So my weight loss plan is 1300-1500 calories a day and at least 10,000 steps a day. I live in the city so walk a lot but also put in at least 1 hour at the gym 3-4 times a week. I track calories on LiveStrong MyPlate which says that 1450 calories a day will make me lose 1 pound a week on a sedentary lifestyle so my hope was with the gym, it would be around 1.5. However, it's not working!!

I'm losing, re-gaining, losing, re-gaining the same 3 pounds over and over. I'm not going to reach my Sept 1 goal. I'm so frustrated.

Moreover, the past 2 days I've been SO FREAKING HUNGRY. I ate 1800 cal today and yesterday and I'm still hungry tonight but I don't want to eat anymore as I won't have anything left in my weekly calorie goal. I'm eating a lot of veggies, lean protein and all those food that should fill you up without upping the cals but it's like I have a hollow leg. I hit my exercise goals for the week but it doesn't seem to make up the difference as the scale has ticked up for this week's weigh-in and it's not that TOM.

I feel like I can't eat any less because I'm so so hungry and more hours at the gym is really hard to do given my work and family life. I just got off a "diet break" for vacation so I don't want to take another to try and jumpstart things. I feel miserable and constantly hungry but I'm not even achieving anything. I don't know what to do. What should I do?

I hate to even suggest this because I hate it when people say it to me, but are you eating enough? Maybe try more calories? Seriously, I also walk a lot in a day for my job, and I discovered through use of my Bodybugg that I burn close to 3000 calories in a day, and I easily hit 10,000 steps, and sometimes this is without additional exercise! I'm able to eat 2000 calories a day, and still lose weight. I'm trying to maintain a 1000 calorie deficit, and lose 2 pounds a week.

If you walk a lot and go to the gym, then you are not living a sedentary lifestyle. It's really quite hard to imagine why you can't lose weight if you're not eating enough.... I mean, even anorexics lose weight, but that's how it works out.

Maybe see what happens after your 1800 calorie day. Maybe your body will release some weight.

Do you weigh and measure your food?

Sounds like you may be at a plateau. What type of exericise are you doing at the gym? Is it the same all the time? I found I was doing the elliptical and not getting anywhere. Once I switched things up and started a new program I lost those last 12 lbs that were stuck. Let me know if you have any questions,would love to help.

~Kristen

This is probably the case. If 1450 calories with a sedentary lifestyle will have you lose weight, then you are going to need more calories to operate effectively when you are living a more active lifestyle.

I try to think of it like this: You're trying to go farther in your car with less gas. When you go into that kind of deficit you're going feel like crap, and your body is going to go into fat-saving mode because it feels like it's starving. I'm not trying to say this is exactly what is happening to you, but it sounds like it may be the problem.


- L89

I do weigh and measure my food. (Almost always - when I eat out I don't, but I don't eat out that often.) I feel like I can't be in more than 1000 calorie deficit which it seems like many people here do normally, so I would think that eating more wouldn't help although it's a possibility.

Is there any good way to tell how many calories you burn per day without a BodyBugg? That's totally out of my price range.

@kristenthomas - My gym routine is elliptical and bike. What did you switch to that helped you?

Even the bodybugg isn't really a good way to tell how many calories a day you burn...

Is there anything in particular you've been craving? Salt, fats? I know for me the most effective diet is around 1500 cals with around 100g of protein, 75g of fat and 105g of carbs, mostly from fruit and starchier veggies rather than from grains. For me at least, a diet high in natural fats makes me feel the healthiest... try switching something out with avocado, or a serving of dry-roasted nuts.

Here's a good BMR calculator:: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc might help you more accurately estimate your caloric needs.