Must I starve to lose?
Replies
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The short answer is that no, you do not have to starve (or even feel hungry) to lose weight.
What you do have to do is take in fewer calories than you need to maintain the weight you're at.
To do that, and feel full, eat lots of veggies and fruits and foods high in fiber (such as beans & whole grains).
Most of those are nutrient-dense and low in fat & calories.
Also drink lots of low-cal fluids - water, tea, coffee, crystal light, mio, etc.
What's your healthy goal weight? (Related to that, do you know your BMI?)All the online tools tell me to eat between 1600-1700 cals to lose.
Seriously, I cant even get through one day on that?
Here's a BMI chart. http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf.
You want to be in the green range. As an initial goal, go for the highest weight in the green range for your height.
Find your height along the left side, move right along that line to the right end of the green range, then look to the top of that column to find your goal weight.
Multiply that goal weight by 10 to get your approximate calories per day.
Have you had your body composition tested? Check with your doctor to develop healthy goals.I weigh 200lbs, but also have a ton of lean muscle. Im quite thin at 150-160.
To maintain your current weight, you should eat 2000 calories.
To lose 1 pound per week, you should eat 1500 calories, or eat 250 calories less and exercise away 250 calories per day (above what activities you're already doing).
If that's not getting you the results you want, increase the deficit - eat less &/or exercise more.
When I started my weight-loss effort in January, both methods* gave me the same result: 1700 calories.
* multiply goal weight by 10; multiply current weight by 10 & subtract 500-1000 calories per day to lose 1-2 lb per week.
I eat back 1/3 to 1/2 of what I burn exercising if I'm feeling hungry.
I've just discovered that I had a blog available, so have done several posts about basic information - goal setting, exercise, and a post entirely of resources (which I'll add to as I run into more good sites).
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal?month=2014060 -
Diets don't work.I think you just need to reprogram your mind ... Youre [sic] dieting ...
If dieting was easy, people wouldnt struggle so much with it.
Changing your lifestyle does - it's permanent.0 -
by starve I mean: very weak, dizzy, low energy, cant get off the couch... I dont mean hunger pangs. I mean literally the feeling of starvation.
I doubt very much you ,or me, or almost anybody on this forum, literally knows the feelings of starvation.
1700 does not seem a small amount for a woman to eat, I lost on 1450 and can maintain on 1700.
Admittedly I am only average height, you may be talller than me
And they were my net figures - if your net figure is 1700, you then should also eat back at least most of your exercise calories.
If all the various calculators give you this same aprox figure, I think the figure is right and if you are going to lose weight you need to eat to that ( plus eat back exercise calories)
Gives you 2 options as I see it.
1. Get used to some feelings of hunger ( not starvation, let's not exaggerate) while your body adjusts
2. Adjust your types of foods to include more filling but less calorie dense items - eg more vegetables, low calorie cereals like all bran etc.
other people can give better advice on such food types than me.0 -
I still find that if I go below 2000 cals I feel really weak.
It is possible that your blood sugar is the reason. Try to space out your meals so you eat 5-6 times a day, about 3 hours apart and see if that helps.
Good luck to you!0 -
I hardly think 1700 is starving yourself. I eat less than that and weigh more and I'm good.
Increase your calories, you'll just lose more slowly.0 -
I agree with this poster. It's important to have an accurate assessment of where you are now and how many calories you are taking in. I also totally agree about experimenting to find the sweet spot. I monitor what I'm eating and how I feel during my workouts, as well as when I'm eating, to make sure I have enough energy for a good workout, but am still losing weight. It's often easier to cut, say 500 calories from your diet rather than work it off, but if you're dragging too much to be active, you're not going to feel good.hmmm... I know you don't mean "starve" literally, right? 1600-1700 seems like plenty to me, but I'm only 5'3" and I've been doing this a long time. How tall are you? You say you have a "ton" of lean muscle...why is that? Were you a bodybuilder in the past? Are you sure about that? Have you had your BF% tested by a reliable method? I'm pretty muscular myself, but I don't use that as permission to eat more calories. Through lots of trial and error and measuring and weighing and experimenting, I've found my "sweet spot" of 1350 cals to lose about 1 to 1.5 lbs a week on average. Sure I'm hungry before meals...at first it was hard but I've gotten used to it. I've also learned that if I eat plenty of protein and fiber I don't get as hungry as when I eat meals that are heavier in carbs. i.e. I had pancakes for breakfast the other day and my stomach was growling a couple of hours later, whereas an egg or some Greek yogurt will last me to lunchtime.0 -
I eat about that, I actually eat more food now than when I did eating crap, and I'm losing weight at a great pace. At first I had headaches, but now im fine. Of course your body is going to protest. It's so used to eating high calories. Give it a chance to adjust to the change.
My advise is, take a good real hard look at WHAT you are eating if you are not feeling satisfied on that amount of calories.0 -
I'm trying to lose weight and my daily goal seems to change every time I log my exercise in. My goal is 1200 calories, I had 1302 for the day, I exercised and burned 715 calories this evening just on Cardio. It says that I earned an additional 615 calories that I can eat. I'm confused, if I'm trying to lose weight, shouldn't I be eating my 1200 or more and then exercising and then not eating again until the next day. I'm 5'7", I weigh 150 and I'm trying to get to 130. If I keep eating, I'll never lose weight.0
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I'm trying to lose weight and my daily goal seems to change every time I log my exercise in. My goal is 1200 calories, I had 1302 for the day, I exercised and burned 715 calories this evening just on Cardio. It says that I earned an additional 615 calories that I can eat. I'm confused, if I'm trying to lose weight, shouldn't I be eating my 1200 or more and then exercising and then not eating again until the next day. I'm 5'7", I weigh 150 and I'm trying to get to 130. If I keep eating, I'll never lose weight.
You are supposed to eat back your exercise calories. If you're not sure that your calorie burn from exercise is accurate, eat back a portion of them.0 -
I'm trying to lose weight and my daily goal seems to change every time I log my exercise in. My goal is 1200 calories, I had 1302 for the day, I exercised and burned 715 calories this evening just on Cardio. It says that I earned an additional 615 calories that I can eat. I'm confused, if I'm trying to lose weight, shouldn't I be eating my 1200 or more and then exercising and then not eating again until the next day. I'm 5'7", I weigh 150 and I'm trying to get to 130. If I keep eating, I'll never lose weight.
Your deficit is already figured into your goal, and you're already eating the bare minimum so you need to eat them back. Eating 1200 and burning off 715 means you're eating 485 calories net, which is much much too low. I'd recommend eating back 3/4 of them, although MFP's calorie burn estimate for me is spot on and I eat back every single one. I lost all my weight that way, so your last statement is incorrect.0 -
If I eat them back, won't I gain weight?0
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If I eat them back, won't I gain weight?
nope, your deficit is already included, so the calories you burn through exercise are added to your daily total because you should eat them to fuel your next workout. They are the bonus, the payoff for the exercise, so to speak.
edit to add, you might not want to eat them ALL back, IF you're using the My Fitness Pal database to get your info, because the database tends to be fairly far off accurate. Aim for eating back 50-75% of your earned calories and you should do well.0 -
If I eat them back, won't I gain weight?
No - You will not gain weight if your net calories are below what you need to maintain. It sounds as though your net calories have been too low if you have been eating those calories and burning calories without eating them back, so it's possible that you might gain a very small amount back if you raise your net intake but you will lose it fast and be eating at a more sustainable level. If you eat 1300ish and burn 700, you've only intaken 600 calories net, which is too low by far.
The only thing I'd be wary of is trusting the reading a machine gives you for the cardio you've done, they can be quite off, so I'd compare a few sources.0 -
All the online tools tell me to eat between 1600-1700 cals to lose. Seriously, I cant even get through one day on that?
I weigh 200lbs, but also have a ton of lean muscle. Im quite thin at 150-160. I dont work out much, but I have a pretty active lifestyle.
I eat lots of lean protein and fresh produce and high fiber grains- I eat very clean and healthy & avoid sugar. I also only drink H20. But I still find that if I go below 2000 cals I feel really weak. Must I starve and feel awful to release fat?
It's hard to really determine without seeing a food diary, but I don't share mine, so I try not to poke through other peoples' either. But honestly, when I first starting counting I was hungry a LOT (and frankly sometimes still am as I struggle with a plateau right now only 10 lbs or so from my ultimate goal). Seriously. I try to do a few things to help combat that:
1. Anytime I'm feeling hunger pains I'll drink a glass of water. Sometimes some lightly sweetened or unsweet tea or coffee if I really need a pick me up. It's easy to confuse thirst for hunger, and even if you really are hungry, not thirsty, you can stretch a bit longer that way.
2. Try to have a good snack on hand, because any time I don't and go to a meal too hungry, I make bad choices and/or eat too much. That always sends me over the goal anyway. So it's better to have a handful of almonds for like 60 calories (I have small hands), even if that makes me 60 over my goal for the day, than to go hundreds over because I am starving.
