How do I get out of starvation mode?

hettylair

I realized I am not losing weight as fast anymore. I started in September 2011, have lost 44lbs, but I still have almost thirty pounds to go. I used to drop about 2 to 2.5 lbs a week. I realized recently that I have not been eating enough calories (so it says on my food diary),
I have been running 4-5 times a week and doing strengthening at least twice a week. I usually eat about 1000-1400 calories a day. I was not trying to starve myself or anything, just wasn't as hungry and can't eat as much without feeling sick.
So. If I am starving myself, how long does it take to get out of it and how do I get out of it? I am upping my calories, but not by much. I feel sick when I eat the things I used to. I have no desire to go back to the way I used to eat.
What is a good resource for getting myself out of this hole?
Thanks for any advice.
Hetty

channa007

eat.

erickirb

If you are truly in "starvation mode" the only thing to do is eat more. I would suggest eating maintenance calories for a few weeks. You may gain at first as your metabolism would be slower, but it will get back to normal, then you can create a modest deficit to lose again.

ericakane2012

start with some protein shakes, throw in a boiled egg, some fresh fruits/veggies here and there until you can up your intake a bit more.good luck to you

girllimberlost

I don't know what your macros look like, but you need to make sure you are getting enough of the kind of calories that sustain your body's functions so that it can process fat down to use as fuel.

Eat, but eat effectively. No matter how many empty calories you have, the cellular function requires a wide variety of nutrients, including protein, fat, and carbohydrate in order to process excess fat.

KareninCanada

Try adding some little snacks that are higher in protein and calories, like nuts for example.

And maybe consider starting a focused strength-training program.... check out this story: http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

dfborders

Don't know if you already eat this but what about drinking a healthy protein shake with fresh fruits to help up the calories or eating a handful of nuts to help up the calorie intake if that is what your body needs. Good luck!!

hettylair

Umm. I do eat. I just don't eat crap food. Looking for HELPFUL answers.

AlayshaJ

Avocado!!! Just eat half or a whole avocado. Half has about 160 calories and a whole one has about 320. Granola cereal made with cane syrup instead of HFCS is good for calories too. Peanut butter with apples/celery.

onedayillbamilf

I'm definitely not an expert, so don't hold me to this....but isn't it normal for weight loss to slow down the longer you do it? To me it would seem if you're not hungry, don't force feed yourself just because your weight loss slowed down. If you're hungry eat, if you're not, don't. Just because your weight loss slowed doesn't mean your in starvation mode....I would think.

drmerc

Umm. I do eat. I just don't eat crap food. Looking for HELPFUL answers.

Eat more

erickirb

Umm. I do eat. I just don't eat crap food. Looking for HELPFUL answers.

You just have to eat more and give it time, as I said in my reply.

raiderrodney

The longer you lose the harder it is to lose, it's just how it is. If you are eating 3 times a day...even twice I doubt you are in starvation mode. I used to live by the eating 5-6 times a day to "boost" my metabolism but I do just as good, if not better, eating 2 or 3 meals. You could try upping your calories to get closer to the range it says but I'm normally around the 1200-1500 range as well.

Lyric82

EAT MORE!

You need to eat more calories...and that being said, you don't need to go back to eating the things you used too. Eat healthy things - but more. You may want to try to eat back some of your exercise calories too. I was having this problem and I realized that i wasn't eating enough during the day (snacks in between breakfast and lunch). I switched up my plan for the day and started eating more during the day and less for dinner and I started losing weight.

Hope this helps - Good Luck!!!

dragonfly127

I'm new to this, but have noticed the same thing the last couple days- that I am not eating enough. Yesterday I was 400 calories short (of the base 1200 calories, not including the calories I "earned" through exercise) and just was not hungry. I'm just not as hungry as I was two weeks ago when I started this.

