I'm taking issue with those telling people it's ok to starve

2

Replies

  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    Because I haven't been able to lose anything for months and people keep telling me, you must not be in a deficit, eat less! I was so afraid it was true and that I would have to drop below 1,200 calories so I went and had my metabolism tested by a lab. Turns out my BMR is 1800 and my body has been refusing to give up it's fat stores because I have not been adequately fueling it. So, slowly I'm working back up to 1800 calories so my body won't think it's starving anymore. I weigh, measure and log every single thing, so I'm positively sure of my intake. I eat very few processed carbs and never eat fast food or hfcs/msg.

    By the way, I have no idea if my metabolism slowed down, right now, it's 24% faster than average, but who knows what it was a year ago? Or 4 years ago (before i started trying to lose weight by eating next to nothing)??

    So when I say eating LESS is not always the answer, I'm basing it on personal experience...not broscience.
  • katattack
    katattack Posts: 45
    Sing it sister!
    What a timely post; just in time for National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Feb 21-27)

    http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/

    The site has a lot of good resources in terms of positive body image and tool to help act as an ambassador for positive body images to your friends, families, and even strangers that you may come across!
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
    I eat way more now than when I weighed 90 pounds more....I just eat WAY better stuff!
  • mrsbeck
    mrsbeck Posts: 234 Member
    Thanks for posting this. I've been biting my tongue for a couple of weeks now, because it seems like there have been a ton of posts from people advocating an unhealthy deficit. This is not the place for that. This is a place for people who want to learn how to have a healthy relationship with food. Although I think you'd be a fool to follow them, there are plenty of websites out there for people who's only interest is in learning how to starve themselves.
  • lvfunandfit
    lvfunandfit Posts: 654 Member
    I'm hungry, like clock work, every 2.5 hrs. I have been my entire life. I immediately go into starvation mode (get dizzy, blurred vision, tingly fingers, nauseous, etc) if I don't eat right away. I can't function on 1200 calories a day. I plan my food for each day the night before and if we are on vacation, I get stressed out when I can't have the things I normally have to snack on. My day revolves around eating every 2.5 hrs and drinking a ton of water. On the days I don't exercise I really struggle to stay at my 1200 calorie mark. But there are people who's metabolisms are not the same or who are in the mind set that eating makes them fat. Which is not the case. You have to eat to lose weight and you have to make good choices when you do eat.
  • nicolina823
    nicolina823 Posts: 450 Member
    Sorry if I didnt post this the right way. Someone asked what I do for workouts and how long I've been trying to lose weight. The answer is:

    I do cardio for about 45 minutes a day 4-5 days a week. I alternate fitness dvds.
    DVD's in my rotation are:
    30 day shred
    10 minute solutions (arms, thighs, buns, back, abs, stretch)
    windsor pilates (butt and thigh are my favorite)

    I also have the total gym and an ab roller. In addition we have some workout games for the WII that I do with my step son every night.

    I started MFP in Dec. I didnt start paying attention until mid Jan. Between Jan and Feb I have lost 6-10 pounds. It varies.

    Before I started MFP I lost 20 pounds on my own but wanted something to keep me on track when an off day would come around.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth. In studies of starvation, where they had guys in a compound so they could control what they ate and how much they worked out, the people in them continued to lose weight right to the bitter end even though their metabolism slowed down as much as 40%.

    I think this is what was being referred to, and if you read what is written, there is a denial of starvation mode, and then a statement that metabolism slowed by 40%, which is what starvation mode basically is. Which also shows that "starvation mode" can affect brain functions as much as it can affect the metabolism.

    of course on a caloric deficit such as this you WILL lose weight........from your muscles, kidneys, heart, lungs......I was 89 pounds at one time and was the LEAST healthy ever....EVER!!!

    Obvioulsy the people in the concentration camps continued to lose weight and survive.....somehow......but I have met more than one survivor who had severe bone issues, teeth gone at 50 yrs old, bent over with kyphosis from lack of nutrition. NOT to mention the heart defects, diabetes and kidney disorders.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    I have to say THANKS to Brenda for bringing this up. I have to say that I stopped losing because I was in too low of a deficit for too long.

    I understand if someone is 1000 one day and 1200 the next................and doesnt eat all of their exercise cals........but I can tell you from experience, that eating too few can send you to the hospital, hooked up to an IV for 24 hours.

    Did I lose the 10 pounds to go to the dance? Yes. Did I look like shiznit???? ABSOLUTELY!

    This is forever folks. I have lost 10 pounds a thousand times and gained back 20.......30 ............40............50..........

    and if you are at 1200 at your heaviest, where will you go when you only have 10 pounds to lose?

    Think it through, make a plan..................you DO NEED TO EAT~!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    :flowerforyou:
    Sorry if I didnt post this the right way. Someone asked what I do for workouts and how long I've been trying to lose weight. The answer is:

    I do cardio for about 45 minutes a day 4-5 days a week. I alternate fitness dvds.
    DVD's in my rotation are:
    30 day shred
    10 minute solutions (arms, thighs, buns, back, abs, stretch)
    windsor pilates (butt and thigh are my favorite)

    I also have the total gym and an ab roller. In addition we have some workout games for the WII that I do with my step son every night.

    I started MFP in Dec. I didnt start paying attention until mid Jan. Between Jan and Feb I have lost 6-10 pounds. It varies.

    Before I started MFP I lost 20 pounds on my own but wanted something to keep me on track when an off day would come around.

    no flaming girl...........just justified concern, but you said you are seeing a doctor and so you must be OK.

    I just wonder if this is something you can do for the rest of your life? I too lost weight, but gained it back when I had to eat for realsies.

    Good luck, stay healthy!!:flowerforyou:
  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291
    Just want to say BRAVOf or this topic!!:drinker:
  • melissaovadare
    melissaovadare Posts: 191 Member
    Thank you for posting this!!!!! We are fed to believe (at least ME!) by media, hollywood that anything over 1200 is like GORGING....Now I am happy at 1500-1600 calories, sometimes less and have more energy and feel so much better than when I starved myself!

    I lost a lot of weight when I was 21 ( the absolute WRONG way, I barely ate and smoked) but look now, 9 years later...I GAINED IT BACK!!!!!!!!! 1000 cals a day is not a lifestyle by any means......
  • irismoon
    irismoon Posts: 83
    I've known a lot of people to try to starve themselves because they believed it was the only way to loose the weight. I've watched them loose the weight, look unhealthy, pass out, and etc. One girl I know did it and lost weight so fast she had flabby skin left over everywhere because she lost the weight too fast for her body to adjust. She ended up paying a few thousand for a tummy tuck to remove the left over skin, but though thinner still looks all wrong. You can just look at her and see she is unhealthy. It also affected her behavior to the point I had to stop being friends with her.

    Starving is not the way to go. Ever.
  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
    Bravo to Brenda for taking a stand on this issue. I know some people don't believe in "starvation mode", but there is no denying medical problems that can come from eating to little and not getting the right nutrition your body needs. When I was younger I did a starvation diet, not proud of it, but I learned from it. I will refrain from saying what diet I was doing, I really don't want to argue again and be told that the diet was not the reason I was sick. I was fine at first....I was losing weight, I thought hey this is great I will be skinny in no time. Boy was I in for a rude awakening. About six months in my energy level decreased, my pulse was irregular, I was dehydrated, I started getting horrible headaches and had to be taken to the hospital because I was shaking and was so dizzy I did not know where I was. After that I started trying to in a true healthy manner and gained about fifty pounds back. My metabolism was shot. It took awhile for my body to regulate itself before I could start losing again. So for those that don't believe in starvation mode thats fine, but there are still health consequences whether we call it starvation mode or not.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I fully believe that the slower the weight comes off, the more likely it is to STAY off. I'm currently set to lose 1/2 lb a week because I want it to stay gone this time.

    The guys at the Fat2Fit podcast have a very sensible way of looking at. Basically, they say you should eat at the maintenance calories for the weight you want to be. Sure, the weight loss will slow down as you get closer and closer to the goal (and you might need to drop down a bit to create enough of a deficit for the last 5 lbs or so), but then, when you get to your goal weight, you are already used to eating the way you will need to eat for the rest of your life. More info here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/2008/01/how-to-set-your-last-weight-loss-goal-ever/
  • nicolina823
    nicolina823 Posts: 450 Member
    :flowerforyou:
    Sorry if I didnt post this the right way. Someone asked what I do for workouts and how long I've been trying to lose weight. The answer is:

    I do cardio for about 45 minutes a day 4-5 days a week. I alternate fitness dvds.
    DVD's in my rotation are:
    30 day shred
    10 minute solutions (arms, thighs, buns, back, abs, stretch)
    windsor pilates (butt and thigh are my favorite)

    I also have the total gym and an ab roller. In addition we have some workout games for the WII that I do with my step son every night.

    I started MFP in Dec. I didnt start paying attention until mid Jan. Between Jan and Feb I have lost 6-10 pounds. It varies.

    Before I started MFP I lost 20 pounds on my own but wanted something to keep me on track when an off day would come around.

    no flaming girl...........just justified concern, but you said you are seeing a doctor and so you must be OK.

    I just wonder if this is something you can do for the rest of your life? I too lost weight, but gained it back when I had to eat for realsies.

    Good luck, stay healthy!!:flowerforyou:


    I do see a doctor often. We have a lot of disease in my family so we have to be checked often. They test everything so I'm good to go. I eat regular everything and still go out to eat. I just plan it out ahead of time. I've done a lot of diets that worked for 3 months and then did not because it became boring. Some diets I've done are: 6 Week Body Makeover, Fat Smash, Weight Watchers and a few others. So what I do now is cross reference each and use MFP as a guide as well. Its been working for me so I guess I'll be sticking with it ;) I love reading posts. Lots of info to still learn.

    Thanks for the support!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I fully believe that the slower the weight comes off, the more likely it is to STAY off. I'm currently set to lose 1/2 lb a week because I want it to stay gone this time.

