ruined metabolism by starving? ?
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He's a doctor and thinks he can treat everyone - people he's never seen?You've haulted
your body has been in deprivation too long, it has adapted to such a major deficit
now slowly, you must introduce a small sum of calories in each week, add 75 calories a week, slowly eat up and get the stroke of the fire in the metabolism back up again
What is happening is your body is holding on to all food and storing it in fear the circumstances will keep remaining in deficit
You need to you tube Layne Norton - Metabolic Damage (video)
- watch that video, layne is a bodybuilder and a doctor, he explains the process of very low calorie and the damage it does to the metabolism, he also speaks in depth of how to build it back up again, this will take time. GL
I've seen this name before here. What kind of doctor is this guy?
Any "one size fits all" or "I can diagnose your problem online" stuff sounds more "fitness guru" and less "doctor" to me.
Beware of anyone who believes they can diagnose online. People who are actually trained to diagnose know they can't,0 -
Where do you people find these doctors who do tests for vitamin or mineral deficiencies? I'm amazed at what people think doctors do.
Mine did. This was my PCP. I was extremely exhausted and gaining and gaining. She did a basic vitamin/mineral panel. My results came back showing very very low vitamin D. When I went on a D regimen but all my symptoms persisted, though, she was at a loss. It was actually my OB/gyn, whom I went to for a different issue, who tied that issue into possible hypothyroidism and ran that particular panel. But the original deficiencies panel was initiated by my PCP. Her recommendation, I didn't ask for it, I actually went to her thinking some horrible disease was going to be found based on how I felt.
She also continues to run my TSH, T3 and T4 (doesn't go any deeper than that, for that she referred me to an endo) every 6 months to see where my levels are. In addition, three years ago, based on my age, she ran a basic (very basic) hormonal panel for me. She seems to feel this is all pretty basic stuff for her to order tests for...? I thought most PCPs could do this sort of thing. Any of them can order blood panels for the basics, at least that I've seen.
OP: With that said I would second the rec from another poster before me for an endo, or at least asking for a basic panel from your PCP. It really can't hurt. But please note that, again, this is probably biased due to my own hypo-T condition. I'm not making claims that I'm an expert or that I've found your personal solution because I really have no idea. But when you have to eat ~500 cals a day to maintain and/or to lose, then it can't be a bad idea to check out every reasonable possibility. Again, just MO and I feel for you.
I hope you get this figured out.
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I apologise if this sounds like a dumb question, but does anyone have more information of metabolic damage or metabolic adaptation? I've always just thought the starvation mode is a myth, and thought I knew everything associated with it, but these terms are new to me. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!0
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When you go for your physical (or if someone enters a hospital or crisis clinic for eating disorders), they run your blood for that stuff.Where do you people find these doctors who do tests for vitamin or mineral deficiencies? I'm amazed at what people think doctors do.
If you're low, they'll start you on supplements.
It's extremely common, very routine and ho-hum. Blood tests are an all day, every day kind of thing for doctors to order.
If you are responsible about keeping yourself healthy (and have your physicals) and your doctor never runs blood, it's time to get a new doctor. That's pretty basic, health-wise.
+1 my yearly physical includes blood work. I was lucky enough to have one recently that showed me that everything I was doing while using MFP was better for my body.0 -
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ithrowconfetti wrote: »I apologise if this sounds like a dumb question, but does anyone have more information of metabolic damage or metabolic adaptation? I've always just thought the starvation mode is a myth, and thought I knew everything associated with it, but these terms are new to me. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
There is a long discussion with references here:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss/p1
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Thank you so much! (*)0
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There is actually no scientific evidence that extremely reduced calorie consumption leads to a slower metabolism, The "studies" that people refer to are from prisoners of war who had extremely low body fat and were living on a few hundred calories a day. Even then their metabolism didn't decrease enough to actually prevent them from loosing weight and as soon as they started eating normally their metabolic rate returned to normal. There are thousands of studies though that people are actually eating a ton more than they think. Try logging every single tiny bite of everything you put in your mouth. You might find you eqt more than you think,0
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There is actually no scientific evidence that extremely reduced calorie consumption leads to a slower metabolism, The "studies" that people refer to are from prisoners of war who had extremely low body fat and were living on a few hundred calories a day. Even then their metabolism didn't decrease enough to actually prevent them from loosing weight and as soon as they started eating normally their metabolic rate returned to normal. There are thousands of studies though that people are actually eating a ton more than they think. Try logging every single tiny bite of everything you put in your mouth. You might find you eqt more than you think,
Not to go OT, but this (the bolded) is actually an amazing testament to the human body.
