Why isn't it working?!

JustMissTracy

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

This is wrong. No such thing as starvation mode.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

safully1 wrote: »

The flow chart was amazing. It is usually what I try to convey to friends that complain about the lack of loss when initially starting.

One thing that you need to concern yourself with is undereating (Mountain hit on this, too). If your body goes into starvation mode your BMR will drop significantly to where any caloric increases will net you pounds. I struggled with this concept for years.

@MountainMomma58 @safully1

These are some good threads for you guys to read through:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/761810/the-starvation-mode-myth-again/p1

Starvation mode in the context that you two are talking about is a myth. It is not wise to tell a person who is not losing weight to "eat more."

99% of the time, people are not losing weight because they are eating more than they think (inaccurate logging, for example) or because they aren't burning as many calories through exercise than they think. Defaulting to "maybe you're not eating enough" will actually cause most people even more trouble with losing.

OP, you are running a very small deficit (250 calories per day). You will need to log as accurately as possible and have patience to see the scale move. There is nothing wrong with taking your time, but you may not see a linear, exact 0.5 lb per week loss on the scale. You need to track the trend over time. If in two months you're not losing at your expected rate, you should look at your diary and try to tighten up your logging even more.

At a 250 calorie per day deficit, you don't have a lot of room for error.

ugofatcat

@ Alyssa_Is_LosingIt I read the second thread and it is excellent, thank you for posting those.

safully1

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

safully1 wrote: »

The flow chart was amazing. It is usually what I try to convey to friends that complain about the lack of loss when initially starting.

One thing that you need to concern yourself with is undereating (Mountain hit on this, too). If your body goes into starvation mode your BMR will drop significantly to where any caloric increases will net you pounds. I struggled with this concept for years.

@MountainMomma58 @safully1

These are some good threads for you guys to read through:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/761810/the-starvation-mode-myth-again/p1

Starvation mode in the context that you two are talking about is a myth. It is not wise to tell a person who is not losing weight to "eat more."

99% of the time, people are not losing weight because they are eating more than they think (inaccurate logging, for example) or because they aren't burning as many calories through exercise than they think. Defaulting to "maybe you're not eating enough" will actually cause most people even more trouble with losing.

OP, you are running a very small deficit (250 calories per day). You will need to log as accurately as possible and have patience to see the scale move. There is nothing wrong with taking your time, but you may not see a linear, exact 0.5 lb per week loss on the scale. You need to track the trend over time. If in two months you're not losing at your expected rate, you should look at your diary and try to tighten up your logging even more.

At a 250 calorie per day deficit, you don't have a lot of room for error.

Outstanding. I stand corrected. Amazing, been lifting for 20 years and had numerous trainers, including college trainers, swear by it. I've seen the light!

SLLRunner

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

Are you aware that starvation mode is a myth, unless you are emaciated? People who are slightly underweight, of normal weight or overweight do not experience starvation mode.

Christine_72

SLLRunner wrote: »

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

Are you aware that starvation mode is a myth, unless you are emaciated? People who are slightly underweight, of normal weight or overweight do not experience starvation mode.

Yeah I'm pretty sure you have to be actually starving to qualify for "starvation mode"..

ogtmama

Christine_72 wrote: »

SLLRunner wrote: »

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

Are you aware that starvation mode is a myth, unless you are emaciated? People who are slightly underweight, of normal weight or overweight do not experience starvation mode.

Yeah I'm pretty sure you have to be actually starving to qualify for "starvation mode"..

And even then it slows the rate of lossit doesn't stop it or cause gains.,

singingflutelady

ogtmama wrote: »

Christine_72 wrote: »

SLLRunner wrote: »

MountainMomma58 wrote: »

You mentioned undereating some days and overeating others as balancing out. Your body will somewhat shut down if it thinks it is starving. What is "well under?" Your metabolism sounds like it needs to be more stable. Severely undereating will mess with it. Try to keep everything on a more even level every day.

Are you aware that starvation mode is a myth, unless you are emaciated? People who are slightly underweight, of normal weight or overweight do not experience starvation mode.

Yeah I'm pretty sure you have to be actually starving to qualify for "starvation mode"..

And even then it slows the rate of lossit doesn't stop it or cause gains.,

Exactly. I ate 500 calories plus did 2 hours of cardio every day for months when I was my sickest from anorexia (don't recommend it at all) and I still lost lots of weight (BMI under 16). According to some on here I should have become obese instead