Want to get off of this low calorie diet

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2

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  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Check out my pics too. I follow IPOARM, Eating for the future you or eat more to weigh less.
  • farmwife3815
    farmwife3815 Posts: 326 Member
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    I listened to Dr's and "dieted" my way to 450 pounds. I was always put on very low calorie diets and told to exercise. This time around, I have done a crap load of research and not even talked to my Dr. I started out eating 2500 calories a day. I am now down to 1800ish. Depends on my activity level of any given day. I have learned to educate myself and do things that I know I can keep up with forever. There is no going back for me. Good luck to you!!
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    PRIMAL BLUEPRINT!!! (MARK'S DAILY APPLE)

    I lost 10lbs following a calorie restricted (not too restricted) heathiest version of the Standard American Diet. Very little added sugars, "healthy" whole grains, very low-fat. And you know what? It was making me diabetic. And it wasn't fixing any of my digestive issues (IBS, indigestion, hiatal hernia, gas, constant bloat, distended stomach, constipation, you name it; I dealt with it)

    So I started Primal Blueprint. I dropped 12lbs below what I have ever seen as an adult and am maintaining without worrying about calories. I don't have to do hellacious amounts of exercise (too much of it just bathes the body in adrenaline and cortisol).

    I'm 110lbs right now and hover between 108-112 without really trying. The lowest I ever saw as an adult was 120-ish. I was 136lbs at 14 years old so the last time I saw 110 was before puberty. Within about 6 weeks I dropped 4-5" off my natural waist, and right below my belly button. I lost 3" off my hips. If my activity increases, my appetite increases. If I get lazy, my appetite decreases. It's an amazing feeling to hear my body again.

    And while I am still have Reactive Hypoglycemia I don't have to feel those hypos anymore. And even though I can't reverse the damage done to my beta cells, I have stopped the progression of becoming full-blown diabetic.

    Never take nutritional advice from a doctor. Nutrition is not a medical school focus. Most of their information after starting their practice comes from pharmaceutical salesmen. In fact, most doctors don't know much about the drugs they prescribe. The info they receive on those also come from BigPharma.
  • lawandfitness
    lawandfitness Posts: 1,257 Member
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    I once went to Dr. Bernstien, and what you are describing is his diet to a T. Whoever you are going to see is following Dr. B's diet, and its unhealthy!! I lasted 2 days and had to stop from being so sick I couln;t get out of bed, cause I was starving myself. I agree with PP, eat more to weigh less. Do your homework, and you will see that eating that low of cals is only depriving your body..... and starvation mode is not good for long term weight loss.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Maybe it's just me, but I'm quite fond of listening to my Dr....you know, the one with all of that medical training and whatnot.

    This only applies if it's their specialty. Dr's aren't trained in nutrition. It's like going to a cardiologist for a foot problem.



    OP, I would also like to point out that over your 30 lbs lost, 8 lbs of that is muscle (that's 27% of your total loss from muscle). If your goal is to have a leaner and tighter body, the more muscle you have, the easier and more obtainable that goal is. And if you sustain a lcd for long, your RMR will adjust to a much lower level which will allow your body to gain weight back much easier. The average person you size workout out 5-6 days a week can eat up to 2200-2400 calories without gaining (as long as you fit in the normal ranges). If you sustain LCD, you will most likely gain back once you approach 1400-1600 based on your body adapting. Also, it's not about weight loss... it's about fat loss. I am overweight according to my weight and BMI but I am 194 lbs at 12% (or less) body fat. I have more muscle than that average person my size. My normal weight would be 155-175. I have 176 lbs of lean body mass now. I would have to lose 14 lbs of muscle and be 8% body fat to even have a chance of being a normal weight.

    I am sorry, I rather have the muscle. More than likely, if you keep cutting muscle, you will look like the girl on the left. If you concentrate on fat loss, you can look like the girl on the right. Which do you prefer. I say see a dietitian.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/392784-skinny-fat-vs-fit-photo?hl=skinny+fat
  • naticksdonna
    naticksdonna Posts: 192 Member
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    You went to that doctor specifically for her ability with weight loss. It sounds like it's a low carb eating plan and I believe when you are ready for maintenance your protein and fat calories will be upped and the carbs will be re-introduced at a much slower rate. Doing it that way you should be okay. I went from a vlcd to 1600 calories overnight without adding new carbs (other than those in vegetables) for one week. Then added one new carb every couple of days to see how my body adjusted - that was 8 months ago now and everything is steady. It can be done; it just depends on your commitment to the process. If you're uncomfortable with the plan you are on, then I would talk it over with your doctor and decide what to do from there. I would also recommend that you not start anything different until you discuss it with your doctor.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Slowly increase your intake.

