Nutritionist says my body is in starvation mode....will I ever recover?

Hey y'all... I've never blogged before, but I'm really losing motivation for my weight loss program, so thought I'd try this community thing out....please help me out if you can (sorry about the long read OXD )

My name is Amany, I'm 23, height: 150 cm, weight: 79 Kgs, not very active.... I've been overweight since third/fourth grade....throughout my life I've tried my fair share of diets, crash diets, chemical diets, no carbs diets, etc....for years I've been trying to get my weight down, with the constant social pressure of "you're fat" and "you have no will to stop eating" and "it's pathetic how you can't fight your cravings" (that's all just from my father, mind you...)

I finally reached the stage of Fudge this, I'm beautiful the way I am, and built that emotional wall against dieting. I'm out most of my day, in classes or rehearsals (I'm a performer) or just plain out with friends. my food for the past 5 years mainly depended on junk food/ sandwiches...even my home cooked meals were not so healthy (because my dad is an aspiring gourmet chef...the irony!)

However, in June, after the stress of graduating, graduation project, and finals (I'm a stressing overachiever), I stepped on the scale, and found that I have gained 10 whole kgs in less than 2 months....

This was a wake up call

I've pushed myself off the ledge from "overweight" to downright "obese"

falling into depression did not help my eating habits... so it took me another month to seek professional help

I started going to a nutritionist, who measured my Metabolic rate (as well as a shitload of stuff), and found it to be 1185 cal per day....based on my data, It should be at least 1740, which leaves a 30% deficit in my metabolic rate.......he told me this is called "starvation mode" and it doesn't matter what I say, i have not been eating enough for a very long time.....needless to say, I had my "are you nuts?" face on, because I thought my meal portions were HUGE....apparently they weren't, nor were they healthy.... I was eating the wrong thing at the wrong time...I skipped breakfast most days, had a GINORMOUS lunch at 3-4 PM (That's normal in Egypt), and a late HUGE dinner at 11 PM, with no food in between, and if so,mostly baked goods. I barely ate any fruits too...

anyway, so now he tells about this starvation mode thing, and that my metabolism is shot and that it needs to be restored before actually starting to "lose weight"....he said he'd proceed with a "get healthier" mentality rather than a "get thinner" one....I told him I was on board, and started following the meal plans he gave me of 9 meals a day with 2 hours intervals (2000++ calories).....first week, I lost 100 gms, 2nd week I gained 200, Third week I gained another 200, fourth week, I went into full blown depression, and I didn't eat anything all week accompanied by severe toothache, I only drank milk 4 times a day, and it was time for my measurements....I lost 1.3 kgs from the week before, 1 kg of which from my body fat, the rest was muscle mass...I also gained 20 gms muscle mass overall, and my metabolic rate became 1190 (5 cal increase).....very very slow progress, but progress nonetheless! I was super excited, it must finally be working!!!! following week (week 5) I gained 1.2 kgs following the meal plan down to every word.....

so now I'm in week 6....I'm extremely demotivated....is the Dr. talking nonsense? according to online articles, he is not...his logic is solid , and theoretically, what he's doing should work....but It's NOT WORKING!!!

am I too impatient? is 6 weeks not enough to start seeing results? I'm too scared to go to my appointment on Saturday......I even broke my own scale in a fit of rage last week *clears throat shamefully*

I don't know what to do

Please Help me
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Replies

  • xsix
    xsix Posts: 62 Member
    He is telling you the truth, but its not as bad as it sounds. Start eating again and keep working out .people that fast go into starvation mode all the time, and seem to be ok.
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    He used an InBody machine to calculate this deficit

    http://www.longevitymaxfitness.com/inbody 230 b.jpg

    what do you mean by "keep within deficit"??
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    xsix wrote: »
    He is telling you the truth, but its not as bad as it sounds. Start eating again and keep working out .people that fast go into starvation mode all the time, and seem to be ok.

    I fast every day for 16 or 17 hours. How badly is my metabolism damaged?
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    ^^ this. plug in your information to MFP and start with a goal of 1 lb per week and stick to that calorie goal for a few weeks. if you're losing slower than the 1 lb per week rate you may need to decrease your calories, if you're losing faster it may be that you can add more calories after a few more weeks (to make sure it's not the initial rush of water weight).

    if you exercise log that as well and keep in mind that mfp may over-estimate the calorie burn, but try eating at least some of those calories back.

