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Always Significantly Under Calories
Replies
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Starvation mode v. adequate nutrition are two entirely different concepts.0
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http://examine.com/faq/how-do-i-stay-out-of-starvation-mode.html
Eat what you feel comfortable eating. If you can consistently eat at those calorie levels and stay sane, then all the power to you.
Please stop giving advice to people.
Giving the right advice? Did you even read the conclusion of the link?
Telling someone that they should eat as little calories as they want as long as they "feel full" without knowing their medical history, food diet, exercise regime or anything else is bad advice.
You can send me all the links and rude PMs you want but, for the majority of people in the world, eating less than 1200 calories a day over a long period of time will not provide adequate, sustainable nutrition.
Agreed and ditto on the rude PMs....
derp is appropriate.
ETA:
I love how people reference the Minn Starvation exp...esp when talking about starvation mode and people eating under 1200....*rolls eyes*0 -
When you cut carbs, you have to increase either fats or protein. So I would suggest fats, as they are good for you and keep you full. Plus, they will help you reach your calorie goal without making you feel stuffed.0
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Starvation mode v. adequate nutrition are two entirely different concepts.
Except she explicitly asked about starvation mode.0 -
I think people forget that you automatically burn so many calories a day just breathing....... Those other calories that are required are what help us have energy to do the things we need to do. When you don't get those your body goes into starvation mode and then it hangs on to everything it can. So while you might not be feeling the need to eat your body is more than likely Screaming for the nutrients it needs. If you start eating closer to your Number then I bet you might start seeing some results!0
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Starvation mode v. adequate nutrition are two entirely different concepts.
Except she explicitly asked about starvation mode.
when someone in this forum asks about starvation mode you tell them it's not true and point them to eating more food for their health sake.0 -
Starvation mode v. adequate nutrition are two entirely different concepts.
Except she explicitly asked about starvation mode.
That's irrelevant.
If someone comes on here and says they are eating less than 1200 calories a day, I'm going to say that's not a good way to adequately and healthfully fuel your body.0 -
when someone in this forum asks about starvation mode you tell them it's not true and point them to eating more food for their health sake.
I don't know how to respond to this because it's contradicting of my suggestion.0 -
If someone comes on here and says they are eating less than 1200 calories a day, I'm going to say that's not a good way to adequately and healthfully fuel your body.
If she's looking for pure weight loss as her goal, it is.0 -
If someone comes on here and says they are eating less than 1200 calories a day, I'm going to say that's not a good way to adequately and healthfully fuel your body.
If she's looking for pure weight loss as her goal, it is.
Well, I don't advocate unhealthy weight loss. Anorexics are looking for weight loss, too. That doesn't mean I'm going to tell them it's ok to eat 500 calories a day as long as they are meeting their goals and not dropping dead. That's ridiculous.
People can, and should, enjoy a nutritionally sound diet while still losing weight.0 -
I love how people reference the Minn Starvation exp...esp when talking about starvation mode and people eating under 1200....*rolls eyes*
I know, right? Science? *rolls eyes*0 -
http://examine.com/faq/how-do-i-stay-out-of-starvation-mode.html
Eat what you feel comfortable eating. If you can consistently eat at those calorie levels and stay sane, then all the power to you.
Please stop giving advice to people.
Giving the right advice? Did you even read the conclusion of the link?
Telling someone that they should eat as little calories as they want as long as they "feel full" without knowing their medical history, food diet, exercise regime or anything else is bad advice.
You can send me all the links and rude PMs you want but, for the majority of people in the world, eating less than 1200 calories a day over a long period of time will not provide adequate, sustainable nutrition.
Agreed and ditto on the rude PMs....
derp is appropriate.
ETA:
I love how people reference the Minn Starvation exp...esp when talking about starvation mode and people eating under 1200....*rolls eyes*
:flowerforyou:0 -
Well, I don't advocate unhealthy weight loss. Anorexics are looking for weight loss, too. That doesn't mean I'm going to tell them it's ok to eat 500 calories a day as long as they are meeting their goals and not dropping dead. That's ridiculous.
People can, and should, enjoy a nutritionally sound diet while still losing weight.