So, I am going to try to add more healthy snacks throughout the day...fruit, nuts, carrot sticks, light string cheese, things like that. This is something I am going to pay close attention to because I don't want it to take longer than necessary to lose the weight. Congratulations on losing 44 pounds, that's amazing & terrific!

UponThisRock

You need to take at least a 2 week complete break from dieting. Bring calories up to maintenance for 2 weeks, then resume dieting by lowering them SLOWLY.

dls06

EAT!:drinker:

Cathygal

add almonds, cheese, protein shakes and peanut butter...etc.

I had the same problem at first.. once I started adding more protein rich higher calorie foods (that are HEALTHY) I started losing weight again. Never eat under 1200 calories...EVER or you will not lose weight. You may at first.. but it will slow and eventually stop. You will gain it back in the end also.. and you will most likely gain back TWICE as much (if you are anything like me) I try and keep my calories consumed to 1200-1400 a day. I do good on that. I have lost 43 pounds since September 6th..
Good Luck!

Lleldiranne

First of all, sometimes we hit a plateau without really being in "starvation mode." If you really are in starvation, you will probably feel weaker and have less energy - it will be harder to do the workouts that normally were okay. It's not just your body "hanging on" to the fat, it's your body shutting down less essential functions in order to preserve essential functions. Your body will also start "eating" muscles that you don't use a lot.

To get over a plateau, change up your routine. Are you jogging the same distance at the same speed as before? Maybe increase your speed or your time. Change your weight routine. Look into some other cardio workouts. Check your local library - they may have DVD's that you can checkout for free (usually a week at a time, at least here) - you don't have to spend a bunch of money on this!

Also, I can't see your diary, but if you don't think you're getting enough calories, still aim for healthy stuff - more whole grains, more protein, fruits (the sugar in them is GOOD for you and can help push you back into fat burning), vegetables, and good fats. Eggs are good, but can be costly in cholesterol. Nuts and beans have lots of protein. Nuts, avocado, and olives are some good sources of healthy fats. Don't try to fit more into one meal, but add a couple of small snacks in between. I wouldn't add more than 200-300 calories a day, you don't want to backfire.

And don't forget to drink LOTS of water. 8 cups a day PLUS another 8 oz for every 30 minutes you exercise! Water is your friend. You may also need some extra electrolytes, but avoid the drinks with tons of sugar (especially if it's corn syrup).

Most of all, listen to your body. If you feel overly tires, then think about possible "starvation." But if you feel great and just aren't losing any more, I would try other options to break past the plateau first.

wilkyway

Umm. I do eat. I just don't eat crap food. Looking for HELPFUL answers.

I don't think anyone here suggested to eat junk?
Go for whole foods with a higher calorie-density, such as a couple of nuts (VERY HEALTHY), avocado etc. That way you won't be eating HUGE amounts more but will be getting more cals in.

You could also cut down a little on exercise, so you don't have such a big burn at the end of the day (so ur body has more nutrients left to use for other than exercise)

Take it step by step. 50-100 cals more per week, till u notice a difference, things start to move again!

Does this make sense to you/ sound helpful?

:flowerforyou:

morganadk2_deleted

Add olive oil to veg and salads , use full fat milk , add avacados, nuts , peanut butter to your daily intake.



good luck on your journey

Debbe2

Not sure I understand completely. You still have 30 pounds to lose and are concerned that you are no longer losing 2 or more pounds a week? Has your weight loss stopped or slowed? When was the last time you did lose? Since your food and exercise diary is closed it is difficult to give any constructive advice. To add calories you have great suggestions in the answers above mine. Change up something you've been doing so your body is forced to react to the change. May just be used to what you eat and how you exercise especially if it's a very structure program per se. Good luck!

ilookthetype

You probably aren't in starvation mode. It takes an extended period of time eating much less than that. You've hit a wall, up your calories and change your work out.

Starvation mode happens to anorexic girls/boys who are eating a few hundred calories a day for months..