    I would very seriously recommend purchasing a food scale so that you can accurately measure the solid foods you are consuming, but even if you start off just measuring or basing your log on packages it's better than nothing.

    if you have a bad day, log it, if you have a great day and feel satisfied and energetic, that's worth paying attention to as well.

    you don't have to change everything all at once, you can start by making small changes incrementally.

    you can do this! and you can do it without listening to quack nutritionists or unhelpful parents. you're not doing this for them, you're doing it for you.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    xsix wrote: »
    He is telling you the truth, but its not as bad as it sounds. Start eating again and keep working out .people that fast go into starvation mode all the time, and seem to be ok.

    Starvation mode is a myth.
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??
  • OfficialDSXIII
    OfficialDSXIII Posts: 91 Member
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    xsix wrote: »
    He is telling you the truth, but its not as bad as it sounds. Start eating again and keep working out .people that fast go into starvation mode all the time, and seem to be ok.

    I fast every day for 16 or 17 hours. How badly is my metabolism damaged?

    You might not even have one anymore. :fearful:
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    amanymorad wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    He used an InBody machine to calculate this deficit

    http://www.longevitymaxfitness.com/inbody 230 b.jpg

    what do you mean by "keep within deficit"??

    A calorie deficit is when you eat fewer calories than your body requires per day. For example: my body needs 1900 calories per day to keep me alive (BMR) plus my cardio and lifting on top of that. This total number is my Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). If I eat below my TDEE, I will lose weight.

    What did MFP tell you to eat per day when you signed up? If you stay below that number (accounting for added calories through exercise) you will lose weight.
  • avadahm
    avadahm Posts: 111 Member
    Sounds like that particular nutritionist isn't working for you. I would look for another who takes a different approach. Being super stressed over results and keeping on top of professional advice probably isn't working for you on top of the technique not working.
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    edited August 2016
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??

    I think your nutritionist gave you your BMR. That is what is needed to keep you alive every day. Walking and exercise give you more calories. Take a look at these very helpful threads:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-general-diet-and-weight-loss-help-must-reads#latest
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??

    i would ignore those numbers for now. if that number is your BMR then that is just what you burn by existing, it doesn't include walking, performing, or anything else you do on top of the processes your body continuously undertakes to ensure your survival.
  • NoNameJustMe
    NoNameJustMe Posts: 86 Member
    xsix wrote: »
    He is telling you the truth, but its not as bad as it sounds. Start eating again and keep working out .people that fast go into starvation mode all the time, and seem to be ok.

    There is no such thing as "starvation mode." An old myth (i.e. excuse) that won't go away.

    Starvation Mode: Is It A Myth? Is It Real? Is Your Body In It Right Now?
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??

    I think your nutritionist gave you your BMR. That is what is needed to keep you alive every day. Walking and exercise give you more calories.

    Yes!!! BMR!! how does that factor in?? when I logged into MFP it told me stick to 1200....I did that for a while, measured in gms everything I did (I cook from scratch 90% of the time I cook) and I still plateaued....Isn't it unhealthy to go below that ?? (though I did, 800 cal on averge, and still didn't lose weight)

    I am NOT underestimating my calorie intake...I made sure of that...I even factor in the spices XD
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,996 Member
    amanymorad wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    He used an InBody machine to calculate this deficit

    http://www.longevitymaxfitness.com/inbody 230 b.jpg

    what do you mean by "keep within deficit"??
    I'm very familiar with InBody scale since we have one and I use it in my gym with clients. All it shows is lean mass and fat mass % and the weight of each from your body. You can't get too much from deficit there because he only has an average of your BMR and NOT your TDEE.

    As stated, dump your nutritionist.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,996 Member
    xsix wrote: »
    He is telling you the truth
    No he's not.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
    edited August 2016
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??

    I think your nutritionist gave you your BMR. That is what is needed to keep you alive every day. Walking and exercise give you more calories.

    Yes!!! BMR!! how does that factor in?? when I logged into MFP it told me stick to 1200....I did that for a while, measured in gms everything I did (I cook from scratch 90% of the time I cook) and I still plateaued....Isn't it unhealthy to go below that ?? (though I did, 800 cal on averge, and still didn't lose weight)

    I am NOT underestimating my calorie intake...I made sure of that...I even factor in the spices XD

    How long is a while? if you are at 1200 per day then i would try to hit as close to that in NET calories as possible. 800 isn't enough food.

    also, 1200 is usually recommended for a 2lb a week loss, which is pretty aggressive. if your caloric intake is really that low and you aren't losing weight then i think it is time to see a doctor to rule out any medical conditions which may be affecting your ability to lose weight.

    *edited for typo
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    amanymorad wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    He used an InBody machine to calculate this deficit

    http://www.longevitymaxfitness.com/inbody 230 b.jpg

    what do you mean by "keep within deficit"??
    I'm very familiar with InBody scale since we have one and I use it in my gym with clients. All it shows is lean mass and fat mass % and the weight of each from your body. You can't get too much from deficit there because he only has an average of your BMR and NOT your TDEE.