    Do not be afraid of the weight gain when it happens, and it will. Slowly upping will help make it not as large as it otherwise would be.

    You'll want to slowly increase calories up to your TDEE, then sit there a week or two or three. If you need further weight loss, do so reasonably afterwards.
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
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    Questions/comments:

    1. What is your BMR? If you haven't had your metabolism measured by a nutritionist, do so!
    2. Can you exercise more? The more you exercise (cardio and/or weights), the more you can eat and not gain fat (but you will gain lean muscle mass).
    3. You can always eat more veggies to keep yourself full and not add too many calories. Try to stick to spinach, kale, all the leafy greens. Bonus: they're a great nutritional bang for your buck!
  • Rynatat
    Rynatat Posts: 807 Member
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    I wouldn't have started that program in the first place. The word "diet" breaks down to the word "die" with a "t" on the end. I live a lifestyle. I EAT, LOTS!! I workout, sometimes LOTS, sometimes I scale it back (no pun intended!).

    You need to start working up to eating within a normal range for you age, height & activity level. If you're gaining weight, log ALL your foods, drinks & supplements & how each makes you feel. You'll be surprised how what you eat because it tastes good to you is actually what is causing the problem. And stop worrying about the scale numbers & workout with strength & resistance training: I scale-weigh more now than I did 2 years ago when everyone said I was getting too "skinny" and I look slimmer & HEALTHIER now than I did then.

    If you have to take anything to "help" you lose weight, you are not ready for a lifestyle. Commit 100% to healthy, natural living & you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good healthy feels.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    By the numbers you gave in the OP with NO EXERCISE...

    Estimated Base BMR: 1388 Calories.
    Estimated TDEE: 1666 Calories.

    I'd eat 1500+eat back your exercise calories.

    Eating below your BMR for an extended time will shut down your metabolism eventually. Your doctor should know this BTW.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Maybe it's just me, but I'm quite fond of listening to my Dr....you know, the one with all of that medical training and whatnot.

    Yeah...when it comes to medical matters, he/she is the expert...When it comes to nutrition, not so much...It's a ridiculously low calorie diet - I would add a 100 cals a day (in good stuff) for a week, then 200 until you get to at least 1200...then stay there for a while and see what happens...
    And a second opinion (from a nutritionist) might be a good idea.... Good luck!

    Whoa!! I just looked at your profile - if that's you in the December 2012 pic with 161 lbs, run away from that "doctor" as fast as you can...You weigh only 161 and she has you on a starvation diet???? Seriously start adding more cals of good food slowly...

    I agree that there should probably be a 2nd opinon. I assume that the doc isn't her PCP...I would assume that you would go to a specialist for something like this; I would. The only thing I rely on my PCP for is if I have a cold or something. I guess I also assume that someone would have already had a 2nd and even 3rd opion for something like this; again, I would. I guess I shouldn't assume so much. I just have a hard time giving someone advice to someone on a public forum when they're being cared for by a doctor...again, assuming it would be a good one.

    I didn't look at the profile, but really at 161 Lbs I would also think that the doctor should be having the OP increase to something much more reasonable.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I have the best doctor ever and love her to bits but if she told me to do this I would NOT be listening. Maybe it's ok for a little while but not for too long.
  • beccamh
    beccamh Posts: 85 Member
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    I would start lifting weights now. You won't gain any significant muscle mass because you're eating at such a deficit , but it will help start speeding up your metabolism. Once you are on 'maintenance' focus on lifting that way any "gains" you have will be in lean muscle mass and not fat!

    Great job so far- keep it up :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Maybe it's just me, but I'm quite fond of listening to my Dr....you know, the one with all of that medical training and whatnot.

    This only applies if it's their specialty. Dr's aren't trained in nutrition. It's like going to a cardiologist for a foot problem......

