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Recovering from VLCD
amelia66d
Posts: 15 Member
I'm going to preface this by saying that very low calorie diets are never a good idea and I don't recommend them to anyone.
Stats:
5'3 - 129.6-129.8 pounds
I've maintained 130 at 1350 calories before
I used to under 800 calories a day and workout at the gym and go for long walks. I dropped 25 pounds, but realized I must be kinder to my body. I'm now eating 1150-1200 a day and burning 300 calories (I don't eat back yet). I've been doing this for 1.5 weeks and just weighed right around what I did before I started reintroducing calories. Various family members have actually commented that I look like I lost weight. Is this normal? I have a theory that I most likely refilled various fat/muscle stores and will begin normal losing soon. Advice is welcome:)
Stats:
5'3 - 129.6-129.8 pounds
I've maintained 130 at 1350 calories before
I used to under 800 calories a day and workout at the gym and go for long walks. I dropped 25 pounds, but realized I must be kinder to my body. I'm now eating 1150-1200 a day and burning 300 calories (I don't eat back yet). I've been doing this for 1.5 weeks and just weighed right around what I did before I started reintroducing calories. Various family members have actually commented that I look like I lost weight. Is this normal? I have a theory that I most likely refilled various fat/muscle stores and will begin normal losing soon. Advice is welcome:)
0
Replies
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If you are holding water due to the stress of a low calorie diet, you're going to have to eat more to reduce the stress and lose the water. You are still not eating enough if you are netting 850-900 calories per day.10
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You should increase your calorie intake.5
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ISweat4This wrote: »You should increase your calorie intake.
/thread3 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Agreed.4 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Also agreeing.4 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height?
I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more. 2 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
Well, yeah. The minimum base calories you should really be netting is 1200. That is just to exist. Then you should eat back at least 1/2 your exercise calories.
4 -
Your at a healthy bmi for your height.
Set mfp to lose 0.5lb per week and eat the calories they give you plus some exercise calls
Weigh all solid foods, measure all liquids with calories ( oils, cola etc) log accurately and honestly and see where your at in a month4 -
I'm going to preface this by saying that very low calorie diets are never a good idea and I don't recommend them to anyone.
Stats:
5'3 - 129.6-129.8 pounds
I've maintained 130 at 1350 calories before
I used to under 800 calories a day and workout at the gym and go for long walks. I dropped 25 pounds, but realized I must be kinder to my body. I'm now eating 1150-1200 a day and burning 300 calories (I don't eat back yet). I've been doing this for 1.5 weeks and just weighed right around what I did before I started reintroducing calories. Various family members have actually commented that I look like I lost weight. Is this normal? I have a theory that I most likely refilled various fat/muscle stores and will begin normal losing soon. Advice is welcome:)
Are you still trying to lose weight? If so, why is it that you feel like you need to? Don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to say you're wrong to want to, but wondering if it would be best for you. Are you small-framed, or medium-framed? 1350 is far under maintenance for your size fyi, even if sedentary.3 -
suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.5 -
TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
0 -
I think you were looking at the wrong number on the calculators.
How old are you?1 -
TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
I had looked it up before I made my last post. I didn't know your age, but I used 20, and is not going to make a big difference. It gave a sedentary maintainance of 1699. You're probably not sedentary, but it was a point of reference. You saw a number for weight loss, not maintainance.0 -
Athena98501 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
I had looked it up before I made my last post. I didn't know your age, but I used 20, and is not going to make a big difference. It gave a sedentary maintainance of 1699. You're probably not sedentary, but it was a point of reference. You saw a number for weight loss, not maintainance.
I’m assuming she may have been looking at BMR and not TDEE.
OP, please eat more to save as much of your health as you can.1 -
Athena98501 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
I had looked it up before I made my last post. I didn't know your age, but I used 20, and is not going to make a big difference. It gave a sedentary maintainance of 1699. You're probably not sedentary, but it was a point of reference. You saw a number for weight loss, not maintainance.
I’m assuming she may have been looking at BMR and not TDEE.
OP, please eat more to save as much of your health as you can.
That's exactly what I think she's doing as well.
OP, your BMR is not the amount of calories you should be eating, it's the amount of calories your body burns if you're in a coma.
The figure you need to use from calculators is your TDEE.
There are complicated reasons, some perhaps inaccurate logging, some to do with hormones and water retention, why you maintained weight instead of lost weight eating at your BMR.
Nevertheless, you are eating too little and need to replenish the hormones you've depleted before considering losing more weight.
My suggestion to you would be to take a full diet break for at least two weeks to replenish those hormones. You will likely gain some scale weight during this time, but do. not. panic. It won't be fat. It will be water and more food in your system.
However, you might lose weight as well. Some people who have chronically undereaten retain a great deal of fluid due to increased cortisol and this masks fat loss that they are experiencing. When they refeed, their cortisol levels drop, and the fluid gains the excess cortisol enabled disappear.
To take a diet break, use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), or just set MFP to eat at maintenance.6 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Athena98501 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
I had looked it up before I made my last post. I didn't know your age, but I used 20, and is not going to make a big difference. It gave a sedentary maintainance of 1699. You're probably not sedentary, but it was a point of reference. You saw a number for weight loss, not maintainance.
I’m assuming she may have been looking at BMR and not TDEE.
OP, please eat more to save as much of your health as you can.
