Eating 1200 cals a day and still overweight

Welcome @wonderwall12345, You are not alone in your weight journey. I struggled with weight most of my adult life and finally found a lifestyle change that helped me lose and maintain the weight loss. You mentioned intermittent fasting which is what helped me along with lowering the amount of carbs I was consuming. I posted my weight loss journey in the Low-carb healthy fat living. Intermittent fasting. What’s your why? discussion here:
--- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/336050/.

Everyone is a little different but alternating between the 16/8 and 18/6 fasting plans worked best for me to maintain the weight and then if I started creeping up I would use the 20/4 or one meal a day fasting to bring the weight back down a little. It sounds like you are doing great with the exercise and healthy eating side of the equation which I was lacking at the start of my journey but it has also played a big part in helping me with the weight as long as I didn't relax and fall back into my snacking habits.

I use the free Zero fasting app on my phone which helps me stay on track - https://zerolongevity.com/. Do you use any kind of app or other method to help track your fasting?

Wondereall! Omg, we have so much in common! (Even the digestion problem)I could have written your story! We are about the same size, same original weight, same weight loss plateau, similar workout routine, same diet, calories, etc. I had gained a lot of weight during covid and right now have lost almost 70 pounds. Sadly, I’m now at another plateau. I have 30 more pounds to lose, though I get a lot of comments now that I’m thin, but not really. Just thinner.

I also have type 1 diabetes and insulin packs on the pounds. I consulted with my endocrinologist’s office nutritionist and she gave me some good suggestions that helped, but I’ve stalled in my weight loss AGAIN! It’s infuriating. She says I’ve done a great job, but I can’t slack off now.

I hope you get some good responses. My ideas include: shaking up my workout and doing something completely different. I want to learn pickleball, but I have tennis elbow. It’s holding me back. But, I know that exercise is just part of it. It’s mainly diet. Only, my diet is tight and right……I can only surmise that an unconventional fasting intervention might have some impact……? I might PM my nutritionist and run it by her. I only want something safe and sustainable.

Thank you so much for your kind words celia16 and sorry to hear that you have experienced tough times too! If you don't mind me asking, do you follow any particular diet or lifestyle at the moment? I'm considering the Mediterranean diet as it's anti-inflammatory.

I consider my diet to be Mediterranean, but I’m open to change. I eat just about the same thing everyday. Not all of this everdsy, but parts of it, Includes, eggs, Keto bread (I don’t advocate Keto. Don’t want it, but it’s ended up that I am consuming very few carbs, simply due to calorie counting) for avocado toast (1/4 fresh avocado), olive oil, sliced pears, sliced beets, lean protein (salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey….rarely pork or beef), whole grains, brown rice, veggies ( broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, green beans, cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots) sweet potatoes, beans, limited nuts, nonfat yogurt and cottage cheese, unsweet almond milk, low carb popsicles. No cheese right now. And occasionally a glass of wine. I am careful with portion size and honestly…..I don’t know how to improve my diet. I’m open to any suggestions, though.

I have an online friend who has diabetes too and he bikes on actual bike, many miles daily….like 30 miles. He eats a very strict diet, yet he has had to do intermittent fasting to lose weight! Even with that he struggles. What’s going on?

I work out in gym and outdoor track 5-6 days per week. Cardio and strength training. I take fish oil and supplements for deficiency in B12 and D.

I’ll look forward to reading about your journey! Thank you.

I have had a similar experience, and I’ve heard all of the medical nutritionist’s wisdom; First I must be eating too much, then it must be too little, then it must be sugar and junk food, then it must be lack of activity, then perhaps that I’m “too active” and causing my cortisol to be too high. I’ve been “correcting my gut biome” for decades now, too. When proven wrong with lab testing, journaling, fitness trackers, etc. I was accused of lying, and another time told it must be inflammation then, and a shrug of the shoulders with no advice as I wait for my next medical bill with nothing to show for it.
There are tomes of information from medical studies on genes and SNP’s, and conditions that impair - not caloric metabolism - but rather metabolism or breakdown of certain foods (and garbage additives and lab created vitamins/“enriched” items) that interfere with the body’s ability to utilize necessary nutrients which lead to deficiencies that impact body weight and body fat. Furthermore, chemotherapy and radiation have been shown to cause mutations to vulnerable enzymes that lead to the same. Still, they blame the patient more often than not and do not bother to look into any of the reasons behind deficiencies, or consider medical background. Then, when like me, you can no longer exercise 3-4 hours a day to lose weight even at only 20 calories over the Resting Metabolic Rate they lab tested you at, they blame your issues on what must be a lifetime of poor “lifestyle” choices (despite evidence to the contrary). Someday a new approach will be standard and people will not have to suffer like this. They will provide more individualized strategies, and scoff at the “old way” as they always do.

