? for Skinnier_Me

I've been on this site for almost 4 weeks(will be a month on Thursday).

I always think about that also but I still lose weight.
I don't always reach my new calorie goal but I do manage to lose 1 pound per week.

I'm guessing that you need to put in what you burned up so you're body won't go into starvation mode .... That's my guess. Maybe I'm wrong.

---

I searched for some answers and this is what I found.

Why does a very low calorie intake slow down weight loss?
Quite simply, your body goes into 'starvation mode'. This mechanism, which is thought to have evolved as a defence against starvation, means the body becomes super efficient at making the most of the calories it does get from food and drink. The main way it does this is to protect its fat stores and instead use lean tissue or muscle to provide it with some of the calories it needs to keep functioning. This directly leads to a loss of muscle, which in turn lowers metabolic rate so that the body needs fewer calories to keep ticking over and weight loss slows down. Of course, this is the perfect solution if you're in a famine situation. But if you're trying to lose weight, it's going to do little to help you shift those unwanted pounds.

So how many calories should I have to prevent starvation mode?
Unfortunately, there's no single answer to this question. As everyone's metabolism varies in the first place, so too will the point when the body starts to use muscle to provide it with calories in a 'famine-type' situation. That's why WLR works out suitable calorie intakes for each member on an individual basis and never lets you opt to lose more than 2lb a week, which would require a severely restricted calorie intake. In other words, if you stick to the calorie intake recommended by WLR, you can be sure your body won't go into starvation mode.



As a general rule though, most nutrition experts recommend never going below 1,000-1,200 calories a day if you're dieting on your own. It's also worth bearing in mind that the body doesn't suddenly 'enter' and 'leave' starvation mode, like crossing the border from Devon into Cornwall. It's a gradual process - so you don't need to panic if you do go below your calorie intake very occasionally.

I found this info too.. probably what Skinnier_Me was saying in her post...but thought I'd share what I'd found too.. since this is a very confusing thing all around. Hope it's a help.

_________________________________________________

Someone currently set at a 1800 calories consumption goal a day (Sedentary) that continues to consume that amount should stay the exact same weight.

If they then start to consume 1700 calories a day (Sedentary), they will get a 100 calorie deficit.
Which means they will lose 1 pound every 35 days if they continue this way. That is about 12 pounds a year. (3500 cals to 1 lb) (Divide by 100)

If The same person then starts to consume 1300 calories (Sedentary), they will get a 500 calorie deficit. Meaning they should lose about 1 pound a week.

How high the deficit is, is up to each individuals choices, as long as they are staying at or above the minimum 1200 consumed daily.

You can eat more as long as it is under your <u>Sedentary</u> expenditure and still lose weight.

___________________________________________________

What about the question of eating more than 1200 calories when you exercise?

What most people don't realize is that when you are told to consume 1200 calories, it's meant to be when you're Sedentary.

If you burn an additional 300 calories at the gym, you should be eating closer to 1500. This keeps you at the same deficit, but it also keeps you at 1200 *net* calories.

Many people suffering from ana, and bulimia, will also Over Exercise. They will consume a normal amount of food, (ie: 1200 calories) then spend all day exercising until they burn the 1200 calories, giving them a ZERO (or close to) intake for the day, starving themselves.
That is not only bad for your long term goal of weight loss, but also a dangerous health risk.

Basically you exercise, you earn more food to keep your body running at peak efficiency, you start to lose weight.
_____________________________________________________

Reasons you may gain at first when increasing your calories:

During the first week of introducing more food, you may experience some scale weight. This is fake weight and can be contributed for many reasons.

1.) Consuming more food means by pure odds that you will also be consuming more sodium. More Sodium than usual, every day for a week can bloat you close to 2 more lbs.

2.) Waste. The human body can hold up to 8lbs of waste. If you eat more, your body is temporarily going to hold more.

The weight gained in the first couple weeks cannot be fat as long as you are under your Sedentary caloric burn. This scares many people away from eating more.

______________________________________________________

You're so welcome! Your doing awesome! Keep up the great work! (-=