Nutritionists! Help please! Starvation mode?

staceybr01

Hi everyone,

I am looking for feedback!

I have been sticking to my 1200 calories for the past three weeks and havent lost any weight. In looking at other fitness sites, they are suggesting that I might be in "starvation mode" in that I cut my calories too much, too quickly. (I JUST started dieting three weeks ago, and was probably eating closer to 2500 calories a day).

After doing some calculations, my BMR is 1497, with a maintenance intake amount of 2059.
Most sites are recommending that you only cut your calories by 5% at a time, so as to not "shock" your body into starvation mode. Thus, suggesting that I eat closer to 1400-1900 calories per day.

(I weigh 155, 5'6, 29yo female, trying to lose 20-25 lbs)

Should I be eating more? (yes, I am exercising and drinking lots of water) (yes, I am hungry, but not painfully so)

Thoughts? Comments?

SpaceMarkus

In short, yes. Eat more.

aa1440

Try a search in the topics section. There are hundreds of posts on "starvation mode."

aimeeturner

It looks like you just joined MFP in September. Is that accurate? How long have you been watching your calories?

heh1121

My cousin and I JUST had a conversation about this TODAY. Check out this website, and it might help you a little. Keep it up!

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/count-calories.html

Egger29

There seems to be this concept in the boards such that "1200" is this mystical magic number. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You need to eat what is right for you. As your BMR + Activity level puts you at 2059, you would want to be moderately below that number.

Mathematically speaking, the general aim is a 500 Calorie deficit from your daily needs. That could come from a variety of ways (eating 500 less calories, eating 250 less calories + Burning 250 More calories, or Burning 500 more calories.

Regardless of your choice, with your needs at 2059, 500 calories less would place you at 1559 and not 1200.

So bottom line is, you're not eating enough for your individual needs.

TMcBooty

did you set your goals to lose 2lbs per week? if so change it to 1lb per week and you should see better results.

sweetiepie31612

I'm 26, 5'5", and started off at 150 lbs. IDK what my BMR was or how many clas I was eating before, but MFP set me at 1200 and I had no problem shedding the lbs. I highly doubt you are in starvation mode. Are you eating back your exercise calories? Are you logging EVERYTHING and logging it accurately? I would maybe up your cals by 300 for 3-4 days just to jump start your metabolism.

gertieblueboots

You should set a realistic goal and follow MFP's suggestions. I was starving and not losing weight. Starvation will cause weight loss of course, but only if you commit to it and eat NOTHING, and that's clearly not very healthy. When you just cut a lot, your body isn't really able to burn the weight off well.

I was eating 700-800 calories a day and could not lose weight. MFP suggested 1670 per day to lose 1.5 lbs. per week, so I started sticking to that. BAM -- weight loss started back up.

Think of it this way: sometimes you have to eat MORE to lose MORE. Nothing wrong with that, right?

gertieblueboots

You should set a realistic goal and follow MFP's suggestions. I was starving and not losing weight. Starvation will cause weight loss of course, but only if you commit to it and eat NOTHING, and that's clearly not very healthy. When you just cut a lot, your body isn't really able to burn the weight off well.

I was eating 700-800 calories a day and could not lose weight. MFP suggested 1670 per day to lose 1.5 lbs. per week, so I started sticking to that. BAM -- weight loss started back up.

Think of it this way: sometimes you have to eat MORE to lose MORE. Nothing wrong with that, right?

_Sally_

There seems to be this concept in the boards such that "1200" is this mystical magic number. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You need to eat what is right for you. As your BMR + Activity level puts you at 2059, you would want to be moderately below that number.

Mathematically speaking, the general aim is a 500 Calorie deficit from your daily needs. That could come from a variety of ways (eating 500 less calories, eating 250 less calories + Burning 250 More calories, or Burning 500 more calories.

Regardless of your choice, with your needs at 2059, 500 calories less would place you at 1559 and not 1200.

So bottom line is, you're not eating enough for your individual needs.

^^THIS^^

emmab0902

If I have learnt anything it is that we are all individual in our needs and there are many factors (which for me includes medication I am on) that determine how much your body needs. I suspect the only solution is trial and error to work out what YOU need. Become the expert on your own body, as other people can only ever give generalised advice which may not work for you.