Starvation Mode
jeffcoley
Posts: 2 Member
In the two short weeks since I started using the MFP app, I have gone from someone who never cared one bit about counting calories, to becoming borderline OCD about it.
I think about it too much. Everything becomes a choice, and right now my overbearing will power is saying NO to everything. Problem is, I'm usually less than 1100 calories. I'm saying no, even while hungry.
Anyone deal with this kind of problem, and if so, how did you pull through?
I can't convince myself that more calories is better.
I think about it too much. Everything becomes a choice, and right now my overbearing will power is saying NO to everything. Problem is, I'm usually less than 1100 calories. I'm saying no, even while hungry.
Anyone deal with this kind of problem, and if so, how did you pull through?
I can't convince myself that more calories is better.
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Replies
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If you keep saying no to everything, eventually (in my experience, personally), you will come 360 and say YES to everything. I find you can't have one extreme without the other. You just need to find a balance. Whatever good choices you are making with food, add more to your plate. ALLOW YOURSELF TO EAT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY! Keyword: ALLOW. You are human, and eating should be enjoyed, not controlled to the extreme.
Eat slowly until you are full.
If you are working out / lifting / active, you NEED to eat so your body doesn't "eat" muscle instead of growing / maintaining it.
Seek out a nutritionist to help you meal plan if you are really concerned. Read, research, and read some more if you cannot see someone who knows their stuff.
These are the ideas that come immediately to mind for me. Good luck!0 -
Say not to foods that make you feel like crap. Say no to foods that lead you down a binge rabbit hole. If you're hungry, eat. If you're worried, focus on lean protein sources, fruits and veggies, although there's nothing wrong with the occasional treat. You need to fuel your body, and being hungry all the time is no fun. And, eventually, it might cause you to crack, as the pp suggested, and end up bingeing later.0
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When I first began using the phone app in January, I quickly became obsessed as well. Choosing the healthiest and lowest calorie options available to me. In theory - that's a great choice, but it got to the point where I would eat almost all day nonstop snacking on fruits/vegetables and I was barely hitting 1000 cal/day. The thing was I felt FULL because of the amount of veg. I was eating but there was not enough value in the food I chose to eat. So, I started letting myself have richer snacks. For example, at work instead of having a bag of veggies slowly over the whole afternoon - I had a 3 o'clock snack of 2 laughing cow cheese with some crackers. By starting to make small changes - it made a huge difference in my calorie intake for the day. And since I was only have a small bit of cheese with a handful of crackers...I didn't feel guilty. But let me tell you that I sure came to look forward to that time of the day when I could have my rich and tasty snack and not feel guilty about it!
All in all - you don't necessarily need to eat a whole lot more to get the calories you want. Good luck!0 -
Not sure what your post has to do with starvation mode, but - everyone gets obsessive at times while losing weight. Your calories are too low and your post is worrisome, almost the type of things people with eating disorders say.
Please don't go hungry. It is the prime recipe for failure. My advice would be to slowly add calories back to your diet. Perhaps doing it slowly will help keep you from being stressed about it. And get some MFP friends for support.0 -
I did the same thing at first. Between Jazzercise and not eating enough, for a couple days in a row, I had a net of 400-500. (Ate 1300 worked off 500-600). I had to start slowly to avoid binging. After dinner, I would wait a few minutes and get a bowl of cereal. Gradually, I was able to start eating a little more and spreading it out over the course of the day.
:flowerforyou:0 -
I've found that I'm better able to keep the concept of moderation going if I build 1 "cheat" day into each week. A cheat day is not license to go completely nutso, but to eat 200-500 Cal more than your target intake for the day. It's part of the "plan". It is not a failure to execute the plan. For me, a cheat day is the day I have a slice of pizza (or two) or a sandwich instead of my normal salad or baked fish for lunch. I don't have to reduce my dinner to make up for the extra lunch calories.
