Tell me why? Only serious replies please.

joleenl

After following the forums for quite sometime, it seems to me that most of the more educated or more experienced people on here give the following advice:

1. There is no starvation mode unless you haven't ate in over 48 hours.
2. There is no magic eating times or amount of meals to eat.
3. A calorie is a calorie (in regards to energy not nutrition)
4. The only weight loss formula is calories in < calories out.

So based on this information, is ok for me to only net under 1000 calories a day? I'm 5'7", 173 pounds, 40% BF, 35 years old, female. I believe my BMR is around 1400 and TDEE is around 1800 to 1900. ( I have a desk job and I use to eat back exercise calories so I calculate my TDEE with light activity). My trainer and I, are doing an extreme cut right now and since starting my net calories are very low. We are trying to rapidly bring down my 40% BF. My trainer is certified, educated, and a pro-body builder so she knows her stuff.

I don't want a flood of responses that tell me to eat more or to eat TDEE - 20%. I want to legitly know, with back up, what the problem is with me netting less then 1000 calories while trying to lose weight. I know that you need a certain amount of calories just to function but will my body not used the stored stuff if I do not feed it enough? I am told body builders net extremely low prior to shows and it works for them with little to no side effects?

Some more things to consider, I am making sure I eat at least 100 grams a protein daily. I haven't been eating the healthiest all the time. I do take BCAA supplements to help retain muscle from my extreme calorie burn. Keeping in mind this cut is a phase, so a temperary program to give specific results. Please don't responsed with eat more calories, eat more protien, starvation mode, eat healthier.... etc. Just please give me only serious answers to my question.

tricksee

Something tell me that no matter what advice you get from us, you're going to do whatever your educated, certified & professional body-building trainer says.

Good luck.

Mokey41

It's not a popular belief here but I think if you take in enough nutritious calories that your body gets first dibs on what it needs to maintain itself. If you work off a lot of what you take in calorie wise your body will still have gotten the vitamins and nutrition that it needs. It's probably not something you'd want to do for a long time but if you are careful with your nutrition I can't see any long term bad effects.

Too me there is a big difference between only eating 1,000 calories of lettuce and "diet" foods and eating 1800 calories of good food and then working off 800 of it.

ami5000psu

So you only want responses that will tell you what you want to hear? Netting less than 1000 calories is not healthy no matter what your educated, certified, body building trainer says.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

This is the best explanation of "starvation mode" I've read:

http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/#starvationmode


The other problems with very low calorie diets are:

Adherence (it's hard to stick with).
Muscle loss
Low energy, just feeling crappy.
Poor performance in sports and/or lifting
Hair loss, brittle nails.
Food is yummy


Also, "a calorie is a calorie" in regards to weight loss. Not energy. I have WAY more energy if I include carbs in my diet.

yankeedownsouth

Something tell me that no matter what advice you get from us, you're going to do whatever your educated, certified & professional body-building trainer says.

Good luck.

Me too.

However, my response is that personally, if I ate only 1000 calories a day, I'd lose weight, but I'd be so hungry that I wouldn't be able to think straight. I wouldn't have any energy for my workouts, and I'd be a crabby *itch to live with. Not worth it to me. I'd rather do things the more enjoyable way, even if they're slower.

joleenl

Something tell me that no matter what advice you get from us, you're going to do whatever your educated, certified & professional body-building trainer says.

Good luck.

Not true. I really legitly want to know what the possible harm is in netting below 1000 calories with some sort of research. Just because she does it and it works to acheive her goals doesn't mean it's safe which is why I am asking for reponses with back up.

taso42

But why even hit 1000? Even the HCG people hit 500. Come on, you can't let those HCG dieters show you up. I say go for 250/.day. You got this!

KatLifter

It seems like people respond differently to these super-cuts. Molly Galbraith is writing a blog series about women's stories on these bodybuilder-type cuts. Yesterday was The Good, and The Bad, today is going to be The Ugly. You can read these women's stories and make a decision for yourself.
http://mollygalbraith.com/category/blog/

Personally, I would really recommend against it. But then again, I like food, having energy, and losing fat mass over muscle. It sounds like you are focused on losing fat % instead of scale numbers, which is great. I've read studies that low carb, high fat diets are helpful for achieving that goal.

joleenl

This is the best explanation of "starvation mode" I've read:

http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/#starvationmode


The other problems with very low calorie diets are:

Adherence (it's hard to stick with).
Muscle loss
Low energy, just feeling crappy.
Poor performance in sports and/or lifting
Hair loss, brittle nails.
Food is yummy


Also, "a calorie is a calorie" in regards to weight loss. Not energy. I have WAY more energy if I include carbs in my diet.

Thanks for the article. I will read it as soon as I get a chance.

tricksee

I really legitly want to know what the possible harm is in netting below 1000 calories with some sort of research.

It's not good because you are simply starving yourself. There isn't really any research needed.

