Any former "starvation dieters" struggling?

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ladybug1620
ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am a former starvation dieter. I am used to drastically reducing calories and watching weight drop quickly. I usually do decent with keeping it off for a while, but it always creeps back up. Where I am struggling now is trying to lose weight the right way. It is so hard for me to see only a tiny bit of weight drop in a week's time when I know that I can drop 5 or more pounds doing it another way. It's a struggle for me not to return to my old ways. I wouldn't say I am anorexic, because I only do it to get to my comfortable weight and then I eat normally. But it is a vicious cycle. Is anyone else in the same boat? How do you stay on the right track?

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  • Brady_
    Brady_ Posts: 108 Member
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    im rrighhttt here with yah sista. im soo impatient, and if i dont see like 4-5 pound drop in one week i quit and eat my fridge as a whole pretty much. feel free to add me, and we can keep tabs on eachothaa. it is HARD.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
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    I've never had a real problem with this, but it can be tempting to know that there are faster ways to lose the weight. I just remind myself that I'm in this for the long run, I don't want to reach my goal weight too fast and end up with a slow metabolism that will make it harder to maintain my weight. I also enjoy the energy that I get from exercising and eating better! Remind yourself that you're doing what's best for your body and your health. Good luck, feel free to add me for support!
  • Kminor67
    Kminor67 Posts: 900 Member
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    The problem with starvation diets is that they are unsustainable. Yes, the weight comes off fast. BUT it comes back on even faster. MFP is designed to be a lifestyle change... not a diet. When you lose it slowly, you are more likely to keep it off. You're learning to eat healthy and do the right thing for your body. These subtle, sustainable changes help you keep the weight off. I understand the temptation of a starvation diet, but every time I've done that to myself, I gained the weight back and then some! I'm doing it the healthy way this time!
  • kimi233
    kimi233 Posts: 271 Member
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    I used to do it when I was younger, and it is hard to wrap my head around I need to eat more to loose more. But its the truth. By starving yourself, you are only doing damage to your body! And later in life, it will be just that much harder to get that extra weight off because you will completely destroy your metabolism! You need to do this the healthy way so you can keep the weight off for good, and stop the cycle! Just stick with it, the weight WILL come off.
  • vayax
    vayax Posts: 152 Member
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    The problem with your "old ways" is that you starve yourself but are not really learning to eat properly.... when you go back to eating normal you will gain everything back...

    I know it's awesome when you drop weight fast, but it is not healthy.... try doing it slowly, reaching your calorie goal, and you will see you can enjoy everything you like in moderation and will learn that portion control is super important...when you reach your goal you will have learned a lot and will keep the extra weight off!

    Imagine yourself at the end of the journey and you'll see it will be worth the wait!
  • alisons7598
    alisons7598 Posts: 162 Member
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    I did that when I was a teenager and managed to keep it off for about 7 years. Then I had kids. Over the last 12 years I have gone from 150ish to over 300. I know that doing it that way can seem easy but in the long run I want this to be PERMANENT not a quick fix. And I know that I screwed up my body doing it the other way. I need my body to not fail me so I need to do it right this time, even if it takes longer. I have lost 35 lbs in 90 days so it can be done the right way and this site has an amazing support system to help you:) Good luck!
  • GingerSnark
    GingerSnark Posts: 153
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    If you know it doesn't work why are you struggling? I'd think staying on track is easier when you know doing it the other way doesn't work in the long run.

    It doesn't work in the long run b/c your body does go into starvation mode so once you go back to eating normal the weight comes right back. Your body is storing it b/c it thinks you are literally starving.

    Quick results doesn't mean better. You just got to suck it up or you're going to hurt yourself in the long run. That's so not good for your body.

