When You Can No Longer Loose Weight at 1500 Cal

Try 1350, and if that doesn't work, add in an extra 15 minute walk daily. If it still doesnt' work, try 1200. If it still doesn't work, those last 10lbs may have just taken up permanent residence.

I was in the same situation and I saw an article about "clean eating" It has really helped. I did eat heathly before but I had to make some changes that really helped. and I was doing 1200 a day. I use the app my fitness pal.

I had to increase my exercise and not my food LOL. I went from 3 days to 4-5 days 30-45 min. routines. I followed the Chalean Extreme from Beachbody and I loved it. Most of the routines were under 35min. and it included weight lifting and cardio. Plus I could do it at home whenever it was easiest to get a workout in.

Jane:

it's not JUST about the caloric intake. It's WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat of it. So don't just "count calories" make what you eat work FOR YOU instead of against you.

I think 1500 is too low. Your body is going into starvation mode and it will pack on the pounds or you won't lose any at all - which it sounds like your body is doing just that.

No more soda. Water.
No processed foods or dinners.
Alcohol consumption adds a ton of calories and doesn't help you lose weight either.

You need to know how your body breaks down foods. Especially things like peas and corn - for some people they turn into sugar and then fat.

I would have a complete physical done by my doctor - blood draws to ensure my thyroid is working properly and then tell him/her what I am trying to do.

This is a change in lifestyle as well. Smaller portions. Or even more meals but smaller ones - like a bird. A bird eats a lot - just not at once.

You can do it. Just do it wisely.

When the calories get too low your body is going to hang on to everything it can thinking it is going into starvation mode. You shouldn't feel like you are starving or have no energy. Up the exercise instead.

If you've BEEN losing weight, and stopped DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING!!! A plateau is a good thing. Lasts a few weeks to a few months. It's your body 'resetting normal'. Which means even if you quit 'working at it', you'd stay there. If you force through a plateau, then 'normal' stays set at the higher number. Say you plateau every 15 (or 40) pounds. Would you rather, in a 'life happens' year have to lose 15 / 40, or 30 / 80?

Learn to LOVE plateaus. They are your body telling you that you've been doing everything RIGHT. Eff with that reset, and your body can go into starvation mode and start yoyo-ing.

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As for slow starts? Thats saying your body doesn't trust that it's not famine time, yet. Reducing more calories and exercising more will make it SURE it's famine time. STUFF yourself for a week (keep exercising), and keep calories HIGH until you start losing. Yes you may gain a couple in the first few weeks, but then it melts off like water in huge numbers.

My exp here? Lost 50 in one year and 90 in another. (gained nearly 200 to start) HEALTHILY. I was also eating about 4000-8000 calories a day.

I've ALSO only had 400 c a day, and been doing 10 hours a day of hard activity, and gained weight.

Sure, I can lose 12lbs in a day, or 50 in a month, but it wracks your body to be depriving it of nutrients it needs. That 50 & 90? That was after 2 YEARS of convincing the primal me that we weren't going down old paths again (anorexia / female athlete triad anorexia to be precise).

'Standard Diet' rules, says the dealt with EDs for years (still), is the BEST WAY TO GAIN weight. Convince your body you're starving, and it will protect you. Convince your body you live in a grocery store, and here comes svelte (ahem, as long as you're active).

Have you checked in with your doctor about this? The reason I ask is that I was on a restricted-calorie diet AND was going to exercise boot camp 4 times per week, and couldn't lose a single pound - and quite frankly, felt exhausted all the time. Turned out that I have an under-active thyroid gland (which causes all kinds of problems, including inability to lose weight and low energy levels). I have been taking medication for it for almost a year now, and feel SO much better. Once I got to the correct level of medication, the weight came right off, my energy returned, and my workouts feel so much better now. So - just a thought. It may be worth a trip to your doctor just to make sure there isn't a physical reason you can't drop the weight.

Those calories sound too low, and your body may be adjusting for that. I guess it depends on how tall you are etc. It also really depends on what types of calories you are eating. Are they healthy calories or just whatever you can find calories? Are you drinking sodas or other sugary drinks? Stick to almost all water if you can. Try mixing up your workouts, it tricks your body and is better for weight loss. The same thing over and over your body gets used to it and the weight loss slows down. Good luck!

