How can I get out of starvation mode?

monicaroozo

Daily water weight fluctuations means that you shouldn't get all worked up when you gain weight. I've seen people gain and drop as much as 8 lbs in a day. It's just water retention.

That being said, you are undereating. Implement a Full Diet Break immediately and resume your diet after at least two weeks.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

This is a GREAT read. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!

Glucocorticoid

You're welcome.

I would highly recommend you buy his book "A Guide to Flexible Dieting" for specifics on the topic.

whatsleftofmeisyours

It's a plan that makes things harder than you need to. You don't need to eat so little to lose weight. Your body doesn't have enough excess fat to support that much of a calorie deficit, and it will fight you tooth and nail.

I still have fat. I lost 70 pounds from my starting weight yes, but I did it without exercising. I'm pretty sure I have a very low amount of muscle and high body fat still because of that.

whatsleftofmeisyours

Thank you all for the support. While I am for sure not willing to fan any weight I will try to up to eating 1200 a day.
On a related note, what if I work out? Today I was able to eat about 1200 but I also burnt off 500 calories at the gym because I'm trying to turn fat into muscle right now. I've heard some people say basically that I should eat the 500 back afterwards and have an intake of 1700 but I've heard some say if you burn 500 eat back 250? What's right?

Hey hun! I am sorry about all the backlash from all the other posters! I guess I read another article, or maybe I just kinda understand what you have going through.

I heard in your post that you are smart and know that 600 calories a day or even a 1000 is too low to maintain and be healthy. That's great! That means you want to make a change and be healthy, no just skinny in my opinion!!!

I went through the same thing the first time I lost a ton of weight, and boy do I wish I had (only a few) lol people from this site to show me the error of my ways!!

When I lost 70 lbs 9 years ago I was told I was underweight and stop counting calories. I did so and now I am back to the way I was before. I was terrified to stop counting before because that was all I knew!!! I was under eating and eventually got down to a very small number (89lbs at 4'11") If I had changed my eating habits correctly, I feel like I wouldn't be trying to lose weight now. I would have never gained it back!!!

When I started my journey this time I started doing the same thing. Netting under 1200 calories until I stalled. I switched and did the method from fat 2 fit that was posted earlier and I am losing again.

I would recommend to go with the fat 2 fit post earlier. This will help you repair your metabolism. Will you gain? yes. Will it be fat? a little, but mostly water weight. Will it take a while? kinda I took me about 4 weeks to see a change in the scale. Does it work? yep!

Anyone who watches their weight a little too closely and eats a a dangerous level has potential for an ED, but I think you have the ability to change it based on you reaching out for help and knowing that you want to be healthy! If you feel like you are being controlled by your weight, it won't hurt to talk to someone though.

last thing! Since you are so little you should maybe look at your weight loss track differently! I would suggest to measure your inches and body fat instead of relying on the scale. You will probably see more results that way!

Good luck on your journey!!

If you want some support feel free to add me!

I just got the fat 2 fit app on my iPod and will give it a chance. I'm not sure how I'll deal with gaining but I'll try to keep in mind that it's mostly water weight. It is hard for me because I am very dependent on the scale. I do want to
Start exercising and get more in shape though, so you're right on the focusing on measurements instead. Thanks for the support!

theartichoke

Now this is all getting too overwhelming. I just want to stop gaining and lose weight. Pretty much all I care about to be honest.

