Working out of starvation mode

GothicaAdore
GothicaAdore Posts: 82 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been dieting without a lot of results at 1200 calories. There doesn't seem to be a lot of agreeing information on the subject but it has been suggested that I may be putting my body into starvation mode.

I'm going to try a 1300 calorie diet for a while, has anyone else had any success with moving up in calories?

Replies

  • RangerRN507
    RangerRN507 Posts: 124 Member
    prepare for more endless debate on this topic and good luck
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    It doesn't work like that. If you have lots of fat to lose then starvation mode will never take place other than the normal adaptive reduction in metabolism from lost weight and possibly a little more but it's not going to stop weight loss for the vast majority of people. It's more than likely your math is wrong and your consuming more than you think and not burning as many calories as you think. Rededicate yourself and weight all the food and get your intake as accurate as you can, I suspect you'll start losing again.......consuming more food will not do what you think it will, reduce weight, that has never made sense even though it's a popular belief over the internet. You do however, need to fuel your lifestyle properly and saying that 1200 may be insufficient and causing eating sessions that you may not be aware of or allow yourself to count.......it's a very popular theme.
  • JaxDemon
    JaxDemon Posts: 403 Member
    Your body can survive on 700 cals per day for weeks before you even enter that crazy mode.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Are you weighing solids and using measuring cups for liquids? You may be eating more than you think.

    ETA: I took a look at your diary, and just this past week you were over more than 500 calories two days. That can wipe out any weekly deficit.

    Get yourself a food scale and start weighing. I see you have a lot of entries like 1/8 shephard's pie, 6 cups of popcorn, etc. It would be much more accurate to weigh such entries.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
    first of all what makes you think that? do you eat foods that keep you fuller longer? are you drinking enough water also
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
    Well I was on 1200 for weeks, lost some weight initial But then it stopped. I upped it to 500. Weight loss, albeit slow, has resumed and is still happening. I think it was too much of a deficit ( my TDEE is 2030), But who knows what really went on. I was weighing myfood bBut there is part of the day when I have to estimate and I may have been subconsciously underestimating in order to fit it into the 1200? Not sure. I think you need to try to see what works for you. Only thing I will suggest is to stick with any new regime for 4 weeks at least before evaluating whether it works or not.
  • GothicaAdore
    GothicaAdore Posts: 82 Member
    I don't weigh food (also really weird to do in public).I mostly estimate unless its a pre-made food. I try to overestimate. My concern was that I am eating too little. If I keep under maintenance calories most days, then in theory I should still lose some weight.
  • spoiledpuppies
    spoiledpuppies Posts: 675 Member
    My two cents is that you really should weigh food, no matter how silly it may seem to you. (I have been known to even do it in public.) Chances are, you are eating more than you think. You're not in starvation mode.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    I don't weigh food (also really weird to do in public).I mostly estimate unless its a pre-made food. I try to overestimate. My concern was that I am eating too little. If I keep under maintenance calories most days, then in theory I should still lose some weight.

    Are you estimating your cereal? If you don't weigh your food, at least measure out portions of things like cereal. You aren't in starvation mode, you are probably just eating a bit more than you think you are. (Most of us do. Even when I log, if I don't pre-log, I have a very high chance of forgetting something I ate. I did that today. I forgot 300 calories the first time I logged my day.) Weighing is the most accurate, but if you use measuring tools and don't heap the portions and are honest about them, you'll be much better off that estimating.

    The issue for you isn't whether 1200 or 1300 calories is right for you-you will lose at either of those amounts. It's clarifying how much you are eating. Almost guaranteed.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    I don't weigh food (also really weird to do in public).I mostly estimate unless its a pre-made food. I try to overestimate. My concern was that I am eating too little. If I keep under maintenance calories most days, then in theory I should still lose some weight.

    whether it is weird or not, the reason you have not lost weight (barring some disease) is because you are eating more than you think or burning less.

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
  • yanglovesmj
    yanglovesmj Posts: 28 Member
    i think it all boils down to where your 1200 calories come from. they have to be from clean foods and not processed or junk food. your body react to the types of food you eat differently, so i m guessing you might not be eating the right foods? cos the 1200 calories worked in my case and i am really strict with the foods im feeding my body. if thats not the case, you have to tweak your diet and exercise accordingly to see how your body works best for it
  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
    TDEE -20%.
  • shred_me_up
    shred_me_up Posts: 267 Member
    and also a 100 difference is nothing; everything we log is just estimates and im guessing most of us are about 100 off every day, i would up seriously (1500 or so)
  • candiceh3
    candiceh3 Posts: 379 Member
    If you don't look like this...

    starving.gif

    you are NOT in starvation mode.
  • squirrel1691
    squirrel1691 Posts: 18
    I would have to say it is the type of food you are eating. Choc chip pancakes, and choc cereal? It looks like you are way over your sugar and sodium everyday. Also fit in those 8 glasses of water, it should help!
  • BenjaminMFP88
    BenjaminMFP88 Posts: 660 Member
    Starvation is a bunch of crazyness. You're not in starvation mode, and certainly not when eating 1200 calories a day. Sure, you may be eating below what your body wants in order to function, but starvation mode? No...
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
    are you seriously only drinking a 0.96 oz of a cup? Which basically equals to 27 grams and 30 grams leads to about 1 ounce. Are you really only drinking one oz with your cereal? The measurements seem off... What do you use? Ive measured my cereal and milk before and I used 1 cup measuring cup to make sure it was accurate
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
    If you don't look like this...

    starving.gif

    you are NOT in starvation mode.


    Thank you for posting this!!!!!!

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