Starvation Mode

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  • sexymuffintop
    sexymuffintop Posts: 636
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    Then you have to think about maintenance. You can't just go from eating below 1000 cals a day to eating 2000+ daily once you reach your target weight and not expect to put weight back on.
    Indeed, but why would you even think of doing that ?

    I've lost the weight, so let's go back to the behaviour that put it on in the first place ?

    Seriously, you have never done it, or no one you know has done it? Yo yo dieting. I thought it was fairly common....
  • sexymuffintop
    sexymuffintop Posts: 636
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    one of the problems I have is that I had not realised the weight was pilling on, my daily work had changed slightly more r&d than real work, o a lot more sitting around and tinkering with a soldering iron than running around with a screw driver.I have gone from 15 stone years ago to where I am a couple of weeks ago when I tipped the scales at an amazing 18 Stone. Scary I had been noticing that trousers were getting a litttle tight and it was more dificuilt to tie my shoes but it was easy to pass these off as age.

    Then the biggy,heat problems, an amazing motivator, so I tend to view it all rather differently from can I maintaine a raw food and fruit diet, compared to, do I want to see my beautiful five year old grow up, or my lovely daughter leave school. I have the disadvantage of having a wonderful wife that is slightly my junior in years, and I feel that in the time we have been together she has matured and I have fallen apart.

    I know that my patents levels are low, and I can eat like this for a really long time as long as the results are good, I could starve my self totally for weeks on end if the results slowed, My body is carring a massive spare store that I need to cut into. and if it needs I sort of believe it should be able to tap into these

    One of the main things at the moment is I feel great since I have started to lose weight and eat slightly better. most energy i have had for ages. Not sure why but at the moment I feel great.

    Oh come on stop it, stop it now. You will be left with a body like a melted candle for want of a better description. I might sound harsh but it's the truth. Yes your scale weight will be lower but you will have sack loads of lose skin from losing the weight far too quickly. I guarantee you will not be happy with the end result after you reach your target weight. What your doing to yourself is harmful whether you feel good at the moment or not, it will catch up with you.
  • bigjoost
    bigjoost Posts: 53
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    Starvation mode is not a real thing, but understand this, if you eat at a larger than 20% deficit from your TDEE, your weight loss will be faster, but a significant amount of your weight loss will consist of muscle loss which is not what you want. The basic guideline is you do not want to lose more than 1% of your body weight per week, so eat at the calorie level that correlates to that.

    Do you have a scientific base/source for that 20%? I am curious as I am currently cutting about 33% and might want to change that if this is true.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    20% is a rule of thumb based on a great deal of practical evidence and medical advice (it's the most my dietician recommended when I first started losing). Actual setpoints vary from person to person, and it's not an abrupt transition, but 20% is a number that has been generally found to be safe and effective in the majority of the population
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    At your age, with declining levels of testosterone and HGH, I don't think a diet of 500-1000 calories is a very good idea. Any deficit that exceeds your maximum fat metabolism rate (which from memory is something 0.45g per lb of bodyfat per day) will be made up from muscle, organ and bone mass, and being that much older, it will be much harder to recoup lost muscle and bone mass.
  • DavidHomeshield
    DavidHomeshield Posts: 17
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    Then you have to think about maintenance. You can't just go from eating below 1000 cals a day to eating 2000+ daily once you reach your target weight and not expect to put weight back on.
    Indeed, but why would you even think of doing that ?

    I've lost the weight, so let's go back to the behaviour that put it on in the first place ?

    This is totally true, but I was viewing it, the exact reverse of what I would spend the lottery on, Gain it first then work out how to lose it.

    Congrates on your 17 pounds.
  • DavidHomeshield
    DavidHomeshield Posts: 17
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    I think you are setting yourself up for failure here. You are eating too little, and restricting your diet too much. If you would like to be strict about your diet, perhaps cut out junk food and sugary treats, but leave it at that. Only eating raw fruits and vegetables will make you extremely inefficient - there is no protein to support your workouts.

    My advice would be to raise your calories and enjoy some protein with your meals. Make it more sustainable. Otherwise, in the next few months you'll hit a wall and you'll likely put all of your weight back on when you start eating properly again.

    Thanks for the input, one of the problems was I was eating junk food, once a month if not less, I was just picking too much in the middle I think, now I can pick, but a carrot, though the coffee has not changed, weird, took advice on protein and had white fish for lunch, with a salad topped with parsley and orange, could not work out vinagar, and thought olive oil would be not a good idea, worked till 2am so skipped breakfast slept right through.

