caloric deficit? plateau

Options
bfitjill
bfitjill Posts: 11
in Food and Nutrition
Yesterday I ate 2100 calories. Body media says I burned 4,000.
Day before (Sunday) I ate 1500 and burned 3700.
I typically run 8 miles a day or cross train the equiv, but I've been trying to slow down a bit so I don't screw my metabolism.
I mean yesterday MFP said I had 1300 remaining!
I did yoga today and am eating to the burn.
I plan on eating 2k a day for the rest of the week and completing 60 minutes of turbo jam, alternating with Bob Harper and 2 long runs.
Ok, so i keep reading these things on here which say the starvation mode is a myth. Well guys, I plateaued like no one's business.

isn't that exactly what happened? I was consistently 800-1000 deficient for months.
Tell me that I can fix this!
I'll be eating 2k a day with intense cardio/weights for 60 minutes a day.
I'm 5'7" and have an amazon build :)

Replies

  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 701 Member
    Options
    ... so you're plateaued since Sunday?
  • tjohnoconnor
    tjohnoconnor Posts: 58 Member
    Options
    Starvation mode is not a myth but it is used for excuses at MFP far too much. 99% of the time it is something else, not starvation mode. If you burn enough to go a 1000 calories or more below your BMR you are screwing around with your metabolism. To reach starvation mode you would have to do that for an extended period of time, possibly weeks. Most people would have the urge to just eat before starvation mode set in. A plateau does not imply starvation mode. I experienced starvation mode at one time. Loss of mental clarity, indecisive, dizziness, cramps and passing out were just a few of the things that happened to me. Why dont you try the TDEE method for a week or two.
  • bfitjill
    bfitjill Posts: 11
    Options
    I certainly get the urge to eat and then I have to.
    I guess I'm looking for a nice happy medium and any suggestions
  • bfitjill
    bfitjill Posts: 11
    Options
    ... so you're plateaued since Sunday?
    I wish! Plateaued for months!
    Been burning around 1200 in exercise per day, eating 2k 5 outta 7 days
  • bfitjill
    bfitjill Posts: 11
    Options
    Starvation mode is not a myth but it is used for excuses at MFP far too much. 99% of the time it is something else, not starvation mode. If you burn enough to go a 1000 calories or more below your BMR you are screwing around with your metabolism. To reach starvation mode you would have to do that for an extended period of time, possibly weeks. Most people would have the urge to just eat before starvation mode set in. A plateau does not imply starvation mode. I experienced starvation mode at one time. Loss of mental clarity, indecisive, dizziness, cramps and passing out were just a few of the things that happened to me. Why dont you try the TDEE method for a week or two.
    What's TDEE?
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    Options
    Have you lost weight since you started and not adjusted your numbers in MFP? As you lose weight, you burn fewer calories and will have to keep lowering your intake or you definitely will plateau.

    Apart from that, you are most likely either over estimating your calories burned or underestimating your intake. If you are really in that much of a deficit for that long you would not be able to remain the same weight.
  • bfitjill
    bfitjill Posts: 11
    Options
    I set my body media device for 5 lbs below my actual weight to account for errors.
    I am pretty precise with my entries as far as food goes,
    Maybe I'm overestimating the burn, but even so I hardly ever eat to my MFP calories.
    Again, I run or cross train 8-1 miles a day and I don't have a sit-down job.
    Maybe I should lower my weight again to reflect errors. I'll try that.
  • Add713
    Add713 Posts: 53 Member
    Options
    Eat 1500 cals. when u need 3700 cals. Are u trying to make urself sick?
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Options
    I set my body media device for 5 lbs below my actual weight to account for errors.
    I am pretty precise with my entries as far as food goes,
    Maybe I'm overestimating the burn, but even so I hardly ever eat to my MFP calories.
    Again, I run or cross train 8-1 miles a day and I don't have a sit-down job.
    Maybe I should lower my weight again to reflect errors. I'll try that.

    No, you should enter your actual weight.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 701 Member
    Options
    ... so you're plateaued since Sunday?
    I wish! Plateaued for months!
    Been burning around 1200 in exercise per day, eating 2k 5 outta 7 days

    Gotcha.

    Okay, first off, how are you measuring your food? Measuring cups for liquids and food scale for solids? If not, then start doing that. Second, you're burning 1.2k calories in exercise per day. How is that estimated? Are you running for 2-3 hours everyday and using an HRM? Finally, what is your intake on the days you're not consuming 2k calories?

    Also, the TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) method is calculating your TDEE, which is BMR (calories burned by living, not moving/activity/exercise) plus calories burned by daily activity (including exercise). Then you subtract 10-20% and eat that everyday. If you set MFP to lose 1 lb/week that is NOT this method. MFP has done the work for you and expects you to eat back your exercise calories (MFP calculations take daily activity not including exercise into account).
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Options
    4000 calories burned! whoa! that is some burn! I am hugely active and my Fitbit never shows me as burning more than 2400.

    2k is not a big amount to eat at your height and with your activity.


    As others have suggested work out your TDEE and you'll know what you can eat at to still lose :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    I'd stop exercising as much. I know that starvation mode is a myth but I've read a lot of people who started losing weight again once they upped their calories or stopped exercising as much.

    I would however adjust your bodymedia to your current weight, the fact that you put it as a lower weight might be completely screwing up the numbers.
  • tkillion810
    tkillion810 Posts: 591 Member
    Options
    If you're measuring and tracking everything precisely, it might be time to try upping the calories. Here's a great article on reverse dieting.
    http://www.coachcalorie.com/reverse-dieting/
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
    Options
    If you're measuring and tracking everything precisely, it might be time to try upping the calories. Here's a great article on reverse dieting.
    http://www.coachcalorie.com/reverse-dieting/

    that's so weird, i was just emailing my husband about this subject, then i clicked to my MFP tab and saw your post!
    THX!! :smile:

Categories