Help-not losing weight on 800-900 cal. a day!

  • I've been on Medifast for months now and stalled out. I only eat around 800 calories a day. I excercise 60 minutes a day, but other than that I'm sedentary. Any segestions on what I can do differently? I'm 5'6" and weight 123. I'd like to lose 10lbs. Please help!
  • To be 5'6 and weight 123lbs now you may want to check with your DR to see if losing 10lbs would be healthy as it doesn't sound like it would be.
  • If you're exercising that much every day, you need more calories. I would try going to 4&2 - 4 MF meals and 2 lean & green meals. If you ask the experts on the Medifast website they'll probably tell you the same thing.
  • talk to your doctor about wanting to be that weight. 113lbs is the low end for someone my height...let alone someone 5'6. if you feel that you're flabby, maybe losing weight by restricting your calories isn't the route you should take. maybe eating 1300 calories a day high in protein and doing weight training would build muscle and give you the toned look you're going for.
  • Right now you are killing your body.
  • Yup. I second all of the posts saying you'd be underweight if you go under 123 lbs (doesn't matter how old you are.) If you are trying to lose 10lbs to make yourself smaller, honestly I wouldn't. My suggestion? Ditch the scale and focus on weight/strength training to shape your body, ignore the scale. Buy a measuring tape if you don't have one already. Most importantly? DO NOT UNDEREAT. You can still lose on a decent amount of calories especially if you are working out for an hour a day (how you are doing it on 800-900 calories a day without fainting or feeling lightheaded is mind-boggling.) Admittedly when you start eating the right amount of calories, the scale will be up a little bit but it WILL EVEN OUT (it is just water weight) within a week or two, so don't panic and keep going.
  • Hi Erica! Yes, please PLEASE check with your doctor. It is so easy to go overboard when you are dieting because sometimes it's hard to get rid of the bad self image of "I'm FAT!" even when you aren't! I am 5'2" and at my smallest many years ago I was 121. I was NOT big...and had I lost another 10 pounds I would have been just bony. I agree with SaraSweety...you need more calories to fuel your exercise, and don't forget that MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT! Good luck to you!