Starvation Mode

rileamoyer

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Though there seems to be some disagreement, the over all consensus seems to be that there IS such thing as eating too few calories, though I'm still not sure how many to eat. Different calorie calculators give me vastly different numbers.

I feel you there. I think MFP's calorie goals are very accurate. They calculate your BMR, multiply that by your activity level, then subtract 500 calories per day per pound you want to lose. This is the traditional way of doing things.

I agree. At the beginning I checked other places, found this site to be fairly accurate and easy to follow. It even compared within 1 point of BMI when I had a full body scan at my health clinic.

krist3ng

Man! Your boyfriend sounds VERY unsupportive. I think if my boyfriend said something like that to me, and guilt tripped me, I would break up with him. That kind of negativity just hurts your resolve.

Just because he sometimes only eats a banana a day doesn't mean YOU have to. 1200 is something you can stick to over long periods of time. If you resigned yourself to a banana a day (or some equally insufficient equivalent) you wouldn't be forming the lifelong habit of making sustainable changes to the way you eat.

I personally go below 1200 very often-- and above it occasionally, too. You can get by on 1000 calories and feel nourished if you're eating healthy things. You can also keep losing if you have 1300.

Good luck and your boyfriend sounds evil.

StacySkinny

First, I want to clarify one thing - My boyfriend isn't evil. lol We've been together for nearly 4 years and he's always been very supportive of me. This is one thing we disagree on though. It's not like him to be negative or argumentative in any way, yet in this case he feels strongly that I don't need to be eating 1,200. But I know if I told him to back off and let me make my own health decisions he'd say no more about it.

Second, THANK YOU all for the great feedback and support! I'm getting a much better idea on the amount of calories I should be eating and feel better about my decision to stay over 1,200 calories. Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

You guys' ideas and information has helped me a lot. When I posted this inquiry I expected to get maybe one or two response. The support and help that this community provides overwhelms me and makes me feel honored to be a part of this site. Thank you all again for the help and advice!

deksgrl

I'm getting a much better idea on the amount of calories I should be eating and feel better about my decision to stay over 1,200 calories.

I'm certain you will see some results Choose majority of healthy foods and drink lots of water and I bet I'll see you soon on success stories!

Liopleurodon

I would say that one of the the main dangers with living on a very low calorie diet when you've got a lot of weight to lose, is that it takes an incredible amount of self-control to stick with it for long enough to lose the weight. It's tough enough keeping up a fairly moderate deficit consistently day after day for months or years. If you starve yourself you're likely to find that you become obsessed with food, snap, binge and/or give up. If you can work out a way to stick within the targets set by MFP, without feeling that you're depriving yourself, without being hungry or drained or grumpy all the time, you have a much better chance of longterm success.

psuLemon

First, I want to clarify one thing - My boyfriend isn't evil. lol We've been together for nearly 4 years and he's always been very supportive of me. This is one thing we disagree on though. It's not like him to be negative or argumentative in any way, yet in this case he feels strongly that I don't need to be eating 1,200. But I know if I told him to back off and let me make my own health decisions he'd say no more about it.

Second, THANK YOU all for the great feedback and support! I'm getting a much better idea on the amount of calories I should be eating and feel better about my decision to stay over 1,200 calories. Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

You guys' ideas and information has helped me a lot. When I posted this inquiry I expected to get maybe one or two response. The support and help that this community provides overwhelms me and makes me feel honored to be a part of this site. Thank you all again for the help and advice!

Based on the math, you should be eating around 1600 calories (2 lbs per week).


2245 * 1.2 (sedentary) = 2694 - 1000 = 1694.


That is a safe deficit. The higher the deficit, the higher the chance for muscle loss and the more you will slow your metabolism. Your body can adjust to a VLCD and will cause your metabolism. I would recommend looking into a workout dvd like jillian mIchaels 30 day shred. Also when you workout, you can eat more and still lose. My one additional recommendation would be to set your carbs at 40%, protein at 40% and fats 20%.

missikay1970

since you can't afford a nutritionist (don't blame you, me either!) why not concentrate more on the types and quality of foods you eat rather than the amounts. just for a while, eat whole grains, fruits, veggies and lean meats and cut-out sugary sweets, sodas, coffees, pizza and the like. maybe instead of trying to figure out how many calories you need per day, you could just start by eating really healthy whole foods and get your body cleansed. you might drop quite a bit of weight just from that. then you could talk your dr about losing more, and what would be required calorie-wise and exericse routines, etc.

i applaud your efforts - good luck! i also agree with the others who say that 2 years isn't a long time in the grand scheme of things. look at your entire life and 2 years will be "nothing" compared to a lifetime of healthy habits. it's about more than the weight loss. good luck hun!

