Eating far below BMR and not losing weight

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Replies

  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    Check your sodium, it's most likely off the chart with all of that frozen diet food. Swap one packaged meal a day out for something homemade and keep it low-sodium. Sodium -> water retention -> weight stall.


    Could you suggest something easy to prepare? I have so little time these days. It's why those diet meals are so convenient

    Yogurt and granola, taco salad - click around in the Recipes forum here, there are tons of good links and recommendations. I'm the same way (busy and not into cooking), so I make a big batch of protein every Sunday and put it in salads for dinner every night.

    those actually sound pretty awesome. I'll check them out thanks. sounds like this site has a lot of resources I should have been using

    Buy chicken. Cook chicken in large batch. Eat chicken throughout week. I know you like chicken, because 99% of Lean Cuisine/Healthy Choice meals are chicken in some form or another.

    Go to frozen foods section. Buy vegetables in microwavable packages. Read the label for calorie counts; some are just veggies and others with sauces can be calorie bombs. Cook veggies in microwave. Eat.

    Go to rice section. Buy 90 second steamable rice packages - they come in all sorts of flavors and some have quinoa as well. Heat in microwave. Eat.

    Boom. Protein, veggies, carbs, fat, nutrients, happiness, and little food preparation skills required.
  • SezxyStef wrote: »
    I guess this is worth mentioning.

    But before I do, let me clarify (because I need to clarify this or else you guys will insist on taking it the wrong way and continue your rudeness) that this isn't me disagreeing. I'm just stating it in case it's relevant. Like listing all your symptoms to a doctor.

    I don't feel any lethargy. Don't have any hair loss or brittle nails.

    I actually feel really great from 1000 calories/day. I play tennis and table tennis a lot. Pretty much every day. I'm really fast. No problem running my 2-3 milers at a 7-8'ish pace. I've always loved running and tennis and ping pong.

    I don't have any sleep problems either. I just feel fine.

    I'm not saying 1000 isn't dangerous, unhealthy, risky, etc.

    Just mentioning how I feel on the 1000.

    Okay then why is 1000 calories dangerous and unhealthy?

    Why is it recommended that women get at least 1200?

    I honestly don't know why 1000 is unhealthy in my case, given my health and how I feel. But everyone and everything says that it is and unlike what a lot of jerks have said in this thread I am not a know-it-all and am perfectly happy putting a little faith in other people's expertise on this issue.

    I imagine the primary problem for me might be that I'll burn through way too much lean mass.

    I'm definitely considering upping it to 2000.
  • malibu927 wrote: »
    Weight naturally fluctuates up to five pounds from day to day. So if you weigh 206-207, you would eat everything, a few days later at 213 you would be strict again?

    Yep that's how I would do it.

    Some days I'd weigh less than normal due to water/bowel/glucose/whatever fluctuations and cheat when I maybe shouldn't.

    But for each day like that, there'd be a day where I'd weigh more than normal due to those things and diet when I maybe didn't need to.

    It would average out to making sure I maintain the same weight.

    Maybe I'll cheat one day and have to diet a week before I'm back below the weight.

    And maybe I'd have a period where I was under weight a few days in a row and get to cheat on all of them. (probably followed by the former period where I needed to diet again for several days in a row)

    Should average out I think.

    I'm afraid you may have some disordered thinking re weight loss. Have you run this plan past your GP?

    No. Probably because on some level I know he'll say some of the same stuff that the polite people in this thread have been saying about how unhealthy it is.

    I probably should though.
  • kgeyser wrote: »
    I know you like chicken,

    Word I love it lol
    kgeyser wrote: »
    Go to frozen foods section. Buy vegetables in microwavable packages. Read the label for calorie counts; some are just veggies and others with sauces can be calorie bombs. Cook veggies in microwave. Eat.

    Go to rice section. Buy 90 second steamable rice packages - they come in all sorts of flavors and some have quinoa as well. Heat in microwave. Eat.

    Boom. Protein, veggies, carbs, fat, nutrients, happiness, and little food preparation skills required.
    Will do. Thanks
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I guess this is worth mentioning.

    But before I do, let me clarify (because I need to clarify this or else you guys will insist on taking it the wrong way and continue your rudeness) that this isn't me disagreeing. I'm just stating it in case it's relevant. Like listing all your symptoms to a doctor.

    I don't feel any lethargy. Don't have any hair loss or brittle nails.

    I actually feel really great from 1000 calories/day. I play tennis and table tennis a lot. Pretty much every day. I'm really fast. No problem running my 2-3 milers at a 7-8'ish pace. I've always loved running and tennis and ping pong.

