Seriously, starting to freak
 

I definitely need some advice. I was with Jenny Craig for a long time, lost most of the weight I needed to, and then they changed all their packages making it crazy expensive again. Hence, I had to quit. :( I've been trying to do the 1200 cal they had me on by myself, and I've gained 12 lbs back. After doing some research, they say you need to eat more than your BMR which mine ends up being 1560. I started eating 1500 cals, and I'm not seeing any difference (now 2 weeks later). Just checked with WW, and they say I'll need to eat 25 pts, which again is only 1250 calories. I know stress is NOT good for losing weight, but I'm seriously stressing out that I'm going to gain all the weight back lost from the JC program. Any advice... please?!? -Tatiana

Deep breaths!

#1 You don't HAVE to eat at or above your BMR. I've eaten below it for most of my weight loss.

#2 When you say you've been "trying" to do 1200 cal a day, what exactly do you mean? I don't see how it is physiologically possible to gain 12 pounds on 1200 calories a day. How are you counting calories? Are you weighing/measuring your food? Counting every single bite you take?

LockItUp is making some good points. Are you doing what she asks ?

I'm trying to take deep breaths. :)

First, I started just making size portions similar to my JC food, and paid close attention to the calories on everything. I tracked by keeping a food diary, and wrote everything down. I started eating a lot more wheat and whole grains, and veggies were never the issue- loooove them. Excercised everyday to either Zumba, or Just Dance-Sweat. Then, I noticed my clothes getting tighter, and so I figured I was messing up the numbers somewhere.
I started using the LoseIt! program to track my caloric intake. A month using that program I found my clothes still getting tighter so I weighed myself and found I gained a lot of weight back. Frustrated, I looked at the LoseIt! boards, and a lot of folks were complaing about the same issue. That's where I found the information that stated that I needed to eat at or above my BMR.

I briefly discussed with my doctor, and she said that I'm eating way too few calories and that I'm putting my body in starvation mode.. hence the weight gain , no loss. The Loseit program has been fantastic for me to count all the calories, but I'm just so discouraged because nothing seems to be working.

My thing is, one source is telling me I'm eating too few calories, the other tells me I need to eat more. I have several friends doing FANTASTIC on the WW plan (which is cheap right now to join) and so I'm considering it... Where the confusion is they have an online calculator to tell you how many points they will give you. Mine said 25.. which is only 1250 calories. I've tried that before and it didn't seem to work. Am I looking way to far into it?

I've just seen so many JC folks gain all or more of their weight back after they were finally off the plan. I lost 64 on JC, and I've already gained some back... hence the freak out. eek

Starvation mode is an overused reason for these types of things. Yes, it does exist, but a body cannot make fat out of thin air. Sure, BMRs can drop if you stay at a very low cal intake over an extended period of time, but you wouldn't start gaining on a calorie deficit. You are eating BELOW maintenance calories at the very least, and unless you have some sort of medical issue, it's just not a real possibility. 12 pounds is a lot, I just don't see how it would be possible at 1200 calories a day.

I'd think a more realistic possibility is the LoseIt database being inaccurate, or underestimating your servings to where you are eating quite a bit more than you really think you are.

Think about it. . . you lost all that weight on the 1200 cal JC program, how would it be possible to be gaining weight on the same amount of calories?

Although, it would be VERY helpful to know your height and current weight. If you are like 5'5" and 100 pounds that would explain a lot, but if you have some actual weight to lose, I stand by my above statements.

You mention that you are eating a whole lot more grains, wonder if you are overdoing... I also think that you might be understimating your portion size...

You might gain some water weight (2-6 lbs) after switch to a different diet, but you can't possible gain 12lbs on a 1200 plan.

What is your menu like?

I agree with above and was also going to ask about the 'more whole grains'.... how many more? Like are you eating mostly carbs and a wee little bit o'veggies? And I agree with the plan-switch-water-weight. That plus oodles of carbs might be a start.

What are your stats, as in height and weight?

What does a typical day look like, eating wise?

:D

And? 2 weeks seems like FOREVER, but... its not. Its only two weeks. "They" say it takes like, 4 weeks for your body to make a change, you know. :) My instant advice would be to KEEP GOING! :D

First off, I'm so glad I found this site. You all already have made me feel a little better. Ok.. I'm def not 100 lbs and 5'5"... lol I'm 5'9" and 176. Goal is and was 160.
Ok. My daily routine is pretty much the same daily except dinner. Breakfast I will have either a homemade smoothie (1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water, frozen/no sugar strawberries, 1/2 banana, 1 tsp flaxseed, and 1 scoop of the bodytech whey protein powder) Before I hear screams on the PP, it's only 110 calories, and it keeps me full until lunchtime. Total it comes out to about 243-250 for breakfast. Lunch is always a plain salad with low-fat ranch dressing, and a sandwich. I've been using a 1/2 pkg of Buddig Lunchmeat (45 cals) and 2 slices of the Healthy Life 99% Fat Free Italian Bread (35 cal a slice). So lunch averages out around 289-300 cals. I'll get home starving so I'll have a 90 cal Fiber One bar.. and then dinner.
I try to be consistent with dinner. A protein (chicken/pork/beef/fish) a small starch (pasta, potato, rice), and a ton of veggies. Like last night I did fajitas. LOTS of veg, very little chicken, and then used 2 corn tortillas which are only 50 cal each.
Heck, with JC I even had a dessert. I haven't eaten a piece of cake or cookie since I got off the plan.

To switch up breakfast I'll sometimes make a low-cal english muffin (100 cal), with a "dead" "overhard" what-ever-it's-called egg (72 cal) with a slice of cheese (70 cal). That's still only 242 cals total.

I agree, you shouldn't be gaining on the same amount of calories you were on before. And remember, it takes about 3500 extra calories above and beyond what your body needs in a day to add on a pound of weight.
If the exercise is new, you could have some water weight skewing the scale results and making your clothes feel different.

Also, if JC is lower carb than you are eating now, you will gain some water weight initially when your body replaces the glycogen it depleted due to the low carb.

I was going to ask if you are weighing and measuring accurately, but it looks like you eat things that are pretty easy to measure out, but some people do under or over estimate their food and calories, so just a thought there.

These are the only things I can think of. I do think that 1200 calories for someone your height and weight is really low. I would be absolutely starving if I ate what you did in a day. I wonder if some of the people that gain the weight back do so because such low calories is unsustainable for very long.
If you do decide to up your calories a little, remember that increased food and waste has weight to it, so you will weigh a little more initially when you do this.

you should def be losing on that diet. have you had any blood work done to make sure your thyroid is in good order?

Where did you hear that?? It's absolutely untrue. Most people have a BMR around 1,500, as you do, and it's perfectly safe to eat as few as 1,200 cals per day. Whatever energy your body doesn't get from food, it will get from your fat stores -- which is what you want.

F.

'Freelance'. I got that information about the BMR on a weight loss/calorie counting support site.

I suggest you cross that site off your research list!

F.

Your diet sounds pretty "normal" ... Not much I can't comment on it. It's weird that you gained 12lbs eating like that.