Nobody advocated she starve herself. She said she has splurge days so I think it's safe to assume she's not starving herself.0 -
If she's looking for pure weight loss as her goal, it is.
In general, IMHO, if you can meet the following and stay above your BMR, then I won't complain:
-Take a multivitamin (make sure it has iron, calcium, b12, k, d)
-Do some form of weight-bearing, moderate impact exercise (walking, for example) every day -- this will help retain bone while you're in a deficit
-Lift weights/do squats/planks/etc. -- this will help retain muscle
-Eat enough protein, so your body doesn't rely on the muscles in your body for nutrients while you're in a deficit
-Get 25 grams of fiber every day -- your colon needs this
-Get 30 grams of fat every day (more is fine) -- the cells in your body need this
-Get 100 grams of protein every day (more is fine) -- the cells in your body need this
-Eat 120 calories of fruit every day
-Eat 75 calories of vegetables every day
Though why in the world anyone would rather eat as little as possible to lose weight, instead of eating as MUCH as possible while still losing weight is a question I ask myself daily.0 -
Thanks, WBB55. That's good stuff.0
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Another thought when people say "I'm eating less than 1200 calories a day and I'm not starving at all"...is then how did you gain the weight? If you are never hungry, then why are you dieting? If I could--I would eat an entire house made of donuts. Just sayin'!
I actually agree with everything else you've said, but when I see people say things like this... people eat for a lot of reasons that have nothign to do with hunger. Hunger isn't what would make you eat an entire house of donuts. That's an entirely different thing. I wasn't/am not overweight because I ate when I was hungry. I was overweight because I ate high calorie foods when I was bored. Or depressed. Or wanted to reward myself.
I think it's perfectly reasonable for an overweight person to eat at a calorie deficit and not feel hungry, if they have finally reached a point where they understand the difference between hunger and everything else.0 -
Well, I don't advocate unhealthy weight loss. Anorexics are looking for weight loss, too. That doesn't mean I'm going to tell them it's ok to eat 500 calories a day as long as they are meeting their goals and not dropping dead. That's ridiculous.
People can, and should, enjoy a nutritionally sound diet while still losing weight.
Nobody advocated she starve herself. She said she has splurge days so I think it's safe to assume she's not starving herself.
But that's not what you originally said. You told her to keep it up without really knowing anything and attached a link. That's not even bad advice - you're right - that just no advice.0 -
But that's not what you originally said. You told her to keep it up without really knowing anything and attached a link. That's not even bad advice - you're right - that just no advice.
No, I told her to not worry about the mythical 'starvation mode' and if she's feels good with her caloric intake then continue on. Please read things before you make assumptions.0 -
I'm also always under calories but I never weigh what they predict I will. I'm not sure how accurate the calorie count here is.0
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I'm also always under calories but I never weigh what they predict I will. I'm not sure how accurate the calorie count here is.
Assuming your calorie measuring is accurate for both eating and exercise (and accepting that even the most accurate calorie log will easily be off by at least 10%), the error in the weight prediction is likely in the assumption of your TDEE. If you're logging accurately and consistently hitting your calorie targets, you can tweak your activity level to try to bring that better in line with reality. If you're consistently trending below the predicted weight, increase your activity setting. If above, then decrease it. (I had to move mine to the "active" setting despite being relatively sedentary throughout the day to account for my above-average TDEE (excluding additional exercise) of ~2700.
edit: added bold0 -
Even if you aren't hungry your body needs fuel. You might be able to be satisfied on 1200 calories for a while, but eventually you are likely to suffer consequences. The hunger might come roaring back, you might feel tired, you might suffer hair loss... there are many possibilities. You should eat more to prevent these problems.
When I started on MFP last October it said to eat 1680 calories per day. Per my doctor's recommendation I ate that calorie amount, but did not eat back my exercise calories. As I lost weight MFP kept lowering my base calorie amount until it was down to 1230. Through the months my weight loss was great, I never plateaued or stalled. However after several weeks of 1230, I found I was more hungry. I also felt like I wasn't recovering from my exercise as quickly as I had before. I researched my TDEE and found it is really in the 2800 range, so eating 1200 calories per day was less than half what my body needed. I am currently on a slow plan to increase by 100 calories/day each week until I hit at least 1800. I know my weight loss is going to be slower, but I should be able to sustain this for a much longer time. I plan to continue to monitor my TDEE and adjust my calories periodically.0 -
I'm also always under calories but I never weigh what they predict I will. I'm not sure how accurate the calorie count here is.