    I don't have any sleep problems either. I just feel fine.

    I'm not saying 1000 isn't dangerous, unhealthy, risky, etc.

    Just mentioning how I feel on the 1000.

    Okay then why is 1000 calories dangerous and unhealthy?

    Why is it recommended that women get at least 1200?

    I honestly don't know why 1000 is unhealthy in my case, given my health and how I feel. But everyone and everything says that it is and unlike what a lot of jerks have said in this thread I am not a know-it-all and am perfectly happy putting a little faith in other people's expertise on this issue.

    I imagine the primary problem for me might be that I'll burn through way too much lean mass.

    I'm definitely considering upping it to 2000.

    all those things I mention will happen along with the loss of LBM and actual organ damage....
  • SezxyStef wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I guess this is worth mentioning.

    But before I do, let me clarify (because I need to clarify this or else you guys will insist on taking it the wrong way and continue your rudeness) that this isn't me disagreeing. I'm just stating it in case it's relevant. Like listing all your symptoms to a doctor.

    I don't feel any lethargy. Don't have any hair loss or brittle nails.

    I actually feel really great from 1000 calories/day. I play tennis and table tennis a lot. Pretty much every day. I'm really fast. No problem running my 2-3 milers at a 7-8'ish pace. I've always loved running and tennis and ping pong.

    I don't have any sleep problems either. I just feel fine.

    I'm not saying 1000 isn't dangerous, unhealthy, risky, etc.

    Just mentioning how I feel on the 1000.

    Okay then why is 1000 calories dangerous and unhealthy?

    Why is it recommended that women get at least 1200?

    I honestly don't know why 1000 is unhealthy in my case, given my health and how I feel. But everyone and everything says that it is and unlike what a lot of jerks have said in this thread I am not a know-it-all and am perfectly happy putting a little faith in other people's expertise on this issue.

    I imagine the primary problem for me might be that I'll burn through way too much lean mass.

    I'm definitely considering upping it to 2000.

    all those things I mention will happen along with the loss of LBM and actual organ damage....

    Just out of curiosity, why didn't it happen when I went from 320 to 200 in 11 months @ 1000/day? I had zero healthy problems. Just got more and more naturally athletic as the weight went down. And felt really awesome.

    Was it just that I had so ridiculously much more weight to lose then than I do now?
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Since everything everyone says is wrong, just keep doing what you're doing and trust you're doing it right and that weight will come off. There you go. Problem solved.

    Honestly, even if you're over estimating your portions magically and eating more than you think you are, you're eating so far below maintenance that even if you're actually eating 2000 calories instead of 1000, you'll still lose weight.

    Give it more time I suppose.

    What the hell is with you guys? I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm agreeing with most of everything you say. And the things I'm not agreeing with aren't necessarily me disagreeing...

    THEY'RE ME NOT UNDERSTANDING

    What is so hard to understand about that? Jesus christ

    It was a joke, sheesh.
  • VeryKatie wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Since everything everyone says is wrong, just keep doing what you're doing and trust you're doing it right and that weight will come off. There you go. Problem solved.

    Honestly, even if you're over estimating your portions magically and eating more than you think you are, you're eating so far below maintenance that even if you're actually eating 2000 calories instead of 1000, you'll still lose weight.

    Give it more time I suppose.

    What the hell is with you guys? I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm agreeing with most of everything you say. And the things I'm not agreeing with aren't necessarily me disagreeing...

    THEY'RE ME NOT UNDERSTANDING

    What is so hard to understand about that? Jesus christ

    It was a joke, sheesh.

    Well thanks for letting me know. Some people here are being legit rude though. Sorry
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I guess this is worth mentioning.

    But before I do, let me clarify (because I need to clarify this or else you guys will insist on taking it the wrong way and continue your rudeness) that this isn't me disagreeing. I'm just stating it in case it's relevant. Like listing all your symptoms to a doctor.

    I don't feel any lethargy. Don't have any hair loss or brittle nails.

    I actually feel really great from 1000 calories/day. I play tennis and table tennis a lot. Pretty much every day. I'm really fast. No problem running my 2-3 milers at a 7-8'ish pace. I've always loved running and tennis and ping pong.

    I don't have any sleep problems either. I just feel fine.

    I'm not saying 1000 isn't dangerous, unhealthy, risky, etc.

    Just mentioning how I feel on the 1000.

    Okay then why is 1000 calories dangerous and unhealthy?