    You say you're not an anorexic but when you keep starving yourself....what's a stranger to think?
  • My3Rayz
    My3Rayz Posts: 373
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    I "felt" every word you wrote. It's so easy for me to stop eating. I get to a point where I don't want to eat because I see it as every bite will make me gain back that pound I lost. I'm really working on changing my mindset. I have a hard time eating 1200 calories every day and the scale is barely creeping. Wish I could offer advice. If you get any good advice, please let me know :)
  • AngelUK1985
    AngelUK1985 Posts: 84 Member
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    I never used to really starve myself on purpose but some days i used to have one meal a day which was normally my dinner and for lunch maybe a packet of quavers and skipped breakfast so i was basically surviving on very ltitle and i was very active at the time, dog walking for 4 hours a day 6 days a week so i was probably running on empty, now i like food to much not to eat my 3 meals a day and what makes me feel better about not going back to my old ways is because i was ill quite alot, always felt ill and normally really tired so i would definantly recommend you didnt try and starve yourself you'll jsut make yourself ill and you will always gain the weight back when you start eating again at elast this way of losing weight slowly you have a better chance of keeping it off.
  • gavinsmama
    gavinsmama Posts: 13
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    UGH,....yes I have been there time AND time again..restricting with excessive and then binging a ton and feeling like crap. I have to entirely re-learn how to eat normally...I honestly don't remember. But this site has helped! Keeps me accountable and the recipes ideas are awesome! I mean...I CAN eat again! GOOD LUCK!
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
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    If you know it doesn't work why are you struggling? I'd think staying on track is easier when you know doing it the other way doesn't work in the long run.

    It doesn't work in the long run b/c your body does go into starvation mode so once you go back to eating normal the weight comes right back. Your body is storing it b/c it thinks you are literally starving.

    Quick results doesn't mean better. You just got to suck it up or you're going to hurt yourself in the long run. That's so not good for your body.

    You say you're not an anorexic but when you keep starving yourself....what's a stranger to think?

    The struggle comes from the ultimate goal being (in my head at least) to see the scale go down as quickly as possible. I'm sure that mentality is probably slightly anorexia related, but I don't know since I have never been treated or tried to get treated. In my mind, anorexia is starving yourself constantly, and even when you are ridiculously thin still not feeling like it is good enough. That is not the case for me. I know what weight I want to be, I have been there before and been happy, and I have been below it before (and didn't like what I saw). I know the stopping point for myself.

    I know that quicker is not better, I know how to eat right, and I know that I should do it the right way. It's just getting past the quick fix mentality that tends to be a struggle for me. I haven't reverted back to starvation diets, I'm still hanging on and doing it the right way and working out but it isn't easy.

    Thanks for all the support ladies, feel free to add me!
  • thelassiemickyjames
    thelassiemickyjames Posts: 197
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    I have the same problem I've been on a 1200 calorie diet lately and recently falling 100-300 calories short of that on top of working out. I have a history of starvation dieting and losing like 15 lbs in like 2-3 weeks. Losing weight this slow is really hard for me as well. Seeing less than 2 lbs/week drop on the scale drives me crazy. I am very impatient. I dont know what to do since I've been eating nothing/pickles for dinner and I'm scared that I'm going to crack and get off track again. So frustrating. I wish I could offer advice but I'm struggling with the same thing.
  • Serafimangel
    Serafimangel Posts: 174 Member
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    been there, i was anorexic for a while, dropped from UK size 14 to a 6 in under 2 months. it is a struggle to eat more than I was then but nice in a way to get more leeway, my body suffered a lot from before so I've learnt my lesson, yeah the healthy way is slower, but so much safer.
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
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    I am so there right now....Right along side of you. We know its wrong...We know it didnt work before because it always creeps up...But that damn scale isnt moving fast enough. I get it.

    Not only that but its hard to eat as many calories as they want you to eat. Or I should say you are supposed to eat. Here I am an elephant eating all this food??? WTH Most of the time I find it harder to eat all those calories and figure them out then it would be to not eat :/

    I get it.

    Bottom line is you have to be tired of yo-yoing, you have to want to do it right so you dont have to do it again. Last week I lost 1lb. I had a fit and was ready to throw the scale out the freaking window. 1lb??? OMG my way of thinking is HOW LONG WILL THIS TAKE ME!!! AHHHHH.....

    Then I took a breath...and thought about all I have learned in such a short time. If it takes me a year so what? In that year I would have yo-yo myself thinner and gained it back and been here again. So what if it takes that long? I will be healthier, have more energy and feel better :)

    The BEST advice I took was to measure myself. If the scale is not moving I get out that tape. My inches are :) That is progress and keeps me going. Now I am still working on getting all of these calories. Its a daily battle I constantly feel like I am losing. I am makeing progress though :) One day at a time!

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