    As stated, dump your nutritionist.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


    If online BMR calculators tell me I ought to have a BMR of 1580....and the InBody said my BMR is 1185-1190........Where does that leave me ? :cold_sweat:
  • LAMCDylan
    LAMCDylan Posts: 1,218 Member
    edited August 2016
    I also suggest you work on the shame that is beneath all this. You also need to assert some boundaries with your father. Those kind of comments are damaging to people. Tell him in a respectful manner to not comment on your weight anymore. Explain how it bothers you and affects your life. Also, tell him that if he continues it will affect your relationship with him. See, I don't know how you are and whether or not you are an independent adult etc. Some people are afraid to stand up to their parents because a) they are dependent on them in some way and b) constantly seek their approval (which that part about being a stressing overachiever tells me you are).

    You can lose tons of weight but never be happy with yourself all because of the people you have in your life that fat shame you and basically criticize everything in your life. THAT is more important than losing the weight. Because, people often think that the reason for being treated poorly by others has to do with them. And that they are NOT OK just the way they are.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    • Enter your stats into MFP and choose a goal of one lb per week (that's 2 kgs)
    • If you don't have one, get a food scale.
    • Use the food scale for everything you eat except for liquids - this includes pre-packaged items, nut butters, yogurt, everything.
    • Log everything accurately and consistently. Eat to your calorie goal.
    • Log your exercise and eat back some of those calories

    Meal timing, types of foods, number of meals... these are all personal preference. All that matters for weight loss is eating less calories than you burn.

    If I'm doing the math correctly, you are under 5', yes? When you are that short, you just don't have as many calories to work with. You might actually want to settle on a goal of 1 kg a week for now just to make it a little easier.

    Please take a deep breath. You will not lose weight every week, even if you are perfect. You do not have to follow a bunch of "food rules" unless they make it easier for you to eat the correct amount of calories. Take care of yourself, and good luck :drinker:
  • ouryve
    ouryve Posts: 572 Member
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??

    You're short, so your calorie targets are always going to be quite low <eyes husband enviously>. How fit and active are you, generally? When you don't have a lot of calories to play with, you can give yourself a little (or a lot) more simply by walking a little (or more) each day.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,996 Member
    edited August 2016
    amanymorad wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    amanymorad wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    He used an InBody machine to calculate this deficit

    http://www.longevitymaxfitness.com/inbody 230 b.jpg

    what do you mean by "keep within deficit"??
    I'm very familiar with InBody scale since we have one and I use it in my gym with clients. All it shows is lean mass and fat mass % and the weight of each from your body. You can't get too much from deficit there because he only has an average of your BMR and NOT your TDEE.

    As stated, dump your nutritionist.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png


    If online BMR calculators tell me I ought to have a BMR of 1580....and the InBody said my BMR is 1185-1190........Where does that leave me ? :cold_sweat:
    It doesn't measure BMR.

    EDIT: It does give a BMR value, but whatever formula they use is inaccurate. I don't even use it with clients. I use a basic Harris/Benedict formula to calculate it with clients.
    Only true way to measure BMR is getting an indirect calorimetry done.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,996 Member
    edited August 2016
    .
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    • Enter your stats into MFP and choose a goal of one lb per week (that's 2 kgs)
    • If you don't have one, get a food scale.
    • Use the food scale for everything you eat except for liquids - this includes pre-packaged items, nut butters, yogurt, everything.
    • Log everything accurately and consistently. Eat to your calorie goal.
    • Log your exercise and eat back some of those calories

    Meal timing, types of foods, number of meals... these are all personal preference. All that matters for weight loss is eating less calories than you burn.

    If I'm doing the math correctly, you are under 5', yes? When you are that short, you just don't have as many calories to work with. You might actually want to settle on a goal of 1 kg a week for now just to make it a little easier.

    Please take a deep breath. You will not lose weight every week, even if you are perfect. You do not have to follow a bunch of "food rules" unless they make it easier for you to eat the correct amount of calories. Take care of yourself, and good luck :drinker:

    MFP won't allow me to go on less than 0.6 kgs a week, with a 1,200 calorie goal (which didn't get me anywhere when I did follow, accurately and consistently.....plateau then weight gain...even when I went as low as 800 cal)

    Yup, I'm 4.9 ft

    Thank you so much for your advice :smile:
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    LAMCDylan wrote: »
    I also suggest you work on the shame that is beneath all this. You also need to assert some boundaries with your father. Those kind of comments are damaging to people. Tell him in a respectful manner to not comment on your weight anymore. Explain how it bothers you and affects your life. Also, tell him that if he continues it will affect your relationship with him. See, I don't know how you are and whether or not you are an independent adult etc. Some people are afraid to stand up to their parents because a) they are dependent on them in some way and b) constantly seek their approval (which that part about being a stressing overachiever tells me you are).

