Can't seem to lose weight!
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Are you above 12% body fat? If so, then you do not need to worry about starvation. There has never been concrete evidence that going below 1200 for a woman and 1800 for a man is going to cause any harm. The only time it will is when you are at critical levels of body fat.
The military did a study a while back where they had fit soldiers (men) eating 1500 calories a day. They were sleep deprived, and exercised extensively (sometimes burning 3000+ calories a day). Their LBM was monitored. Guess what, they all lost fat and none of them lost any LBM until they reached around 6% body fat.
I have been following a 1200 calorie diet for a while now. I have had DEXA scans taken routinely. I have lost only fat and no muscle. My body fat is around 14% currently.
If you are in doubt about whether women should eat low, then I would suggest going to VENUSINDEX.COM and check out their results for the contests. They all ate 600-1200 calories and got in phenomenal shape.
Plus, we should all know by now that it makes no difference how many meals you eat per day. It does not effect your metabolism at all. Eat once, twice, or many times a day. Just stay within your calories. The body does not go into "starvation mode" if you skip a meal.
There is some truth to the body slowing down bodily functions to conserve energy. The slow down is maybe a couple hundred calories, if that. However, this only really happens when your body gets very close to its critical levels 12% for women. Thyroid functions and cortisol will rise at those levels to protect the body from dipping in to its survival reserves -- the body needs a certain amount of fat to protect itself. If you can see your abs clearly, then you are at those levels. If not, then you have nothing to fear.
So I should keep eating around 600-800 calories and ill be fine?
But I haven't lost weight in a month and have hardly eaten anything! This is why I'm confused!
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Here are things I stay away from: pre-packaged processed store meals, fast food restaurants, regular restaurants, alcohol, fruit. Fruit is controversial, it's not bad (in fact it's very good), but I currently avoid simple carbs.Thank you mpawlicki, but I just don't know what foods to eat! That's my problem I have no idea what meals to eat so I just try not to.. It's really getting me down I feel like if I eat more ill gain more if i don't eat ill store the fat.
Here are things I eat:
Protein- salmon, tilapia, tuna, chicken, lean steak. I will occasionally thrown in low fat sausage, pork, ham. Need variety, otherwise I get sick of food. For breakfast I do eggs whites, fat free cottage cheese or ricotta cheese. Lean ham too.
Carbs - I avoid simple (sugary) foods. I eat complex carbs. That's potatoes, long grain rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortillas, eoatmeal. And lots of veggies and fiber. These you can eat a ton of and they have very little caloric content. Lettuce, mushrooms, peppers. Beans.
I cook (usually grill) a ton of food on the weekend and then just throw it in containers for the week.
I will occasionally, through very seldom, visit a fast food restaurant with kids and have a couple fries and a burger. I believe it's okay to have a cheat meal every once in a while (as long as it's not a 3000 calorie feast). But you need to be smart. The little cheeseburgers are 400 calories. I prefer whatever has grilled chicken and chili instead of fries. I never eat fast food salads.
If I know I am going out to a restaurant, I research the menus up front to see what's good and what's not.
Lastly, I want to stress importance of exercise. If you want that lean body, dieting alone won't do. In my opinion dieting is about 70% of the game, but the rest is exercise.
I know it is different for all people, results vary, but you will need to find what is the right thing to do and stick with it day in and day out. I count my calories religiously, and I also take body fat and body weight measurements each week. I strive to lose 2 lbs per week and since it is working (the scale doesn't lie) I don't differentiate from my plan.0 -
Here are things I stay away from: pre-packaged processed store meals, fast food restaurants, regular restaurants, alcohol, fruit. Fruit is controversial, it's not bad (in fact it's very good), but I currently avoid simple carbs.Thank you mpawlicki, but I just don't know what foods to eat! That's my problem I have no idea what meals to eat so I just try not to.. It's really getting me down I feel like if I eat more ill gain more if i don't eat ill store the fat.
Here are things I eat:
Protein- salmon, tilapia, tuna, chicken, lean steak. I will occasionally thrown in low fat sausage, pork, ham. Need variety, otherwise I get sick of food. For breakfast I do eggs whites, fat free cottage cheese or ricotta cheese. Lean ham too.
Carbs - I avoid simple (sugary) foods. I eat complex carbs. That's potatoes, long grain rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortillas, eoatmeal. And lots of veggies and fiber. These you can eat a ton of and they have very little caloric content. Lettuce, mushrooms, peppers. Beans.
