Starvation mode !

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Replies

  • aakaakaak
    aakaakaak Posts: 1,240 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.

    STOP!

    Stop worrying about your sodium and sugar. Unless you're in serious danger of either diabetes or high blood pressure these numbers are not too horribly important.

    DO worry about your calories. That's the number one most important thing. Retaining fewer calories than you burn is the definition of weight loss.

    DO worry about your macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber). If you mess these up you can cause malnutrition or overbearing hunger, which can lead to weakness or insatiable binge eating...or loss of muscle.

    DO work out both aerobically and anaerobically. Cardiovascular and muscular health are both highly important.
  • jessitherese
    jessitherese Posts: 22 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.

    ^^I second this. I have been recovering from anorexia for about 6 years and it took a VERY long time for my metabolism to properly recover from "starvation mode". If you continue to eat 800 calories/day, your health with undoubtedly be affected negatively. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to be eating at least 1200 calories/day.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 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.
    Grapes are not a breakfast!! And don't worry too much about sugar in fruits. Grapes are a great side to eggs or oatmeal??? And maybe don't eat 1/3 lb of turkey. That seems like a lot in one day. Lunch meat in general has lots of sodium.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 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.
    Grapes are not a breakfast!! And don't worry too much about sugar in fruits. Grapes are a great side to eggs or oatmeal??? And maybe don't eat 1/3 lb of turkey. That seems like a lot in one day. Lunch meat in general has lots of sodium.

    Umm are you kidding? 1/3 of a lb is only 5.3 oz. Not a huge portion size. However - the original poster doesn't indicate if this is a baked turkey breast, or lunch meat. Lunch meat - well, I'd avoid that b/c I don't like all that sodium, or the processing.

    Original poster - Umm...why are you only eating grapes for breakfast? You need to worry less about the sugar and more about BALANCED meals.
  • marshall_love
    marshall_love Posts: 4
    I'm the same, if I ate what I'm recommended too I'd gain like crazy, I guess it's cuz our bodies are used to lower calories? I don't know.
  • HumanityIsDisgusting
    HumanityIsDisgusting Posts: 2
    As far as the guy who said your weight loss would eventually plateau, i'm pretty sure he's right. I eat around the same amount as you, and over the past few weeks i've stopped losing weight. I was losing 1-3 pounds a week, and now nothing. It really sucks, so try to eat more before you do the same.
  • awlosing30
    awlosing30 Posts: 38 Member
    I'm confused because i have the same problem...i stayed at 1200, worked out 3-4 times a week for 6 months and only lost 2 lbs?! And I think that's because I had a flu. So i droppped to 1,000 calories a day and exercise off about 300 (3-4 times a week). What does it mean that you eat back your exercise calories and how can you eat 3000 calories to net 1200 calories? Seriously? I understand that our bodies take x number of calories to run well...but where is the breaking point? And how do you lose weight and stay alive? It just seems ridiculous to me that person A can eat 3000 calories (that's like 6 huge meals) , maybe do the elliptical for 30 minutes and lose weight. And I can't eat over 1000 calories, have to work out every day for an hour in order lose weight.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    Starvation mode is largely a myth, especially for more rotund people. You should definitely be eating more to<3maintain proper organ function, but you have a ways to go yet before having to worry about "starvation mode"
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 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.

    Then forget the macros. Meet your calorie goal first. Once you're doing that figure out how to stay within your other goals.
  • Factory_Reset
    Factory_Reset Posts: 1,651 Member
    Starvation mode is largely a myth, especially for more rotund people. You should definitely be eating more to<3maintain proper organ function, but you have a ways to go yet before having to worry about "starvation mode"

    I :heart: you
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 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.
    Grapes are not a breakfast!! And don't worry too much about sugar in fruits. Grapes are a great side to eggs or oatmeal??? And maybe don't eat 1/3 lb of turkey. That seems like a lot in one day. Lunch meat in general has lots of sodium.

    Umm are you kidding? 1/3 of a lb is only 5.3 oz. Not a huge portion size. However - the original poster doesn't indicate if this is a baked turkey breast, or lunch meat. Lunch meat - well, I'd avoid that b/c I don't like all that sodium, or the processing.