    You can lose tons of weight but never be happy with yourself all because of the people you have in your life that fat shame you and basically criticize everything in your life. THAT is more important than losing the weight. Because, people often think that the reason for being treated poorly by others has to do with them. And that they are NOT OK just the way they are.


    Don't get me wrong...he's a GREAT dad and we have a very good relationship!! I have asked him not to comment and we've fought over it a few times...The comments have definitely been less frequent in the recent years, but old habits die hard I guess....I've learned to ignore them -to a certain level-

    Thank you for caring enough to post this though :smiley:<3
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    amanymorad wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dump your nutritionist. Starvation mode, as he explains it, is not a thing. Meal timing and frequency will not matter. The only thing that matters to losing weight is that you're in a calorie deficit. Log everything as accurately as possible (if you aren't using one yet, purchase a food scale to help you keep within your deficit).

    He used an InBody machine to calculate this deficit

    http://www.longevitymaxfitness.com/inbody 230 b.jpg

    what do you mean by "keep within deficit"??

    Okay, as I understand it, the InBody predicts BMR based on it's prediction of BF%, plus height and weight. If so, your BMR is "low" compared to your weight not because there's something wrong with you (let alone "starvation mode," which would make no sense), but because your BF% is higher than ideal. That's expected -- you are quite a bit overweight. (Not an insult, so was I when I started here, and it's what you want to change.)

    When I use the Katch-McArdle calculator that uses BF% and put in what I predict yours would be (based on mine when I was at a similar BMI), I get a number around 1200. When I use the scooby calculator (the ones that don't use BF% assume that yours is a healthy one), then it's quite a bit higher. The reason is that lean mass is what primarily determines BMR, not fat so much, and someone of a healthy weight at 174 lb is going to have a much higher BMR than someone who is only 4'11, even at the same weight.

    Thus, in telling you to eat as much as he is, your nutritionist is setting you up to gain. That's what's going on. I'm sorry you had to go through this, but it does mean it's not that hard to fix.
  • amanymorad
    amanymorad Posts: 11 Member
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    amanymorad wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    Yes, he is talking nonsense. No, his logic is not solid. Think about it: if you eat less than your body needs, how on earth would you GAIN weight? If starvation mode like he described was real, no one would ever die from lack of food. You gained weight because you were eating more calories than your body requires.

    What's the reasoning behind 9 meals a day? How many calories are you eating? Are you weighing your food on a scale? Also, how is he measuring changes in body composition?

    All that is required for weight loss is a calorie deficit; how you get there is entirely up to you.

    For me to go below my current metabolic rate, I will be eating less than 1190 cal a day (which is LESS than the recommended 1200 to begin with) with around 300 cal for example....so around 900 cal...how is that healthy??

    I think your nutritionist gave you your BMR. That is what is needed to keep you alive every day. Walking and exercise give you more calories.

    Yes!!! BMR!! how does that factor in?? when I logged into MFP it told me stick to 1200....I did that for a while, measured in gms everything I did (I cook from scratch 90% of the time I cook) and I still plateaued....Isn't it unhealthy to go below that ?? (though I did, 800 cal on averge, and still didn't lose weight)

    I am NOT underestimating my calorie intake...I made sure of that...I even factor in the spices XD

    How long is a while? if you are at 1200 per day then i would try to hit as close to that in NET calories as possible. 800 isn't enough food.

    also, 1200 is usually recommended for a 2lb a week loss, which is pretty aggressive. if your caloric intake is really that low and you aren't losing weight then i think it is time to see a doctor to rule out any medical conditions which may be affecting your ability to lose weight.

    *edited for typo

    Already checked my thyroid glands (hormones) and all seems natural...Idk what else could be causing this...
    Thank you for following the thread though <3
  • B4Rachael
    B4Rachael Posts: 155 Member
    Here is a helpful BMR/TDEE calculator created by an MFP user; use it to figure out what your daily calorie intake should be. sailrabbit.com/bmr/
  • 3bambi3
    3bambi3 Posts: 1,650 Member
    OP, would you mind opening your diary? Might give a better idea of where you can tighten up your logging.

    my home-->settings-->diary settings. It's at the bottom of the page under 'diary sharing.' Change the radio button to say 'public'