Can eating too little cause you to stall?

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Alyssawinter1221
Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm wanting to know everyone's opinions on it. So, can netting too few calories cause you to stall or plateau?

And before anyone says "you're logging inaccurately and actually eating at maintenance" - I log everything to the gram before it goes in my mouth.

Thanks in advance for any opinions!

Alyssa

PS - feel free to add me on MFP! Love making new friends!
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Replies

  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    Also - If you look at my diary, I assure you I'm trying to eat more, even staying with my parents awhile to try to get better.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    No, it can't.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Only if it drops your energy levels so low that you stop moving, plummet your energy expenditure and your caloric intake matches your new TDEE.
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
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    Not really. It can however make you feel sick and listless so you might not be as active as you could be. I'm glad to hear that you are working to eat more. Try to get up to at least 1200 and work from there.
  • s_pekz
    s_pekz Posts: 340 Member
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    It wont cause you to stall but looking at your Food diary I cannot imagine how you could not be hungry all the time. Thats just me though. I eat a lot and often. Also it looks like you only eat two meals a day and you aspire to be an ED counsellor which is an awesome aspiration. BUt it may help to continue to push towards eating a regular diet (so one where you meat all your macros and micros on a daily basis). I wonder if you are able to hit it all with only two meals a day. Maybe you can...I know I cant so I figured I would mention it.

    Also going by your quesiton I take it you do not want to be maintaining but actually losing. IN which case my suggestion based on your diary is that you are overestimating the calorie burns of exercise which may mean you are eating much closer to what you are burning and therefore not losing but maintaining.

    Just my thoughts.

    Addition:
    I just looked at your profil and a comment you made suggested you were recovering from an ED. Congrats on heading in a positive direction. It may be helpful to eat small amount more often in order to get more calories in without feeling stuffed or bloated.
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    It wont cause you to stall but looking at your Food diary I cannot imagine how you could not be hungry all the time. Thats just me though. I eat a lot and often. Also it looks like you only eat two meals a day and you aspire to be an ED counsellor which is an awesome aspiration. BUt it may help to continue to push towards eating a regular diet (so one where you meat all your macros and micros on a daily basis). I wonder if you are able to hit it all with only two meals a day. Maybe you can...I know I cant so I figured I would mention it.

    Also going by your quesiton I take it you do not want to be maintaining but actually losing. IN which case my suggestion based on your diary is that you are overestimating the calorie burns of exercise which may mean you are eating much closer to what you are burning and therefore not losing but maintaining.

    Just my thoughts.

    I use a heart rate monitor and log 10% less than it says to be sure. My burns should be fairly accurate. I spend about 2-3 hours working out per day.

    And I am hungry most of the time. Haha. I want to be an ED counselor bc I had recovered for so long. And I have an unbelievable amount of friends who suffer from ED/body distortion problems. I know I will recover and that I can help others to also. I just need time. But no, there's no way I'm eating at maintenance. I rarely eat even close to my maintenance and I underestimate my burns just to be sure.

    But thank you for your thoughts :)
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I use a heart rate monitor and log 10% less than it says to be sure. My burns should be fairly accurate. I spend about 2-3 hours working out per day.

    Do you eat back your exercise calories?
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    No :( I want to! I rarely eat much at all. My diary is open so feel free to look at it.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    How long have you been stalled?
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    Only 3 days so I'm not worried about it. I was just wondering IF the stall persists, could eating too little be the reason. But I lost 3.4 pounds last week and as I'm shooting for 2/week since I have about 20-30 pounds to lose, maybe my body is just balancing things out. Idk.
  • s_pekz
    s_pekz Posts: 340 Member
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    What about adding little things that are high in calories but barely noticable? Things like olive oil which is super healthy and happens to be hidden calories or avocado? Little things like that might help increase the number without having too much of a mental hit.

    I struggle from mental health issues so I understand the need to go slow and steady. Its awesome that you are headed that way though! koodos to you!