AubreysMommy30

I completely agree!! Weight loss is one of the most challenging things a woman can face. It's even harder when we have to face it alone; without the support of those closest to us. Regardless of how many calories you are or are not eating; you will not lose anything except courage and motivation if he continues to treat you as he is. You need his complete support as someone who loves you; not someone who will try to indirectly shame you into starving yourself. I had one like that once. His lack of support was my biggest enemy, not the food. The food was the salvation. Ever hear the phrase 'you drive me to drink"? Well, he 'drove me to eat". Think about it. Your biggest hurdle of all may be the boyfriend. Good luck!!!

can111

Best of luck on your weight loss journey Stacey! You're already rocking it if you've lost the 40 ish pounds!

My (uneducated) comment on "starvation" mode: Our bodies need nutrients, if you go under the recommended minimum you may be deprieving your body of nutrition that it needs to operate at its optimum! I'm sure some days are perfectly fine to drop below, but not on a continuous basis. (I could NEVER exist on 1 banana for the day)

As for "only" losing 2 pounds a week .... well that 2 years that you estimate will fly by! Set yourself small goals, like the day you get in to the 200's will be a wonderful celebration day (go buy something for yourself, say, a new purse). Then put your energy into hitting the 275 mark, the day the first person who didn't know you were dieting notices a loss. Celebrate those milestones!! All those celebrations will add up and before you know it you'll be at your ideal weight. (Just don't celebrate with food, right?)

jmxxiiii

Don't listen to your boyfriend, he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Agreed, and he doesn't sound very supportive.... Congratulations on the weight loss, you've come so far!!!

raelynne629

There have been a lot of comments on talk to your doctor on here and in this post. Doctors do not have nutrition training in medical school unless they take it as an elective. If your doctor says you need to lose weight and you're not sure where to go, ask for a referral to an RD/Nutritionist. They have the education and the training.

My advice (and I have far to go like you do!) Try what MFP says, and if it's not working adjust it slightly to see if it works, don't deprive your body (and mind) of what it needs.

mrsdizzyd84

Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

This simply can't be true unless you eat a bunch of junk to get there and never get out of bed. The BMR calculated here is calculated for someone who basically stays in bed and sleeps all day. For most everyone, the BMR would be enough to maintain their weight and possibly even lose a little weight even if they didn't work out.

If you are exercising at all then eating your BMR will definitely mean weight loss for you.

BMR x 1.3 is the amount of calories you can consume without gaining weight if you are lightly active in your day. In your case, that is 2918 calories. Subtract 500 calories per pound you want to lose from that number and you get your weight loss calorie goal. So, if you want to lose 2 pounds a week your goal would be 1918 per day.

There are lots of great articles out there about how to set your calorie goals. Check some of them out. This stuff can be very confusing in the beginning, but it gets easier with time.

psuLemon

Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

This simply can't be true unless you eat a bunch of junk to get there and never get out of bed. The BMR calculated here is calculated for someone who basically stays in bed and sleeps all day. For most everyone, the BMR would be enough to maintain their weight and possibly even lose a little weight even if they didn't work out.

If you are exercising at all then eating your BMR will definitely mean weight loss for you.

BMR x 1.3 is the amount of calories you can consume without gaining weight if you are lightly active in your day. In your case, that is 2918 calories. Subtract 500 calories per pound you want to lose from that number and you get your weight loss calorie goal. So, if you want to lose 2 pounds a week your goal would be 1918 per day.

There are lots of great articles out there about how to set your calorie goals. Check some of them out. This stuff can be very confusing in the beginning, but it gets easier with time.

I would agree with this. One other thing, there could be a carb intolerance or another medical condition. But even being lightly active, eating above your BMR won't make you gain weight.

tamaraland

Well, I learned the hard way it's important to get enough calories in every day. I started obssessing about it all, because I didn't realise how out of hand I'd gotten, and when I had enough and decided to get fit I think I may have gone a little crazy. I've heard the safe amount is 2lbs/week and any more than that is water weight or muscle. So I was taking in 14-1600 calories a day and exercising 5-6 times a week burning at least 1000 calories each time, sometimes doing another 500 in the evening. Bad idea for me. I was losing 2lbs/week but depriving my body. My tummy was constantly growling at me. And I used to love food but started finding myseld sick at the thought of it, because anything less than 2lbs/week was unacceptable to me. Now I keep track of everything mostly, but don't beat myself up because most days I go over my intake but am still losing in spite of not exercising as much, which is all that matters. I cut myself some slack now, a tasty treat won't kill me. I've been beating myself up because I was insistent on losing 2lbs/week since july and should have lost 40lbs by now, instead of being proud of the 29 I have lost. And if I do absolutely nothing with my day, and take in 1700 calories or less, I'll still lose something. Which is awesome.