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Not to get too off topic but, Yes, LA Woman. I think its amazing that when faced with starvation their bodies knew what to do to keep fighting. The human body is amazing.0
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He's a doctor and thinks he can treat everyone - people he's never seen?You've haulted
your body has been in deprivation too long, it has adapted to such a major deficit
now slowly, you must introduce a small sum of calories in each week, add 75 calories a week, slowly eat up and get the stroke of the fire in the metabolism back up again
What is happening is your body is holding on to all food and storing it in fear the circumstances will keep remaining in deficit
You need to you tube Layne Norton - Metabolic Damage (video)
- watch that video, layne is a bodybuilder and a doctor, he explains the process of very low calorie and the damage it does to the metabolism, he also speaks in depth of how to build it back up again, this will take time. GL
I've seen this name before here. What kind of doctor is this guy?
Any "one size fits all" or "I can diagnose your problem online" stuff sounds more "fitness guru" and less "doctor" to me.
Beware of anyone who believes they can diagnose online. People who are actually trained to diagnose know they can't,
Maybe take the time to research who he is instead of blindly criticizing him. You always plead ignorance is bliss and I guess for you it is. But it's still ignorance. Rather than just label someone a fitness guru, stop being lazy and make an attempt to learn something. And yes he does have his PHD.
And if you looked it up you could actually see what kind of work he does.
Totally agree, Layne is an exceptionally thorough and educated teacher.
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pscarolina wrote: »How did you lose the weight last year? Eating very low calories? I have a couple of co-workers who are doing HCG injections & eating 500 calories a day. THIS is why I don't go for that kind of thing.
I'd increase calories slowly & add some exercise. Even if you gain a little who cares. Reset your metabolism the best you can, learn to enjoy normal eating again & then MFP will be here for you to lose it the right way.
I think there's huge misinformation out there about HCG. You are consuming low calories, but with the HCG you are also releasing approximately 1300 calories a day from fat to fuel your body. You are not ruining your metabolism, you are resetting it. Co-workers and I are also doing this diet as we speak. I am 8 days in and have lost 8.5 lbs. I am not hungry throughout the day because of the HCG and my energy is better than it has been in months. If there was truly a low calorie starvation thing happening, you couldn't feel this way. Read REAL information on it. You don't just go back to eating normal. You go to phase 3 which gradually adds more calories in a healthy way to your diet to teach you self control and portioning to be healthy.
I have read REAL information on it. The information that told me it was BANNED by the FDA for being sold for weight loss because it is on no way proven to work or be effective. Whatever sales materials you read were incorrect and, considering the FDA ban, whatever it is you are taking is not HCG, unless you're having a pregnant woman pee on you daily. Stop spreading this nonsense. It's dangerous and against the community guidelines (all hail).
OP - You've gotten some really good advice. I think you should find a new doctor and get a referral for a registered dietician. If you don't trust your doctor to give you a good recommendation, use Yelp to look up dieticians in your area. Best of luck to you. You CAN do this.
This is what I was going to say. HCG injections are illegal in the US, and probably a lot of other countries. And the only effective way of taking them is injection. So what you and your co-workers are likely taking are "HCG supporting supplements." which don't do anything. You lost weight because you're eating 1300 cal/day. The other effects are merely placebo.0 -
And since HCG Is banned, the drops don't even have real HCG in them anymore. They'll tell you that they have an 'infusion' or whatever it is they're calling it, but not any real HCG.
