Starvation mode !

lailamtg
lailamtg Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi
Im currently following an 800 calorie diet per day
It is going well so far, I lost 7 kg which is about 14 lbs
Everytime I log to fitnesspal app on my ipad it warns me that the 800 calories per day are too low and I might enter a starvation mode
I made a little research about starvation mode I don't have any of the common symptoms

What should I do? Am I doing something wrong here?



Btw, i used to consume 1200 calories per day which resulted on gaining few kilograms :( !
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Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    No, just no!
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    It would not be possible to gain weight at 1200 calories, unless some severe medical condition.

    If you really want to drop fast, for a short period of time, a legit method used by people.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/the-rapid-fat-loss-handbook


    But I don't recommend it either way
  • lailamtg
    lailamtg Posts: 10 Member
    I really did maybe I should go to a doctor or maybe its just my body is lil different :s
    I don't really wanna drop faster, I believe the faster I lose the fats the faster they'll come back
    Thanks for ur reply :)
  • alyngard
    alyngard Posts: 103
    I would agree, if you're gaining on only 1200 cals, you may want to go to a doc and see if there aren't any underlying medical issues going on with you, and IMO, 800 cals/day is a recipe for disaster. You may not have issue right now, but if you continue, it may catch up with you. I'm currently eating around 1200/day and my hair is falling out like crazy and I've been sick for 2 weeks straight. Also, on only 800, you will eventually get so hungry that you will binge. When I have dieted in the past and eaten at that level, that was always the outcome for me. I didn't look at your diary (not even sure if it's open), but maybe you should look into what you are eating, setting appropriate macros etc, I know that has made a difference for me.

    Good luck!
  • mumstojaz
    mumstojaz Posts: 2 Member
    I'm the same as you. If I eat more than, or close to 1200, I gain and that's not eating back my exercise calories. Been to the doctors multiple times for thyroid problems, and all tests come back normal.

    I honestly struggle to eat 1200, now that I'm trying to lose the weight and logging. I'm not hungry. I did some research lately too on the starvation mode, and it's hard to say...there are conflicting reports. If your not feeling deprived, its working, and your feeling healthy, do what works for you.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    It's very difficult to get all the nutrition your body needs on only 800 calories.

    What's your current height and weight? Goal weight? Exercise routine?
  • lailamtg
    lailamtg Posts: 10 Member
    I don't really struggle or anything its perfect for me I don't even reach exact 800 my only struggling is with the fat and sugar I can't seem to stay under the specified range
    Yea I know about the conflicting reports that's why i'm here I need someone who actually tried the 800-calorie diet without going into starvation mode and yea actually it's working perfectly and i'm not sick or anything -till now-

    And oh, get well soon alyngard :)

    Thanks for ur replies much appreciated :)
  • lailamtg
    lailamtg Posts: 10 Member
    My height is 169 cm which is 5.7 weight : 75 kg which is 165.3 lbs and I exercise 3 times a week

    Goal weight : 63-60 kg - 136.6 lbs
  • plantboy2
    plantboy2 Posts: 224 Member
    Hey! Your basic body functions (function of vital organs, hair and nail growth, etc) will be supported with a certain amount of calories - much more than your 800 calories.

    Going on your figures, you need 1580 calories just to function (your Basal Met Rate - BMR) and your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is 2180Kcals per day - this is the amount you use including your exercise and everything else.

    Eating 800 calories will damage you in the longer term and as a diet is bound to fail.

    After your initial loss, losing weight becomes much harder and has to be done at a steady pace, sensibly too be successful. Try eating somewhere in between your BMR and TDEE if you are exercising 3 times a week. If you honestly stick to this then you WILL lose weight - healthily and steadily.

    EDIT: You will need to adjust these figures as you lose weight. Search for TDEE calculator and BMR calculator on Google
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    With such a large gap you are likelier to lose lean body mass (ie muscle) which will result in a lower metabolic rate and the metabolic adjustments (adaptive thermogenesis) commonly called "starvation mode" - this can be about a 200 calorie drop in your TDEE which you wouldn't notice otherwise moslty from the fat free body mass loss and also from a reduction in non-exercise activity.


