Eating, Starvation Mode, and the Reality of it all

arewethereyet
arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
:heart: PLEASE EAT!! :heart: :drinker:

I go crazy each time I read a thread on this subject, and have avoided the following story because it is very painful for me.

Eating 200-600-900 calories may help you obtain/keep your svelte figure, but my dead mother is proof that your body does NOT agree with you.

She died at 54 due to a liver disease...........from what? Malnutrition!!

So YES folks your body DOES need food and nutrition and fuel to run the engine. It won't kill you instantly, but I bet you want to live 80 or 90 healthy years, huh?

My mom did not feel pretty, so she prided herself on her figure. A doughnut and coffee for breakfast, nothing for lunch, our leftovers for dinner.

She was a sexy size 3 until she became ill at age 39.

The ironic thing was she lived the last 15 yrs of her life with a hideous body. Her stomach was bloated, her legs bright red and stick thin. Pain wracked her body 24/7 and she could take no medications because they filter through the liver and she wanted to live!

I was 13 when I began feeding her high protein, low sodium meals. Three times a day by perscription. Eggs and whole wheat toast, coffee and powdered milk for breakfast. Chicken, veggies and rice for lunch. Roast beef, potatoes and more veggies for dinner. Only Coke products as they have little sodium. I began reading all packages and realized real quick only fresh stuff had no salt. I knew what MSG was before the media started talking about it :ohwell:

:huh: wonder where MY food issued came from :wink:

Well they gave mom 6 months to live, but she fooled them by eating right and living another 15 years! She saw me get married, my brother with his soul mate, all her grandbabies born.

But her life was cut short by not eating the correct foods throughout her life. I won't even go into the dental issues she had, but will PM if someone is interested.

Food is essential for your bodies, now and forever!

YES it will effect your liver, kidneys, muscle and brain if you do not eat properly. I may not be a doctor but I KNOW. Period.

:heart: Jeannie
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Replies

  • OnionCookie
    OnionCookie Posts: 272 Member
    Thank you for posting this. I see so many people on here that are only eating 500-900 calories every day. Hopefully this will be a wake up call to them before its too late.
  • Beleau
    Beleau Posts: 143
    Great post!....unfortunately people will do what they want to do...warnings does not matter as long as they feel it does not pertain to them...or so they think...

    B
  • Яaquel
    Яaquel Posts: 90
    Thank you for posting your mother's story, you are so brave & caring =D
  • Michellerw1
    Michellerw1 Posts: 367
    Very useful and necessary post. You mom was lucky to have you there helping her get her nutrition back to where it should be!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Great post!....unfortunately people will do what they want to do...warnings does not matter as long as they feel it does not pertain to them...or so they think...

    B

    Just one?:cry:
  • Crickks
    Crickks Posts: 94
    Exactly!!!!!!!!!:drinker:
  • tcac
    tcac Posts: 211 Member
    Thank you so much for sharing your story. It is a brave thing for you to do. I am sure just writing about it must bring back painful memories. It is helpful, so thank you.
  • TonyaR
    TonyaR Posts: 78 Member
    Thank you for sharing! It scares me to see people who eat under the 1200 calorie mark on a regular basis! Here's to hoping this helps at least 1 person but hopefully it helps a lot more than 1!
  • aymetcalf
    aymetcalf Posts: 597 Member
    bump!
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
    You always say what I want to say in such a nice way :) If only there wouldn't be 9837493847 posts a day about starvation mode and not eating recommended calories...I hope people will read this and really take it into consideration. Good job, girl! :flowerforyou: :drinker:
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
    kdx53l_th.jpg
  • GrandmaCarole
    GrandmaCarole Posts: 35 Member
    The issue that you did not mention is that the body uses more muscle tissue for fuel than fat when on a starvation diet (under 1200 cal) Muscle includes the heart. I know two guys who ended up in the hospital due to heart attacks at very young ages (one was 18 and the other was under 30) because they were "fasting" to lose weight. The latter died within 8 years of that time. Personally, my diabetis Registered Dietition set my calorie goal at 1500-1600 cal. I only go below that when I hit a plateau for over 3 weeks. I strive for 60 gm fat and 93 grm protein that she also set. I maintain at 1200 cal and must eat more to lose weight. Sounds weird? I have been averageing 1.75 pounds lost per week and it is very hard for diabetics to lose weight. But 2 pouds per week is considered a healthy weight loss. Any more than that could be suicidal. Litteraly.
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
    Sorry you had to lose your mother to understand what others don't. I've watched my sister starve herself to be tiny. Sure, she's small, but her hair is thin and brittle, and her teeth....don't get me started on that.
    I want to lose weight, but its not so important that I'd starve myself to get what I want. 1,400 calories a day is low enough for me.
  • popplylily
    popplylily Posts: 97
    yaya!! someone backing me up from all my rants on the message board...
    thank you for sharing your story of your mum. I also have close by evidence of what it can do to your body. and shockingly has done to someone i know's born son :( be careful guys and eat!
    hence my bit on never going under 1500....
    xxxxx
  • edinbors
    edinbors Posts: 112
    Thank you for posting this...its so sad and so scary. Food does "fuel" us. So sorry for your loss.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    The issue that you did not mention is that the body uses more muscle tissue for fuel than fat when on a starvation diet (under 1200 cal) Muscle includes the heart. I know two guys who ended up in the hospital due to heart attacks at very young ages (one was 18 and the other was under 30) because they were "fasting" to lose weight. The latter died within 8 years of that time. Personally, my diabetis Registered Dietition set my calorie goal at 1500-1600 cal. I only go below that when I hit a plateau for over 3 weeks. I strive for 60 gm fat and 93 grm protein that she also set. I maintain at 1200 cal and must eat more to lose weight. Sounds weird? I have been averageing 1.75 pounds lost per week and it is very hard for diabetics to lose weight. But 2 pouds per week is considered a healthy weight loss. Any more than that could be suicidal. Litteraly.