    Why is it recommended that women get at least 1200?

    I honestly don't know why 1000 is unhealthy in my case, given my health and how I feel. But everyone and everything says that it is and unlike what a lot of jerks have said in this thread I am not a know-it-all and am perfectly happy putting a little faith in other people's expertise on this issue.

    I imagine the primary problem for me might be that I'll burn through way too much lean mass.

    I'm definitely considering upping it to 2000.

    all those things I mention will happen along with the loss of LBM and actual organ damage....

    Just out of curiosity, why didn't it happen when I went from 320 to 200 in 11 months @ 1000/day? I had zero healthy problems. Just got more and more naturally athletic as the weight went down. And felt really awesome.

    Was it just that I had so ridiculously much more weight to lose then than I do now?

    It probably did and you didn't realize it...now that I am eating lots of food, ensuring my protien is good, fats are good and I get enough carbs for energy my nails are hard as rocks my hair is thick (and my hair dresser noted that)

    As for the internal you wouldn't notice it until you became too ill (ie anorexia) and even then you probably wouldn't notice.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/521480
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1083497

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/very-low-calorie-diets.aspx

    And speaking from personal experience...the one time I didn't eat enough I noticed...dizzyness, lack of energy and it took 2 days of good eating to get over it...

    As well peope who are considered obese can get away with it for a while...but not long term.
  • SezxyStef wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I guess this is worth mentioning.

    But before I do, let me clarify (because I need to clarify this or else you guys will insist on taking it the wrong way and continue your rudeness) that this isn't me disagreeing. I'm just stating it in case it's relevant. Like listing all your symptoms to a doctor.

    I don't feel any lethargy. Don't have any hair loss or brittle nails.

    I actually feel really great from 1000 calories/day. I play tennis and table tennis a lot. Pretty much every day. I'm really fast. No problem running my 2-3 milers at a 7-8'ish pace. I've always loved running and tennis and ping pong.

    I don't have any sleep problems either. I just feel fine.

    I'm not saying 1000 isn't dangerous, unhealthy, risky, etc.

    Just mentioning how I feel on the 1000.

    Okay then why is 1000 calories dangerous and unhealthy?

    Why is it recommended that women get at least 1200?

    I honestly don't know why 1000 is unhealthy in my case, given my health and how I feel. But everyone and everything says that it is and unlike what a lot of jerks have said in this thread I am not a know-it-all and am perfectly happy putting a little faith in other people's expertise on this issue.

    I imagine the primary problem for me might be that I'll burn through way too much lean mass.

    I'm definitely considering upping it to 2000.

    all those things I mention will happen along with the loss of LBM and actual organ damage....

    Just out of curiosity, why didn't it happen when I went from 320 to 200 in 11 months @ 1000/day? I had zero healthy problems. Just got more and more naturally athletic as the weight went down. And felt really awesome.

    Was it just that I had so ridiculously much more weight to lose then than I do now?

    It probably did and you didn't realize it...now that I am eating lots of food, ensuring my protien is good, fats are good and I get enough carbs for energy my nails are hard as rocks my hair is thick (and my hair dresser noted that)

    As for the internal you wouldn't notice it until you became too ill (ie anorexia) and even then you probably wouldn't notice.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/521480
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1083497

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/very-low-calorie-diets.aspx

    And speaking from personal experience...the one time I didn't eat enough I noticed...dizzyness, lack of energy and it took 2 days of good eating to get over it...

    As well peope who are considered obese can get away with it for a while...but not long term.

    The only thing I've noticed is that my hair grows a little slower. I'm not 100% sure though. It grows really fast normally already. Nails.. stupidly hard. I have to soak them in water to cut and even then it's annoyingly hard.

    Here's one thing though, my gallbladder

    I never even knew what a gallbladder was before the big weight loss. Then when I got down to 200 I started getting gall bladder attacks after fatty cheat meals. Some of them were crippling. Put me on the floor type of stuff.

    So I had it removed and haven't had any issues since.

    I'm not sure if that was caused by too low of calories or just losing a lot of weight.

    Either way, I don't dispute that my caloric intake is probably unhealthy and I'm considering upping it, especially protein
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Since everything everyone says is wrong, just keep doing what you're doing and trust you're doing it right and that weight will come off. There you go. Problem solved.

    Honestly, even if you're over estimating your portions magically and eating more than you think you are, you're eating so far below maintenance that even if you're actually eating 2000 calories instead of 1000, you'll still lose weight.

    Give it more time I suppose.

