Starvation Mode is Real, and ugly

cmriverside

M

routerguy666

I read the first post but not all the pages in between - are you still off the mind that the weight issue is diet induced or due to the thyroid issue and other condition? Doesn't appear (from the first and last page of updates at least) that your metabolism was permanently wrecked. When on the thyroid meds you are able to lose weight, when off you gain weight.

Marla64

I read the first post but not all the pages in between - are you still off the mind that the weight issue is diet induced or due to the thyroid issue and other condition? Doesn't appear (from the first and last page of updates at least) that your metabolism was permanently wrecked. When on the thyroid meds you are able to lose weight, when off you gain weight.

You know, I'm not really sure-- I guess personally I'm of the mind that I was responsible for blowing the thyroid to hell. I was not eating enough at 1200-1400 calories for nearly two years, and all the cardio that I was doing.

I think it all ends up being more than just starvation mode-- however, I think that's probably how it all started. I have a family history of autoimmune issues, so my body was already somewhat genetically predisposed to take offense over what I was doing to it through starving it, and it attacked my thyroid in self-defense.

I'm sure the medical community would scoff, but I think they're mostly full of butt-heads anyway, so let them scoff.

The standard thyroid medicines that the doctor put me on (Synthroid, which is T4 hormone) didn't work, so I took matters in my own hands and ordered the T3 overseas. That's what has been helping.

tgh1914

The standard thyroid medicines that the doctor put me on (Synthroid, which is T4 hormone) didn't work, so I took matters in my own hands and ordered the T3 overseas. That's what has been helping.

Gutsy! Hope it works out.

Marla64

The standard thyroid medicines that the doctor put me on (Synthroid, which is T4 hormone) didn't work, so I took matters in my own hands and ordered the T3 overseas. That's what has been helping.

Gutsy! Hope it works out.

so far, so good--

arewethereyet

Marla I think I finally reversed mine....................see weight below:noway: :laugh:

No seriously. I have been eating above my high end of calories for over a year, and it has just NOW put on 8-10 lbs. I think it is because my metabolism has straightened out and now knows it will not EVER be starved again.

Now to set up a program with the appropriate calorie intake and exercise program to test the rest of my theory!

Love ya girlie:smooched:

Marla64

one more pound down!!!

Slow and steady wins the race!!

Woooooooo!!!!!!

juliesummers

bump

ysamatar

Dear Marla, Thank you so much for sharing your story and I hope you will regain your metabolism and overall health. I always question why we need to eat back our exercise calories back and never did. My friend started doing this diet called Herbalife and she lost 40lbs and swears by it, I told her that she will regain the weight and explained to her that she is messing up with her metabolism. She claims that the protein shakes has all the minerals and vitamins her body needs. Best of luck and here is to healthy you Marla.

Marla64

Dear Marla, Thank you so much for sharing your story and I hope you will regain your metabolism and overall health. I always question why we need to eat back our exercise calories back and never did. My friend started doing this diet called Herbalife and she lost 40lbs and swears by it, I told her that she will regain the weight and explained to her that she is messing up with her metabolism. She claims that the protein shakes has all the minerals and vitamins her body needs. Best of luck and here is to healthy you Marla.

thank you, so much-- you have to pay your body back for what it burned. Debits and credits-- if you take X out of the bank, you need to deposit X back in, or you overdraw the account-- simple.

I've zeroed in on the glutens and dairy. I've been free of both "for the most part" for 2 weeks, and completely free since last Monday. I feel amazingly better, and my stomach bloat is going down.

Hashimoto's goes hand in hand with celiac (gluten intolerance) which leads to lactose intolerance-- it all makes sense. and my body has responded to their absence very favorably.

thanks for the good wishes.

_GlaDOS_

How is this the first time I'm reading your story? Thank you for sharing this! I can't tell you how much I cringe when I hear women here say "I'm eating 1200 calories per day, exercising like crazy, how am I not losing?" and then go on to decide they need to cut more of their calories, increasing their deficit. I've absolutely harmed my metabolism doing this for several months, and am having to try and get back to where I was. I hope everything is going well for you and that your story continues to influence others here. :flowerforyou:

Marla64

Thank you all, again, for all of your encouragement and interest in this-- it's been so lovely.

I've finally dialed into glutens and lactose-- have had to cut them both out.

I'd run out of T3 and ballooned back up to 201. Cut out glutens and lactose two weeks ago, and my whole body is deflating.

I'm down to 195 right now, which is 1/2 lb net loss from my last post regarding weight.

Biggest blessing is my stomach is deflating. I looked 6-9 months pregnant at all times, depending on what I'd eaten. I had had a notion that glutens were a problem for over a year, but never took it seriously and never committed myself to rid myself entirely of them and see what happened.

Oh. My. Gosh. What a wonderful, wonderful change-- my feet and legs are no longer swollen. I can wear shoes I haven't been able to wear in months. My arthritis in my hands is better.

I'll have my work cut out to get my stomach back in shape, because it looks like I just had a baby. But I think I'm finally on the other side of this issue.

My loss since going gluten/dairy free is all WITHOUT T3, which is totally cool-- the crap's expensive.

I think I may head back to my doctor if this keeps up, and just see about getting the Synthroid back if I find that my thyroid numbers are still whack.