    A few references
    Doucet E, St Pierre S, Almeras N, Despres JP, Bouchard C, Tremblay A. Evidence for the existence of adaptive thermogenesis during weight loss. Br J Nutr 2001; 85: 715–723.

    Leibel RL, Rosenbaum M, Hirsch J. Changes in energy expenditure resulting from altered body weight. N Engl J Med 1995; 332: 621–628.5.Prentice AM, Goldberg GR, Jebb SA, Black AE, Murgatroyd PR, Diaz EO.

    Physiological responses to slimming. Proc Nutr Soc 1991; 50: 441–458.
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
    800 calories is a meal, not an amount you should be eating a day. You will have lost so much water weight from having very little amounts of carbs which can make the difference in 10+ pounds in a day. If you carry on you can pretty much say goodbye to your health, go see a doctor, no-one sane would recommend anything that little.
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
    How can you only eat 800 Calories in a day, that's not even two meals for me. I eat any were from about 2500-3200 Calories a day to net around 1200 Calories, so if your only eating 800 and not eating back exercise calories what is your body using for fuel? Like everyone else said if you really do gain at 1200 Calories, you are either making very Salt intensive choices that your body is retaining water, or I don't know even know... it just doesn't seem possible, a doctors visit might be a good idea. Remember weight loss and life style changing is not a sprint, just because you get there fast doesn't mean you win, its a slow steady process that needs to be maintained and practical.
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  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
    go to a doctor.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    I hate to say this, but it is possible that your metabolism has already gone into starvation mode. Some studies have suggested that it can take months or years to recover from this. If you get checked by a doctor and get cleared of any possible underlying medical issues, which is an absolute must, I think you need to seriously consider that some damage may have been done to the metabolism already. That would account for you gaining weight at 1200 calories. Other than medical problems, that would seem to be the only logical solution to me. If that is the case, I think you might want to consult with a good Registered Dietician, someone who really knows their stuff, and work on a plan to get your metabolism back. It can be fixed. Any damage to it isn't permanent. But staying at 800 calories for the rest of your life isn't sustainable. You just won't get the nutrients your body needs and in the long run will hurt you in the end.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    you have to eat nothing for 72 hours to be in starvation mode...

    that being said 800 a day is not that healthy and will lead to metabolic slowdown and eventually your weight loss will plateau...

    You are probably over estimating your calories when you thought you "gained" on 1200 a week...
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  • bethanrosex
    bethanrosex Posts: 6
    I think I'd gain if I ate 1,200 a day. I was wondering if it's different for different people? :S
    I used to eat 200 a day, that was bad cos it lead to binging!
  • pan0ramic
    pan0ramic Posts: 16
    First, take everything everyone says on here with a pinch of salt. Perhaps the best thing to do is to talk to a nutritionist. I'm wondering about starvation mode and calories as well as I'm full on fewer than 1200 calories every day.
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  • Alkirra
    Alkirra Posts: 142 Member
    Move lots more, join a netball team or roller blade, your choice just move more and then eat fresh vegetables + buy raw chicken , steak, veal, lamb, pork, fish, prawns , crabs. Cook it yourself, use a minimum amount of oil, preferably spray to cook anything with and your good to go! Good luck!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    My height is 169 cm which is 5.7 weight : 75 kg which is 165.3 lbs and I exercise 3 times a week

    Goal weight : 63-60 kg - 136.6 lbs

    AMG how do you even function...I am your height and 10lbs heavier then you and exercise 4-5 x a wek and I eat double what you do and any less and I can't workout....btw am loosing weight and inches as well....
  • rjmudlax13
    rjmudlax13 Posts: 900 Member
    Before this turns into one of those idiotic starvation mode threads, try following these steps:

    1) Get checked out by a doctor if you have any concerns about your health. This should be you #1 priority right now.