3. I try to keep some gum in my purse. The chewing action tides me over a lot.
A side note, I obviously understand you don't really think you're starving. You are just using a bit of hyperbole as many folks are wont to do. People get so stuck up on silly things, yes?0 -
Thank you both, I'll try adding more calories so that I don't have to eat back my calories since I exercise late in the evening.0
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Eat eggs, turkey sausage and toast for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch, and turkey burgers with asparagus, homemade pizza with lots of veggies, chicken stir fry, or whole grain spaghetti with ground turkey for dinner. Eat ham sandwiches for snacks too! Works for me!0
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Are you saying that I should be eating all this in one day and if so, I'm assuming to space them out? I'm also in my 50s, my metabolism is slower than all of you in your 30s.0
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what types of foods are you eating? I'm doubtful you feel true starvation. Kids in Africa eating dirt to fill their stomachs so they can sleep are truly starving, not you at 1700 cals per day. They would love to have that in a week. Let's be realby starve I mean: very weak, dizzy, low energy, cant get off the couch... I dont mean hunger pangs. I mean literally the feeling of starvation. And yes, Im aware that Im overweight & that my body "should" understand it can use my fat as energy.
And Ive had a full physical and all my bloodwork is normal.
And yes, Ive had my BF% tested multiple times by trained professionals who have all remarked that I have a lot of lean muscle.0 -
what types of foods are you eating? I'm doubtful you feel true starvation. Kids in Africa eating dirt to fill their stomachs so they can sleep are truly starving, not you at 1700 cals per day. They would love to have that in a week. Let's be realby starve I mean: very weak, dizzy, low energy, cant get off the couch... I dont mean hunger pangs. I mean literally the feeling of starvation. And yes, Im aware that Im overweight & that my body "should" understand it can use my fat as energy.
And Ive had a full physical and all my bloodwork is normal.
And yes, Ive had my BF% tested multiple times by trained professionals who have all remarked that I have a lot of lean muscle.
????????????????????????0 -
When i first started dieting.... I felt hungry all of the time... hunger pangs even woke me up at night.. So it is rough at first... but it gets a lot easier as your body gets use to it...
Be strong and don't worry many people like you have gone through this same struggle...
and have overcomed them...0 -
I walk and burn off anywhere from 200 to 500 calories depending on how far I go and what my HRM says I've burned, Than I go on my merry way back home and eat every mother loving calorie I've earned. I love having extra food and cutting back to 1500 to 1700 is hard for me to do, but you make it work and if you need more to eat, get a walk in and have more.All the online tools tell me to eat between 1600-1700 cals to lose. Seriously, I cant even get through one day on that?
I weigh 200lbs, but also have a ton of lean muscle. Im quite thin at 150-160. I dont work out much, but I have a pretty active lifestyle.
I eat lots of lean protein and fresh produce and high fiber grains- I eat very clean and healthy & avoid sugar. I also only drink H20. But I still find that if I go below 2000 cals I feel really weak. Must I starve and feel awful to release fat?0 -
if it's a question of feeling satiated, I have found that Pgx Granules helped tremendously in that area. I add one scoop to select meals (breakfast / snack; for me) and that contents me. Now that I'm adjusting to my diet and activity changes, I'm finding I can often go without adding the granules. The added advantage to the Pgx granules is that it's a 1:1 carb/fiber. As I need 30g of fiber a day (as per doctor's guidelines), I'm finding the granules to be of good use for me.
It's an idea.
Best of luck to you and your goals!
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It's tough at first. There is no magic pill that alleviates the hunger pangs. I will eat a tablespoon of all natural peanut butter as a snack, and that helps me. But there is no such thing as losing weight without getting hungry. The good news is your body and brain eventually get accustomed to your new calorie intake and those hunger pangs subside.0
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by starve I mean: very weak, dizzy, low energy, cant get off the couch... I dont mean hunger pangs. I mean literally the feeling of starvation. And yes, Im aware that Im overweight & that my body "should" understand it can use my fat as energy.
And Ive had a full physical and all my bloodwork is normal.
And yes, Ive had my BF% tested multiple times by trained professionals who have all remarked that I have a lot of lean muscle.
Again, you probably need to eat more protein and fiber...and add some healthy fats! It's impossible to give you real advice if you don't open your diary, but if you're living on 1700 cals of air popped popcorn and celery sticks, yeah, you're not going to feel well.0 -
All the online tools tell me to eat between 1600-1700 cals to lose. Seriously, I cant even get through one day on that?
I weigh 200lbs, but also have a ton of lean muscle. Im quite thin at 150-160. I dont work out much, but I have a pretty active lifestyle.