We'll see-- for now, I rejoice.

Marla64

Down another 1/2 pound without the T3.

Slowly I turn...step by step...inch by inch.

(extra credit if anyone can tell me what that's from....)

funkycamper

I think in the interests of balance it should be pointed out that, as I said above, the concept of starvation mode is usually poorly applied. It's not like a light switch where if you eat under 1,200 calories your body suddenly decides to go into starvation mode, or if you miss a meal that happens or even if you have plateaued it is caused by this.

It is much more likely whne it comes to plateaus that people have forgotten that as you lose weight the number of calories you need to maintain weight is reduced accordingly, under reporting of true calorie intake and / or over estimating of calories burned through exercise, water / glycogen issues masking fat loss on the scale. There is a misconception that fat loss stalls altogether in "starvation mode" when in reality it doesn't. It simply becomes a lot harder and requires proportionally much more effort to do so in comparison to a "lifestyle diet."

That is not to say that people who chronically underfeed their bodies or restrict energy intake for many months don't suffer the effects of starvation mode. I think that it certainly does happen but just not as commonly as people may think.

A starvation type diet will work to reduce weight in the short term. It is undeniable that people will and do experience this. However that isn't saying much. ALL diets which somehow make you operate at a calorie deficit will cause weight loss.

In my view the success of a diet isn't actually about what happens whilst you are undertaking it or even about the amount of weight you lose (I know I'm sounding a bit crazy here but bear with me....) The success of a diet is about what happens when you come OFF it. The real prize is maintenance. A good diet provides the building blocks for a long term ability to maintain weight at a stable level for years to come, not just a few weeks (unless you are puposefully dieting down for a specific event and do not care about putting on weight after that eg an athlete making a weight class, looking good on your wedding day etc)

The problem with the excessively low calorie approach (especially if it is coupled with a high exercise volume) is the remarkably poor finishing position it leaves you in. Your metabolic rate has a much sharper adaptive reduction to BMR in comparison in comparison to a slow and steady diet. In addition your body becomes much more efficient at fat storage due to changes in hormone levels. The end result is that the vast majority of crash dieters will end up regaining all the fat they lost prior to their diet and then some. You can circumvent this by being sticking to very low calories for the rest of your life and maintaining high levels of exercise if you wish. That doesn't sound like much fun to me or even realistic in the long term.

If you love and respect your body it will love and respect you back. If you treat it poorly and try to beat it into submission then expect a fight. You will probably lose...

Wonderful post. And so very true.

Through diligence and applying the wisdom learned here at MFP and from Lyle McDonald, Tom Venuto, etc., I truly believe I have finally repaired my poorly-functioning metabolism so I don't have to starve to lose and am now enjoying a lifestyle that will be easily sustainable once I reach my goal, so I know it's doable. It's so much more enjoyable being able to eat liberally enough that I don't even feel like I'm on a diet, and healthier, too!

I sure wish those who refuse to eat back their exercise calories, and especially those who are barely eating 1200/day, would read this discussion. Unfortunately, however, I know that many won't believe the damage VLC causes in spite of all the scientific and anecdotal evidence. Sadly.

Marla64

Update--

Hello, one and all-- thank you all for following this now and then--

as of this morning, I'm down 15lbs from the height of this nightmare. I'm taking a T3 hormone supplement, and am eating 1600-1800 calories on average. I wish I could say I'm exercising faithfully-- but, I'm still managing a couple days a week.

all in all-- encouraging progress.

DeeDeeLHF

Hi Marla,

I lost this thread for awhile but found it again. I am so happy that things are going well for you!!!

D

Marla64

Thanks-- still have the ups and downs, but hanging in--

arewethereyet

:flowerforyou:

purenergy100

OH my gosh...this sounds so like me. I have been battling for about two years. I even bought a $1700 piece of equipment (bowflex max trainer) because it swore results. I had read so much about interval training and how it was the perfect thing to target weight loss. I did exactly as it said for 10 weeks and did not lose one pound. Toned yes.... a little but who cares about toning under fat? Who can see the tone? This is starting to get depressing.

Miss_1999

Thank you so much for sharing this. It's really opened my eyes, and made me realize that I do need to really evaluate the way that I eat, and that I DO need to make sure that I'm eating enough. For years, my biggest fear has been gaining any weight. Even a pound terrifies me, and not for the reasons most people thing. It's not a vanity thing, or an ED thing- but a true health thing (I live with PCOS). When I see weight go up, I get afraid. I remember how sick I was when I weighed 400lbs. I remember throwing up violently every time I ate. I remember how my body shook, and my eyes watered, because I had no control over my body when that happened. I remembered being exhausted all the time, and not able to get enough sleep, and having to wear my clip in hair because most of it was gone. I remember my doctors trying desperately to find a treatment for me, because my body was poisoning itself. So, I've lived in fear of gaining weight. I've eaten food. I've eaten what I wanted, but I've made sure to keep everything in check. Maybe *too* in check. I will be re-evaluating and talking to my FNP. I have an appointment with her at the end of the month for a check up. I seriously can't thank you enough for this post, and I wish you the best, hopeful that you will be able to recover! *hugs*