Glancing at your exercise log, I'm seeing days where you're burning over 1000 calories. I think you're vastly over-estimating.0 -
But that's not what you originally said. You told her to keep it up without really knowing anything and attached a link. That's not even bad advice - you're right - that just no advice.
No, I told her to not worry about the mythical 'starvation mode' and if she's feels good with her caloric intake then continue on. Please read things before you make assumptions.
Um yeah.
Sigh.
I could fight semantics with you all night long but, instead, I'm going to go kick my *kitten* at the gym and then eat ALL the awesome calories. Yep, sounds way better.
Peace out peeps.0 -
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You will get and see all my latest posts!
Hope to see everyone there!
Yeah, that's a violation.0 -
I see this in a couple different ways.
1. Food scale. I know it's irritating, but most people grossly underestimate their calories by just eyeballing (and even measuring volume). If you're doing this and really confident in your calories in part of the equation, go to part 2.
2. Calories out -- exercise. There's not quite as easy as a food scale solution here. I personally use one of those bodymedia arm bands and love it and believe it does an awesome job for calculating expenditure (I compared its numbers against a heart rate monitor and online calculators for various activities). Otherwise, try to do the TDEE calculations -- BRM and exercise/activity levels. If you feel confident in this as well as no. 1, go to no. 3.
3. Go to the doctor. If you have a true caloric deficit between these calculations, then there is likely something off with you resulting in a lower BMR than what is expected. This happened to me. I was fastidiously measuring with a food scale and my arm band and had a daily caloric deficit of over 700 for three months and lost less than 3 lbs! A few doctors later, and it was found that I had insulin resistance and a thyroid issue (I expected the thyroid given other things, but the insulin resistance was a surprise). Once I got those things on track, I start losing just as I should according to the deficit for "normal" people.
So, it's totally possible that you're just way underestimating your calories in or overestimating your calories out. But, if those look legit ,then you may have a medical issue that means you have a lower BMR than would be accounted for in a normal BMR calculator and why less than 1200 cals feels okay to you. Good luck!0 -
1. A normal meal for me:
- Breakfast, an apple or a smoothie (frozen fruit, spinach, low cal juice)
- Lunch, half a ham sandwich with a cheese stick and some fruit
- Supper, a generous helping of chicken fajitas (chicken, onion, and peppers) with one or two tortillas and a little sour cream
- I often eat carrots for a snack or a piece of fruit or a cheese stick when I get hungry.
2. I have reduced fats as in fried foods and very fatty meats because they hurt my stomach. I have had my gallbladder removed and that causes an issue. However, cheese isn't a problem, nor are other fats. After reading this, I am going to re-add nut butters and other things to my diet that don't cause issues.
3. I do not have a food scale but have thought about buying one. With everyone's suggestions, that will be my next purchase.
4. One person acknowledged that it takes time to realize hunger and eating for no reason. That's me. I am just figuring out my natural cues, as my whole life I have definitely eaten because something was in front of me and looked good, because I didn't want to be wasteful, or because I was upset.
5. I am not purposely starving myself in any way. That's not my goal, healthy weight loss is. Truly. I'm not trying to lose weight quicker or anything like that. I had a question because I thought something may be up, that's why I came here.0 -
1. A normal meal for me:
- Breakfast, an apple or a smoothie (frozen fruit, spinach, low cal juice)
- Lunch, half a ham sandwich with a cheese stick and some fruit
- Supper, a generous helping of chicken fajitas (chicken, onion, and peppers) with one or two tortillas and a little sour cream
- I often eat carrots for a snack or a piece of fruit or a cheese stick when I get hungry.
2. I have reduced fats as in fried foods and very fatty meats because they hurt my stomach. I have had my gallbladder removed and that causes an issue. However, cheese isn't a problem, nor are other fats. After reading this, I am going to re-add nut butters and other things to my diet that don't cause issues.