I thought long and hard about replaying to this thread. The reason being - I completely understand you when you say "all I care about is losing weight", but I am still going to tell you what you won't like to hear. I apologize in advance for the long post, but I think it could do me good as well to put some things 'on the paper' and out there. I understand you because for my whole life I never cared about being fit, about being toned, being healthy - I did't need to. I looked good, I've been attractive/sexy/hot/name it (not as good as some toned models, but pretty good anyway) without ever setting my foot to the gym and eating a typical Serbian diet (which would send 99% of this website running for their life , or, to put in the perspective - my partner, who is from New Zealand, spent 12 days in Serbia and gained 9lbs. do I have to add I didn't gained anything, although I probably ate more than him). Also, I've never been disgusted by the fact that a simple climb up the stairs sends my heart rate through the roof, but I am disgusted by some waves of fat that landed on the back of my thighs in last few years. And, same like you, I am aiming for the lower range of the "healthy" standard - I see many 5.7 women here aiming for 130 as their ideal weight, and I am 5.8 aiming for 125-126. And me too associate certain weight with the greatest level of self satisfaction (not just that but it is a significant factor).
Then came a 5 years period of unhappiness with some choices I made, ending up with a depression and a 7kg gain. Now, I knew my body change, but a real wake up call came few weeks ago when I was buying some t-shirts online and for the first time in years took a measurement of my waist. 8cm more than 5y ago. that was it. So for the first time in my life I decided become REALLY serious about my fitness and my body. And here is the story so far: I started in mid March by doing P90X and following their recommended diet without counting calories, just their recommended portions. Then the inevitable happened - whenever I start eating less I lose my appetite very quickly. So I stuck to the exercise regime but was eating less and less because I wasn't hungry. The stupid scale didn't move at all in two weeks. I knew I needed to up my calorie intake if I were to use P90X properly (and also, I had no energy at all). Then I went for a 2 day trip and said "wth, I know that few chocolate cakes will bring me my appetite back". so I did it . when I came back the scale was still stubbornly at the same number like before. so I decided to forget P90X diet but to come back to MFP (I tried using it once last August when I thought I might do P90X but I got injured in very quickly so gave up on this site as well), set up my goals, track all I eat and all I exercise (I use a heart rate monitor and then calculate Cals burned) and do it properly. I started, of course, with a 2lb per week goal. MFP spat out some number very close to 1200 and for a couple of days I was netting close to that. During those two days I read more about weight loss, calorie deficit etc. and decided to lower my goal to 0.5lbs per week, up my calories to ~1520 and of course eat everything I burn (even if it means eating chocolates, just to get to a calorie deficit not larger than 250 per day ). This morning, for the first time in my life, my scale moved because I consciously did something about it. I didn't lose 0.5lb, I lost about 1kg. I am still not believing it and I'll wait another week before I record my weight here.
Now, why did I up my calories fuor days ago, despite my brain screaming "I might be doing it wrong! this may not work! I won't lose any weight and in a month I'll be sooooooo disappointed and lose all my motivation instead of losing weight!"? Well, because everything I read about high calories deficits and their consequences made perfect sense. I know for many people "the less you eat, the more you lose" seems like a common sense, but common sense is a tricky thing - it works only with the information it has at the moment (common sense was telling us for a very long time that Earth is flat). And I majored in molecular biology and physiology, and did a PhD in molecular genetics, and all this talk about metabolic response, storing fat on a low intake etc. simply made sense based of everything I know about biology (well, made sense for the rational part of my brain - the emotional one was still screaming "nooooo, you should be eating lessssss!". it finally shut up this morning when a scale showed below 63kg for the first time in a very long time. ).
Why am I telling you all this? Call it a 'starvation mode' or however you want, metabolic and hormonal response to very low caloric intake (but not low enough to kill you) is as real as your body is. It will manifest itself at a different time period/caloric deficit for different people, but you can't escape it if you persist. It is an evolutionary burden that we got from millions of years of living on unstable, unreliable food supplies. Your body simply doesn't know the difference between dieting and starving, and it couldn't care less about how you want to look; it only wants to survive. You pushed it too hard and your body is fighting back - you lost your period, you stopped losing weight. The sad truth is: you can't win this battle by force, you can only outsmart it. The same way you can't change, say, a concentration of certain hormones in your blood just by wishing for it to happen - the same way you can't 'explain' to your body that you are just dieting and there is no mortal danger due to the lack of food available to you. You have to make it 'think' that all the food it needs is freely available out there. You can only do that by upping your calories. Maintain some 200 - 300 deficit but give it more food. Again, I fully understand your fear of gaining, and another sad truth is: it will probably happen for you initially (since you've been on such a high deficit for too long). But every battle has it's loses (ironically, in this case it will be the gain ), so prepare yourself for it. Be strong and persistent to go through it - weight loss requires many will powers, not just a self control to restrain form eating; or forget about your scale for a while.
and feel free to add me if you want. good luck!

Thank you. I'm going to share your story with friends if it's okay. Amazing journey.

kimmyjohnston

The lack of sensitivity on eating disorders on these discussion boards DISGUSTS me. For all the ones who were so quick to judge- you clearly have NO knowledge at all on the subject. I would suggest possibly googling the subject, and then search for a little bit of empathy in your cold hearts and narrow minds.

guardian419

Not sure if it was said, and I'm being lazy atm (2 hours of sleep) go to the Eat More to Lose Weight thread... I learned a lot from the posts and the references... changed from a 2000 calorie a day to 2700 calorie a day diet... can't even eat that much, but I feel WAY better, and after 3 days I've already lost the 5lbs I gained and then some... and now I'm full of energy and just FEEL healthier.

