Starvation mode. Myth or Fact?

Therealobi1 wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

aziapatrick wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

You're consuming more calories than you think and burning less. Log everything, ditch the cheat meal and half the exercise calories you claim.

I don't log exercise because I don't want to be tempted to eat back the calories. I honestly have no idea how many calories I'm burning while exercising.

Ok. Log everything and ditch the cheat meal. See where you are in 3 weeks.

if she logs everything as accurately as possible, why cant she then fit in the treat meal?

With proper planning, she can.

But proper planning is not currently in effect.

I got stuck once after losing continuously. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1400-1500 and finally started losing weight again. Try upping your caloric intake and see if that helps. I know quite a few people who were just eating too little and their bodies ended up holding on to their fat (like me). Idk if "starvation mode" exists or not, but if you are eating too little, it's possible that your body thinks you're starving, especially if you're not eating the right foods. Fill your diet with lots of protein, veggies, and healthy sugars/fats like fruit and peanut butter. I know, harder said than done, but trust me it will help. If you get hungry, DON'T not eat. I'm not telling you to indulge, but test yourself... eat an apple. If the apple isn't satisfying, then you're not really hungry. Here's an example of my meals (I'm also pregnant atm so my caloric intake right now is 1800)

Breakfast:

Egg, low-fat cheese, and spinach on an english muffin, a banana, and a cup of coffee

Lunch:

Turkey and low-fat cheese on whole grain bread and a side of stewed green beans & tomatoes

Dinner:

Broiled fish, veggies, a baked potato with 1 tbsp light butter, and a crescent roll

Snacks:

Half a peanut butter sandwich (using low-fat peanut butter and low-cal whole grain bread) and some grapes, yogurt, granola bars, any kind of fruit or veggie, popcorn, sugar-free pudding cups, sugar-free jello, oatmeal, etc....

Also, weigh yourself in the mornings before you eat. That's when your true body weight will show. Throughout the day, you will gain weight here and there. I see a nutritionist every other week and this is the advice she gives me.

Mr_Knight wrote: »

Therealobi1 wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

aziapatrick wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

You're consuming more calories than you think and burning less. Log everything, ditch the cheat meal and half the exercise calories you claim.

I don't log exercise because I don't want to be tempted to eat back the calories. I honestly have no idea how many calories I'm burning while exercising.

Ok. Log everything and ditch the cheat meal. See where you are in 3 weeks.

if she logs everything as accurately as possible, why cant she then fit in the treat meal?

With proper planning, she can.

But proper planning is not currently in effect.

and that is why i said if she logs everything as accurately as possible.

Therealobi1 wrote: »

Mr_Knight wrote: »

Therealobi1 wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

aziapatrick wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

You're consuming more calories than you think and burning less. Log everything, ditch the cheat meal and half the exercise calories you claim.

I don't log exercise because I don't want to be tempted to eat back the calories. I honestly have no idea how many calories I'm burning while exercising.

Ok. Log everything and ditch the cheat meal. See where you are in 3 weeks.

if she logs everything as accurately as possible, why cant she then fit in the treat meal?

With proper planning, she can.

But proper planning is not currently in effect.

and that is why i said if she logs everything as accurately as possible.

Accurate logging first.

Cheat meal second, if at all.

Therealobi1 wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

aziapatrick wrote: »

herrspoons wrote: »

You're consuming more calories than you think and burning less. Log everything, ditch the cheat meal and half the exercise calories you claim.

I don't log exercise because I don't want to be tempted to eat back the calories. I honestly have no idea how many calories I'm burning while exercising.

Ok. Log everything and ditch the cheat meal. See where you are in 3 weeks.

if she logs everything as accurately as possible, why cant she then fit in the treat meal?

If she can fit it in sure. But it looks like she has to figure out her eating habits before she can do the cheat meal.

It could be messing up her progress and causing her to zero out at the end of a week - why even worry about it then and just whatever whenever?

At the end of 7 days, if you have a 3500 cal deficit, it's 1 lb. At 1800 cals/day she eats - on average - 12600 cals a week. If you have one day where you eat a 2500 cal meal and say another 600 between breakfast and a lunch that's 9500 cals for the other days. I know MFP accounts for a loss in the cals it gives you daily, but if you're going to have a cheat meal, you still have to consider what it is you're cheating with.

aziapatrick wrote: »

The only thing I don't log is the cheat meal, which is every other Saturday night. I figure I've went over my calories for the day so it doesn't matter. Everything else is on point. I'm also drinking 1-1.5 gallons of water per day. As for not moving, one morning I'll lose a pound the next I'll gain, so overall it is staying the same (I'm OCD and guilty of weighing every day but I know it'll fluctuate daily but the trend should still be downwards). I started my diet on 1/5/15 (exercising 3 days per week) and have lost 20 lbs since then, all of that was lost in the first 2.5 weeks. Now it's just at a stand still. I guess I just got used to seeing it dramatically drop. With my weight being so high I just assumed that being on a 1250-1400 calorie per day diet it would take it a little while to start stalling.