I would keep the calories the same and take your exercise up a notch or two. Do you cross-train? Lifting weights w/cardio exercise is the best way to blast the weight, especially if you are getting to your late thirties/early forties.
Also, eating five small meals every 2-4 hours will help keep your metabolism burning more efficiently.
You could also talk with a nutritionist/dietician at a local hospital or some large grocery stores have them on-site as well to direct your questions to as well. Good luck!
A.

I would suggest working out more. The problem with calorie restrictive diets is the then to destroy your metabolism so even though you are eating less you are not actually losing weight.

It sounds like you just need to eat in the 1200 to 1400 calorie range. I'm the same way. I am 5'3 and weigh 112 pounds but to get to that weight after baby #3 I had to stay right at 1400 (with nursing) without nursing if I want to shed anymore pounds (I used to weigh 107) I have to only eat 1200 a day. My advise is to up the protein. Protein is way more filling so even though you are eating less it won't be so bad. I always keep hard boiled eggs in my fridge. They are about 70 calories for 1. I can eat 1 or 2 in the morning or for a snack and it fills me up. I feel much fuller from those than I would if I ate 1 cookie or something like that for the same amount of calories. Also the 100 calorie bags of popcorn are great. You have a lot to munch on to keep your mouth busy but it's low cal. Also drink, drink, drink! Water, diet pop, crystal light etc. All the fluid will help keep you full and keep you from retaining extra water.

Get your thyroid checked. Call your GP and set up an appointment.

A normal person will lose weight eating low cal, but hypothyroidism lowers your metabolic rate so you burn less calories at rest.

Good luck.

You stopped nursing very recently, right? Whenever I started weaning, I gained weight. My hormones always get wacky when I stop nursing. I miss the days of eating anything I wanted and knowing that I would burn it all off my nursing my wee one.

For this last baby, I consciously made no effort to work out until about a month after I completely stopped nursing. I didn't want the disappointment of exercising even more only to see my weight go up.

Go easy on yourself for the first month. Your body is still adjusting to not making milk any more. Then you can kick start everything and watch the pounds slowly come off. I would start with the diet and maybe a little bit of moderate exercise (like you're doing right now). There is nothing wrong with having a little caffeine if it helps with your workouts and you are still able to fall asleep at night.

Good luck to you!

1350 should be plenty low. Also, try changing up your work outs. Our muscles memorize our moves and they get easier, so we need to change things up to surprise our bodies and make them work in new ways. try swimming or cross fit maybe. Also, do you strength train? That is a must, and it is way better to do it using your body rather than a machine you sit in, you will burn way less calories if you sit in a machine.

I would look at the type of exercise you are doing. Personally, and much research supports this, weight bearing exercise is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. One of the benefits of weight bearing exercise, rather than cardiovascular exercise, is that building muscle mass increases your metabolism, which naturally slows as we get older.

In my experience, weight bearing exercise helps me get back into shape much more quickly than cardiovascular exercise. And, no, you won't get bulgy muscles, but you will get a beautiful toned, lean look.

Good luck!

I know you said that you don't shun carbs but let me just say...

My mom has been on a no carb diet for about 6 months and has lost about 70lbs.

Check with a nutritionist. You may have to adjust the foods you are eating. My girlfriend was restricting food and exercising every day and not losing. The nutritionist said she wasn't eating enough. It is harder to lose weight as we get older. It used to be easy for me and I'm 49 now and having a really hard time. Good luck!

change things up a bit. keep up on your exercising bump up your cals to say 1650 for a few weeks then drop back to 1500. bump your work outs to 45mins or add another day. when you drop back your cals keep your works outs at the 45min or the extra day. You have platued (sp) and need to spark your body again. Think of what bodybuilders do they pack on the weight for a few months before a competion then at about 8 weeks out they get back on the regime and lose the fat and water they packed on and gain muscle big time. Now I am not saying for you to hit the weights I am just using that as a example. Your body just needs to get a jolt to wake it back up.

Up the protein and stay away from 'diet' anything (any thing labeled 'sugar free' because they use something else to sweeten it).
There are some studies out now that show prolonged use of sugar substitutes make it harder for you to lose weight.
I wouldn't go lower on the calories since your body will go into famine mode and will slow down your metabolism.