Dangerous and dumb 0 -
Go see a doctor and a nutritionist. You lived on 500 calories for more than a year, it might have caused harm internally although you've lost weight, you were starving yourself. That's the best advise I can give you. Good luck!0
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If a person's body is converting food into fat, their metabolism isn't messed up. Metabolism is simply the process of converting food into something the body can use. Whether we like it or not, fat is one of those things.0
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What the OP describes is nothing more than glycogen replenishment with the necessary associated water retention. 3-4 grams of water per each gram of glycogen ....0
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There is actually no scientific evidence that extremely reduced calorie consumption leads to a slower metabolism, The "studies" that people refer to are from prisoners of war who had extremely low body fat and were living on a few hundred calories a day. Even then their metabolism didn't decrease enough to actually prevent them from loosing weight and as soon as they started eating normally their metabolic rate returned to normal. There are thousands of studies though that people are actually eating a ton more than they think. Try logging every single tiny bite of everything you put in your mouth. You might find you eqt more than you think,
Not to go OT, but this (the bolded) is actually an amazing testament to the human body.
Living organism's ability to adapt is pretty amazing, but only within the laws of physics. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. At the end of the day, the body can only adapt so much - it slows downs all non-essential functions (a few can be stopped) to keep essential organs working, but the extra energy comes from somewhere and it is at the expense of muscle. Once the fat and muscle are essentially gone, you die.
OP - question - Once you returned to 500 calories a day, how long did it take to lose that 9 lbs? I agree that you need to seek a professional, fwiw, but I also agree that giving higher calories a chance for another couple of weeks might be worthwhile. Maybe go to 1000 for a couple of weeks then keep upping them.0 -
TimothyFish wrote: »If a person's body is converting food into fat, their metabolism isn't messed up. Metabolism is simply the process of converting food into something the body can use. Whether we like it or not, fat is one of those things.
BS. What do you think the body would do with the extra calories? You make and burn fat on a daily basis. If she has been at 500 calories a day for a long time then gets a feast, her body is going to replenish whatever it needs and store the rest to get ready to cope with the next several days of 500 calories a day. It doesn't know if she is going to get another meal and when so it stores the extra energy. It is a survival adaptation.0 -
GauchoMark wrote: »BS. What do you think the body would do with the extra calories? You make and burn fat on a daily basis. If she has been at 500 calories a day for a long time then gets a feast, her body is going to replenish whatever it needs and store the rest to get ready to cope with the next several days of 500 calories a day. It doesn't know if she is going to get another meal and when so it stores the extra energy. It is a survival adaptation.
You're completely missing the point. Let's suppose she needs 1500 calories a day but she's been eating 500 calories. If her "feast" is 1500 calories, her body is going to metabolize the food, put it to use and she won't gain weight. But if her "feast" is 2000 calories, her body is going to metabolize 2000 calories, put 1500 to use and store 500 as fat. I see nothing about that to indicate that her metabolism is "ruined", since that's the way our bodies are designed. If anything her metabolism is working more efficiently because she needs to consume less food to get the fuel required for her activities.
What is really messed up is people's concept of metabolism. People believe that the ideal metabolism is one that allows them to eat as much as they want, whenever they want. There's a word for that, gluttony. No, the ideal metabolism is one that requires very little food to fuel our activities.
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BriarBelle wrote: »Thanks everyone for the advice I honestly thought everyone was just going be horrible and say its my own fault!
Im definitely going to look into re feeding and see about getting a nutritionist.
Until recently I just thought well if I get help ill have to gain loads of weight so id rather carry on like this but now I really do want to change! Im scared of gaining weight but im 8stone7 at the moment so realistically its not going to kill me or make me overweight if I gain a few pounds.
I do need to get a new doctor as well mine is horrible!