I would caution you against weighing yourself daily. I know it's hard not to, I have that problem too. But the usual fluctuations in weight can be devastating to see if you've been working very hard not to gain, and see you went UP a pound or two when you expected to be down.

aziapatrick wrote: »

I'm sorry I haven't gotten one but there is NO WAY I'm having an error of more than 500 calories. If you want to attack me about a food scale then please go somewhere else.

Who said I was attacking you? Lighten up. You're seeking help, and I gave you my advice a few times.

Pandapotato wrote: »

Here's an example of how starvation mode doesn't exist: Everyone who has ever had weight loss surgery and lost weight. They lose so rapidly because they are so severely restricted to tiny meals. My mother got it and can only eat like a half cup to a cup of food total and then has to wait to digest before she can eat again. She's lost like 60 lbs in 6 months.

All that said:

1) Two weeks it not long enough to throw up your hands and say "this doesn't work." Give it more time. Especially if you were not working out before-- after beginning a work out routine your muscles often retain more water.

2) 1250 calories for a 333 lbs person sounds obscenely low! I peeked at your diary and see your daily goal is 1800. You might find this process much more tolerable, and still lose weight, if you eat closer to your goal.

This right here. Starvation mode is a myth. However, eating more makes you more satisfied and less prone to binging, which will inhibit your weight loss.

Also, have you lost anything? If you have, what you are doing is working. Weight loss isn't a race.

aziapatrick wrote: »

The only thing I don't log is the cheat meal, which is every other Saturday night. I figure I've went over my calories for the day so it doesn't matter. Everything else is on point. I'm also drinking 1-1.5 gallons of water per day. As for not moving, one morning I'll lose a pound the next I'll gain, so overall it is staying the same (I'm OCD and guilty of weighing every day but I know it'll fluctuate daily but the trend should still be downwards). I started my diet on 1/5/15 (exercising 3 days per week) and have lost 20 lbs since then, all of that was lost in the first 2.5 weeks. Now it's just at a stand still. I guess I just got used to seeing it dramatically drop. With my weight being so high I just assumed that being on a 1250-1400 calorie per day diet it would take it a little while to start stalling.

I feel like this has been overlooked in a lot of the responses you've gotten.

Between 1/5 and 2/5 you've lost 20 lbs. That's great.

I understand that it came off in the first 2.5 weeks and since then you've been stalling, but that's a normal pattern--it's water at first and now you are probably regaining some of the water (especially if a new exercise routine, more sodium in a meal, etc.) and the fat loss is catching up but just being masked. I'd just stick with it.

I also would log the "cheat" meal, as you will want to know your overall weekly intake--it comes in handy to calculate your maintenance and set calorie goals later and also to monitor your losses better.

Losing 20 lbs is a lot. Going from being inactive to very active will also account for this as well. Focusing on the scale early on is fun and great, but in reality the goal is to make it easier to be healthy.

So the real question is even though you havent lost weight in the last two weeks are the workouts getting easier? Do you have more energy?

If not you may need more calories to get your body to start rebuilding some strength, but if you are feeling good and things are getting easier focus on that.

Watching what you eat when you werent before will make a huge difference regardless of accuracy. Exercising when you werent before will also make a big difference, and start to build strength.

Patience, the better you feel and the easier it is for you to move and work out the better it will go.

You have already kicked some serious butt! Keep your head up and stay focused on what you can control, the exercise, and food that is good for you. The things you cant control will fall into line, sometimes slowly, sometimes fast.

aziapatrick wrote: »

Pandapotato wrote: »

Is your cheat meal a "go to TGI Fridays and get appetizers, dinner, and drinks?" because that could be A LOT of calories. 3500 cals = 1 lb.

It's a going to the mexican restaurant and eating chips and cheese and fried things, this last time it was also 2 drinks.

Looks like it's time to cut out the cheat meal.

Cutting out the cheat meal is a bad idea...breaks up the monotony and allows the body to recalibrate.

What do you do exercise-wise to break up the routine? Remember that the body recognizes muscle memory and the same workouts will not yield the same results if not changed occasionally.

Most important...be patient and give it time...weight loss is a slow and steady process. It can be frustrating when you don't see the scale move, but you have to figure out what works for you.

Best of luck!

joneallen wrote: »

aziapatrick wrote: »

It's a going to the mexican restaurant and eating chips and cheese and fried things, this last time it was also 2 drinks.

Looks like it's time to cut out the cheat meal.

Yea, Mexican is an easy 1.5-2k calories per meal.

That plus the sodium in it, you are probably retaining a ton of water from eating it once a week.

Either cut out the cheat meal or at least log it and see what it says and definitely get a food scale and weigh everything .

aziapatrick wrote: »

I really appreciate all of the advice that has been given, I have lost 20 lbs since 1/5 so obviously I must be doing something right, even without owning a food scale. I completely agree that I haven't given myself enough time before getting concerned and will keep doing what I'm doing, minus a cheat meal (which isn't necessary for me) and review again in a month.

You're going to totally rock this. Good luck!

:drinker: