Obsession with starvation mode...

sleepytexan

I've read that some people eat as few calories as possible because it provides a feeling of control that they don't get elsewhere.

People like to do what they do and they don't want to change because change is difficult. There is always some sort of psychological "win" that people get from whatever it is they're doing, no matter how bizarre or nonsensical it may seem to others.

I'm sure you've heard some very popular reasoning for why people stay fat and/or yo-yo diet and/or make excuses for why nothing ever works for them: they WANT to stay fat. They might shout and stomp their feet that they don't want to be fat, but their actions show us that they do, in fact, prefer to be fat, over taking the necessary steps to lose weight. Sometimes psychologists suggest that people stay fat because they are somehow afraid not to be fat; it has become part of their identity.

Regardless, It is purely conjecture to say why any particular person becomes combative over their desire to eat a certain amount of calories.

I think we can see this entire thing is going nowhere, so I suggest that those of us who do enjoy the benefits of eating between BMR and TDEE, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight and body fat% just stop trying to convince those who are uninterested in hearing about how we came to be successful. They don't want to know. They want to do what they're doing.

It's ok. More for us!

Come on now, let's go have some pizza and beer. We can have a moment of silence for them before we begin.

GinaKurtz

Thank you for this! I quite frequently eat around my 1200 (I will admit some days I'm 100 cals or so under) and I exercise around 300 - 600 calories 6 days per week so some days I end up at around 600 NET. The amount of tsk tsk I get from friends on here and comments about not eating drives me insane!!!

Thank you for being a voice of reason.

I second this post!

pfarley68

Personally I think starving your body is not wise and will have long term effects on your health. I eat all my calories including my exercise calories and I am losing weight so I will continue with this until I don't. Since I have to eat better long term, it seems to be a good plan for me. We are have to figure out what works for us and at the same time, keep our bodies nourished.

JoyousJustine67

I personally don't buy into the Starvation mode thing, just my thought right or wrong it is my right to decide what works for me

slkehl

Good luck with your super slow metabolism and lean muscle loss! :flowerforyou:

This. If you want to eat a very low calorie diet for the rest of your life, go for it. I love food so eating below 1200 would not be a lifestyle change for me...it would simply be a temporary diet, after which I would gain the weight back due to my suppressed metabolism. I also find calorie counting is a lot more stringent on those and quite a headache. If you naturally eat that little I suppose its not that hard, but I can't imagine doing it!

LinzCurlyQ

I do not understand how people cannot find ways to consume their calories. I love my calories and I love that I have lost 7lbs this month and still got to eat dessert several times and not be hungry because I ate. I make better choices than I used to, but I sure eat all the calories I can . I do keep between 1500-1900 though, but you better believe I eat my exercise (cardio) calories. I also love that I don't have to spend 234073209482039423 hours on the cardio machines. I love that strength training has shown me the way.

slkehl

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10067655

not very promising about physician nutritional knowledge. If a student gets a 63 on a test, that's a D, I don't want my advice coming from someone who only knows 63 % on the topic.

Dietitians are required to pass a 4 year accredited college in dietary science or some related field. The are also required to keep their certification by taking continuing education in most states. Doctors receive minimal nutritional training in their premed years, but nothing after that. Some doctors do take more classes, but many don't.

I'm premed and a Nutrition Science major. My premed classes have given me almost no nutrition education, other than how the body processes and stores macro nutrients. Conversely, I have learned an immense amount in my nutrition classes. Many premed students decide to take an upper division nutrition class and have to drop out because the material is too complex for them without the lower division nutrition classes. In medical school, there are only a few weeks of nutrition education.

tracypk

All I know is that it's easy to say this is how to do it but when it comes to putting it into action it's a whole other battle. Good luck to all in your journey to wellness. I enjoy learning by reading what others have researched (or not).

Lucianna_D

This past week I just up'd my calories from 1200 to 1700 and for last three months I was at the same weight.. Today I'm very proud to say that I have lost 8lbs this past two weeks...

ironanimal

This past week I just up'd my calories from 1200 to 1700 and for last three months I was at the same weight.. Today I'm very proud to say that I have lost 8lbs this past two weeks...

Witchcraft!

SnowWight

I always read these threads with interest. I am a nurse and have run weight management clinics and have all the qualifications to do so. The fact is both camps are right. So long as you are burning more calories than you are eating, whether or not you eat back your exercise calories, you will loose weight. You will not enter 'starvation mode' for some weeks of eating nothing but rice or some other basic food. Please look at the people suffering famine across the world, they are not over weight because they are not eating their BMR. You will burn fat stores before you burn muscle. If you are finding a low cal diet difficult, then exercise so you can eat more and still maintain a deficit. If you exercise and still eat less, so long as you have a healthy diet then go for it.

Its not astrophysics, less in....more out.