I cook (usually grill) a ton of food on the weekend and then just throw it in containers for the week.
I will occasionally, through very seldom, visit a fast food restaurant with kids and have a couple fries and a burger. I believe it's okay to have a cheat meal every once in a while (as long as it's not a 3000 calorie feast). But you need to be smart. The little cheeseburgers are 400 calories. I prefer whatever has grilled chicken and chili instead of fries. I never eat fast food salads.
If I know I am going out to a restaurant, I research the menus up front to see what's good and what's not.
Lastly, I want to stress importance of exercise. If you want that lean body, dieting alone won't do. In my opinion dieting is about 70% of the game, but the rest is exercise.
I know it is different for all people, results vary, but you will need to find what is the right thing to do and stick with it day in and day out. I count my calories religiously, and I also take body fat and body weight measurements each week. I strive to lose 2 lbs per week and since it is working (the scale doesn't lie) I don't differentiate from my plan.
Thank you for replying again! So do you have a certain diet you stick to or do you just eat what you feel like in those categories when you like?0 -
I just gave you a general list the foods you should eat (see above), but it seems like you need something more specific. I googled "healthy meal plans uk" and got this:
http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/articles/healthy-eating-plan-week-one
There are lots of other options. Lots. Just register for one of those site and they'll tell you what to eat meal by meal.0 -
Thank you for replying again! So do you have a certain diet you stick to or do you just eat what you feel like in those categories when you like?
No, I don't follow any brand name diets out there. I simply follow what athletes, especially bodybuilders, have been doing for decades.
Again, I calculated my caloric need for a day and split it into 5 even portions. Each portion is just about 4-6 oz of meat, and equal portion of starches.
What I recommend is that you first find out what your caloric intake should be to begin. Use the formulas on this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris–Benedict_equation, and plug in your body data.
You will end up with a number in the end. From there you subtract 500 calories per day to loose 1 lbs per week. Try not to go more than 2 lbs/week. It's better to do this right and slowly with patience, then to do it wrong, be sick, and still be overweight.
For me, my BMR (step 1) is 1581. I exercise 6 times per week, so my daily caloric intake need is around 2500 calories per day. If I maintain my diet at 2500 calories per day I will not gain, not will I loose any weight.
To loose weight, I take away 1000 calories per day to loose 2 lbs per week. So, I diet at 1500 calories per day. To ensure I am loosing fat and not muscle, I lift weights 6 times a week.
Once I reach my body fat goal (about 5 weeks from now), I will actually reverse the process in attempt to gain weight. I will then diet at 2700-3000 calories per day with hopes of gaining 1/2-1 lbs of body weight per week. To ensure it's muscle and not fat, I will keep lifting weights.
I suspect that after you plugin your numbers into the formula you will learn that you should be dieting at 1200-1500 calories. At first it might take couple weeks for your body to re-adjust from its current 600 calories. Then it will start paying off.
Now, the contents of your diet will mandate what kind of weight you will loose. Shoot for loosing fat, and preserving muscle. Eat clean and it will work. Eat dirty (even within your diet's caloric range) and you might end up loosing weight but still find yourself with high body fat.
Last note, females have higher body fat by default, it's the nature. Men have nice abs at 7%-8% body fat, but for females that's 15%. So when people ask you if you're over 12% body fat, gosh, I hope you are.0 -
Eat food. Real food. You know, meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables. Weigh and measure it. Log it. Eat the appropriate amount.
There aren't any magic foods that will make you lose weight. There isn't any evil foods that you shouldn't eat. Just make it fit in your calorie goals.0 -
Eat food. Real food. You know, meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables. Weigh and measure it. Log it. Eat the appropriate amount.
There aren't any magic foods that will make you lose weight. There isn't any evil foods that you shouldn't eat. Just make it fit in your calorie goals.
THIS!0 -
Exactly this. Well said.Just some general guidelines:
Eat lots of lean protein (chicken, fish, beef, pork) baked or grilled or broiled with just a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs and spices to taste. Eggs are high in protein but also high in fat, so don't go nuts.
Lots of fresh vegetables...raw salads or steamed or sauteed or roasted or baked.
Lots of fresh fruit.
Plenty of dairy but watch the fat...milk, yogurt, cheese.
Whole grains but watch the carbs...brown rice, quinoa, couscous, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread.
Drink lots of water, don't waste your calories by drinking lots of high-sugar beverages.
Have an occasional treat so you don't feel deprived.0 -
If you are eating 600-800 calories a day, then you are losing fat. It may not show up on a scale, which is why you should take measurements, or have your body fat tested using BOD POD or DEXA. Any other device is not that accurate.
Things to do when you plateau (no change in waist measurement, fat percent, etc. after 2 weeks):
1. Take a week off of dieting and eat closer to maintenance. This can have two effects on weight -- 1. You will most likely shed some water weight that has been induced by low calorie dieting (Google WHOOSH EFFECT). In essence, you body can often times start replacing fat in the cells with water. You are still losing fat, but you are not seeing a difference on the scale. 2. You will reset your thyroid, in case it is slightly depressed from low calorie dieting.
2. Readjust calories. If you are not truly losing fat, then you are eating around maintenance. Most online calculators use faulty data to come up with a caloric number -- they are usually high. They were created a long time ago using data from manual laborers. The truth is we do not burn much more than our RMR and BMR. You can use online calculators as a starting point, but you will often have to adjust down. For my clients, we create a deficit from RMR (Go to an online calculator, enter your info, and have it spit out your RMR). Why put in exercise when the goal of activity is to burn fat? Why eat back the calories? I have my clients figure their RMR from an online calculator and then subtract 500-1000 calories from that to produce the desired fat loss. This method will work until you reach critical levels 6% for men and 12% for women. When they incorporate this with weight lifting (no cardio) they lose weight fast and none of it is muscle (confirmed by DEXA and BOD POD). Diet is 80% of your results. The truth is you can have a pretty severe deficit until you reach your lower limits of body fat, without any loss of LBM. This has been confirmed by a LOT of recent research.
Take measurements. Log EVERYTHING that enters your mouth (often people stop losing weight because they are eating more calories than they thing). Eat WHATEVER food you want, as long as you come in at your caloric goal -- Again, there has been a LOT of research that shows that it is not what you eat, but how much you eat. Eat 1000 calories of CLEAN food and you will lose just as much weight as you would if you ate JUNK food. You may not be the most healthy person eating JUNK, but if it helps you lose weight and adhere to a program, then do it. The act of losing weight will increase your health markers much more dramatically then eating CLEAN ever can.
Good luck and keep at it.0 -
Stop worrying about your weight and go get a therapist that specializes in treating people with eating disorders.
You don't need a diet. You need help.0 -
'Gorgeous guy... not hungry... can't eat...'
A case of lovesickness, I'd say. ;-)
Ah to be young again.
Instead of old, bitter, twisted... *sigh*0 -
There is some truth to the body slowing down bodily functions to conserve energy. The slow down is maybe a couple hundred calories, if that. However, this only really happens when your body gets very close to its critical levels 12% for women. Thyroid functions and cortisol will rise at those levels to protect the body from dipping in to its survival reserves -- the body needs a certain amount of fat to protect itself. If you can see your abs clearly, then you are at those levels. If not, then you have nothing to fear.
That's simply not true. Metabolism slowdown happens fast, and *can* last a long time after you stop eating a VLCD. None of the Biggest Loser contestants got their body fat percentage that low during the show, yet repeat testing of their metabolic rate showed their metabolisms had slowed SIGNIFICANTLY more than would have been expected from weight loss alone.
The classic "Minnesota Starvation Experiment" found drops of up to 40%. If you do the math, you can see that for a short woman that can, in fact, drop her metabolic rate so low that she can hit the point where she is maintaining on less than 1000 a day.
Yeah, if you cut far enough, you can continue to lose even if you've done that to your body. Me? I don't want to have to live like that long term, and I don't want to worry about how to fit in all the essential nutrients and vitamins on that little food. I think its worthwhile to eat more, do it slowly, and not scare my body into thinking I'm living in some version of The Road.0 -
You're not eating enough calories, and what you are eating is pure junk - worthless, empty calories. You're putting way too many processed foods into your body. Cookie crisp for breakfast and lunch? NO. You will start seeing a difference when you eliminate some of the sugar from your diet and start boosting your intake of lean proteins and veggies. If you need to satisfy your sweet tooth, have a piece of fruit. Believe me, cereal is my kryptonite and if I have it around I WILL eat it. Clear it out of your house and substitute it with oatmeal or a less processed, whole grain cereal.0
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There is some truth to the body slowing down bodily functions to conserve energy. The slow down is maybe a couple hundred calories, if that. However, this only really happens when your body gets very close to its critical levels 12% for women. Thyroid functions and cortisol will rise at those levels to protect the body from dipping in to its survival reserves -- the body needs a certain amount of fat to protect itself. If you can see your abs clearly, then you are at those levels. If not, then you have nothing to fear.
That's simply not true. Metabolism slowdown happens fast, and *can* last a long time after you stop eating a VLCD. None of the Biggest Loser contestants got their body fat percentage that low during the show, yet repeat testing of their metabolic rate showed their metabolisms had slowed SIGNIFICANTLY more than would have been expected from weight loss alone.
The classic "Minnesota Starvation Experiment" found drops of up to 40%. If you do the math, you can see that for a short woman that can, in fact, drop her metabolic rate so low that she can hit the point where she is maintaining on less than 1000 a day.
Yeah, if you cut far enough, you can continue to lose even if you've done that to your body. Me? I don't want to have to live like that long term, and I don't want to worry about how to fit in all the essential nutrients and vitamins on that little food. I think its worthwhile to eat more, do it slowly, and not scare my body into thinking I'm living in some version of The Road.
When the lower weight, conditioning, and other factors were taken in to consideration, the people on Biggest Loser only showed a SLIGHTLY lower metabolic rate than predicted. It was only a difference of a few percent.
The Minnesota Starvation Experiment found a drop in Metabolism ONLY after the individuals had reached very low body fat. This will happen when you are dieting at very low calories when you are very low in body fat. Many other experiments have been done and they concluded the SAME thing. Metabolism did not get effected until critical levels of leanness were attained. It is common in Bodybuilders who are trying to go from 6% to 3% for show. They have to take strong pharmaceuticals to prevent this from happening.
The only way that you metabolism gets effected is if you are 1. Dieting without Resistance Training to preserve muscle (lower muscle mass will decrease metabolism) 2. Dieting below critical body fat levels.
The significant reduction in metabolic rate is not significant to most people. Research using calorie meters to test metabolic rate found only 100-200 calorie difference in what they had expected the drop in Metabolic rate to be. That is not really significant, when you saw that the people had lost 100+ pounds.
Starvation Mode has been debunked NUMEROUS times. It is not what people think it is. You won't stop losing weight if you calories are too low. You won't start gaining weight magically if you calories are too low. Your body won't hold on to fat in a deficit.
True Starvation mode is when you are literally starving. Starvation mode kicks in when your body tries to protect its ESSENTIAL fat. This ESSENTIAL fat is around 6% for guys and 12% for women. Our bodies were never meant to go that low. So instead of burning fat at that point it will look to LBM (organs, muscle, etc).
The reason why I bring this up, is because people are literally afraid to eat low calories. I am not saying that it is something you should do, if you cannot sustain it. If someone is comfortable eating very low calories and they are still above critical levels of body fat, then by all means they should do it. There is no reason for them to get SCARED into thinking they need to up their calories in order to prevent STARVATION MODE.
The bottom line is this: You need to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight. How aggressive you want to be is up to you. Consistency is how you get the results. If you go low calories and wind up binging then why bother. If you need a small deficit in order to be satisfied then go for. You need to find a way to eat a deficit that you can live with until you lose all the weight you want.0 -
Trust me. I have coached MANY clients through aggressive cutting programs. My clients start eating very low calories around 500 for women and 1000 for men. They have lost upwards of 5lbs a week in the beginning months. They continue to lose over 2lbs of fat a week when they are 4 pack lean (visible 4 pack). None of them lost any muscle mass (Bod Pod and DEXA confirmed). In fact, their scans show that they put on some muscle.
The only time I really have to up their caloric intake is when they are almost stage/photoshoot ready. At that point they have to start doing some cardio and eating closer to maintenance. Until then, they eat low calories and weight train a few times a week. That is all that is needed to make dramatic changes.0 -
Trust me. I have coached MANY clients through aggressive cutting programs. My clients start eating very low calories around 500 for women and 1000 for men. They have lost upwards of 5lbs a week in the beginning months. They continue to lose over 2lbs of fat a week when they are 4 pack lean (visible 4 pack). None of them lost any muscle mass (Bod Pod and DEXA confirmed). In fact, their scans show that they put on some muscle.
The only time I really have to up their caloric intake is when they are almost stage/photoshoot ready. At that point they have to start doing some cardio and eating closer to maintenance. Until then, they eat low calories and weight train a few times a week. That is all that is needed to make dramatic changes.
Uuuummmm NO!!!!!!!