    The guys at the Fat2Fit podcast have a very sensible way of looking at. Basically, they say you should eat at the maintenance calories for the weight you want to be. Sure, the weight loss will slow down as you get closer and closer to the goal (and you might need to drop down a bit to create enough of a deficit for the last 5 lbs or so), but then, when you get to your goal weight, you are already used to eating the way you will need to eat for the rest of your life. More info here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/2008/01/how-to-set-your-last-weight-loss-goal-ever/

    there are upsides and downsides to this. For instance it's perfectly reasonable to have a bigger deficit than this when you are morbidly obese. Also this doesn't take into account with high lean tissue ratios. This strategy is ok for a baseline, but you should tweak it to fit your needs, it won't be as successful for everyone.
  • bebhinn
    bebhinn Posts: 198
    I started doing this same thing without MFP..... at 316 lbs I was eating about 1900 calories a day AFTER a 1000 + deficit.
    I'm down to 1610 now, 267 lbs - since the end of October.

    I am EATING LIKE A HORSE. I graze all day. Fruit, veg, milks/cheese, nuts etc etc. I'm getting all my calories in, all my nutrition in and I'm LOSING. I eat FAT. Thats right FATS. I meet and sometimes exceed my fat intake. Key is, its GOOD fat. In fact, until yesterday, I was losing "Brian Wilson" style (sedentary!)

    Thats right, 50lbs, sitting on my butt. (Not anymore mind you, I'm OK to do the shred, but wasn't at 316)

    I eat like a Queen. I sleep like a dream. I am now 100% medication free. I have great amounts of energy, my nails and hair grow like weeds and my skin is almost perfect. Blood panels are normal. BP is normal. Sugars normal - even though I'm now hyper sensitive to it.

    I guess what I'm saying is, You have to EAT to lose weight. But you have to EAT the right things.
    Im a walking example. Its never been easier. I could eat 700 calories a day. But I would suffer a lack of nutrition, lack of energy and I'd have mood issues. I personally just don't think its healthy.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I fully believe that the slower the weight comes off, the more likely it is to STAY off. I'm currently set to lose 1/2 lb a week because I want it to stay gone this time.

    The guys at the Fat2Fit podcast have a very sensible way of looking at. Basically, they say you should eat at the maintenance calories for the weight you want to be. Sure, the weight loss will slow down as you get closer and closer to the goal (and you might need to drop down a bit to create enough of a deficit for the last 5 lbs or so), but then, when you get to your goal weight, you are already used to eating the way you will need to eat for the rest of your life. More info here: http://www.fat2fitradio.com/2008/01/how-to-set-your-last-weight-loss-goal-ever/

    there are upsides and downsides to this. For instance it's perfectly reasonable to have a bigger deficit than this when you are morbidly obese. Also this doesn't take into account with high lean tissue ratios. This strategy is ok for a baseline, but you should tweak it to fit your needs, it won't be as successful for everyone.

    Sure, people need to adjust slightly up or down based on other factors like muscle mass. Also part of the bigger deficit will come naturally from the BMR of a morbidly obese person being so high. They also acknowledge that as you get closer to your goal, you might have to tweak again because the difference in BMRs becomes so small.
  • ractayjon
    ractayjon Posts: 365
    Because I haven't been able to lose anything for months and people keep telling me, you must not be in a deficit, eat less! I was so afraid it was true and that I would have to drop below 1,200 calories so I went and had my metabolism tested by a lab. Turns out my BMR is 1800 and my body has been refusing to give up it's fat stores because I have not been adequately fueling it. So, slowly I'm working back up to 1800 calories so my body won't think it's starving anymore. I weigh, measure and log every single thing, so I'm positively sure of my intake. I eat very few processed carbs and never eat fast food or hfcs/msg.

    By the way, I have no idea if my metabolism slowed down, right now, it's 24% faster than average, but who knows what it was a year ago? Or 4 years ago (before i started trying to lose weight by eating next to nothing)??

    So when I say eating LESS is not always the answer, I'm basing it on personal experience...not broscience.

    I have an appointment on March 1 for my "met test" - I cant wait to get the results and have one more oiece of the puzzle to work with.
  • chocolateandvodka
    chocolateandvodka Posts: 1,850 Member
    I think i'm feeling both reprimanded and encouraged by this post. One of the reasons I had to switch to "maintenance mode" last year and stopped losing weight was because according to my regular doctor, my hematologist and another physician I was literally eating like an anorexic. At that time I was under the impression that reducing calorie intake was the best way to beat a weight loss plateau. And sometimes it is... but not when you're cutting down to 700 calories a day (which is EXACTLY what I had done.) I was suffering from malnutrition, losing large amounts of hair, barely bumping into someone or something would cause me to have huge, ugly bruises and my anemia was so bad my doc was about to start transfusions and IV iron therapy. At one of the last appointments I had last year, my blood pressure was literally 73/40. Oh and by the way - I was about 180 lbs. Just because you are technically "overweight" doesn't mean you can get away with starving yourself.
    Thankfully I started working with my doctor on re-evaluating my dietary plan and we're all ok now. A little hair loss is normal. Even minor bruising if you're naturally anemic like me. But if you start seeing spots, looking like a ghost or notice dramatic changes in your body please eat some french fries and see a doctor...
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