Will this put me into starvation mode?

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gisele246
gisele246 Posts: 57 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a BMI of 31 and am looking to lose at least 40 pounds, 50 ideally. I have it set to 2 lbs per week and having been eating 1200-1300 a day but with exercise I'm about 600 net. My question is, because I am more overweight, can I do this? Or will this put me into starvation mode? I only started this week and found with different choices I'm satisfied with this. Also, it might be important to note that a couple hundred calories are alcohol like a glass of wine or a light beer.

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  • pattyproulx
    pattyproulx Posts: 603 Member
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    I'd recommend trying to net at least 1200. If you're under here or there once in a while, that's fine but aim for 1200. 600 is too low for a regular net calorie intake.

    I know we all want to see results and see them quick but you could do some damage to your metabolism by staying too low.

    Also make sure to eat lots of veggies and some fruit. With that low of an intake, you want to maximize your nutrients.
  • Fenestra13
    Fenestra13 Posts: 30 Member
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    You have GOT to eat at least 1200 NET or you are going to be in trouble. You should either eat back your exercise calories, or look at the group called Eat More to Weigh Less to learn more about alternatively calculating your TDEE - 15% as your target calories for the day. TDEE takes into account your exercise level on average over the week, so you don't eat back the exercise calories, but the daily target is much higher than what MFP calculates, because MFP expects you to eat back these calories.

    Many people find 2lbs a week will show fast losses at the beginning but then hard to overcome plateaus. Everyone is different, but keep in mind a slow and steady weight loss that you can keep off is much better than a faster loss that you gain back again.
  • wildwhisper96
    wildwhisper96 Posts: 39 Member
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    I have a BMI of 31 and am looking to lose at least 40 pounds, 50 ideally. I have it set to 2 lbs per week and having been eating 1200-1300 a day but with exercise I'm about 600 net. My question is, because I am more overweight, can I do this? Or will this put me into starvation mode? I only started this week and found with different choices I'm satisfied with this. Also, it might be important to note that a couple hundred calories are alcohol like a glass of wine or a light beer.
    If I were you I would try to ATLEAST get a net over 1200, food is fuel you NEED it. I always keep mine 1400+ (not counting work outs) and it has worked great. (: And I am also overweight.

    When i was running on 1000-1200 I was okay... for a couple weeks. Then I would get drained easily, and just felt better over once i upped it. So try 1400 as your goal on here and see how the results work out for you!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    I have a BMI of 31 and am looking to lose at least 40 pounds, 50 ideally. I have it set to 2 lbs per week and having been eating 1200-1300 a day but with exercise I'm about 600 net. My question is, because I am more overweight, can I do this? Or will this put me into starvation mode? I only started this week and found with different choices I'm satisfied with this. Also, it might be important to note that a couple hundred calories are alcohol like a glass of wine or a light beer.

    It wont put you in starvation mode but it also wont be conducive to weight/fat loss. The less you fuel your body the more stress you put on your body and the more likely your body will release cortisol to preserve body fat. You will also increase the chances of losing muscle, which will make weight loss harder in the long run.

    The best approach is to estimate your bmr and tdee and cut 20% from your tdee. And then have a good mix between heavy weight training and HIIT.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    #1.. no you are not going to go into starvation mode.. and never will unless you have a body fat percentage of about 6%
    #2.. if you are serious about losing weight.. drop the alcohol. You will never be able to stick out consuming 1200 calories a day if several 100 of those calories are beverages, however satisfying they may be.

    I'm all about the 1200 calorie diet and netting 600-800. I do it almost daily. But my diet is full of protein and fiber and nutrition. U will fail if yours isn't. So clean it up now or don't waste your time trying. Just my humble advice.
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
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    I am having the same problem. I am also eating 3 meals and 2 snacks ( 99% healthy things) but find that i am wayyyy under my goal of 1200 calories even with out the exercise and when i add it, its much less. I just dont feel that hungry or feel like eating bigger portions....but i am afraid it will slow my loss down as well.....
  • Feisty_Red
    Feisty_Red Posts: 982 Member
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    will it work..possibly? But only for a while..and in the long run it will be HELL trying to get off the last 10-20 pounds after your body gets pissed and hold it(yes..I am speaking from experience at a 3 month weight loss stall) trust me...I still dont understand why I have to eat more to lose...but time and time again this is being slammed into my brain!

    Please read this article :)

    http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html

    Even if you do lose weight..more than likely it will pull from some(if not most)muscle..not fat. So..eat more when you exercise...less on days you dont.....you shouldnt really NET lower than what your body needs to live...which is your BMR. We want our fat to go away..NOT our muscles! Just a gauge..but I bet your BMR should be closer to 1600..its all height and weight calculations..but the BMR calculators are all over the web...

    I think I read somewhere that 1200 is the BARE min that it takes just for your body to function your heart..lungs ect....properly..thats if you sit and do nothing


    Again..this is my opinion..and what has worked for me...I will admit I did lose on lower calories....but its a BUGGER now trying to get my metabolism back up to par!

    PS that baby is cute :)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    Research energy exoenditure
    Research tdee
    Research bmr
    Your likely to lose lots of fluid weight initially if over weight and on a vlcd (which should always be monitored by a doctor).
    I can tell you now that your probably eating at least 4 times less (perhaps more) then you burn. Theres a point when such a big deficit doesnt give you a whole lot of benefit. Especially if you have a lot to lose and need to diet for a longer period of time.

    If you change your diet expect to gain all that fluid weight back temporarily. What you should really be focusing on is losing fat.

    I net 1650 and Im smaller, you can definately net much more then 600

    Starvation mode is a lot of things to a lot of people so no garantees for that...you may go into sickness mode which is no better. To get all your nutrients in I recommend more then that (not all your nutrients as listed in mfp...I mean you'll need more then skinny you since ur larger.

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