You should never go below 1200 calories!!!
I am 5'2 and eat between 1600-1900 calories and i am losing weight. (see ticker)
I think you need to seek help.0 -
you're never going to loose weight eating so little. instead of focusing on different foods to eat try increasing the portion size of the foods you DO eat.
200g of green beans (that's 7oz - try eating double) green beans (if fresh or frozen) are very healthy. tuna in a can try adding a few slices of avocado to your sandwich or pickles or spinach, tomato, onion or shredded carrots. eat the entire banana not just a piece. eat the entire grapefruit not just half. roast beef have 4 slices not 1. yes i'm looking at your diary and giving you suggestions based on what you are eating. IGNORE THAT STUPID weight thing at the bottom!!!!!!!!! really i can't stress this line enough IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE!!!!
do you like hummus - buy it and eat it as a snack with veggies (baby carrots, celery, peppers, snow peas, sugar snap peas). make a healthy salad with the tuna you are eating (spinach, tomato, chick peas sometimes called garbanzo beans, celery, feta cheese, tuna, olive oil, vinegar, hard boiled egg)
baked potato with mashed avocado on it - yum!
beef with peppers, onions, peas, all sauteed together; eat over quinoa or cous cous or just plain ole brown rice
good luck and please please please eat more!!!!! you are only harming yourself and you are very young. ignore the boyfriend - if he's expecting you to starve yourself to loose weight dump his *kitten*!!!! he IS NOT WORTH IT!!! if you don't start taking care of yourself and eating properly you will end up in the hospital because you will faint from it. been there done that and it is NOT FUN!0 -
Thank you mpawlicki, but I just don't know what foods to eat! That's my problem I have no idea what meals to eat so I just try not to.. It's really getting me down I feel like if I eat more ill gain more if i don't eat ill store the fat.
Super simple dinner with all the good stuff. Stir-fry chicken breast with spring peas, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage, serve over rice. You can pretty much throw the kitchen sink at stir-fry and not screw it up, so add whatever veggies you like, sometimes I even add fruit.
Simple lunch is a salad with some grilled chicken, shrimp, crab or other lean meat. A sandwich loaded with lean protein and veggies is great too.
Simple breakfast, eggs, any way you like. Try them scrambled with feta, mozzarella, mushrooms, spinach and sausage. Eggs are another thing you really can't screw up, just throw some veggies, cheese and meat at them and it's got all you need, add some toast if you like. If you're pressed for time, oatmeal and a banana will suffice.
Just remember, your body needs food, it's not the enemy, eat your calories every day.
Rigger0 -
Trust me. I have coached MANY clients through aggressive cutting programs. My clients start eating very low calories around 500 for women and 1000 for men. They have lost upwards of 5lbs a week in the beginning months. They continue to lose over 2lbs of fat a week when they are 4 pack lean (visible 4 pack). None of them lost any muscle mass (Bod Pod and DEXA confirmed). In fact, their scans show that they put on some muscle.
The only time I really have to up their caloric intake is when they are almost stage/photoshoot ready. At that point they have to start doing some cardio and eating closer to maintenance. Until then, they eat low calories and weight train a few times a week. That is all that is needed to make dramatic changes.
Uuuummmm NO!!!!!!!
You should never go below 1200 calories!!!
I am 5'2 and eat between 1600-1900 calories and i am losing weight. (see ticker)
I think you need to seek help.
So, people should not follow new research using up to date devices to accurately measure thing in order to follow outdated methods?
People thought skipping meals would cause you to enter starvation mode , until new research proved that wrong. Hey, if you want to lose weight slowly go for it. I will continue to have my clients lose it fast . They all get blood work done and body fat checks. They all get healthier and lose all fat with no ill effects.
I am sorry you disagree. You are free to you opinion.0 -
lol, few things have not happened more than this has not happened.Trust me. I have coached MANY clients through aggressive cutting programs. My clients start eating very low calories around 500 for women and 1000 for men. They have lost upwards of 5lbs a week in the beginning months. They continue to lose over 2lbs of fat a week when they are 4 pack lean (visible 4 pack). None of them lost any muscle mass (Bod Pod and DEXA confirmed). In fact, their scans show that they put on some muscle.
The only time I really have to up their caloric intake is when they are almost stage/photoshoot ready. At that point they have to start doing some cardio and eating closer to maintenance. Until then, they eat low calories and weight train a few times a week. That is all that is needed to make dramatic changes.0
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