2 pounds in 34 days.

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gtfosnorlax
gtfosnorlax Posts: 29
in Health and Weight Loss
I am getting very... ugh, I don't even know.

I feel like I'm doing everything right, as well as the basic - "burn more than you eat".
I drink enough water, I warm up before work outs, I get in a little stretch afterwards and stretch
a bit more before I go to bed. I do a bit of pilates here and there, and I try to watch what I eat.
I recently started drinking protein shakes in the mornings and afternoons because I am staying
with my in-laws and they're not all that down with me and my trying to lose weight. (They're your typical Asian family so they
love their food).

I know some people lose weight slower than others but isn't there a way I can boost it up a little?
I started burning over 1,000 cals per workout but I've been reading all these posts about 'starvation mode'
and now I'm afraid I won't even lose any more.

I mean, common. Just even 5 pounds a month AT THE LEAST.

What exactly do I need to do to put my body into starvation mode. And does this happen over night?
Is burning 1,000 and eating close to 1,330 a bad thing? Which should I change to lose more - decreasing exercise
or same exercise and eating more? If I start eating more now will I gain weight due to slower metabolism because of the exercise?

UGH. IDK. HELP!

Replies

  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
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    Are you logging all your food and exercise and then trying to come close to eating the daily calorie goal? Have you set your personal goals to reflect how many pounds you want to lose? Are your goals realistic?
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
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    You have to eat you exercices calories back. Right now you are asking your body to do everything it has to do (regulate your temperature, that kind of thing) on about 300 calories a day. You are strving your body!!!! The only way you can undo the damage is up your cals. And YOU WILL gain weight probably, until your body understand that it is ok to let go of your reserve, that you are not in danger of starving. Please do not do that to yourself. You will lose muscles and in the long term, just get fatter.
  • junebug523
    junebug523 Posts: 196
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    If you burn 1,000 calories through exercise and eat 1,330 calories total, then that leaves you only with 330 calories for the day for your body to function. That is simply too low. It's not sustainable, and not in any way good for you. 1200 is the average recommended baseline just to keep your body healthy, your organs functioning properly, etc. So really, if you are burning 1,000 calories through exercise, you should be eating most of that back, on top of 1330 (or 1200, or whatever your daily target is).

    Now, if you are netting 1,330 calories after all of your exercise and food has been counted, that's a different story. That's not so bad...because really, you would be eating above 2,000 for the day for that to happen...and that's much healthier for such a significant calorie burn.

    BTW...2 lbs in 34 days is still 2 lbs. Celebrate it! It's taken me 7 months to lose 14 lbs (partially because I am very prone to plateaus, partially because I got a little lazy in the past couple of months)...but I'm not giving up even though it's taken a long time. I've still made some huge strides in my fitness, inches lost, etc.

    So, if you feel you've done everything perfectly over the past month, change something up for a few weeks and see what happens. Before eating even less, try eating 200-300 calories more per day (or something like that). Don't freak out if that results in an immediate gain....because things will level out.

    Keep in mind that your health and sense of well-being is way more important than a number on the scale...good luck as you continue on your journey!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    You have to eat you exercices calories back. Right now you are asking your body to do everything it has to do (regulate your temperature, that kind of thing) on about 300 calories a day. You are strving your body!!!! The only way you can undo the damage is up your cals. And YOU WILL gain weight probably, until your body understand that it is ok to let go of your reserve, that you are not in danger of starving. Please do not do that to yourself. You will lose muscles and in the long term, just get fatter.

    ^^Truthieness^^

    Be aware you will *initially* put weight back on once you start eating more- THAT'S A GOOD THING! DONT STOP!!! After your body gets it self back into balance and realizes you arent dying, the weight will come off more steadily.

    If you are burning 1000 cals a say, you should be eating ATLEAST 2200 calories. Pay attention to that "net" number on your home page- it's there for a reason- keep it above 1200, proly more.
  • angiesammich
    angiesammich Posts: 7 Member
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    Try the HCG diet. I love it. I just started my second round. The first round, I lost 20 lbs in 35 days and my goal this time is 30 lbs in 41 days. I was losing one to two lbs per day when I was following the diet exactly. I buy the drops online and follow the diet protocol on www.hcgcompany.com.
  • Skinnyme87
    Skinnyme87 Posts: 42
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    I know exactly how you feel. I was in the same boat and finally started to overcome my plateau. I decided to start using measuring cups for proportion sizes.

    I found I actually was logging bigger amounts than I was eating. Sometime eating more can help your body start to lose again. It worked for me. I would suggest adding more fresh fruits and veggies while watching actual portion sizes.

    Hope this helps! : )

    P.S. Eat some of those exercise calories!
  • javamom
    javamom Posts: 309
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    If you eat 1300 and burn 1000 you are definitely putting your body in starvation mode. You should have a minimum 1200 calories a day after you subtract your exercise calories. If you are burning 1000, you should be eating a minimum of 2200 a day. You are seriously gambling with your health netting 300 calories a day!!!!!!!
  • gtfosnorlax
    gtfosnorlax Posts: 29
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    After reading the first few replies I went down and made myself a sandwich, lol.
    I will try to eat a bit more to see how things go.
    I'm more pressured because my husband comes back soon from Iraq for a 15 day leave and
    you know how we gals love to impress our men.
    I mean, there's other reasons why I want to lose weight, but that was sorta my goal/motivation.

    Thank you for the support and advice.
    Hopefully I don't gain too much from eating more. >.<!
  • junebug523
    junebug523 Posts: 196
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    As to your concern about gaining too much from eating more...don't let it phase you. If you do gain a few pounds in the first few days, that's okay! How often do you weigh yourself? You might consider not weighing yourself for several days so that you don't agonize over the number. And, make sure you drink plenty of water!

    I'm guessing your husband will be thrilled to be home with you, regardless of what the scale says! As long as you are happy, and healthy, and excited to see him, that'll probably be more than enough!
  • gtfosnorlax
    gtfosnorlax Posts: 29
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    I was weighing myself almost every 3 hours but I realized it started to drive me crazy (no, duh -_-) so I got enough control to wait to weigh myself every Monday in the mornings after I use the bathroom and all that junk. After I started burning 1,000 cals through exercise I just couldn't help myself to see if there was any change so I've been going back to my old habits again... I'll try not to weigh myself til next week, though.

    Yes, yes. I keep telling myself that. Trying to think positive.
  • gtfosnorlax
    gtfosnorlax Posts: 29
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    Oh, another question.
    Would it be bad if I went down and tried to eat more of my exercise calories now? (it's about 7:20pm and I plan on sleeping at 9)
    Or should I wait til tomorrow to start over...
    ?_?

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