Well, two things:
1. You use the word "fault". I would not use that word, because blaming is useless anyway, but one thing is sure: you are totally "responsible" for your current situation. You are not a passive victim. Which is not a bad thing after all: if we can put ourselves in trouble, it means that we can generally pull us out of it !
2. This second remark may not apply to you at all, but I feel it's important to mention: When dealing with a health professional, it is essential to tell ALL the truth, and only the truth. If you are not ready to do so, for whatever reason, don't take any appointment, so you won't waste your time and theirs. I have read many posts on MFP where people chose what information they disclose to their doctors - e.g., they won't tell that they "binge" once a week, or that they do not count what they drink, etc.; then come here and complain that what they are being recommended "does not work" ! Giving the complete and very precise information is crucial. Don't pretend that you're much smarter than the doctor or the nutritionist, and "know" what they need to know or not. Tell them everything, let them sort through what is relevant or not, and make their recommendations. Afterward, if you think that the plan or recommendation is not the best for you, TELL THEM WHY and discuss further.
One last thing: a doctor will know if you are hiding stuff. Trust me, they will.
Good luck, and take care.0 -
Am I the only one wondering how she could have been eating only 500 calories/day for 1.5 years and NOT be underweight? Not to be mean, but how would that even be possible?0
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TimothyFish wrote: »GauchoMark wrote: »BS. What do you think the body would do with the extra calories? You make and burn fat on a daily basis. If she has been at 500 calories a day for a long time then gets a feast, her body is going to replenish whatever it needs and store the rest to get ready to cope with the next several days of 500 calories a day. It doesn't know if she is going to get another meal and when so it stores the extra energy. It is a survival adaptation.
You're completely missing the point. Let's suppose she needs 1500 calories a day but she's been eating 500 calories. If her "feast" is 1500 calories, her body is going to metabolize the food, put it to use and she won't gain weight. But if her "feast" is 2000 calories, her body is going to metabolize 2000 calories, put 1500 to use and store 500 as fat. I see nothing about that to indicate that her metabolism is "ruined", since that's the way our bodies are designed. If anything her metabolism is working more efficiently because she needs to consume less food to get the fuel required for her activities.
What is really messed up is people's concept of metabolism. People believe that the ideal metabolism is one that allows them to eat as much as they want, whenever they want. There's a word for that, gluttony. No, the ideal metabolism is one that requires very little food to fuel our activities.
That is a pretty judgmental statement with several assumptions. Besides, your original statement of "If a person's body is converting food into fat, their metabolism isn't messed up." is just wrong and WAY different from what you just posted. Your body can certainly store fat even while the metabolism is slowed or "working more efficiently". Furthermore, just because a calculator says she needs 1500 calories, doesn't mean that is the actual need - especially if she has been eating 500 for a long period of time.
As for the "ruined", messed up concept of metabolism, that is all just semantics. If you are stranded on a desert island, the perfect metabolism is slow and efficient. If you are stranded in America where junk food is cheap, plentiful, and the social norm, then it is not ideal.
It doesn't make her a glutton to want her metabolism to function in a normal way.
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Where to get your vitamin levels checked? Um... well, my family doctor takes blood, sends it to the lab with orders to check vitamin and mineral levels, gets a report back, and discusses the results with me. Any doctor can do this.0
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Also by eating way too little your body burns up muscle tissue as well as fat. Less muscle means lower metabolism. So I agree with the other person who said that in addition to eating more, lifting weights to put some muscle back on your frame would be a great idea. While also seeing a nutritionist to design a good, healthy diet for you. I thought I knew everything about eating right, but I learned so much more from my nutritionist!0
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no offence if you really were eating 500 cal for over a year you would be without a doubt underweight unless you were really overweight to begin with. check your thyroid, but the weight gain could be water, or your body trying to hold on to calories because it has been starved. after you check your thyroid and assuming everything is ok, i would up to 1000/1200 for one month and see if you keep gaining all month. but eating that little is a disorder so you should also see a counselor.0
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