My advice is do it slow and do it safe. Eat enough. Enjoy it. If you go to extremes you run the risk of gaining it back at some point. People have tried to force it faster and almost always gain it back. It's a long term investment in yourself and everything worthwhile takes time, patience and plenty of support.

tamaraland

and by the way congrats on losing 43 pounds!

skatermom503

Great job on your weight loss so far. But I think you might have a bigger problem with your boyfriend than with your weight. He should be supporting you in this journey and he seems to be doing just the opposite. Some guys are 'chubby chasers' and you need to be sure you don't have one. It's so not my business but some people in our lives are sometimes our biggest obstacle to being successful. I'm not saying he is but just be aware. Good luck. And stick with the 1200 HEALTHY calories and exercise. You'll make it.

MadeOfMagic

He is dumb, no offense.
It's okay if all you eat one day is a banana, but he doesn't do that consecutive days/weeks in a row or he wouldn't be alive.
You go into starvation mode when you eat under 1200 cals/day days/weeks in a row. However if you eat normal most day and eat a single item once in a while you won't go into starvation mode.
If you're exercising and don't eat enough days in a row, your body will start to consume it's lean tissue which is really really bad!

StacySkinny

Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

This simply can't be true unless you eat a bunch of junk to get there and never get out of bed. The BMR calculated here is calculated for someone who basically stays in bed and sleeps all day. For most everyone, the BMR would be enough to maintain their weight and possibly even lose a little weight even if they didn't work out.

Please don't call me a liar. I do not appreciate that. I've been on this journey for over 2 years now and am VERY meticulous about weighing, measuring, and logging my food. I even go as far as to count every spice I use, every garlic clove, every pinch of pepper, every bit of oil I cook with, etc. I know for a FACT that if I eat 2,245 calories I GAIN weight.

The reason why most BMR calculators do not work for people my size is because they are calculated to measure a person who's body fat and muscle ratio are a little more balanced. With someone who's body fat percentage is WAY higher than the average person the numbers can be off by quite a bit, as it makes calculations based on the ratio of muscle and the ratio of fat the average overweight body has. A pound of muscle burns a lot more calories than a pound of fat. With someone who's body fat percentage and muscle weight percentage are on extreme ends this makes a huge difference in the numbers of calories the body burns naturally.

sdwelk11

My boyfriend claims there is no such thing as "starvation mode". I told him today that I need to eat at least 1,200 calories everyday and he got mad at me about it. He thinks I'm being stupid. He's thin and has never had an issue with weight. He says "Some days I only eat a banana - YOU don't need to eat at least 1,200 calories".

I'm asking you guys because I know many of you are very knowledgeable when it comes to weight loss. Do I need to be eating at least 1,200 calories? If so is that before or after my exercise calories?

To make it easier on you guys to give me some advice I'll give you my stats:

I'm 32
I weigh 342 lbs (yes you read that right) - I've lost 43 pounds, down from 385.
I'm female
I'm 5'4"


HELP! I don't want to follow this site's recommendations because losing TWO pounds a week is just entirely to slow for someone who has as much to lose as I do. That would take me over two years to reach my goal weight at that rate. So yeah, if you guys could give me some advice on how many calories I should be eating, that would be great!

Is there such thing as starvation mode? Who's right? I will blissfully swallow humble pie if he is right. I just need to know!

first: Dump the boyfriend! (IMHO he sounds mean) \
second : YES!!! Starvation mode does exist
third: you didn't gain the weight overnight and so don't expect it to come off overnight either
fourth: if it takes two years to lose the weight then that is better than taking two years to add more weignt

good luck! Just remember this is life changing not just a diet

spacedebris

Maybe 2 years to loose that amount of weight wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Yes I know - it sounds like its forever

enithermon

That sounds good to me.

StacySkinny

Thanks guys! All great advice that I definitely needed (except the parts about dumping my boyfriend lol)!

enithermon

The thing is, even if 'starvation mode' is made up (which it's not) most doctors will recommend a gradual and consistent level of gain and loss. If you go slowly it gives your body time to adjust, to get comfortable with fewer calories. It minimizes the discomfort and in doing so makes it easier for you to keep with it. Also, if you gain or lose weight quickly it can increase your chances of getting stretch marks or saggy skin as your skin might not have time to adjust to your changing shape.

Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.

The most important thing is to be healthy, and when possible, consult with a physician. And to hell with the malnourished and judgmental hecklers.

Good Luck!

chevy88grl

First, I want to clarify one thing - My boyfriend isn't evil. lol We've been together for nearly 4 years and he's always been very supportive of me. This is one thing we disagree on though. It's not like him to be negative or argumentative in any way, yet in this case he feels strongly that I don't need to be eating 1,200. But I know if I told him to back off and let me make my own health decisions he'd say no more about it.

