Female cutting calories

[shanethomas]

I'm posting this question for my wife. She is 150 pounds and has had success dropping fat from 170 and has stalled for a while now. She lifts 5 days a week and runs two miles every other day. Her current calories I think are really low. She eats 800-1200 per day. It seems like she has to starve herself to lose anymore weight. Is it normal for a female to have to eat so few calories to lose weight?

 

[booneman77]

I'm posting this question for my wife. She is 150 pounds and has had success dropping fat from 170 and has stalled for a while now. She lifts 5 days a week and runs two miles every other day. Her current calories I think are really low. She eats 800-1200 per day. It seems like she has to starve herself to lose anymore weight. Is it normal for a female to have to eat so few calories to lose weight?

1200 really isn't all that uncommon for a small female, but at her weight (unless she's over 6') she most liekely should not be lower than 1200 yet. anyhting less than that would be like competition ready levels and would be killing her natural hormones.

Sounds like she needs a diet break or at least to begin incorporating some type of cheat or refeeds

 

[shanethomas]

Ok great thanks!

 

[double s]

1200 really isn't all that uncommon for a small female, but at her weight (unless she's over 6') she most liekely should not be lower than 1200 yet. anyhting less than that would be like competition ready levels and would be killing her natural hormones.

Sounds like she needs a diet break or at least to begin incorporating some type of cheat or refeeds

Agreed, at one point calories get low enough that the body kind of goes into starvation mode and will not lose any weight. You need to "trick it" have her go on a little binge then start the diet again.

 

[kjkitzman]

how tall is she, age?

eat maintenance for 2 weeks with no cardio and lift heavy 5-6 days a week, then back to lower calories and add back in cardio. I agree with the diet break!

 

[shanethomas]

how tall is she, age?

eat maintenance for 2 weeks with no cardio and lift heavy 5-6 days a week, then back to lower calories and add back in cardio. I agree with the diet break!

She is 5'7 and 29 years old. She does have a cheat day once a week where she doesn't even count calories. Maybe she is binging too hard.

 

[kjkitzman]

I am 5'7 and 27 years old. I started my cut at 152lbs and lost 10 -15 lbs lifting 6 days a week doing 1600-1700 calories and then one day a week(saturday or sunday) I would eat around 2000-2300 calories. does she have my fitness pal app on her phone?

The goal is to be in a 3,500 calorie deficit per week. Keep your daily caloric goal less 3,500 calories and boom fat loss. Make your goals week to week than daily and then eating crazy amounts on a "treat" day. I made huge mistakes doing whatever I wanted on one day per week. Ended up never losing weight and could figure it out. I ended up only doing a "treat" day once a month and lost the most at this point!

 

[shanethomas]

I am 5'7 and 27 years old. I started my cut at 152lbs and lost 10 -15 lbs lifting 6 days a week doing 1600-1700 calories and then one day a week(saturday or sunday) I would eat around 2000-2300 calories. does she have my fitness pal app on her phone?

The goal is to be in a 3,500 calorie deficit per week. Keep your daily caloric goal less 3,500 calories and boom fat loss. Make your goals week to week than daily and then eating crazy amounts on a "treat" day. I made huge mistakes doing whatever I wanted on one day per week. Ended up never losing weight and could figure it out. I ended up only doing a "treat" day once a month and lost the most at this point!

Yes she uses myfitnesspal. That's probably what it is then. She goes too crazy on her cheat day. I'm sure she eats way over what she should cuz she always ends the cheat day with ice cream lol. Thanks for the info!

 

[kjkitzman]

Does she weigh her food out vs estimating? When you are having a hard time cutting weight ever few grams makes a difference depending on the food and being off 15 grams 5 times a week can add up quickly for calories sometimes you have to be OCD about the exact portion size. Best of LUCK!

 

[shanethomas]

Does she weigh her food out vs estimating? When you are having a hard time cutting weight ever few grams makes a difference depending on the food and being off 15 grams 5 times a week can add up quickly for calories sometimes you have to be OCD about the exact portion size. Best of LUCK!

Yes haha well I do it for her but she tracks it on myfitnesspal. And I do catch her sneaking a little bite of this or that which I know she isn't counting so it's gotta be that mixed with going overboard on the cheat day

 

[Arctik]

I would Increase calories to maintenance levels for a couple weeks and then work her way back down. Her body has adapted to the diet and needs a break from it. That and the bites and nibbles here and there as mentioned above are probably to blame

 

[UnicornDrpns]

She lifts 5 days a week and runs two miles every other day. Her current calories I think are really low. She eats 800-1200 per day.

she should most definitely still be losing with those calories and activity levels. Shes most definitely overeating.

#1. count ALL calories. I don't care if its ONE potato chip. condiments,sauces , etc. its amazing how small things add up.
#2. count the cheat days. one cheat day /wk can destroy the weekly caloric deficit. it should be a cheat meal, not a cheat day
#3. don't go under 1000 calories ever. I don't ever go under 1100 and even if i do go to 1100, its only after eating +2500 cals the day before

she should reset. eat normal for about a month to make sure she hasn't messed up her metabolism. When you restart, count everything.

 

[UnicornDrpns]

im currently cutting, im 5'6. lost 12 lbs in 3 months. my weekly caloric goal is 8600 calories. i spread my calories out like this:
mon-thurs = 1300 cals
sat = 2300
sun = 1100
i aim for a protein level of 130 minimum.

activity: 4 heavy lifting days (1.5 hrs) and 2 light lift/cardio days (20 mins cardio and 40 mins lift)

ive been lifting for 4 years and inthe first picture i took a 6 wk break and let my diet go to crap for 3 months, gained 10 lbs. was a fun time haha

 

[shanethomas]

Thanks ladies this helps!