Chronic Low Cal Dieting Recovery--Upping Calories

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donewithmyself
donewithmyself Posts: 30
in Health and Weight Loss
I was a chronic low-cal dieter for about 5 months eating 1000 calories or less a day. I tried to do a metabolic reset by just taking a whole diet break (eating far above maintenance so I could gain weight to get my period back) for about 4 weeks. Do you think my metabolism is repaired enough for me to start a cut, or should I wait 2-4 more weeks?

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  • drenergy
    drenergy Posts: 112 Member
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    Since it sounds like you've had some issues with finding a healthy way to lose weight, I would not rely on forums. I would talk to my doctor and get her advice and then I would follow it. Seriously.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    No, I've figured the way to do it is to go slowly and eat right. I've learned my lesson and realized that quick weight loss is never the way to go and I'm willing to actually put time and patience into my weight loss efforts.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    No, I've figured the way to do it is to go slowly and eat right. I've learned my lesson and realized that quick weight loss is never the way to go and I'm willing to actually put time and patience into my weight loss efforts.

    Okay. Great. But still:
    I would talk to my doctor and get her advice and then I would follow it. Seriously.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    I went to my doctor about it and she said my hormone levels were pretty much normal and there really wasn't too much wrong with me (which kind of confused me since I had lost my period but gotten it back this month). Other than that, she didn't say too much.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
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    "pretty much normal"
    "not too much wrong with me"

    yikes. time for a new doctor methinks.

    good luck.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    I'd probably eat at maintenance for at least a month. Then you can see if maintenance is still what you expect it to be now, too.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    I'd probably eat at maintenance for at least a month. Then you can see if maintenance is still what you expect it to be now, too.
    I'll try to maintain the weight I'm currently at for awhile, but in December, I'll make a cut to 1600.
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
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    So, you think you "broke your metabolism", and your doctor didn't find anything wrong? What exactly do you think your metabolism is? If it were somehow abnormal, wouldn't there be some medical indicator of this deficiency?

    It sounds to me like you're just tired of dieting. Take a break.
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
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    "pretty much normal"
    "not too much wrong with me"

    yikes. time for a new doctor methinks.

    good luck.

    If your doctor doesn't find anything wrong with your test results, it doesn't automatically mean you need a new doctor. Maybe you need to let go of a pre-existing idea of what your problem is.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    No, believe me, I would have kept going on 1000 calories if I didn't know about the effects I had on my body. I was not tired of dieting. I wanted to keep going.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    how much weight have you put on in the 4 weeks to need to cut again?
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
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    Well it's great that you want to take a health approach to weight loss but I think that if your period stopped then perhaps you should be guided by medical advice on how to lose weight (if you need to - usually periods don't stop until you are quite lean) including your doctor and a dietician.
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    how much weight have you put on in the 4 weeks to need to cut again?
    i put on all the weight i lost give or take 5 pounds
    i don't think it's water weight though.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    So, you think you "broke your metabolism", and your doctor didn't find anything wrong? What exactly do you think your metabolism is? If it were somehow abnormal, wouldn't there be some medical indicator of this deficiency?

    It sounds to me like you're just tired of dieting. Take a break.

    She lost her period...

    OP, perhaps look into a nutritionist? There are far too many doctors who, even losing a period (trust me; been there), if you're not one of their many obese patients, don't bat an eye. Which is a shame, because of how often losing weight can be a sign of other problems (medical, eating disorders, etc.). I had a doctor once tell me, "Wow, like a model!" with my 5'6", 100 lb weight at one point. Yeah. Okay.

    The fact that you are menstruating again is good. Try finding a doctor who can actually help you better.

    What's your current height/weight for you to be wanting a "cut"?
  • donewithmyself
    donewithmyself Posts: 30
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    So, you think you "broke your metabolism", and your doctor didn't find anything wrong? What exactly do you think your metabolism is? If it were somehow abnormal, wouldn't there be some medical indicator of this deficiency?

    It sounds to me like you're just tired of dieting. Take a break.

    She lost her period...

    OP, perhaps look into a nutritionist? There are far too many doctors who, even losing a period (trust me; been there), if you're not one of their many obese patients, don't bat an eye. Which is a shame, because of how often losing weight can be a sign of other problems (medical, eating disorders, etc.). I had a doctor once tell me, "Wow, like a model!" with my 5'6", 100 lb weight at one point. Yeah. Okay.

    The fact that you are menstruating again is good. Try finding a doctor who can actually help you better.

    What's your current height/weight for you to be wanting a "cut"?
    I'm 4'11"-5'0" and about 115-120 lbs.

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