Starvation mode???

SweetAngelKisses
SweetAngelKisses Posts: 7
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if you would be able to tell if you body was in "starvation mode?" Are there warning signs?

I am 5'6 and now weigh 256.3. I lost 8.8 lbs in the first week, then I ganed back 4 pounds the second week. I work out HARD I go to they gym 2x a day in the morning I do 25 min on the elliptical 30 min on the bike and 30 min on the treadmill, at night I usually do an hour long zumba class and lift weights. I am consuming anywhere from 1000-1500 calories a day. I always shoot for (at least) 1200, it just doesn't happen somedays. But when I go to reports and look up net calories I am always in the negative by about 900.
I must say I never worked out before so I am wondering if maybe my body is just in shock??
I want to loose weight the healthy way I am not looking for a quick fix. I am making this a lifestyle change but im not sure that I am doing it the right way.

So should I be consuming more calories if I am working out that much? I don't feel sick or anything like that but I am finding that I am really tired in the afternoons. I just want to make sure that I am providing my body the nutrition it needs to function properly/healthily! Thanks :)

Replies

  • Treens182
    Treens182 Posts: 3
    When you lose that much weight in one week, you are not losing body fat. You are actually losing lean body mass and water weight. If you are working out as hard as you say, you need to increase your calories to at least 1500 per day. Healthy weight loss per week should be 1% of body fat, or 1.1-2 pounds. Anymore and you are being unhealthy and will gain it back easily.
  • mbowen
    mbowen Posts: 16
    In my opinion if you are exercising that much I think your body needs more calories. I consume 1200 calories a day and only exercise between 40- 60 min 4 to 5 times per week. I only weigh 110 lbs so I don't need as many calories nor do I burn as many either. On days that I don't exercise I only eat 1200 on days that I exercise I seem to eat more, because I get hungry a little more. I am not an expert but I think you should be consuming more calories.
  • hayleyann
    hayleyann Posts: 3
    I'm not an expert on diet and exercise by any means, but I know that it can take your body a while to adjust to a new exercise routine. At first you lose weight more quickly because of excess water, and after that it levels off. And as much as it sounds like you work out, you're probably gaining muscle mass, so that could possibly explain gaining some of the weight back.
  • lemonllama
    lemonllama Posts: 124 Member
    I would just eat more 1x or 2x a week so your body doesnt get used to low cals or research the zig-zag method because i think it really works!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    SweetAngel,

    I can tell you this, especially at the beginning, our bodies will experience a lot of fluctuation and yes, much of that initial loss is probably water weight, some of it can be adjustments in glycogen levels, some can be because of sodium and potassium changes in your body, some of it WILL be lean tissue catabolism, and some of it can be fat loss. this is the normal pattern of a calorie deficit program, and no matter how well you plan it out this will always happen to a degree.
    gaining 4 lbs is meaningless in 1 week, forget short term weight changes, they happen to everyone, the human body can experience up to 5 lbs up or down from your actual base weight on a daily basis, that means that in one day your weight can swing 4 or 6 or 8 or even (although unlikely) 10 lbs, so don't worry about a few lbs difference in the course of one week. What you really want to do with the scale is keep a running total, not look to closely at any one individual week, and look for a downward trend, as long as the trend is continuing to be down, you are doing ok. Once you plateau for a month or so (which will happen, it happens to almost everyone), then you re-examine your routine and look for ways to mix it up and work smarter.

    What you can't do is let one way in freak you out!
  • satchel2
    satchel2 Posts: 4
    Do you watch the Biggest Looser? If you do, then you know the first week all the contestants loose a lot of weight but in the second week they either gain back some or not loose at all. The body does respond to the changes with a "Whoa! Wait a minute, what's going on here?" And if you watched the reunion show, you would see how many of the contestants gained back some of the weight they lost on the ranch and are just like us, fighting to keep it off. I think that we need to be consistent in our eating, and excerise, with a nice balance. We have to avoid the extremes; fasting, liquid diets, obsessing on the workouts........hurts in the long run. We live in a society of instant gratification. We want it NOW not tomorrow so its hard to keep at it day after day. But one day you will get up and get dressed and realize YOU DID IT! And you can and you will. I can see that by your posts.
  • wallena
    wallena Posts: 32
    HELLO SWEETANGEL KISSES. FEELS FUNNY TYPING THAT. I THINK YOU'RE CALORIE CONSUMPTION IS TOO LOW IF YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR 1200. ACCORDING TO MFP, MY CAL CONSUMPTION IS 1370 AND I ONLY WAY 164. SO GO BY THE CALCULATIONS YOU GET ON HERE. IF IT'S A LIFESTYLE CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO STICK WITH IT. AND REMEMBER, EXERCISE COUNTS. YOU CAN EITHER EAT THOSE CALORIES OR NOT. 30 MIN AEROBIC EXERCISE IS GOING TO BURN 250-400 CAL DEPENDING ON INTENSITY. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. HOPE I CAN HELP.
  • sineadmm
    sineadmm Posts: 190
    You're eating too little for all that exercise.

    Bump your calories up to 1200-1400 :)
  • treelady
    treelady Posts: 1
    I have the same questions as you. I now weigh 200 having taken about two years to lose 50 lbs. But I've been there for about 8 months. I joined this website, set my daily calories at 1200 and since Jan. 1 I've been working out DAILY at the Y for one hour-eliptical, weights, so my daily net calories averages 600. I also go on bike rides which will bring that number down to zero. Yet in three weeks I've only lost 4 lbs. I noticed that the protein allowance increases when I enter my exercise, so I now plug that in at the start of the day so I know what I'm shooting for but I'm still left wondering if I should be consuming more or less protein with the amount of exercise that I'm doing????
  • wallena
    wallena Posts: 32
    I THINK YOU NEED MORE CALORIES PERIOD. AS FOR PROTEIN, I READ IN FITNESS JOURNALS THAT WOMEN CAN ONLY DIGEST 20G AT A TIME. AND EXCESS CAN RESULT IN KIDNEY PROBLEMS. MAYBE YOU SHOULD CONSULT A PERSONAL TRAINER SINCE YOUR WORKOUTS AND DIET ARE SO EXTREME. YOU'RE ASKING A LOT OF YOURSELF.
  • Carleybby
    Carleybby Posts: 158
    You weigh the same as me, well I weigh 255.

    I was kinda having the same problem, I was sick with the stomach flu last week, and didn't always get over 1200...

    Most days I didn't.

    Now this week, I gained 5 lbs... But I'm not sure if it was like the water weight I lost when I was sick, or if it's starvation mode.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    Here's the thing...if you don't give your body enough fuel to function, you feel terrible physically & mentally, you lose motivation, and the body begins to conserve (ie: slow down fat loss).

    Net calories of 500 or 800 is simply not healthy in the long run. It's not sustainable, you can't keep that up for a lifetime, so as soon as you start eating again, whatever weight you lost will come roaring back (plus). As your body begins to conserve (because it isn't getting enough fuel to operate) it slows down certain functions which may result in you feeling tired, foggy, cranky, lethargic and the weight loss slows down.

    What is being advocated here at MFP is to have a net (calories - daily energy usage - exercise = net) of enough calories to function, but less than what you burn (maintenance). Many people agree that 1,200 net is a reasonably safe minimum for most women (could be higher or lower depending on many factors),and that is why MFP adds your exercise calories to your daily goal, so your net doesn't drop so low that your body doesn't have adequate nutrition.

    Also, when you reach your goal weight, your body needs to be used to getting enough food to function. Otherwise, as soon as you start eating normally, or skip a few of those intense workouts (maybe due to medical or vacation or whatever), your body says...OMG!!! She's feeding me. SAVE IT!! STORE IT!! Turn it into fat!!...and the weight comes back.

    And this process is hard enough without that to look forward to, huh? LOL!
  • sphinctress
    sphinctress Posts: 202 Member
    On that note, I just wanted to ask something similar...
    I have been under some stress lately, medical school, impending divorce, etc., but I have lost weight quickly and it continues to just drop? I have averaged around 4-5 lbs/week for the last 4 weeks... I am under my caloric goal most of the time but only just barely, I am eating healthy, and I am exercising... I don't think I'm anorexic or anything, but the weight just keeps dropping...
    Should I be worried?

    I am on the 1200/day program, I eat my exercise calories, and I don't think it's water weight b/c I have been on a diuretic for hypertension and on low sodium already... I do know that "the girls" have gotten smaller~1 cup size...
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    On that note, I just wanted to ask something similar...
    I have been under some stress lately, medical school, impending divorce, etc., but I have lost weight quickly and it continues to just drop? I have averaged around 4-5 lbs/week for the last 4 weeks... I am under my caloric goal most of the time but only just barely, I am eating healthy, and I am exercising... I don't think I'm anorexic or anything, but the weight just keeps dropping...
    Should I be worried?

    I am on the 1200/day program, I eat my exercise calories, and I don't think it's water weight b/c I have been on a diuretic for hypertension and on low sodium already... I do know that "the girls" have gotten smaller~1 cup size...

    this phrase is key IMHO " I am under my caloric goal most of the time but only just barely"

    every person is different, we don't know if your body can handle the calorie deficit you are at, but if you're consistently losing, and pretty sure you aren't in starvation mode (irritable, tired, weak, depressed, short attention span are all symptoms) then you're probably doing it right.
  • Magharabi
    Magharabi Posts: 9
    Also something to keep in mind is that muscle weighs more than fat. If you started the workout routine you listed at around the same time as you did counting calories, then that could explain it as well. Cardio is great for burning fat, but just using those muscles, especially if they haven't been used like that before, will beef them up. No stress, that's a good thing, too. It means you're getting stronger.
  • Kittany
    Kittany Posts: 31 Member
    Muscle and Fat weigh exactly the same. Only the volume is different. BUT, when you work out and use muscles you haven't in a long time little tears are formed. And they fill with fluid to protect them until healed I guess. It goes hand in hand with muscle soreness too. Drink a lot of water and stretch well.
  • sphinctress
    sphinctress Posts: 202 Member
    Thanks SHBoss!

    I have been tired, irritated, short attention span, but I just figured that was the stress I mentioned previously... any other indicators? I don't feel weak, but I have been light-headed which I had attributed to a change in my BP meds...

    Thanks for the input!
  • SweetAngelKisses
    SweetAngelKisses Posts: 7
    Thank you guys for all the info!:smile: I don't think I am in starvation mode I think my body is just in shock:noway: Just because I have never worked out or really been on a diet or anything like that. If I don't see a change then I will up my calories. I am thinking of making an appointment with a nutritionist within the next week hopefully that will help me understand better. Thank you all:smile:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Thank you guys for all the info!:smile: I don't think I am in starvation mode I think my body is just in shock:noway: Just because I have never worked out or really been on a diet or anything like that. If I don't see a change then I will up my calories. I am thinking of making an appointment with a nutritionist within the next week hopefully that will help me understand better. Thank you all:smile:

    I would make it with a registered dietitian, not a nutritionist. There is not (at least no federal) any regulation regarding nutritionist titles in the US, but the title registered dietitian is federally regulated and you must meet minimum requirements. Not saying that all nutritionists are fake, just that, it's a little bit more of a roll of the dice. Put it this way, I could, tomorrow, set up shop and print business cards with the term nutritionist on it, and it's perfectly legal, but if I tried to put registered dietitian on it, I could be sued and put in jail.
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