We are all here to support one another. Stop fighting. Find what works for you. Most of all enjoy getting healthier and lend an encourging word to others. We're all in this together

imtriagain

I always read these threads with interest. I am a nurse and have run weight management clinics and have all the qualifications to do so. The fact is both camps are right. So long as you are burning more calories than you are eating, whether or not you eat back your exercise calories, you will loose weight. You will not enter 'starvation mode' for some weeks of eating nothing but rice or some other basic food. Please look at the people suffering famine across the world, they are not over weight because they are not eating their BMR. You will burn fat stores before you burn muscle. If you are finding a low cal diet difficult, then exercise so you can eat more and still maintain a deficit. If you exercise and still eat less, so long as you have a healthy diet then go for it.

Its not astrophysics, less in....more out.

We are all here to support one another. Stop fighting. Find what works for you. Most of all enjoy getting healthier and lend an encourging word to others. We're all in this together

Well said. Claps hands.

mel128

Bump

ladyraven68

I've read that some people eat as few calories as possible because it provides a feeling of control that they don't get elsewhere.

People like to do what they do and they don't want to change because change is difficult. There is always some sort of psychological "win" that people get from whatever it is they're doing, no matter how bizarre or nonsensical it may seem to others.

I'm sure you've heard some very popular reasoning for why people stay fat and/or yo-yo diet and/or make excuses for why nothing ever works for them: they WANT to stay fat. They might shout and stomp their feet that they don't want to be fat, but their actions show us that they do, in fact, prefer to be fat, over taking the necessary steps to lose weight. Sometimes psychologists suggest that people stay fat because they are somehow afraid not to be fat; it has become part of their identity.

Regardless, It is purely conjecture to say why any particular person becomes combative over their desire to eat a certain amount of calories.

I think we can see this entire thing is going nowhere, so I suggest that those of us who do enjoy the benefits of eating between BMR and TDEE, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight and body fat% just stop trying to convince those who are uninterested in hearing about how we came to be successful. They don't want to know. They want to do what they're doing.

It's ok. More for us!

Come on now, let's go have some pizza and beer. We can have a moment of silence for them before we begin.

It is impossible to not lose weight eating between TDEE and BMR.
But depending on the gap between the two figures it can be a slow process.
I think the people who are adamant that it doesn't work, just want it to work faster, and don't have the patience for the steady journey.

Each to their own, I'm not in a race.

kennie2

this is the most retarded thing ever
you need to at least eat some of your exercise calories back
else you will go into starvation mode
youre using fuel when you exercise so you need to refuel after!!
it is vital

yarwell

The whole point about eating your BMR is to ensure you have enough energy AND other nutrients to sustain your lean tissue.

Doesn't do it though, you could eat BMR + 50% and be deficient in many things, or be on a nutritionally complete diet at BMR -50% or vice versa. There's no magic calorie number above or below which stuff happens or doesn't, with the exception of TDEE.

See what I mean ?

If you want to roll the dice and chance the health of your organs, the density of your bones and the preservation of your muscles, go ahead. Just don't keep trying to convince everyone else it's healthy, as there's a reason such diets should only be undertaken under the care of a Doctor.

Save us the scare tactics. I'm just looking for some evidence to justify the "eat your BMR" hypothesis. I can only assume the continued absence of same means there is no specific evidence addressing that question.

yarwell

It is impossible to not lose weight eating between TDEE and BMR.

True, but sedentary folks may have their work cut out trying to find a spot in this 300 calorie wide zone when the accuracy of the estimates is of a similar order.

ladyraven68

Doesn't do it though, you could eat BMR + 50% and be deficient in many things, or be on a nutritionally complete diet at BMR -50% or vice versa. There's no magic calorie number above or below which stuff happens or doesn't, with the exception of TDEE.

See what I mean ?

I posted something yesterday about the maximum deficit for fat loss, before lean mass gets used.

I know you like your science and studies - what are your thoughts on this?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/584439-maximum-deficit-31cal-per-lb-of-fat

ironanimal

Save us the scare tactics. I'm just looking for some evidence to justify the "eat your BMR" hypothesis. I can only assume the continued absence of same means there is no specific evidence addressing that question.

Metabolic slowdown IS the evidence. As you lose lean mass your BMR drops. But, you're not likely to listen to me or anyone else because in your mind you are right and nobody else possibly can be.

huntindawg1962

This past week I just up'd my calories from 1200 to 1700 and for last three months I was at the same weight.. Today I'm very proud to say that I have lost 8lbs this past two weeks...

Your ticker says two lbs? Credibility is suspect when this is the case.

So witchcraft is in fact in play as you were able to eliminate 28000 additional calories in two weeks? That is a remarkable job of repairing of a damaged metabolism especially since your deficit would have been 500 calories less per day!