Mompanda4

Bump

nas24

Yesterday I ate 600 calories and GAINED half a pound. Every day lately I've stayed under 1000 calories and I keep gaining weight. I've stopped getting my period as well I think. I'm 5'7 and 122. How can I beat starvation mode without gaining more than a few pounds? I used to be 196 and so I'm terrified of gaining weight. I'm ready to just call it quits. Anyone help?

Ok, so normally I'm one of the first to be all like ZOMG yer doin it RONG but in this case, I'm not sure what exactly it is about your post, but something is nagging me. I don't want to immediately jump to "You've got an ED", but something in the back of my head is nagging at me that this sounds scary. My sister had an ED, and how you describe things......I see similarities, and I think what bothers me the most is that you arent getting your period. That is a sure sign you don't have enough body fat, and aren't eating healthfully.

So...maybe someone better equipped to give you some advice on here can do so, as im not a psychologist, but I just wanted to put out there that some of what you're saying worries me.

THIS!!!!! You need to talk to someone. i dont think you need to be on this site anymore to loose weight. This thread is sad and sickening

Romeolo

Depends on the food you are eating. Staying 5 grams and under sugar content would make you lose weight. Sugar spikes your insulin levels and if not contained can turn into fat. Check the packaging nutrition. If the calories fit your macros, and you are 5 grams of sugar and under, you are great. Exceeding that may have you gain. Drink lots of water. I guarantee results.

lilkitty777

You could eat more calories. It might be best if you do. But to get rid of the staving feeling try eating more whole grain and unprocessed food. And a juicer helps to. One 8 once glass of veggie juice and 3 whole grain meals a day will help you lose weight and stay full. I know because I have tryied it. And if you eat about 1000 cal a day your body stops using cal for energy and uses it for fat. If you don't eat enough your body will turn against itself. Not trying to bring you down but please eat just a little more. Hope I helped a little. Keep on with the good work. :happy:

Sarauk2sf

Depends on the food you are eating. Staying 5 grams and under sugar content would make you lose weight. Sugar spikes your insulin levels and if not contained can turn into fat. Check the packaging nutrition. If the calories fit your macros, and you are 5 grams of sugar and under, you are great. Exceeding that may have you gain. Drink lots of water. I guarantee results.

No offense - but did you see she eats 600 calories a day?

ETA: If you are under your maintenance (TDEE) you should lose weight - irrespective of how much sugar. Calories in - calories out. An apple has more than 5g of sugar - I am sure only eating one apple a day would not cause someone to gain weight,

WingMan380

Eat............

yarwell

it's the minimum daily calorie intake recommended by health & nutrition organisations to give your body adequte nutrition.

Which organisations ?

FlaxMilk

Hi There,

I won't say anything about your weight, but please do see your doctor about your loss of a period and find out if there are any hormones or assistance they can give you with that. Not getting your period contributes to osteoporosis. I have a very dear friend who is about 31 and has severe osteoporosis from not getting her period. She recently broke a leg. If you develop osteoporosis, you will have a very tough time working out in a way that will make you happy.

tomhancock

If you are losing your period go see a doctor.

If you are 5'7" and 122 that is a great size, so I would recommend working out a lot and eating much much more - like at least 1500 calories. You've basically lost all the weight you need to lose, so now if you want to look better you need to gain some muscle mass to tone it up.

Be careful, and good luck!

cmurray234

*hug* I've been there. You keep cutting calories and cutting calories until you're left with almost nothing...and the weight still doesn't come off.

I'm not going to treat you to a diatribe. You aren't under-weight (122 at your height is still considered a healthy weight), but your diet is NOT healthy. If you've stopped getting your period, your body is telling you something. I believe you already know this or you wouldn't have mentioned it.

You've also said that all you care about is losing weight. I am curious how much more you are trying to lose. Are you looking to be a certain size and haven't gotten there yet?

I'm pulling for you.

rml_16

*hug* I've been there. You keep cutting calories and cutting calories until you're left with almost nothing...and the weight still doesn't come off.

I'm not going to treat you to a diatribe. You aren't under-weight (122 at your height is still considered a healthy weight), but your diet is NOT healthy. If you've stopped getting your period, your body is telling you something. I believe you already know this or you wouldn't have mentioned it.

You've also said that all you care about is losing weight. I am curious how much more you are trying to lose. Are you looking to be a certain size and haven't gotten there yet?

I'm pulling for you.

This is an old thread, but I have to address your post. Forget BMI. She said she isn't getting her period anymore. That means she's probably underweight.