Hello all! I am not new to 3FC. I did Metabolic Research Center's food plan from September to April...and lost 30-40 pounds. However, the food plan and protein drinks were getting old and I took a break. I gained about 5 pounds back, but have been holding steady around 168-170. I REALLY want to lose another 20 pounds. I have been calorie counting, but that wasn't getting me anywhere in the three weeks I was starting. I bought a BodyBugg calorie counter to see what I was using daily. It startled me. On days I don't work out, its telling me I burn 2400+ calories! I have been eating about 1200 calories a day.

Since getting the BodyBugg last week and really watching it, my scale shows a 2 pound GAIN! What might I be doing wrong? I am just starting to be a calorie counter and switch out of MRC mode.

My day looks like this:
Breakfast: 40 calorie bread and sugar free jam, fruit of some kind (cantelope, strawberries, watermelon, orange), and some sort of light protein (cheese, carnation sugar free instant breakfast, turkey lunch meat)

Snack: greek yogurt or nuts (my fave is Planter's NUTrition South Beach blend- almonds, cashews, macadmias)

Lunch: either a salad with turkey and cheese or a sandwhich (made with 2 slices 40 calorie bread, slice of cheese, lunchmeat and pickles), fruit (apple, orange, cantelope)

Snack: fruit or string cheese

Dinner: varies greatly, but I try to keep it to 400-500 calories (always a protein, veggie, and starch...like tonight is chicken lettuce wraps with brown rice....or bison meatballs, cauliflower and a bit of mashed potatoes....or fish, green beans and rice)


Am I eating too few calories at 1200 when my BodyBugg says I'm burning 2400+ (I haven't used it on a workout day yet. I teach Zumba twice a week and just got the BodyBugg in Friday...and I teach Tuesdays and Thursdays). Oh and I drink 80-100 ounces of water daily, and maybe one drink with caffeine every other day (such as one cup of coffee or one diet coke). I sometimes have a small glass of "light" juice (50 calories) to take my medicine with.

Suggestions? Tips for calorie counting? Help a sister out...

I see no reason you would have gained, unless you're eating more sodium than usual, (lunch meat, nuts and cheese usually have a bunch of salt) or PMS? It could just be water retention. Why don't you keep at it for another 2 weeks and see what happens. Really, it seems like you should be losing....and NO, before someone says it...you can't possibly be in "starvation mode"

Hey, Razorbackbritt!
I, too, have been doing MRC. I lost 48.5 lbs with it and needed a break. I have been doing calorie counting for a week now and I'm down 3.2 lbs (and that's WITH my TOM)!! I'm hoping to see good results when I weigh next time b/c of that.

I am using myfitnesspal.com I use the app on my iPhone as well....it's SO convenient! They have a huge database of foods and you can add in a food if you can't find it in their database. I still try to limit carbs and eat more protein.....MRC is too much a part of me! LOL! Myfitnesspal keeps track of your nutrients daily and weekly, too. I LOVE that you can calculate your exercise on there as well and it automatically updates your calories, too! It's easy and great! My friends have all lost weight using myfitnesspal. A coworker of mine has lost 40 lbs! She looks great and I'm impressed b/c she's tried everything (like we all have....lol).

Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any questions about it. Glad a fellow MRC chick is on here