    Ok a little bike ride and we will go back to the unit axing task of laying cement. I wonder if this counts as exercise?

    D...
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
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    Olive oil is a good fat. Our bodies need some fat every day in order to function -- they help lower cholesterol, for example.

    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-fat-good-fats-bad-fats
  • zornig
    zornig Posts: 336 Member
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    Thanks for the input, one of the problems was I was eating junk food, once a month if not less, I was just picking too much in the middle I think, now I can pick, but a carrot, though the coffee has not changed, weird, took advice on protein and had white fish for lunch, with a salad topped with parsley and orange, could not work out vinagar, and thought olive oil would be not a good idea, worked till 2am so skipped breakfast slept right through.

    Ok a little bike ride and we will go back to the unit axing task of laying cement. I wonder if this counts as exercise?

    D...

    You sound like a person who would benefit greatly from a few sessions with a nutritionist, who could explain some core principles to you, and help you establish a simple but well-rounded meal plan. Since you don't seem to have problems with repetitive or simple foods, that might work really well for you. But it's important to have the balanced nutrition that is nearly impossible to get from solely eating raw fruits and veg.
  • haleylehane
    haleylehane Posts: 15 Member
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    surely losing weight and keeping it off requires a whole lifestyle change, this means eating a sensible BALANCED diet and an exercise routine that fits around your lifestyle. that way when you lose the weight and reach your goal the weight wont come right back on, as you would have learnt all the correct ways to stays healthy.
  • stefjc
    stefjc Posts: 484 Member
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    If anyone is in the UK do NOT see a nutritionist. See a dietician.

    Nutritionists here can be any snake oil salesman - and often are.

    Dieticians are properly educated and professionally regulated.
  • xLexa
    xLexa Posts: 482 Member
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    David, I would use some of the tools recommended by others, I do not have the links handy but if you google TDEE calculator it will tell you approximately what an average person your age needs to be eating in relation to the amount of activity you do each day. It will give you all that in the calculator. Then the rule of thumb is 20% less than that number or a little more than 20% if you have more weight to lose and you will lose weight in a steady and healthy way. It will take time but in that time you will be educating yourself about healthier choices, exercise, and what works for you. You will be forming habits also which is a big pro in sticking with it and making it a lifelong change. I really wish you all the luck and hope that everything works out for you. Sometimes you have to play around with the numbers a little but not to the extent of the 800 cals number. Make this a lifestyle change and not a quick fix, stay here on mfp , get some active friends and you got this! :) I hate to be cliched, it isn't easy at times but it is darned well worth it!
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Um read these gain some knowledge, apply it and presto it becomes wisdom.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817188-iifym

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/you-are-not-different.html
  • xLexa
    xLexa Posts: 482 Member
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    Um read these gain some knowledge, apply it and presto it becomes wisdom.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817188-iifym

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/you-are-not-different.html

    This is why I love this guy :D He is wayyyyy more organized than me! hehehe
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    I've tried fad diets too like just raw fruit and veg and within days your body starts screaming for all the things I am missing - resulting in binges and the feeling of failure. You can't get everything you need from such a small selection of foods.

    To stay slim once you have got there you really do need to start eating how you mean to eat forever (well and balanced) rather than seeing it as a fixed period thing I think.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    You want to lose " at least " 2 stone a month ? That is almost a pound a day and with all due respect.....is crazy.
  • brixtonbanner
    brixtonbanner Posts: 71 Member
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    .
  • chatogal
    chatogal Posts: 436 Member
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    bumo
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    The biggest issue, for me anyway, is breaking down muscle with too much of a deficit. I would really try to hit 1200 calories net per day.
  • DavidHomeshield
    DavidHomeshield Posts: 17
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    Hi all, Starvation mode, yup going for the myth end I think.

    Now I have lost a little I feel great, trying to exercise a bit every day, but feel I can, not even really missing foods.

    Keeping to about 850 a day, wife loves the newer me.

    Strange I am enjoying dieting, learning so much about foods to eat and not to eat, hitting the super market every other day for fresh fruit and veg, not quite making my holiday goal of <16 stone, as only one day to go and came in at 16st 4.8lbs a little miss but another couple off tomorrow and we will miss by 3 lbs I guess. I can live with that.

    Just realised I have no friends here, sulk. But I guess It is my fault for not asking as well.

    Ok laters thanks for the start info and still an amazing site.

    D...

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