    I would agree...I make the assumption that the Dr. in question is a specialist. I would never even consider going to my PCP for something like this...I guess I would also assume that nobody would go to a PCP for something like this other than to be referred to a specialist.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    About four years ago I needed to lose a lot of weight and went to a doctor to do so; similar to what you described. In addition to vitamin injections I also was prescribed Phentermine which killed my appetite and made it possible for me to stick to a very low calorie diet. I lost a ton of weight – going from 198 to 154. When I did stop taking the Phentermine my appetite came back in full swing and I quickly regained about 10 lbs. Then, I slowly regained, over time, nearly all the weight back.

    You didn’t mention that you are taking an appetite suppressant but I am curious if you are? If not, I can imagine it would be very hard to stick to such a low caloric intake.

    Anyway, after about four or five months when I reached the 150’s I stopped taking the Phentermine b/c I no longer needed to lose any more weight. By then my hair started falling out and I started getting a rash on my scalp. Also, my blood pressure went up and my thyroid stopped working normally. After seeing another doctor (primary care), I learned that the prolonged low calorie diet was to blame.

    I think you are wise to be asking the question - how will this affect your health?

    This time around, I am losing the weight slowly as I hope to have long-lasting results. For me, this means learning to feed myself in a healthy and balanced way; I sought the counsel of a nutritionist who has assisted me. And, of couse, including regular exercise.

    I hope this has helped. Best of luck to you in whatever you decide! :heart: :flowerforyou:

    Thank you so much for sharing this. I really hope that more people see this and take it to heart. Slow and steady!
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I would start lifting weights now. You won't gain any significant muscle mass because you're eating at such a deficit , but it will help start speeding up your metabolism. Once you are on 'maintenance' focus on lifting that way any "gains" you have will be in lean muscle mass and not fat!

    Great job so far- keep it up :)

    Wow you've been here since 2011 and you still think it's ok to destroy your metabolism and ruin your health to lose fast? Think you better start doing research. She's not going to be able to keep anything up if she starves her body!
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
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    When I went in, I had a 40.8% bodyfat. That qualified me for the obese persons weight loss program. (That isn't actually what they call it) This Dr. has a family practice with two other Doctors and she is known for her comprehensive weight loss program. I specifically went to see her to help me lose the weight.

    Well shouldn't you be raising the same questions with her? why would you ignore her advice for that of novices on a forum. :ohwell:
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
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    Is what you're doing working? Do you feel ok? If yes then continue. Your body will tell you if it's unhappy. If you want to eat more then just offset it with exercise. You should be exercising anyways.

    No.

    Yes.
  • BeDawn
    BeDawn Posts: 56 Member
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    First of all, THANK YOU for all of the replies.
    Although I feel O.K. I just had this nagging feeling that I shouldn't keep this up. In answer to aedavidson79's question, yes she prescribed phentermine as an appetite suppressant. As I said, I already spoke with the Dr. about my concerns. I told her I was worried about the long term effects taking phentermine. I said losing 2-3 lbs per week was kind of scary and I am worried about gaining it back. She basically said,"Don't worry. Stick to the plan and it will be fine," in so many words. That is why I came to you all for some help. I took the time to read your posts and the pages that were linked. They were helpful.

    I am going to form a plan that involves gradually adding calories and see what happens. I will also need to talk to the Doctor again and tell her what I'm doing. She will probably have to wean me off of the phentermine. I am more convinced than ever that I would rather lose 2 oz a week than lose 2 lbs a week and have to gain back 10 pounds during "maintenance". Or even worse, have lasting health problems! If she gives me a hard time I will just tell her I'm happy with what I've already achieved and would like to stop taking the phentermine.
  • JenRunTriHappyGirl
    JenRunTriHappyGirl Posts: 521 Member
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    I know a woman who was on a diet exactly like the one that you are describing. She lost 40+ pounds in a matter of 3 or so months. She was getting the injections, too. Then she stopped, gained all of the weight back and lost about half her hair. Granted, she is an older woman middle 60s, but that stuff is no joke. Any doctor, who is not making a profit off of weight loss tricks, will tell you that the best way to loose weight is diet and exercise and NOTHING ELSE. I would get off that stuff ASAP. Run and fins a new doctor!!!

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