If you decrease calories, your body starts to think "Oh, I need to conserve fat because there isn't enough intake." This is why people plateau when they cut calories too much. While 1500 is not too low, if you go lower, you will lose some weight right at first -- but then likely will hit a very stubborn plateau because your body will say, "Whoa, way too low, got to conserve" and you'll stop losing.

You have to eat in order to lose weight!

If you are having trouble while following a regimen that has worked previously, I'd suggest trying something like reviewing the quality of the calories you're taking in. I would also increase the exercise to six times a week -- it doesn't have to be for hours each time, just consistent and more frequent. Also, mix up the types of exercise you do.

I am trying to lose roughly 5 lbs, and am allotted about 1250 calories (I'm only 5'2). I don't know your size, but I imagine you probably need to up the INTENSITY of your workouts. A circuit training plan with mixed weights and high-intensity cardio would probably do wonders for you. Perhaps you could take a class like this at your local gym, or get a personal trainer to put together a more-tailored workout program. Good luck on those last 10! You're so close! Just knock it out and I'm sure you'll feel great!

Btw, I'm following Jillian Michaels's book "Making the Cut", with a few modifications. It has always worked wonders for me, as long as I don't cheat!

You've plateaued. I would increase the exercise. Whether you add a day or two, or make it a 45-60 minute session, I think your body needs a push. If you decrease your calories much more you run the risk of your body going into starvation mode.

I am by no means a nutritionist or fitness coach...but this is what has worked for me.
Eat less calories...eat good calories...i.e. apple or yogurt instead of chips for snack, whole grain, fibers, etc. remember to take your vitamins too and sometimes I will take an extra B-complex vitamin if I need an energy boost. You could also try to keep a food journal. This isn't for counting calories, but trying to determine what you eat, when, and why. if you are constently eating chips in the afternoon because you are bored and what something crunchy, then change that out with something a little more healthy...like whole grain crackers or something. etc....

Exercise everyday - even if if is just going for a 30 minute walk. It doesn't have to be a bid deal either....
In the morning...every morning...I do 15-20 minutes of stretching/yoga, sit ups and pushups. In the afternoon or evenings, I do dead lifts and overhead lifts (we have weights at home). I dance and run around all day with the kids. Sometimes in the evening, watching TV, i will use my resistance bands or do Wii Fit or Wii Zumba ( i like to mix it up) and once a week I take a dance class.
Hope that helps

Hi, I am 5'3" and 116 lbs. I don't really diet at all, just watch it...but I exercise just about everyday. I average 400 minutes a week. Thats what seems to do it for me. So UP your exercise!!!! Good Luck!

Increase your exercise. Do cardio and strength training.

Jane, if you are active on Facebook, search "be my diet buddy". Its my online support group for these exact issues and others going thru the same thing. Good luck! =)

You can safely go down to 1200, but do not go below that. I have employed the help of a nutritionist to assist with my continued weight loss (my highest weight was 375, I've lost almost 100 lbs). Also, do not consume more just because you have exercised. If you are eating the right kinds of foods, 1200-1400 cals/day is plenty enough to keep you satisfied. I eat only whole, unprocessed foods. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and of course lean meats & plant-based proteins. 1200-1400 cals/day from those categories should prove to be plenty to sustain your body's functions, keep your hunger at bay, your blood sugar stable, and support your body during vigorous exercise. Eat three meals/day, and a small snack in between. Small meals all day tend to make you hungrier, whereas 3 bigger meals keep your more satisfied. Drink lots & LOTS of water. The first thing you should do after waking is to drink a big glass of water. This kick-starts your metabolism for the day.

Also, plateaus are normal & important. It is necessary to plateau now & then. Your body is 'resetting' at its new weight. Be proud of that.

The older you get the more you have to worry about carbs. All calories are not created equal contrary to what some people may say. They affect your body much differently. A piece of candy, even though it might be 100 calories, will cause an insulin surge in your body. When this is happening you are not burning fat. So make sure that your 1500 calories are all good ones..plenty of veg, protein, whole grains and a little fruit(preferably berries b/c they are lower in sugar) a little dairy as well. As we age it becomes even more important to eat like this. For weight loss and for disease control. The more you can stay away from sugar and processed food the healithier you will be and probably a lot thinner.