SarahAnna87

The reason that eating under a 1000 calories daily is that if your body feels that it is "starving" itself, it will go after the most easily accessible form of energy, which is muscle not fat. Fat is energy dense, with the average gram containing 9 calories. Your muscle tissue is made of mostly protein and water. Protein on average contains 4 calories per gram. This is easier for a body to access. Keep in mind as well that your brain needs around 700 - 800 calories alone. Yes your body won't go into starvation mode for 48 hours, but keep in mind that starvation mode can occur even with the ingestion of calories.

As much as we rely on trainers to give good and proper information, it does not hurt to talk to a registered dietician or nutritionist. People on weight loss programs often miss key nutrients because of our limited diets, which is why a multivitamin is reccommended. But if you cut to many nutrients the multivitamin may not be enough.

Try the calorie intake that your trainer reccommends but pay attention to your body. If you are taking too long to recover from workouts, ie. being sore for more than 24-48 hours or are abnormally tired, these are signs that you are probably lacking some basic nutrients.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever choice you make on your weight loss journey.

Machafin

Some bodybuilders do extreme cuts before shows but inevitably sacrifice their metabolisms doing so. They will go to very restrictive diets that are either low or almost completely void of fats. Try eating more protein. I gram of protein has 4 calories in it and the thermal index is either .8 or 1.2 calories, I cannot remember, meaning that, for every gram of protein consumed, it takes .8 or 1.2 calories just to digest it.

rosemaryhon

Something tell me that no matter what advice you get from us, you're going to do whatever your educated, certified & professional body-building trainer says.

Good luck.

Me too.

However, my response is that personally, if I ate only 1000 calories a day, I'd lose weight, but I'd be so hungry that I wouldn't be able to think straight. I wouldn't have any energy for my workouts, and I'd be a crabby *itch to live with. Not worth it to me. I'd rather do things the more enjoyable way, even if they're slower.

So if 1000 calories/daily didn't leave you hungry, low energy, and crabby, you'd do it?

Yanicka1

Starvation mode may not existe but Adaptive thermogenesis is quite real and well documented.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20935667

Adaptive thermogenesis in humans.
Rosenbaum M, Leibel RL.
SourceDivision of Molecular Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. mr475@columbia.edu

Abstract
The increasing prevalence of obesity and its comorbidities reflects the interaction of genes that favor the storage of excess energy as fat with an environment that provides ad libitum availability of energy-dense foods and encourages an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Although weight reduction is difficult in and of itself, anyone who has ever lost weight will confirm that it is much harder to keep the weight off once it has been lost. The over 80% recidivism rate to preweight loss levels of body fatness after otherwise successful weight loss is due to the coordinate actions of metabolic, behavioral, neuroendocrine and autonomic responses designed to maintain body energy stores (fat) at a central nervous system-defined 'ideal'. This 'adaptive thermogenesis' creates the ideal situation for weight regain and is operant in both lean and obese individuals attempting to sustain reduced body weights. Much of this opposition to sustained weight loss is mediated by the adipocyte-derived hormone 'leptin'. The multiple systems regulating energy stores and opposing the maintenance of a reduced body weight illustrate that body energy stores in general and obesity in particular are actively 'defended' by interlocking bioenergetic and neurobiological physiologies. Important inferences can be drawn for therapeutic strategies by recognizing obesity as a disease in which the human body actively opposes the 'cure' over long periods of time beyond the initial resolution of symptomatology.

Frankly you do what ever you want it is your body and your health.

joleenl

I am actually serious people. I like food too. I eat more then 1000 calories everyday. I NET LESS then 1000. I aint doing it for life. I am doing it as temporary cut. Like cycling between cuts and bulks.

billsica

Because you have a child, and you need to be responsible.


Actually I have netted 300 calories once a week when I am doing my long runs and grossing 2400-3000 calories or so.
How many calories are you actually consuming per day?

joleenl

The reason that eating under a 1000 calories daily is that if your body feels that it is "starving" itself, it will go after the most easily accessible form of energy, which is muscle not fat. Fat is energy dense, with the average gram containing 9 calories. Your muscle tissue is made of mostly protein and water. Protein on average contains 4 calories per gram. This is easier for a body to access. Keep in mind as well that your brain needs around 700 - 800 calories alone. Yes your body won't go into starvation mode for 48 hours, but keep in mind that starvation mode can occur even with the ingestion of calories.

As much as we rely on trainers to give good and proper information, it does not hurt to talk to a registered dietician or nutritionist. People on weight loss programs often miss key nutrients because of our limited diets, which is why a multivitamin is reccommended. But if you cut to many nutrients the multivitamin may not be enough.

Try the calorie intake that your trainer reccommends but pay attention to your body. If you are taking too long to recover from workouts, ie. being sore for more than 24-48 hours or are abnormally tired, these are signs that you are probably lacking some basic nutrients.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever choice you make on your weight loss journey.

Thanks

joleenl

Because you have a child, and you need to be responsible.


Actually I have netted 300 calories once a week when I am doing my long runs and grossing 2400-3000 calories or so.
How many calories are you actually consuming per day?

HUH? What does a temporary cutting phase have to do with be responsible with my child (Which is an adult now)

rml_16

You're setting forth a scenario, asking for people's educated opinions and then telling them specifically what you want them to tell you, which is that what you're doing is fine.

So, sure, what you're doing is fine. :flowerforyou: