Low Calorie Diet - Not Hungry. Am I in Starvation Mode?

idurahisham
idurahisham Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Dear Everyone,

I'm currently on a low calorie diet. I used to be on a pretty extreme of roughly 500 calories per day. Then I realized how stupid that is after I reached a plateau. Now I'm on a 1200 calories diet but I'm struggling to eat that much. Is there something wrong with me or has my body just adapted to not eating. Also, If I'm in starvation mode, how do I get out?

Sincerely,
Idura

Replies

  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    I was eating about 800-900 a day up until about a year & 1/2 ago (health issues.) I increased it by about 100 cals every couple weeks - a month. You're probably not exercising, so start slowly. And eat good healthy fats, like avocados & nuts or nut butters. I now eat twice as much as I did before (about 1,600cals/ day) & losing more weight now than when I was eating 1/2 as much at my largest weight.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    It is possible to eat so little that you end up in ketosis even if most of what you eat is carbs. Ketosis is welcomed by those on low carb diets because it kills hunger pains. As such, it is a useful tool for some people with a tendency to overeat.

    However, some say ketosis was originally used to stave off the weakness and distracting hunger pangs of starvation so that our ancestors could get off their bony behinds and go out hunting for enough food to sustain themselves rather than starve to death.

    To get out, go see a doctor. Get a referral to a dietitian/nutritionist. If you absolutely refuse to do this, my non-medical opinion is buy something high carb and sugary that you love and chow down. Repeat until this isn't an issue anymore. But the first suggestion is the saner one.
  • dinosaurparty
    dinosaurparty Posts: 185 Member
    I'm in a similar boat right now, as I've been sick for the past little while and have been having trouble eating more than 900cals a day. Honestly I think that my body has just adapted to not eating very much. If you were only eating like that for a little while, it's seems likely that your stomach has just shrunk and you aren't getting hunger pangs as frequently because you've learned to ignore them. If you were living off 500 cals for an extended period of time, you might want to see a doctor just to be safe.

    When I feel up to it again, my plan is to just eat whatever the frig I want for a couple days. I'm not going to stuff myself until i feel sick, but im going to eat three squares a day and have pancakes for breakfast and treat myself to a pizza. When I've been sick in the past this has been the best way of overcoming that 'but I dun waaaaanna eat' sensation. If i dont, I'll just continue on eating like a bird even though it makes me feel tired and weak.

    Treat yo self!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I doubt you're in starvation mode. However, please see a doctor.
  • dfelix109
    dfelix109 Posts: 1
    Hi, my calories goal is 1200 but my completed entrée said that I've been eating alot less calories than I'm supposed to and of course enter my exercise diary. But it said that if I continue, I'll be making my body go into starvation mode and make it hard to lose weight. I don't understand I thought you lose weight alot faster like that.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    if you're eating less calories than you're supposed to, your body will start burning muscle. one problem with that is that your muscles are what uses calories for fuel, so the less muscle you have, the less calories you'll burn. so no, ultimately it will make you lose less weight, and also make it MUCH easier to gain the weight back. and then there's the possibility of things like malnutrition, that can make you really sick.
  • Froggymcconnell
    Froggymcconnell Posts: 92 Member
    here we go again. :yawn:

Categories