    Original poster - Umm...why are you only eating grapes for breakfast? You need to worry less about the sugar and more about BALANCED meals.
    I thought she said it was lunchmeat. I never said it was a huge portion, just seems like a lot of lunchmeat.
  • megan020103
    megan020103 Posts: 58
    I'm confused because i have the same problem...i stayed at 1200, worked out 3-4 times a week for 6 months and only lost 2 lbs?! And I think that's because I had a flu. So i droppped to 1,000 calories a day and exercise off about 300 (3-4 times a week). What does it mean that you eat back your exercise calories and how can you eat 3000 calories to net 1200 calories? Seriously? I understand that our bodies take x number of calories to run well...but where is the breaking point? And how do you lose weight and stay alive? It just seems ridiculous to me that person A can eat 3000 calories (that's like 6 huge meals) , maybe do the elliptical for 30 minutes and lose weight. And I can't eat over 1000 calories, have to work out every day for an hour in order lose weight.

    I think it really depends on size! Petite girls (like me) just can't eat as much. I can eat about 1450 calories a day total (net is about 1000-1100) to lose only 1/2 lb a week. If I don't work out I still stick to the 1450 since it is only one day per week. Otherwise, I would probably have to be at about 1200 to lose weight.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 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.

    Finally some peer-reviewed scientific literature:wink:
  • justanotherloser007
    justanotherloser007 Posts: 578 Member
    Thank you soo much for all your advice. I didn't even know what macro nutrients were, and I thought salt and sugar were the most important thing in a diet.

    My hubby is taking me shopping tonight so I can get more appropriate foods.

    As for why was I eating grapes, and lunchmeat as meals? Too tired too cook. Yeah, so my hubby tells me if I get my calories protein carbs and fat up (he was looking at my last 3 months) that I should eventually have enough energy to cook again.

    Then I want to start working out again! Then I can get this train going the other way. Choo Choo!!

    I am grateful for the help, because honestly it is all confusing to me (food). Are eggs good for me? First they were, then they weren't then they were then they weren't. Carbs? Fats? They are bad too?? Okay, stay away from them. I am messing up all over the place and paying for it with my health. I am looking forward to energy, getting my hair, and getting my hormones straightened out, maybe I will finally even get pregnant! After 18 years of marriage it would be weird to finally have that baby we have wanted since our honeymoon.

    Sorry to be such a food noob, I now know hopefully enough to get healthy!
    <3
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    Your body wants to be in homeostasis and it will do whatever it can to get there. This is why people need to up the intensity of their work outs because our bodies adapt and burn less during the same activity. Over time your body will learn to burn less calories if you are drastically limiting your calories. That is why people gain weight when they go from super low calories to a normal, healthy amount. You need to be eating 1200 a day. If you are gaining at 1200 a day I suggest the following.
    1. Slowly increase your calories to 1200 per day. 1 week, bump them to 900, the next week 1000, the following week 1100, until you hit 1200.
    2. Then give yourself some slack for 6 weeks. Stay at the 1200 mark no matter what the scale does. It takes time for your body to adjust.
    3. If you are still gaining weight after 6 weeks, you need to make sure you are accurately weighing and measuring your food. You could be way off.
    4. Lastly, do you eat back your exercise calories? If you don't, I bet your body is just trying to hang on to every last thing you eat. Also, it is most likely breaking down your muscles, which means your going to less lean and more squishy.
  • bethanrosex
    bethanrosex Posts: 6
    I only did it for two/three months and obviously didn't eat calorie dense foods such as pb
  • Th3stral
    Th3stral Posts: 93 Member
    I can't lose weight on 1200 calories a day when my medication isn't right and I'm only 4'11 with a whole host of metabolic/pituitary issues. You definitely need to ask your doctor to send you to an endocrinologist and get yourself checked out.
  • 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.

    Finally some peer-reviewed scientific literature:wink:

    Suggested: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1077746-starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
    very simple. if u weigh 165 and ur gaining weight on a 1200cal diet...ur not on a 1200cal diet. try weighing ur food and accounting for drinks with cals.
  • ShannonKelliG
    ShannonKelliG Posts: 70 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 :)


    First. There are no conflicting reports. 800 calories a day is just a terrible idea. It's not healthy and yes you need to eat more.

    Second. You are not a snowflake and your body does not work different where you believe you are ok with 800 calories and other people aren't. Use the Dracula function on this site and you'll find endless threads from people who thought the same thing you do.

    Your diet plan will fail. Simple.

    Wait. The Dracula function? How have I not heard of this??:laugh:

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