Do not give up! It is not your fault. It sounds as if you are doing the best you are able to do. Be proud of yourself for being so strong both physically and mentally/emotionally!

I understand that this won’t help you feel 100% better about yourself in a swimsuit or just out and about in this judgy, superficial society, but until the people tasked as experts change their minds and prejudices (and policies) to jive with the research, your best is all you or any of us can do.

Inminn, wow, that’s a lot of info. I had no idea. I do feel better reading your post! Perhaps, I need to look at this a little differently.

I suspect that I’ve been more fortunate than some in experiences with medical providers. They sort of marvel at my success so far. My nutritionist said in her 30 plus years of experience, she’d never seen anyone lose as much weight, outside of a medically supervised program. But, they (primary, endo, gastro, nutritionist) are stumped with my plateaus. At one time I was consuming less than 1000 calories per day. My nutritionist said Duke could not condone that and I agree. I increased my daily calories. Now, I hope I can jumpstart my progress again. I’ll look forward to seeing the suggestions Wonderwall gets.

I won’t give up. I have high hopes for my fitness and some romance this summer. Lol. I like being active and health conscious.
My closest friends are that way too and it’s given me a renewed zest for life. (They eat mainly plant based, mostly seeds and nuts…..seriously. Lol)

Now, if I can just get my body to cooperate! This site is so helpful. The people here are awesome and provide so much info and support. It’s very touching. I welcome all ideas.

I am so sorry you went through this Inminn - I find strength knowing I'm not alone, but I hope that in the coming years things might change for those of us going through this.

Thanks to an integrative health NP this is the current plan on which I am very very slowly losing body fat yet mostly retaining muscle with my particular genetics and enzyme insufficiencies:
methylated multivitamins, no “enriched” foods, no gluten, a high potency Vitamin D in liquid form for persistent D deficiency, very minimal dairy, extra lean proteins and copious amounts of leafy greens and low GI vegetables plus at least one serving of cruciferous/sulfurothane vegetables daily, and whole foods and (gluten free) grains in a low fat, low salt, low net carbohydrate intermittent fasting + keto diet. I am using Mayo’s healthy Keto plan but customizing it to my needs because it doesn’t allow for all of my food sensitivities.
It looks like this:
Breakfast - one unflavored, unsweetened vegan protein shake made with flax meal and a fiber supplement powder for breakfast followed by unlimited herbal tea, and no more than 1 cup of weak green tea (unable to have much caffeine).

Lunch - one very large dark leafy organic greens and herbs and low GI veg salad with 1/4 c raw, unsalted nuts or seeds, 2-4 oz. Of extra lean or omega rich protein (chicken breast, cooked low/no salt lentils or beans, salmon, or another protein shake on the side) and low sodium homemade dressing of lemon juice and tahini (then omit nuts/seeds) or olive oil and fresh lemon juice, with 1-2 tsp salt free seasoning of choice.

Dinner - 4 oz. Extra lean or omega rich protein with 1-2 C of green vegetables and up to 1/4 C of cooked brown rice, quinoa, or starchy vegetable with olive oil ( if I was physically active to a certain degree).

1 serving of fresh or dried fruit. Only water-extracted non-laboratory created stevia, can’t have erythritol or other artificial sweeteners (they cause migraines, dizziness) and filling up on as much herbal tea and water as needed between meals to feel full.

This represents one half of my RMR in caloric intake, yet doing this plus being as active as the average person my age, I lose roughly 1 lb. a month of body fat, as opposed to the expected 2+ lbs. per week, so one eighth as much as I should be. There is no explanation for this.

As you can see, it is very restrictive and frankly, impractical if one ever wants to go out with friends or family or attend gatherings. It is very difficult to adhere to, and I get quite frustrated and depressed when the scale fluctuates.

My parents also have a family friend with similar intolerances and weight issues. So far we are “medical mysteries”, and she, too, has resorted to crafting her own diet to meet her needs since the experts couldn’t help her.

Note that testing is not allowed by the insurance companies, thus is not done by our medical institutions even though it would mean better health and fewer prescriptions, visits, surgeries, co-morbidities, etc. that the insurance companies would have to cover in the long run.

The current medical stance is that genes have been found to play a role in body weight and especially in the tendency toward central obesity, but probably not enough of a role to look further into it.

That’s fantastic! It is so nice to hear of a success 🙂