also proportionally reduce output. Your body could be compensating by burning fewer calories and reserving more energy.

I noticed that long ago one time when I tried a 30-day water fast just for the hell of it (I didn't think it would be effective but my father went through extreme famine in WW2 and I wanted to see what that felt like) and I recorded video progress on YouTube. Something that became painfully obvious even though I didn't feel lethargic is that I'm normally a very fidgety person who talks very fast. Yet in the videos I stopped fidgeting completely and I started to talk in slooowww motion even though I didn't realize it at time.

I also only lost like 20lbs and I gained it all back in a few days. I think it was almost entirely water weight and I lost a modest amount of muscle as well that I had to work to gain back.

So as counter-intuitive as it might be, it might actually help to eat more to lose weight more rapidly, like at least match the calorie input of your BMR at the bare minimum (I actually think you go over, but at least BMR).

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

* (I actually think you [should] go over, but at least BMR)

[Asker]

Ok I can do that! Thanks!

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

Cheers! Also for exercising, something to note if you rely on routine exercise is that it tends to burn less calories the lighter you get. For example, if you walk 10K steps a day, the number of calories you burn will tend to become less as your body gets lighter since you are resisting less weight walking those steps.

So if you want to avoid weight loss plateaus, it helps to avoid routine exercise. Change up training variables. For example, instead of walking 10K steps a day, you might just aim to cover a mile with how many or as few steps as you want. However, you can introduce speed as a measured variable. You can aim to cover that mile as fast as you can, perhaps initially walking slowly, but as you improve, maybe speed-walking, as you improve more, maybe even light jogging, and as you improve even more, brisk jogging. This way you keep increasing intensity as you improve over time and you don't even have to increase the duration of the activity.

There's always a tendency to plateau in weight loss if you focus too much on routine. So it helps to keep mixing things up.

[Asker]

Ok gotcha! Thanks!

[BoopBoopBeep]

Because now you're in starvation mode because your body isn't getting enough calories or proper nutrition so it's holding on to everything because it thinks you may be dying.

[Asker]

Oh wow. Didn't know that. I guess I'll increase the calories.

[Paris13]

I Had Lost Like 16-17 Pounds With My Diet of About 500 and Less A day. I Kept Track of it Daily and Some Days It Took Me Five Days to Lose a pound. I Have a Digital Scales so it Goes First BY OUNCES In getting Down to Losing a Pound. Keep At it. xxoo

[Asker]

Ok I will! Thanks!

[Paris13]

Welcome, Dear, And Good Luck!!! xxoo

[Paris13]

Thank You, dear. xxoo

[Asker]

You're welcome!

[Paris13]

XXOO

[pascal_climbs]

Because 1000 cal is way too low and your body goes into starvation mode to protect itself. Try to stay some 300 to 400 cal under your BMR x activity level and you will loose weight

[Asker]

Oh ok thanks!

[KittygosMeoWW]

You’re putting your body into starvation mode so it’s gonna take a while to see weight loss. Do you have any insulin issues or pcos?

[Asker]

I might have pcos. I'm not sure.

[KittygosMeoWW]

Talk to your dr, I wouldn’t recommend going under 1,000 it’s really hard to sustain that.

[Asker]

Ok I will. Thanks!

[KittygosMeoWW]

Cut as much dairy and sugar even from fruit if you can.

[Asker]

Ok I will! Thanks again!

[OtterMan68]

your metabolism is adjusting. Are you exercising?

[Asker]

Yes I am. Treadmill and elliptical 30 mins each.

[OtterMan68]

plateaus are normal in weight loss, stamina, muscle gain, etc

[Asker]

Oh ok