    What the hell is with you guys? I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm agreeing with most of everything you say. And the things I'm not agreeing with aren't necessarily me disagreeing...

    THEY'RE ME NOT UNDERSTANDING

    What is so hard to understand about that? Jesus christ

    It was a joke, sheesh.

    Well thanks for letting me know. Some people here are being legit rude though. Sorry
    Lighten up Francis.
    I think that 1000 kcal diet may be thinning your skin. ;)

  • FredDoyle wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Since everything everyone says is wrong, just keep doing what you're doing and trust you're doing it right and that weight will come off. There you go. Problem solved.

    Honestly, even if you're over estimating your portions magically and eating more than you think you are, you're eating so far below maintenance that even if you're actually eating 2000 calories instead of 1000, you'll still lose weight.

    Give it more time I suppose.

    What the hell is with you guys? I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm agreeing with most of everything you say. And the things I'm not agreeing with aren't necessarily me disagreeing...

    THEY'RE ME NOT UNDERSTANDING

    What is so hard to understand about that? Jesus christ

    It was a joke, sheesh.

    Well thanks for letting me know. Some people here are being legit rude though. Sorry
    Lighten up Francis.
    I think that 1000 kcal diet may be thinning your skin. ;)

    WHAT THE F*** DUDE SERIOUSLY

    j/k. that was a good one
  • How often do you guys weigh? I hate weighing every day. Half the days I feel good, half depressed
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Every other week, on payday. Never depressing!!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    How often do you guys weigh? I hate weighing every day. Half the days I feel good, half depressed

    I weigh once a month, but I've been doing this for a while so I know my routine works and just need to check in once in a while. When I was newer to the weight loss game I weighed 2-3 times a week max and once a week min.

  • Robinvan38
    Robinvan38 Posts: 17 Member
    change ratio of carbs to protein until you see results (increase protein and decrease carbs). You should be able to tolerate more calories without weight gain this way too. Also might consider having hormone levels (thyroid), or testosterone checked.
  • How often do you guys weigh? I hate weighing every day. Half the days I feel good, half depressed

    I weigh once a month, but I've been doing this for a while so I know my routine works and just need to check in once in a while. When I was newer to the weight loss game I weighed 2-3 times a week max and once a week min.

    Yeah that's exactly the reason I'm afraid of weighing infrequently. In case whatever I'm doing isn't working, then I'll have a really rude awakening when I weigh
  • Robinvan38 wrote: »
    change ratio of carbs to protein until you see results (increase protein and decrease carbs). You should be able to tolerate more calories without weight gain this way too. Also might consider having hormone levels (thyroid), or testosterone checked.

    I've considering trying to find a way to fake a hypothyroidism diagnosis so I could get T3 supplements and eat more. Just to eat more lol.

    But truly I had my thyroid levels checked recently for something else and everything looked good. I even asked specifically about T3/T4 and GP said I was solid. Even a little above average for my height/weight/age/gender/LBM
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I weigh once a week because it fluctuates anyways. Others have said it but I will repeat, you should be eating 2,000 calories a day for your size. A thousand calories is way too low and you are risking complications. I am part of a Bariatric surgery support group and some of us after surgery have trouble hitting the minimum calorie goal 1,200 with also a minimum percentage of protein. Believe me, there are unpleasant side effects if you don't eat enough. Also mentioned here.
  • TheRealJigsaw
    TheRealJigsaw Posts: 295 Member
    edited October 2014
    Don't be surprised when your hair starts falling off eating only 1,000 calories a day

    eqimc7cmbc67.jpg
  • GeeWillickers
    GeeWillickers Posts: 85 Member
    The reason you got away with that low of calories the last time was because you were morbidly obese so your body could draw from it's own stores. Depending on your frame you are now within 10% to 20% of the average BMI. In simplest terms your body knows this and there is abundant research out there that proves severe calorie restriction lowers your RMR.

    Add into this the fact that you are active, then your body is going to do what it has to do to protect itself. Also the sodium in those prepackaged meals is going to affect water retention.

    I'm almost 6'3, large frame and I maintain around 210 to 215 eating 3000 to 3500 calories and only walk plus strength train.

    You need to up your calories in a controlled way and track it accurately. I won't argue with you and it's not what you want to here but, it's the plain and simple fact that a person can't healthfully starve themselves to a lower weight. If you lose anything at all it will be mostly LBM and/or water weight at that severe of a calorie deficit.
  • jgnatca wrote: »
    I weigh once a week because it fluctuates anyways. Others have said it but I will repeat, you should be eating 2,000 calories a day for your size. A thousand calories is way too low and you are risking complications. I am part of a Bariatric surgery support group and some of us after surgery have trouble hitting the minimum calorie goal 1,200 with also a minimum percentage of protein. Believe me, there are unpleasant side effects if you don't eat enough. Also mentioned here.