Personal note - I rarely include sweets as part of my cheat day. I try to stay away from foods with processed sugars entirely because they invariably trigger me into bad eating behavior for several days or weeks aftwerward. Understanding your personal triggers is truly the key to a life of moderation.0 -
Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.0 -
Glad to see you made it back for another go at it.0
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Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck0 -
What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.0
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angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
min for a woman is 1200....0 -
angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
I'm going to play the odds and say that I am substantially larger than the OP. My net was under 1500 for months on end. My gross was 1600 for quite a while, while lifting three times a week and walking about eight miles a day.Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck
Yes, I know, I'm going to go bald and my nails are going to break off and my bones are irreparably damaged and my organs are going to shut down any minute now. Or something.
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DeguelloTex wrote: »angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
I'm going to play the odds and say that I am substantially larger than the OP. My net was under 1500 for months on end. My gross was 1600 for quite a while, while lifting three times a week and walking about eight miles a day.Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck
Yes, I know, I'm going to go bald and my nails are going to break off and my bones are irreparably damaged and my organs are going to shut down any minute now. Or something.
was that loud thunk your leg falling off?0 -
It was my liver falling out. It was more of a squish than a thunk.DeguelloTex wrote: »angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
I'm going to play the odds and say that I am substantially larger than the OP. My net was under 1500 for months on end. My gross was 1600 for quite a while, while lifting three times a week and walking about eight miles a day.Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck
Yes, I know, I'm going to go bald and my nails are going to break off and my bones are irreparably damaged and my organs are going to shut down any minute now. Or something.
was that loud thunk your leg falling off?
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
It was my liver falling out. It was more of a squish than a thunk.DeguelloTex wrote: »angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
I'm going to play the odds and say that I am substantially larger than the OP. My net was under 1500 for months on end. My gross was 1600 for quite a while, while lifting three times a week and walking about eight miles a day.Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck
Yes, I know, I'm going to go bald and my nails are going to break off and my bones are irreparably damaged and my organs are going to shut down any minute now. Or something.
was that loud thunk your leg falling off?
Liver, bacon, onion and mashed potato .. ommnomomnommmm .. burp
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why is a 39 year old male eating 1100 calories a day???? I am 35 and I lose a pound week at about 2150 a day,and something tells me I am smaller than you.
OP - let me guess you are viewing certain foods as "bad" and are only trying to eat the "good ones?" Stop viewing foods as good and bad and realize that in the context of an overall diet you can eat the foods you like, just make sure that you are eating nutrient dense stuff and fill in some more calorie dense things that you like, like ice cream or something.
If you keep starving yourself eventually you are going to eat all the foods and feel guilty about it….0 -
I don't even like chianti.DeguelloTex wrote: »
It was my liver falling out. It was more of a squish than a thunk.DeguelloTex wrote: »angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
I'm going to play the odds and say that I am substantially larger than the OP. My net was under 1500 for months on end. My gross was 1600 for quite a while, while lifting three times a week and walking about eight miles a day.Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck
Yes, I know, I'm going to go bald and my nails are going to break off and my bones are irreparably damaged and my organs are going to shut down any minute now. Or something.
was that loud thunk your leg falling off?
Liver, bacon, onion and mashed potato .. ommnomomnommmm .. burp
0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »
I don't even like chianti.DeguelloTex wrote: »
It was my liver falling out. It was more of a squish than a thunk.DeguelloTex wrote: »angelexperiment wrote: »What should net calories be for a woman? What are they? Anyway I had this issue too. It was getting to be almost like a eating disorder so I make myself eat more on low calorie days remember food is fuel.
I'm going to play the odds and say that I am substantially larger than the OP. My net was under 1500 for months on end. My gross was 1600 for quite a while, while lifting three times a week and walking about eight miles a day.Steph_135 was completely right...I did a complete 360 and went to eating everything once I felt good with my progress. I'm back on the plan as of today...trying have balance this time around.
I would like to everyone for the replies and advice, you guys are great.
Welcome back
Please don't let your net calories drop below the bare minimum of 1500 for a man - considerably more I would have though
Good luck
Yes, I know, I'm going to go bald and my nails are going to break off and my bones are irreparably damaged and my organs are going to shut down any minute now. Or something.
was that loud thunk your leg falling off?
Liver, bacon, onion and mashed potato .. ommnomomnommmm .. burp
you can have Malbec instead0
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