    2) Set your calories to about 1550 (I would slowly work back up to that since you've been eating so low). <b>The #1 rule with counting calories is to be as accurate and honest as possible.<b> Use a food scale if you can. The little "cheats" here and there can add up. Also, read the "In Place of Road Map" thread in the stickies for more details. Adjust calories accordingly.

    3) Set your macros based on your goals. I suggest staring with 50% Carbs, 30% Fats, 20% Protein. If you work out a lot you should increase protein.

    4) Do you work out? If not, find something you will stick to and enjoy. A lot of MFPers will tell you to lift, which I agree. However, the best work out is the one you will stay committed to. You will need to adjust your calories and protein based on your activity level. See step 2.

    Remember, persistence is the key. Don't give up!
  • rachseby
    rachseby Posts: 285 Member
    I think I'd gain if I ate 1,200 a day. I was wondering if it's different for different people? :S
    I used to eat 200 a day, that was bad cos it lead to binging!
    200 a day is a tablespoon of peanut butter...I don't think that you would survive on that for very long...
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    What did you eat to gain weight? Eat at least 1200. If you think you were gaining on 1200 you either were not logging correctly or have a medical condition.
  • mom5284
    mom5284 Posts: 12 Member
    Whoa 800 is nothing!!
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    I find it difficult to get the calories I need because of two reasons: salt, sugar. I just ate 200g of grapes for breakfast. That is my sugar for the day. Okay, well I will eat 1/3 lb of turkey breast. That is my salt intake for the day. I have like 1,000 calories left and no salt or sugar. Now what?? I just don't know. I usually at least bust one or the other. Never a problem with fats, carbs or calories unless it is that I don't really get any. I can see how it is hard to get the calories because of this, and my Mom and I used to play "starvation diet" (thanks Mom for teaching me how to get really fat!) when I was a teen. My thyroid has been messed up since I was 21, and I am 40 now. I have been overweight since it went out of whack. Which is why I went to this site to see where I have been messing up in my diet. So now I see what has happened to me, and have no idea what to do about it.
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  • megan020103
    megan020103 Posts: 58
    I find it difficult to get the calories I need because of two reasons: salt, sugar. I just ate 200g of grapes for breakfast. That is my sugar for the day. Okay, well I will eat 1/3 lb of turkey breast. That is my salt intake for the day. I have like 1,000 calories left and no salt or sugar. Now what?? I just don't know. I usually at least bust one or the other. Never a problem with fats, carbs or calories unless it is that I don't really get any. I can see how it is hard to get the calories because of this, and my Mom and I used to play "starvation diet" (thanks Mom for teaching me how to get really fat!) when I was a teen. My thyroid has been messed up since I was 21, and I am 40 now. I have been overweight since it went out of whack. Which is why I went to this site to see where I have been messing up in my diet. So now I see what has happened to me, and have no idea what to do about it.

    You need to balance your meals to include carbs, healthy fat, and protein. My meals today: Breakfast 2 hard-boiled egg whites, 2 cups of baby spinach, 1 tbsp. chopped onion, 4 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 tsp olive oil = 100 calories. Lunch - Chicken Waldorf Salad (2 oz chicken, 1/2 large green bell pepper, 2 celery stalks, 1/2 small apple, 1/4 cup of grapes, 1 tbsp. of mayo) = 209 calories

    Eating balanced meals will help all of your hormones.
  • aakaakaak
    aakaakaak Posts: 1,240 Member
    If you can meet your body's macronutrient needs (protein, carbohydrates, fat and fiber), then you are dieting properly. If you are not getting enough of any of these you are causing malnutrition. You probably aren't getting enough protein, which will cause muscle loss with your fat loss. It is highly unlikely you are meeting your nutritional needs. It has almost nothing to do with starvation mode.

    You will probably lose muscle, energy and bone density due to malnutrition.

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