    I was trying to be brief........LOL if you knew me!! I could go on and on about the way it effected her body.

    Thank you for adding this. I was on 1200 and no addl for exercise. I was 170 and lost weight, but when I got to 145 I had nowhere to go with my calories, ya know? I did eat very healthy so the 1200 was good cals........but funny thing was when I upped my cals to 1400 PLUS exercise cals, I started losing and got down to 132. I am up a few...down a few these days, but maintaining my size.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Thanks for all the responses. The love I feel on these boards has brought me a long way in not only weight loss itself, but self awareness of what I am eating.

    Not always perfect............by a looooooooooooong shot...............but I do make much better choices today.

    I joke with close friends that I am getting my 80 yrs plus moms 26!! :drinker:
  • erikazj
    erikazj Posts: 2,365 Member
    Hey Jeannie :heart:

    You are very brave to share your story, and I hope it changes the way some people think.

    Just to show how it can be done :
    I'm now in the healthy weight range, 5 - 10 pounds from my goal, eating at least 1650 calories a day and am still losing weight - I'm even thinking of upping my calories slightly. Slow and steady, fuel your body and your exercise I've never eaten less than 1400 calories a day, and that was only for a few weeks early on, before I realised I needed more. I'm five foot eight, started at 215 pounds. I'm now approximately 156 pounds. I know I'm taller than average, but it is possible to lose weight sensibly, without starving/hurting yourself. I exercise, but not madly for hours at a time, or every day. Although I'm now slightly heavier than I was when I was 17/18, I am in fact a size smaller as I am fitter.

    I hope your story helps people realise that you need to look after yourself, and starving yourself is just as dangerous as over eating. I hope my experience can show people that it is possible to lose weight without having to go through what your mother did.

    Erika
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Hey Jeannie :heart:

    You are very brave to share your story, and I hope it changes the way some people think.

    Just to show how it can be done :
    I'm now in the healthy weight range, 5 - 10 pounds from my goal, eating at least 1650 calories a day and am still losing weight - I'm even thinking of upping my calories slightly. Slow and steady, fuel your body and your exercise I've never eaten less than 1400 calories a day, and that was only for a few weeks early on, before I realised I needed more. I'm five foot eight, started at 215 pounds. I'm now approximately 156 pounds. I know I'm taller than average, but it is possible to lose weight sensibly, without starving/hurting yourself. I exercise, but not madly for hours at a time, or every day. Although I'm now slightly heavier than I was when I was 17/18, I am in fact a size smaller as I am fitter.

    I hope your story helps people realise that you need to look after yourself, and starving yourself is just as dangerous as over eating. I hope my experience can show people that it is possible to lose weight without having to go through what your mother did.

    Erika

    Love it!
  • breakingthepath
    breakingthepath Posts: 124
    bump!
    set (too short to spike)!
  • valeriebpdx
    valeriebpdx Posts: 497 Member
    I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your mom's story.
  • theartsymom
    theartsymom Posts: 21
    I eat 1200 calories a day (my doctor told me that at the weight I am eating 1200 calories a day until I get to 170 and then bumping it up to 1400 is what I should do) and I still sometimes eat a bit over because I"m hungry. I can't see how people can eat 500-900 and feel like they're satisfied. That's rather frightening, really. I'm sure eating that low wouldn't make you lose any quicker because your body would go into starvation mode and hang onto whatever fat it could. Am I right?
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    I eat 1200 calories a day (my doctor told me that at the weight I am eating 1200 calories a day until I get to 170 and then bumping it up to 1400 is what I should do) and I still sometimes eat a bit over because I"m hungry. I can't see how people can eat 500-900 and feel like they're satisfied. That's rather frightening, really. I'm sure eating that low wouldn't make you lose any quicker because your body would go into starvation mode and hang onto whatever fat it could. Am I right?

    Well I can say this is what happened to me. SO glad your doctor is thinking thru the entire process, and not a quick "git er done" attitude.

