Starvation mode but honestly not hungry!

blinkiii
blinkiii Posts: 90
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So, according to this site, I am not eating enough calories and I am sending my body into starvation mode. And while -I will admit- I am eating under 1200 calories every day, I am honestly just not hungry! The things I eat fill me up and every time I start to feel hungry I make sure to eat something else. I don't want to hurt my body but I also don't want to force feed myself... What should I do? :/

Replies

  • dawndw
    dawndw Posts: 203
    Honestly 1200 is the minimum. Especially if you are exercising at all. It will hurt you in the long run. You keep eating below that and eventually you will not lose but gain. You also do not want to have your body feed on your muscle.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    You're not hungry because after dieting and calorie restriction, you lowered your resting metabolic rate, meaning what you used to eat to maintain your body has now been lowered significantly. For instance, old TDEE = 2000 calories; new TDEE (after chronic calorie restriction) = 1200 calories.

    I see so many threads by females who state they at one time needed 2000 calories to maintain weight but now can barely fit 1200 because they feel full.
  • irisheyes7177
    irisheyes7177 Posts: 40 Member
    You're not hungry because after dieting and calorie restriction, you lowered your resting metabolic rate, meaning what you used to eat to maintain your body has now been lowered significantly. For instance, old TDEE = 2000 calories; new TDEE (after chronic calorie restriction) = 1200 calories.

    I see so many threads by females who state they at one time needed 2000 calories to maintain weight but now can barely fit 1200 because they feel full.

    So, what does that mean? I have the same problem...and I don't want to eat just to eat - that's what got me to this place to begin with. What is your suggestion?
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
    See, it makes me really nervous that someday I'm going to gain all of this weight back now :/ But after struggling with overeating I really really really do not want to have to give myself food I don't want. I have a feeling it will get my started on "old habits" again.
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
    Exactly!
  • shgreenw
    shgreenw Posts: 194 Member
    A lot of time if I'm not hungry but need extra calories, I have a protein shake with almond milk. It's a quick 160 calories and kind of like a "dessert" at the end of the day. Maybe you can start adding in some protein shakes or Luna bars throughout the day to help. Good luck!
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
    I lowered my BMR through years of eating 1200, and I've actually quit losing weight a long time ago, but still haven't reached my goal weight. I am currently trying to speed up my metabolism by adding a few hundred calories on top of the 1200 and it seems to be working pretty well. You are NOT going to gain weight eating 200-300 extra calories every day. That is physically impossible. If you are having trouble getting all of your cals in, try eating peanut butter, almond butter, eggs, nuts, avocados, cheese etc. Trust me, eating so few calories will hurt you in the long run, as I've experienced first hand.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    So, what does that mean? I have the same problem...and I don't want to eat just to eat - that's what got me to this place to begin with. What is your suggestion?
    The human body is not meant to experience "A Neverending Story of Dieting." If one maintains a deficit for longer than what they body can handle, regardless of how large it is, the body will go through hormonal changes that affect metabolism and, for women, LH pulsitility and ovarian function.

    Calculate this formula: 30 kcal per kg of lean body mass x days (at which you are at a deficit)

    This is the threshold mentioned in this study, which if crossed, has been associated with the above changes.

    http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/88/1/297.full
    Discussion

    By administering balanced and three levels of restricted energy availability under tightly controlled conditions in this experiment, we quantified the dependence of LH pulsatility and of selected metabolic hormones and substrates on energy availability in healthy, young, regularly menstruating, habitually sedentary women. For the purpose of this experiment, energy availability was defined operationally and controlled behaviorally as dietary energy intake minus exercise energy expenditure. We emphasize, therefore, that, as defined by us, the term energy availability refers to the behavior of the subjects and not to the cellular availability of metabolic fuels inside them. Of course, by quantifying and controlling energy availability, we expected to affect the cellular availability of metabolic fuels, but these were not under our direct control.

    This experiment yielded three main findings: 1) LH pulsatility was disrupted abruptly at a threshold of energy availability not higher than 30 kcal/kg LBM·d; 2) the disruptive effects of subthreshold energy availability were bimodal, with substantially larger effects occurring in the subjects with the shortest luteal phases (11 d); and 3) the incremental effects of restricted energy availability on LH pulsatility most closely resembled those on glucose, β-HOB, GH, and cortisol.

    A)Cut body fat in cycles: 12 weeks or so at a moderate deficit (no higher than 25% below TDEE).
    B)Recalculate current TDEE.
    C)Gradually increase calories towards current TDEE and hold for several weeks or months depending on how long you've been on a chronic calorie restriction.
    D)Repeat step A through D till you reach your goal. As you get leaner, the less true fat you can lose. Thus, you'll need to make smaller deficits as you get leaner.
  • blinkiii
    blinkiii Posts: 90
    A lot of time if I'm not hungry but need extra calories, I have a protein shake with almond milk. It's a quick 160 calories and kind of like a "dessert" at the end of the day. Maybe you can start adding in some protein shakes or Luna bars throughout the day to help. Good luck!

    Ooo that sounds delicious! And I am a huge fan of almond milk. Maybe I'll start trying that!
  • SWilkins75
    SWilkins75 Posts: 277 Member
    Honestly 1200 is the minimum. Especially if you are exercising at all. It will hurt you in the long run. You keep eating below that and eventually you will not lose but gain. You also do not want to have your body feed on your muscle.
    This is what happened to me. I was eating 1700 and losing steadily. After I changed it to 1,570 I started gaining a tad bit and not losing.
  • amrita0286
    amrita0286 Posts: 75
    I had a look at your diary and I can see that you're not really eating "meals" but more like snacks throughout the day.
    Why don't you start off with a good breakfast like maybe an egg white omelette or some oatmeal or a low sugar cereal.

    If you are eating significantly lower then you will gain quite easily and also will lose much slowly.
    I would try to cook meals at home instead of just starting off breakfast with a granola bar. Breakfast is the most important meal of that day. No one is forcing you to eat but you might want to look at the quality of food you are feeding your body also. Many of the things you are eating are packaged, frozen or processed, meaning they aren't really fresh or raw. Try to cook your meals at home if you have the time, it might also get you closer to your calorie goal.

    For me personally, I find I lose more easily when I cook my meals myself :)
  • ShimmerKitten
    ShimmerKitten Posts: 50 Member
    Its rather annoying for me, i've eaten most of the calories and just been 40 calories under and it tells me i'm going into starvation mode. and thats with exercise so really, i've eaten 1240, and my goal for the day would be 1280 or something like that.
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    A lot of time if I'm not hungry but need extra calories, I have a protein shake with almond milk. It's a quick 160 calories and kind of like a "dessert" at the end of the day. Maybe you can start adding in some protein shakes or Luna bars throughout the day to help. Good luck!

    Ooo that sounds delicious! And I am a huge fan of almond milk. Maybe I'll start trying that!

    There are tons of delicious smoothie/shake recipes out there. I have a ton of them and if they don't call for protein, I add it anyway. Let me know and I can send you some "recipes".
  • rf169606
    rf169606 Posts: 17 Member
    I would love those recipes! I too struggle to meet my minimum calorie goal and after reading about BMR and TDEE I feel like I"m not eating enough calories. I have a lot to lose and just started but I want to do this right.

    I eat healthy food and get full but I think I need to add a few calories
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