3. I do not have a food scale but have thought about buying one. With everyone's suggestions, that will be my next purchase.
4. One person acknowledged that it takes time to realize hunger and eating for no reason. That's me. I am just figuring out my natural cues, as my whole life I have definitely eaten because something was in front of me and looked good, because I didn't want to be wasteful, or because I was upset.
5. I am not purposely starving myself in any way. That's not my goal, healthy weight loss is. Truly. I'm not trying to lose weight quicker or anything like that. I had a question because I thought something may be up, that's why I came here.
That sounds pretty legit. If your calorie estimates are on, which it sounds like they could be given your description, my guess is that you may have something else going on below the surface that affects your body's digestion/absorption of food or decreases your metabolism.
And, such things aren't that uncommon. For thyroid and insulin resistance alone (I know about these as I have them), they're far more prevalent than many believe. For thyroid, according to the American Thyroid Association they estimate that as many as 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder, of which 60% are unaware/not diagnosed, and 12% of Americans will have a thryoid disorder during their lifetime. For insulin resistance, there are estimates as high as 80 million Americans or 25% of the population.
And having something like a hypothyroid condition would explain why you feel totally fine at such a low calorie amount (as I'm sure there are others too).0 -
That sounds pretty legit. If your calorie estimates are on, which it sounds like they could be given your description, my guess is that you may have something else going on below the surface that affects your body's digestion/absorption of food or decreases your metabolism.
And, such things aren't that uncommon. For thyroid and insulin resistance alone (I know about these as I have them), they're far more prevalent than many believe. For thyroid, according to the American Thyroid Association they estimate that as many as 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder, of which 60% are unaware/not diagnosed, and 12% of Americans will have a thryoid disorder during their lifetime. For insulin resistance, there are estimates as high as 80 million Americans or 25% of the population.
And having something like a hypothyroid condition would explain why you feel totally fine at such a low calorie amount (as I'm sure there are others too).
I do have an insulin resistance issue. About a year ago, my insulin resistance levels were about double what they should be. How is this supposed to effect my weight loss? I have lost 20 pounds in a month and a half.0 -
That sounds pretty legit. If your calorie estimates are on, which it sounds like they could be given your description, my guess is that you may have something else going on below the surface that affects your body's digestion/absorption of food or decreases your metabolism.
And, such things aren't that uncommon. For thyroid and insulin resistance alone (I know about these as I have them), they're far more prevalent than many believe. For thyroid, according to the American Thyroid Association they estimate that as many as 20 million Americans have a thyroid disorder, of which 60% are unaware/not diagnosed, and 12% of Americans will have a thryoid disorder during their lifetime. For insulin resistance, there are estimates as high as 80 million Americans or 25% of the population.
And having something like a hypothyroid condition would explain why you feel totally fine at such a low calorie amount (as I'm sure there are others too).
I do have an insulin resistance issue. About a year ago, my insulin resistance levels were about double what they should be. How is this supposed to effect my weight loss? I have lost 20 pounds in a month and a half.
Well, if you're losing that much, it may not. I just know that it can. Generally, it means that your body has abnormal insulin response to carbs (especially high glycemic carbs) because our cells don't take up glucose from the blood stream as they should -- they're resistant to insulin's effect in that manner. So, as a result, our bodies pump more insulin into our bodies to make them take up the glucose as they should. This ultimately usually results in increased hunger/cravings and/or body storing more carbs/glucose as fat and a depressed metabolism. It's one of the reasons why low carb or keto diets are often recommended to those with insulin resistance (it was to me). Also, another common treatment is metformin -- it's a drug that helps with this issue. If you look to boards where insulin resistance is common (diabetes, PCOS, thyroid), you'll see them discussing this drug a lot.
I always had very high calorie deficits and was losing weight very, very slowing (less than 3 lbs in 3 months) or not at all. But, I have both insulin resistance and thyroid issues. I got both of them back on track and started to lose according to my calculated deficits. But, since I treated them both at the same time, it's hard to say which was the bigger problem, though it's likely a combination of both.0 -
There is no such thing as starvation mode.
Please stop with the nonsense.0
This discussion has been closed.
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