That's exactly what I think she's doing as well.
OP, your BMR is not the amount of calories you should be eating, it's the amount of calories your body burns if you're in a coma.
The figure you need to use from calculators is your TDEE.
There are complicated reasons, some perhaps inaccurate logging, some to do with hormones and water retention, why you maintained weight instead of lost weight eating at your BMR.
Nevertheless, you are eating too little and need to replenish the hormones you've depleted before considering losing more weight.
My suggestion to you would be to take a full diet break for at least two weeks to replenish those hormones. You will likely gain some scale weight during this time, but do. not. panic. It won't be fat. It will be water and more food in your system.
However, you might lose weight as well. Some people who have chronically undereaten retain a great deal of fluid due to increased cortisol and this masks fat loss that they are experiencing. When they refeed, their cortisol levels drop, and the fluid gains the excess cortisol enabled disappear.
To take a diet break, use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), or just set MFP to eat at maintenance.
Thank you, I'll try to eat at maintance this week. I've already felt physical improvements upping my calories, but I will continue to.
2 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Athena98501 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
I had looked it up before I made my last post. I didn't know your age, but I used 20, and is not going to make a big difference. It gave a sedentary maintainance of 1699. You're probably not sedentary, but it was a point of reference. You saw a number for weight loss, not maintainance.
I’m assuming she may have been looking at BMR and not TDEE.
OP, please eat more to save as much of your health as you can.
That's exactly what I think she's doing as well.
OP, your BMR is not the amount of calories you should be eating, it's the amount of calories your body burns if you're in a coma.
The figure you need to use from calculators is your TDEE.
There are complicated reasons, some perhaps inaccurate logging, some to do with hormones and water retention, why you maintained weight instead of lost weight eating at your BMR.
Nevertheless, you are eating too little and need to replenish the hormones you've depleted before considering losing more weight.
My suggestion to you would be to take a full diet break for at least two weeks to replenish those hormones. You will likely gain some scale weight during this time, but do. not. panic. It won't be fat. It will be water and more food in your system.
However, you might lose weight as well. Some people who have chronically undereaten retain a great deal of fluid due to increased cortisol and this masks fat loss that they are experiencing. When they refeed, their cortisol levels drop, and the fluid gains the excess cortisol enabled disappear.
To take a diet break, use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), or just set MFP to eat at maintenance.
Thank you, I'll try to eat at maintance this week. I've already felt physical improvements upping my calories, but I will continue to.
Have you recalculated your maintenance? Or do you mean 1300?1 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Athena98501 wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
You need to understand how MFP works... your deficit is included begore exervise so you should eat them back.
Unless you are completely sedentary I really doubt you actually maintain on so few cals. A bit of reverse dieting would probably do you the world of good.
I'll aim for around 1100-1200 a day and slowly bring it back up. Most calculators online put me at 1350 and I was able to maintain 130 before at that calorie count with no excersise.
I had looked it up before I made my last post. I didn't know your age, but I used 20, and is not going to make a big difference. It gave a sedentary maintainance of 1699. You're probably not sedentary, but it was a point of reference. You saw a number for weight loss, not maintainance.
I’m assuming she may have been looking at BMR and not TDEE.
OP, please eat more to save as much of your health as you can.
That's exactly what I think she's doing as well.
OP, your BMR is not the amount of calories you should be eating, it's the amount of calories your body burns if you're in a coma.
The figure you need to use from calculators is your TDEE.
There are complicated reasons, some perhaps inaccurate logging, some to do with hormones and water retention, why you maintained weight instead of lost weight eating at your BMR.
Nevertheless, you are eating too little and need to replenish the hormones you've depleted before considering losing more weight.
My suggestion to you would be to take a full diet break for at least two weeks to replenish those hormones. You will likely gain some scale weight during this time, but do. not. panic. It won't be fat. It will be water and more food in your system.
However, you might lose weight as well. Some people who have chronically undereaten retain a great deal of fluid due to increased cortisol and this masks fat loss that they are experiencing. When they refeed, their cortisol levels drop, and the fluid gains the excess cortisol enabled disappear.
To take a diet break, use a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), or just set MFP to eat at maintenance.
Thank you, I'll try to eat at maintance this week. I've already felt physical improvements upping my calories, but I will continue to.
One week at maintenance isn't enough to reset the hormones the will have gotten out of whack. Ten to 14 days minimum, and given that you've been severely under eating, I'd give it another week on top of that.
Read this: https://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/ - it tells you exactly why and how to do a full diet break.
(site appears to be down atm, but it will be back)8 -
Thanks for all the responses and links:) I'm very committed to improving my health and plan to slowly up calories. This week was quite the adjustment since I added back nearly 400 calories, but my body has appeared to adjust well to this amount. By the end of this week I'll add back another 50-100 and give proper time for adjustment. I don't want to shock my body by suddenly jumping to maintance but I will slowly work my way to a healthy amount.5
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suzannesimmons3 wrote: »Sorry to burst yoir bubble but You still are following a vlcd.
Even with my height? I'll try to add back some more excersize calories then. I'm starting to adjust to the higher calorie so I'll wait a couple more days, then add back some more.
Yep. I’m 5’3, 115-120 and I maintain on 2000-ish. I choose to be very active, and I also choose to properly fuel my body.
You should at least do the latter.0
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