I eat lots of lean protein and fresh produce and high fiber grains- I eat very clean and healthy & avoid sugar. I also only drink H20. But I still find that if I go below 2000 cals I feel really weak. Must I starve and feel awful to release fat?
It's hard to really determine without seeing a food diary, but I don't share mine, so I try not to poke through other peoples' either. But honestly, when I first starting counting I was hungry a LOT (and frankly sometimes still am as I struggle with a plateau right now only 10 lbs or so from my ultimate goal). Seriously. I try to do a few things to help combat that:
1. Anytime I'm feeling hunger pains I'll drink a glass of water. Sometimes some lightly sweetened or unsweet tea or coffee if I really need a pick me up. It's easy to confuse thirst for hunger, and even if you really are hungry, not thirsty, you can stretch a bit longer that way.
2. Try to have a good snack on hand, because any time I don't and go to a meal too hungry, I make bad choices and/or eat too much. That always sends me over the goal anyway. So it's better to have a handful of almonds for like 60 calories (I have small hands), even if that makes me 60 over my goal for the day, than to go hundreds over because I am starving.
3. I try to keep some gum in my purse. The chewing action tides me over a lot.
A side note, I obviously understand you don't really think you're starving. You are just using a bit of hyperbole as many folks are wont to do. People get so stuck up on silly things, yes?
Is she using a bit of hyperbole or does she mean she's literally starving? hmmm...by starve I mean: very weak, dizzy, low energy, cant get off the couch... I dont mean hunger pangs. I mean literally the feeling of starvation.0 -
I understood it as hyperbole.
Literal starvation is a terrible state. Having been anorexic in the past, I can understand people being sensitive about the distinction and wanting to argue that point. But starvation or not, it also makes me happy to see someone valuing their well-being enough to care about their hunger levels and energy while trying to lose weight. Too many people assume it has to feel *awful* And no, no - It doesn't and shouldn't.0 -
If the feelings of starvation are *severe* at that amount of calories, my urge would be to see a doctor. While it's probably just the drop in calories being taken hard it could possibly imply an issue with blood sugar/thyroid issues or any number of things and could be worth ruling such things out.0
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2000 should be fine.0
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I still remember the conversation I had with my dietician about this and it was over 2 years ago. I told her I was having my numbers, plenty of protein, getting in some high fiber things.....but I was still HUNGRY!
She said: Get in more fiber! So I did. I lost 12 pounds that month, and I wasn't hungry.
I added Chocolite Protein bars (www.healthsmartfoods.com) to my diet. 1-3 a day depending on how my numbers look. You can get coupon codes from www.retailmenot.com. They have about 10g protein, about 10g fiber, they're gluten free and sugar free, and are about 100 calories.
It's helped me IMMENSELY!!0 -
Only read the first couple of posts, so I'm not sure what everyone else has said, but I wanted to say that your experience reminds me of myself a little. I started around your weight at over 200 lbs a year ago. I started the diet eating 1200 calories a day. This made made me very hungry every day like you say. But I was able to do it for a little over 3 months and lost 27 lbs. However, I did little to no exercise, and l didn't plan my meals with all the food groups. I see that you say you eat "organic" but clearly that isn't all that must be done since its not working for you. I feel like even towards the end, I got more used to it, but not completely and I was tired of feeling hungry, plus I was depressed so I went off of it. Now that I'm back again, I don't feel hungry anymore. And some things have changed:
1. I exercise daily. Even if its only 15 minutes of jogging. But usually I do it for a while so I can burn off about 300 calories so I can eat a little more during the day. My goal is still 1200 calories each day, but I'm eating 1400 - 1600 and burning off the rest with exercise.
2. I eat protein with every meal. Eggs, Turkey Sausage, Cheese for morning. Turkey, Ham, Tuna, or Chicken for lunch, and usually for dinner I can eat a little more calories than normal so if I'm not eating a lean meat then there is always some other protein there. This is the key to filling full apparently...
3. I don't drink my calories. Food fills you up more than drink, so save those precious calories for substance. I only drink water, tea, coffee, 0 cal soda (rarely), and skim milk or light juice at 45 cal. a cup if I don't want a 0 cal drink.
4. Last and definitely not recommended, (and frankly, I'm not sure if this is a part of it) I ate 800 calories for a 3 days fast before starting this 1200 cal a day limit. I felt very weak by the end of it. When I went to 1200 calories, I felt like I was over eating!
5. Lifestyle change, and not diet. That is important. I can't even eat pop tarts anymore, one of my old favorites. They just taste like sugary cardboard now, and not appetizing anymore. I never thought that would happen.0
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