    You may still be trying to lose but if you are hungry all the time I would eat more if you can and see what happens.
  • skruttan44
    skruttan44 Posts: 86 Member
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    Only 3 days so I'm not worried about it. I was just wondering IF the stall persists, could eating too little be the reason. But I lost 3.4 pounds last week and as I'm shooting for 2/week since I have about 20-30 pounds to lose, maybe my body is just balancing things out. Idk.

    If the photo is a new photo, there is no 20-30 lbs for you to lose...but maybe you are using an old one to see as a goal?

    And of course, 3 days is nothing to worry about!:smile:
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    @ skruttan44 - Thank you :) I am actually about 10 pounds heavier in my current photo than I am now. But I do unfortunately have 20-30 pounds to lose :/

    And @ s_pekz, I am trying that. You'll see the peanut butter I eat every morning. My parents didn't allow any sugary/processed foods in the house growing up, but they have been buying some to help me up cals. That's a good idea about avocado or olive oil! Thank you!
    Yes, I'm always hungry. But I feel like if I'm not hungry I'm getting fat. I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone.
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
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    Weight loss is slow sometimes. If you are eating better now than you had been in the past, it's not too surprising that it would stall. But don't stress over it. It's good when it's slow. You don't want to lose 3.4 every week. Even 2 a week is pushing it, if you're heavier in that picture than you are now.

    Another tip to help up cals is drink your calories. I did that early on in my own recovery. It helped a lot.
  • stuart160
    stuart160 Posts: 1,628 Member
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    Alyssa, you are studying to be a dietician so pretty soon you will have a great grasp on things. The real answer about what you are probably asking about starvation mode isn't always cut and dried. Some people say it exists and some say it doesn't. Check out what I think is a good explanation of things that could be going on in your case at this link. http://www.dietriffic.com/2013/03/27/starvation-mode/
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    Weight loss is slow sometimes. If you are eating better now than you had been in the past, it's not too surprising that it would stall. But don't stress over it. It's good when it's slow. You don't want to lose 3.4 every week. Even 2 a week is pushing it, if you're heavier in that picture than you are now.

    Another tip to help up cals is drink your calories. I did that early on in my own recovery. It helped a lot.

    Another great idea! I'm making a grocery list. As I don't drink caffeine, and my parents never allowed juice in the house, our only option was milk or water. I never even thought if that. Thank you and congratulations on your recovery. You're an inspiration.
  • stuart160
    stuart160 Posts: 1,628 Member
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    And by the way, I agree with the poster who said that if those pictures are recent that you may be overestimating your need to lose weight. You look very much in great shape.
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    Alyssa, you are studying to be a dietician so pretty soon you will have a great grasp on things. The real answer about what you are probably asking about starvation mode isn't always cut and dried. Some people say it exists and some say it doesn't. Check out what I think is a good explanation of things that could be going on in your case at this link. http://www.dietriffic.com/2013/03/27/starvation-mode/

    Thank you, I will check it out! Unfortunately you don't get into too much of the nutrition stuff until graduate courses. For now I'm taking a toonnnnn of upper level anatomy, biology, and chemistry classes.
  • Alyssawinter1221
    Alyssawinter1221 Posts: 118
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    And by the way, I agree with the poster who said that if those pictures are recent that you may be overestimating your need to lose weight. You look very much in great shape.

    Thank you. I do look okay but I actually weigh around 160. So for 5'3" that's kind of a lot :/
  • lukewind
    lukewind Posts: 177 Member
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    I am eating well below my calories goal, have been for two months. I usually leave around 1000 extra calories I could have eaten on the table. I am losing more weight which is nice, and so far I feel just fine. Everyone is different so just listen to your body. If you notice anything odd or symptoms of deficiencies then you might want to add calories.

    One quick thing is to make sure if you are eating less that the majority of your calories are not empty calories. You can have a treat now and then but if you eat a large amount of empty calories it could be bad for you.

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