Starving...

mustangali
mustangali Posts: 20
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
So I'm curious - on the days when I don't have a chance to exercise, I try to stay a good 300-400 calories below my given limit. By the end of the day I'm usually starving, but I don't want to eat the calories. Am I the only one that does this? And is it bad? Being 315 lbs, I doubt my body is going to go into starvation mode because of a few extra hours being hungry. Thoughts?

I guess I'm not used to feeling hungry...like ever. I suppose that is how a person gets to this kind of weight to begin with, right?

Replies

  • Hourglass25
    Hourglass25 Posts: 340 Member
    When I first started I felt like I was starving too. I have learned to have a good breakfast and protein for lunch so I don't feel hungry until dinner. After all the hard work that you have put in throughout the day is hard to eat those extra calories but you don't want to starve yourself have a fruit. In order to lose weight you have to eat, you don't want your body going into starvation mode and not lose anything.
  • sanura
    sanura Posts: 459 Member
    I'm pretty sure you can go into starvation mode at any weight. there is no need to stay below your limit on the days you don't exercise. mfp automatically deducts calories from your bmr (basal metabolic rate) when you do exercise it adds back those calories, and you can choose to eat them or not.

    another tip is to eat larger quanities of low calories food like veggies, you'll feel more satisfied.

    best of luck
  • darknight0dc
    darknight0dc Posts: 20
    I was reading that in cases where people need to lose a lot of weight fast Dr.s have been putting people on very low calorie diets, which is forcing the body into ketosis, that's where the body uses fat to function instead of just using calories. The article I was reading said that ketosis is OK for like 1 month.
    So I personally think that you should be ok, as long as you are hitting about 1000-1200 calories per day, but you should really talk to your doctor about it to make sure you wont get any adverse health effects from such a low cal. diet.
  • gagaboo
    gagaboo Posts: 8 Member
    I found that I have to eat every 2-3 hours. So after breakfast, by 10:30 -11 I'm having a snack, then lunch and and afternoon snack about 3. That maintains an even level so your metabolism doesn't slow down. A handful of almonds, string cheese, apple & peanut butter.... try to stay away from sugar, that just makes you crave more food.
  • sanura
    sanura Posts: 459 Member
    my own sister was put on a low calorie diet by a doctor, and she did lose 80 pounds, along with her gallbladder, her hair, and suffered from insomnia and constant hunger and cravings and mood swings. once she hit her goal weight all the weight came back and more, yet she did maintain the hair loss....
  • krista42
    krista42 Posts: 7
    The calorie amount MFP gives you is already lowered to allow you to lose weight, so you definitely don't need to stay that far under (and it probably isn't healthy to do so). For me, making sure that I am hydrated properly has been the best way to keep my hunger at bay, as well as eating enough protein and fiber. Also, I know for me it was hard at first to distinguish between feeling "hungry" and feeling "not overly full"... I'm so used to overeating that unless I'm stuffed my automatic thought is that I'm still hungry!
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
    You shouldn't be eating less than your given limit just because you didn't exercise. The limit they give you is based on your normal daily activities.

    When you exercise you get more.

    You need to eat at least 1200 calories a day.
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
    So, if MFP gives me 1,200 calories today and I didn't have time to exercise, you're saying that I shouldn't worry about staying under it? I know it yells at you, if you do, but hate not being under my calorie goal for the day. It's bad enough I didn't have time to exercise...:-(

    Shannon
  • caroling
    caroling Posts: 4
    I was just looking up about this...what I found was that you should have more than 30 lbs to lose to be on a very low calorie diet. And 1200 is the min. where you should be able to get all the required nutrition. Lots of sites said this same thing.
  • darknight0dc
    darknight0dc Posts: 20
    my own sister was put on a low calorie diet by a doctor, and she did lose 80 pounds, along with her gallbladder, her hair, and suffered from insomnia and constant hunger and cravings and mood swings. once she hit her goal weight all the weight came back and more, yet she did maintain the hair loss....
    oh my gosh, that's horrible!! I had no idea :(
    I'm sorry that happened to your sister!
  • WritingMyLife
    WritingMyLife Posts: 57 Member
    Personally, I'm 5'10" and my doctor told me never to go below 1800 calories. We'll see what happens as I get down. But, I have to agree with what others have said - Your calorie goal is set by MFP in order for you to lose weight healthfully without even exercising. When you do exercise and log it in, it adds calories for you to eat. If you are really hungry, try to get closer to your limit.
  • runningneo122
    runningneo122 Posts: 6,962 Member
    Like the other posters have said, you need to eat. I run every morning and burn almost 1000 cals. I eat all them back and make sure to eat protein and one fruit with all 5 meals. The protein with every meal keeps the insulin from spiking and causing a crash later which is when you feel hungry. The program here already gives you a 500 calorie per day defecit for a pound a week loss if that is what you set in your goals.

    Filling things like grapefruit, celery, pickles are called "negative calorie" foods b/c they cause the body to burn more calories to digest them than are in them.

    Drinking water will really help and make sure to drink a glass straight down 20 minutes B4 eating and you will feel full with less food.
  • sanura
    sanura Posts: 459 Member
    my own sister was put on a low calorie diet by a doctor, and she did lose 80 pounds, along with her gallbladder, her hair, and suffered from insomnia and constant hunger and cravings and mood swings. once she hit her goal weight all the weight came back and more, yet she did maintain the hair loss....
    oh my gosh, that's horrible!! I had no idea :(
    I'm sorry that happened to your sister!

    thanks, this is one topic I feel very strong about, I really worry when people drastically reduce their calories. best wishes.
  • darknight0dc
    darknight0dc Posts: 20
    my own sister was put on a low calorie diet by a doctor, and she did lose 80 pounds, along with her gallbladder, her hair, and suffered from insomnia and constant hunger and cravings and mood swings. once she hit her goal weight all the weight came back and more, yet she did maintain the hair loss....
    oh my gosh, that's horrible!! I had no idea :(
    I'm sorry that happened to your sister!

    thanks, this is one topic I feel very strong about, I really worry when people drastically reduce their calories. best wishes.
    it's a good thing that you do feel strongly about it, or else peple might never realize that VLCD's can be that harmful, I'm glad you told me.
  • theatr3geek
    theatr3geek Posts: 101
    If you're hungry, eat. I have trouble eating 1200 calories a day. I feel bloated and like I'm gaining weight, but everyone is different. The number they give you (1200) is what you should eat WITHOUT the added exercise. If you do exercise, you get to eat more.

    Don't force yourself to eat, but don't put yourself into starvation mode. You can go into starvation mode at any weight.
  • trish2011
    trish2011 Posts: 31 Member
    I agree with the people saying you should eat the amount of calories the system is telling you, not less. Also.... agree with water and protein helping to fill you up. I'd like to add.... if you feel you are starving you will be less likely to stick with a program. This game takes a long time and you need to stick with it. You can stick with it if you feel it is reasonable. It is not reasonable to starve yourself. If you can do some walking or cardio to add to your burn you will find a comfortable and functioning level and still lose weight.

    I have, in the past, burned so many calories and eaten so little that I quickly lost weight and then hit a plateau. I want to lose it all this time and I'm encouraged at my progress. I joined in January and I'm down 13 pounds so far. I'm eating more than I ever have and I'm very encouraged. I would not be able to starve and workout forever, it just wouldn't be possible.

    I can workout and eat 2000 calories and still lose weight. I think that's great. You are an engine, you need fuel to run and if you don't have any fuel, you won't have energy and you won't burn fat... you'll just be tired.

    I know this sounds a bit preachy for someone who's only been working out since January, but like so many people I've lost and regained a number of times. I do think this system will work for me. I need to feel like I have information and this program gives me lots of info. I love that it tracks all the food I would never measure. Anyway, I wish you the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • mk820
    mk820 Posts: 137 Member
    I was told to eat 1200 cal. a day on MFP. The first week I did about 1000 a day and lost 4 lbs. Motivated, the second week I exercised myself an extra 1000 cal. and ate about 700 cal. a day. I only lost one lb. The 3rd week, I ate between 1100-1200 a day and lost 3.5 lbs.
    I've decided I'm not the expert just because I've lost hundreds on lbs. If I was I wouldn't be here. This time I think I'll follow directions.
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