Second, THANK YOU all for the great feedback and support! I'm getting a much better idea on the amount of calories I should be eating and feel better about my decision to stay over 1,200 calories. Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

You guys' ideas and information has helped me a lot. When I posted this inquiry I expected to get maybe one or two response. The support and help that this community provides overwhelms me and makes me feel honored to be a part of this site. Thank you all again for the help and advice!

Everyone's body is a little different, so the you may have to play around with your calories a bit. Weight loss isn't a one size fits all journey. What works for me, may or may not work for you. Don't be afraid to adjust your numbers, etc until you find what works for YOU.

hush7hush

Hah. A MFP friend on here once told me that I'm proof that starvation mode doesn't exist.

The biggest issue (from what I've seen) is that eating under 1,200 calories often leads to binges more often.

Thad81

Yeah there is starvation mode. You need to at the very least eat 1200 hundred. U could try eating 7 times your goal body weight of calories daily. I know that you want to lose weight quickly but be careful. I have lost 180 pounds but it took nearly four years, but it took me most of my life to put on. The idea should not be to lose the weight quickly but to lose the weight and maintain that weight loss for the rest of your life. That I think is where most people get off track. Be nice to yourself and realize this is going to take time, but it is worth taking the time to do. And people that have never been really heavy are not the best ones to take weight loss advice from. U have to have been there to appreciate what it is like. And don't starve yourself cuz you wont be able to maintain the weight u have lost. I know this because I have tried starving myself in the past and all it does is make the inevitable failure that much worse because your body will eventually revolt and u will eat more than you ever wanted to. Go slow and make it a lasting change. you can do it!

CoraGregoryCPA

Awesome job on the weightloss... I laugh at starvation mode. REAL starvation mode starts somewhere below 100lbs.

You will still lose weight under 1200 calories. But why deprive yourself? For your body type and weight, you could easily eat 1500-1800 calories (including ice cream every day) and still lose lots of weight! Once you get under 200 lbs, then you would want to look at possibly decreasing your calories from 1800.

Eat, enjoy and LOVE losing more weight!! YOU GO GIRL!

(This is my opinion only, besides I seen a couple of shows on Discovery Health on REAL starvation mode and they always say it's like 80lbs or so when starvation mode is realistic.)

Thad81

Also to be effective u must exercise and u cant do that without adequate calories. your body is designed to survive and exercise makes it think it is in survival mode and will cause it to decrease your metabolism if you are not getting enough calories to feed the fire so to speak. Cant just rely on body stores of fat for energy.

StacySkinny

First, I want to clarify one thing - My boyfriend isn't evil. lol We've been together for nearly 4 years and he's always been very supportive of me. This is one thing we disagree on though. It's not like him to be negative or argumentative in any way, yet in this case he feels strongly that I don't need to be eating 1,200. But I know if I told him to back off and let me make my own health decisions he'd say no more about it.

Second, THANK YOU all for the great feedback and support! I'm getting a much better idea on the amount of calories I should be eating and feel better about my decision to stay over 1,200 calories. Though I wouldn't go as far as eating what this site says my BMR is (2,245 calories). I know from experience that if I eat that many calories I actually gain weight.

You guys' ideas and information has helped me a lot. When I posted this inquiry I expected to get maybe one or two response. The support and help that this community provides overwhelms me and makes me feel honored to be a part of this site. Thank you all again for the help and advice!

Everyone's body is a little different, so the you may have to play around with your calories a bit. Weight loss isn't a one size fits all journey. What works for me, may or may not work for you. Don't be afraid to adjust your numbers, etc until you find what works for YOU.

EXACTLY! These online tools to calculate BMR and calorie consumption recommendations use predetermined ratios and are estimates. Unless you go and get your RMR tested, there is a lot of room for error. It's all trial and error, every body functions differently and there are way too many variables to find an accurate number online. No more so than for those who are very muscular or morbidly obese. If you are muscular, your BMR will actually be higher than the calculated rate because muscles are always using energy and burn calories even when they aren't doing anything. If you are very fat, your BMR will actually be lower than the calculated rate because fat cells store energy rather than use energy.

The reason why most BMR calculators often are not accurate for people like me who are "morbidly obese" is because they are calculated to measure a person who's body fat and muscle ratio are a little more balanced. With someone who's body fat percentage is WAY higher than the average person the numbers can be off by quite a bit, as it makes calculations based on the ratio of muscle and the ratio of fat the average overweight body has. A pound of muscle burns a lot more calories than a pound of fat. With someone who's body fat percentage and muscle weight percentage are on extreme ends this makes a huge difference in the numbers of calories the body burns naturally.

Thad81

I agree with this post! At the weight you are at u can eat 1500-1800 calories and lose weight like crazy. When I was still over three hundred pounds and I started really watching how I ate and did alot of high intensity exercise I was losing ten pounds a week at times, never less than five pounds though. I think they are just being conservative by not recommending more than two pounds a week.