(ETA: friend pointed out it also happens to boys, this is not a magical "female problem")

hettylair

My reply was only directed at the one word Smart *kitten* answers. When someone replies with "Eat." I find it sarcastic because I do eat. I do appreciate all of the helpful responses though. I was looking to do a little more research, I should have been more clear. I like the avacado, nuts, egg, cheese idea. That's not going to make me feel bad. Those are great ideas for clean eating.
I also very much appreciate. I think maybe I need to think about a previous poster's suggestion about going on maintenance for a couple of weeks. I wasn't sure if it would take a month or a week or a few days. Maybe the scale is stuck because I am at a plateau. I have been working on speed with running, so I'll look into changing from the Body Pump class to some other type of strengthening class also.

tinkermommc

I love the vultures on here that freak when someone says 'I'm not eating all my calories' or '1200'! Like those are cursed words or something 8-) Saying Eat helps anything. We're trying to make a lifestyle change here people! It's not that easy!! Okay, rant complete!!

I'm in the same boat and then my calories go up with exercise I'm negative net calories, Ahhh!! So here has been my new plan for eating and I have been doing better. Some of those crazy things you do for a 'diet' I've cut back on. I eat FULL fat sour cream! I noticed on some of those smart choices you make if you make all of them you end up too low, so just make some of them. On days I work out and burn a ton of calories, I make a latte at home ~200 calories that I shouldn't have but my body needs those extra calories and most of them are coming from milk anyway and calcium is never a bad thing! Yesterday I had a hot dog for lunch with my daughter and it was the first time I hit my goal! So that's my advice to go up on calories when you're just not hungry make some bad choices. I hope the vultures like that!

Now when you have lost weight, the weight loss will slow. Just because your BMI has changed. Change things up alittle do a different workout, take a meal off and eat a pile of pasta. Sometimes your body just gets comfortable where it's at and doesn't want to change so it just needs a kickstart! Good luck!! And don't ever post those 'taboo words' again ;-)

bcattoes

Don't eat junk to make up the extra calories. Add healthy whole food rich in vegetable fat and/or protein like nuts, fish, avacado, beans, etc. Just up your calories, keep exercising and give your body time to adjust.

channa007

it doesn't matter if you eat crap food or not. calories in calories out. it's all about a caloric defecit.

channa007

Umm. I do eat. I just don't eat crap food. Looking for HELPFUL answers.

eating is a if not the only helpful answer. it's been proven time and time again that it's not what you eat it's how much you eat. don't believe me research it. eating clean is a myth.

channa007

My reply was only directed at the one word Smart *kitten* answers. When someone replies with "Eat." I find it sarcastic because I do eat. I do appreciate all of the helpful responses though. I was looking to do a little more research, I should have been more clear. I like the avacado, nuts, egg, cheese idea. That's not going to make me feel bad. Those are great ideas for clean eating.
I also very much appreciate. I think maybe I need to think about a previous poster's suggestion about going on maintenance for a couple of weeks. I wasn't sure if it would take a month or a week or a few days. Maybe the scale is stuck because I am at a plateau. I have been working on speed with running, so I'll look into changing from the Body Pump class to some other type of strengthening class also.

first of all, your assumption of my answer being "smart *kitten*" is incorrect. you asked for advise I provided it. the fact that you're eating only 1000 calories is obsurd. it suggest you haven't the first clue about dieting. 1200 is the very minimum you should be eating and if you're eating less you're headed for trouble. my guess is that you're probably either eating more than you're tracking or you're tracking less than foods actually add up to. whatever the case the answer remains a one word response. eat.

hettylair

Channa. Thanks for all your support. Now go "help" someone else.

busyPK

Eat more proetin and calorie dense foods. Eat sea salt almonds, peanut butter, hardboiled eggs and cheese. Try and NET at least 1200 calories each day by planning ahead and eating every 3 hours (snacks that are calorie dense on workout day).