    I've also mentioned here several times that I'm planning or seriously considering upping my calories to 2000 lol. About as much as it's been suggested
  • Don't be surprised when your hair starts falling off eating only 1,000 calories a day

    eqimc7cmbc67.jpg

    I honestly don't think that will happen. Since it didn't the first time. But I'm upping to 2000 anyways. Just because 1000 doesn't feel like it's working
  • The reason you got away with that low of calories the last time was because you were morbidly obese so your body could draw from it's own stores. Depending on your frame you are now within 10% to 20% of the average BMI. In simplest terms your body knows this and there is abundant research out there that proves severe calorie restriction lowers your RMR.

    Add into this the fact that you are active, then your body is going to do what it has to do to protect itself. Also the sodium in those prepackaged meals is going to affect water retention.

    I'm almost 6'3, large frame and I maintain around 210 to 215 eating 3000 to 3500 calories and only walk plus strength train.

    You need to up your calories in a controlled way and track it accurately. I won't argue with you and it's not what you want to here but, it's the plain and simple fact that a person can't healthfully starve themselves to a lower weight. If you lose anything at all it will be mostly LBM and/or water weight at that severe of a calorie deficit.

    Yeah my plan is to bump the calories up now. And *continue* logging accurately :p

    You guys eat a lot more than me which I find impressive. I would love to eat 3000 a day but I fear the consequences. My LBM is probably a lot lower than yours. Hopefully I can remedy that in the gym
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Where's the thumbs-up emoticon? Thumbs-up, dude. Love your workouts, love your food. Try a Premier Protein shake after your workouts. Replenish, replenish.
  • jgnatca wrote: »
    Where's the thumbs-up emoticon? Thumbs-up, dude. Love your workouts, love your food. Try a Premier Protein shake after your workouts. Replenish, replenish.

    I definitely love the running part lol. Hate lifting weights though. I've always just been so bad at it.

    I've been mostly underweight most of my life except for a year where i ballooned up to 320, then a year losing it, and then now, right at the tail end of losing it, with a rebound from 200 to 240 (intentionally)

    For literally 90% of my life, I've been way underweight and eaten massive quantities of food every day. Then suddenly it caught up to me.

    During all that time, I just could not build up any muscle in the gym no matter how hard I tried.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    How often do you guys weigh? I hate weighing every day. Half the days I feel good, half depressed

    I do weigh every day, but I've learned to expect fluctuations. If it goes down? Good. If it goes up? Ok, I may have had a little too much sodium or in approaching TOM (obviously not something you have to worry about). It's only if there's no movement or a continuous upward streak over WEEKS that one should be concerned they aren't losing.

    I'm glad you've been taking a lot of the advice given here. Doing this in a healthy matter is the best thing.
  • malibu927 wrote: »
    How often do you guys weigh? I hate weighing every day. Half the days I feel good, half depressed

    I do weigh every day, but I've learned to expect fluctuations. If it goes down? Good. If it goes up? Ok, I may have had a little too much sodium or in approaching TOM (obviously not something you have to worry about). It's only if there's no movement or a continuous upward streak over WEEKS that one should be concerned they aren't losing.

    I'm glad you've been taking a lot of the advice given here. Doing this in a healthy matter is the best thing.

    I feel like the level of discipline which you obviously have that enables you to weigh daily without going crazy is something I'll have to work for awhile to attain.

    Thanks for the advice, I'll set that as one of my goals
  • fvtfan
    fvtfan Posts: 126 Member
    I wouldn't bump right up to 2,000 calories a day - do it in baby steps and see what happens...if you are truly eating 1,000 now your body will be in shock if you double that. Try bumping up to 1,300 for a week and then start adding 100-200 every week until you get up to 2,000.

    Also, make the crockpot your friend - there are 100's of recipes out on the internet, even ones where you can put everythign together and put it in the freezer and then when you are ready to cook it you just throw it in the crockpot and you are good to go.

    Good luck!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    It sounds like you have the body type of solo runners I saw at the Grande Cache death race. All muscle, tendon, and bone. Loved to run. Crazy to run. http://winnipegbarefootrunners.blogspot.ca/2012/09/the-canadian-death-race-views-from.html