Muscle helps keep up the rate at which you burn calories (metabolism). So as you lose weight, your metabolism declines, causing you to burn fewer calories than you did at your heavier weight. Your slower metabolism will slow your weight loss, even if you eat the same number of calories that helped you lose weight.
Not losing weight on 1500 calories a day with exercise is frustrating, but several factors could be at play. Calorie intake and burn estimations are often inaccurate, daily movement outside of workouts matters, and things like hormones, metabolism, and water retention can affect the scale.
You might be struggling to lose weight on 1200 calories because your metabolism is slow. Losing weight can be a difficult task, especially if your metabolism is running slow. It's possible that with only a 1200 calorie diet, it might not be enough to shed off those extra pounds due to metabolism costs.
A planned cheat day can sometimes shock your body into breaking through the plateau and going back to weight loss mode. It can also give you a mental break from being so careful with what you eat. Finally, a cheat meal gives you the chance to eat some of the high-calorie treats that may have been scarce recently.
The human body is highly adaptable and may respond to prolonged calorie deficits by slowing down metabolism to conserve energy. This is known as metabolic adaptation or adaptive thermogenesis. As your body becomes more efficient with fewer calories, your weight loss progress can stall.
If you're asking yourself, “Why am I gaining weight when I barely eat,” several factors may be at play. Your body may be holding onto fat stores if your eating habits are inconsistent or restricted. Or, your weight gain may be the effect of a sedentary lifestyle, medical condition, or long-term stress.
Weight loss resistance is a complex issue that is influenced by various factors, including hormonal imbalances, chronic stress, poor sleep quality, medications, poor gut health, thyroid disorders, sex hormone fluctuations, and blood sugar imbalance with insulin or leptin resistance.
It's likely due to factors such as: - Water retention: This can be caused by things like sodium intake, stress, menstruation, and other factors. -Glycogen stores: Glycogen is stored carbohydrate and it binds to water. So when glycogen stores are full, you will hold more water weight.
Difficulty losing weight: “Not eating enough can make it harder to lose weight,” she says. “If you're not taking in enough to meet your daily requirements, your metabolism may slow down as your body goes into conservation mode.”
Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week over the long term. To do that, you'll need to burn about 500 to 750 calories more than you take in each day. Losing 5% of your current weight may be a good goal to start with. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms).
A good rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is a deficit of about 500 calories per day. That should put you on course to lose about 1 pound per week.
1. Your Metabolism Will Slow Down to Store Fat. The more you work out or manage your calorie intake to lose weight, the more your metabolism wants to compensate by slowing down to maintain your current weight, this is called metabolic compensation. It kicks in to preserve and store fat for future energy.
Increase your exercise a little (think a daily walk), and you may still reach the “magical” 500 calorie deficit number. It is also important to note that it can take some time before you begin to see results from a calorie deficit. It can take a week or two for your body to adjust and begin to burn away extra fat.
Water weight is not usually a cause for concern, but it can be uncomfortable and recurring. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.