    As long as you feed your body you will be fine. 1200 today, 1300 tomorrow, 1150 the next will actually a good thing IMHO

    Good luck to you !
  • Luckymam
    Luckymam Posts: 300
    Brilliantly put. Well done for telling this story. I've starved myself before and I can tell you, it's miserable. Life is to be enjoyed. It's taken me until the age of 33 to work out being healthy and happy means eating well, exercising and enjoying life.

    My friend 'diets' (starves herself) all the time. She's thin, and very unhappy. She's never happy. Starving does not equal happiness.
  • renae5
    renae5 Posts: 393 Member
    Thank you for sharing your story, it hits a lot closer to home when someone's life is involved. I lost my own Mom in 2005, but to cancer (but I still remember her always struggling with her weight and she never seemed to eat very much... and this probably had a lot to do with her body's inability to be healthier, diagnosis to death in 10 months). This only brings me to my own battle, I hit a wall about 6 months ago and have not been able to lose a single pound since, I have exercised HOURS and hours a day and I have even (just being honest) tried for weeks at a time to see how closely I could come to exercising all or even more calories than I ate... long story short, I am still at the same weight and the mental part behind it all is even more torturous than the physical b/c I was counting every single calorie of every single thing I put into my mouth day in and day out and obsessing every minute of every day about how I could work in every possible calorie to Burn and nothing was working, I feel Broke and like a failure... I am just destined to be Fat.... UNTIL I read your Post!!!! This just REALLY hit home for me!! I am 35, I have 3 children, didn't I start losing weight and quit smoking and everything else to be healthy For them!! So, from now on I eat (starting today), I am going to set exercise goals... NOT weight goals... I used to be Fat, I am Not any more, it's OK Not to be a size 5... I am MUCH healthier than I was in my 20s and that is the Point!!! I had a goal to ride 15 miles on my bike this morning and I rode 20, I am very proud of myself... and now I am enjoying a great big fat egg white and cheese omlet, I intend to try to eat healthy (for cholesterol and things like that) but if I am hungry I Will eat and often!! Thank you for potentially saving me!!!
  • dj_stevie_c
    dj_stevie_c Posts: 270
    Appreciate the story. You must be very brave to be strong enough to help so much.

    And I agree 100% with what you're saying, I was close to getting into a similar situation people just don't realise how dangerous not eating right can do to you both Overeating and Under eating. Get the balance right folks.
  • Jennwith2ns
    Jennwith2ns Posts: 296 Member
    Thank you for posting your very sad story. I wish people knew that being skinny does NOT equal being healthy. It is a huge misconception! There are 2 girls at work that brag about how they stay thin by not eating, yet drinking alcohol to make up for the calories. I heard one of them say just the other day something about how life is short, so they can do what they want and look good. I wanted so badly to say that life WILL be short for them if they keep it up!
  • Supermel
    Supermel Posts: 612 Member
    Great post, I'm very sorry about your Mom's terrible journey. Its so sad there are no 'second chances' :( I lost my Dad in 2006 from pancreatic cancer, and there is a good chance his smoking caused this terrible disease (at least in part) and it sucks to know had he quit 30 years before when my mom did, he might still be with us!
  • Shy1979
    Shy1979 Posts: 75
    Thank you for sharing your mothers story! It should be a wake-up-call for many!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Thank you for sharing your story, it hits a lot closer to home when someone's life is involved. I lost my own Mom in 2005, but to cancer (but I still remember her always struggling with her weight and she never seemed to eat very much... and this probably had a lot to do with her body's inability to be healthier, diagnosis to death in 10 months). This only brings me to my own battle, I hit a wall about 6 months ago and have not been able to lose a single pound since, I have exercised HOURS and hours a day and I have even (just being honest) tried for weeks at a time to see how closely I could come to exercising all or even more calories than I ate... long story short, I am still at the same weight and the mental part behind it all is even more torturous than the physical b/c I was counting every single calorie of every single thing I put into my mouth day in and day out and obsessing every minute of every day about how I could work in every possible calorie to Burn and nothing was working, I feel Broke and like a failure... I am just destined to be Fat.... UNTIL I read your Post!!!! This just REALLY hit home for me!! I am 35, I have 3 children, didn't I start losing weight and quit smoking and everything else to be healthy For them!! So, from now on I eat (starting today), I am going to set exercise goals... NOT weight goals... I used to be Fat, I am Not any more, it's OK Not to be a size 5... I am MUCH healthier than I was in my 20s and that is the Point!!! I had a goal to ride 15 miles on my bike this morning and I rode 20, I am very proud of myself... and now I am enjoying a great big fat egg white and cheese omlet, I intend to try to eat healthy (for cholesterol and things like that) but if I am hungry I Will eat and often!! Thank you for potentially saving me!!!

    Come here and let me hug you! You are a beautiful woman who is setting an example for her babies. I know you want to be there for a loooooong time and bet you will!!

    Thanks for sharing. You will never know how you helped me!

    :heart: Jeannie
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