working out vs starvation mode

Thats what I don't understand either! Let me know if you figure it out

-Danielle

I'm in the same boat you are...with my workouts I burn around 1000-1200 daily...and I never come anywhere close to consuming those calories plus the 1500 I'm supposed to be netting daily for my 500 calorie deficit. I think in order to keep the metabolism going as strong as possible...you have to be as close as you can to getting your net calorie goal daily.
For some of us that means eating double what we usually do! I struggle with it, I never come anywhere close.

Okay i am totally with you guys!! I haven't lost a single pound (in fact i think i have gained a few) since christmas....which is when i got a treadmill, so i have been going to the gym and running EVERY day, it is SO discouraging!! My workouts have gotten much more intense, and i read everything about eating the extra cal. so i did and still didn't lose anything! Plus i felt sick because i was eating like 2500 cal!!! I eat totally healthy, fresh foods 99% of the time so what gives????

If you're only burning a couple hundred calories while working out, it's not going to make a huge difference if you don't eat them, but when you're burning 700 -1000 calories a day, you should definitely be eating some of them, at the very least.

Take into consideration that the site gives you a 500 calorie deficit already, meaning the calories it tells you to eat before exercise calories is already 500 under what you need to maintain your weight. Add to that the 700-1000 calories you're burning, that's 1200 - 1500 less than you need, which could definitely put your body into starvation mode.

I'd reccomend that you eat so you don't feel hungry. Don't force yourself to eat them all if you're not hungry, but definitely try to eat some of those calories you're burning off, you'll still be putting a lot less calories in than you need/are putting out. You'll still lose a lot of weight, but without it being risky.

Hope that's helpful.

This site offers you general guidelines to losing weight in a healthy manner and it should be consider just that, "a guideline." so I have to disagree with eating to the limit accumulated to the level you work out to achieve a balance in your health.

It's been my personal experience that you eat to the level you originally targeted prior to working out. You only add a little more calories to your intake if you find yourself hungry between meals.

If you eat only to the level you originally targeted (prior to working out) depending on your body fat you should see the weight drop off pretty steadily and it won't be "starvation" providing your not making yourself exist past the hunger pains.

I'll use myself as a prime example. I started getting my act together on the 2nd of Jan with a goal of getting myself from 235.5 pounds back down to 180. My calorie goal was set to lose no more than 2lbs each week my daily calorie intake is supposed to be 1570 before exercising and with exercise I'm supposed to eat to 2100 calories. Very few times have I felt hungry between my eating plan schedule and I spread it out over the day and in between meals. I've managed to drop nearly 25lbs since I started, much more than 2lbs a week, by doing this and I can only assume that my body fat was a lot higher than I even realized.

The computer program has twice now asked me if I wanted to alter my goals and habits and I've declined.... so far.

I sincerely believe that the key to success here is to manage your calorie intake based on your body's demand for food and not because a computer program tells you to eat more.

Well my daily goal is around 1660 daily but I am eating my 3 meals and 3 snacks and I have not mananged to eat the complete 1660 yet and I have not even began to work out. I have saw some progress but along with the calorie counting I am following the South Beach regimen to make sure my body is getting what it needs.

But for thoes of you who are confused about this whole calorie thing just drink a protien shake or bar to make sure you do not go into starvation mode. Like many posted it does not make since to burn them just to eat them because the goal is to loose the weight to consume less calories.

You only get the starvation message if you eat UNDER your minimum calories...i.e. 1200 calories. If you eat 1100, you get the message. If you eat 1200, you don't get the message.

If you eat 1200 and burn 1200, you don't get the message.

If you eat 1100 and burn 700, you get the message

By no means am I a nutritionist, but I think the recommended calories is based on how quickly you want to lose weight. For example, I want to lose 1 lb/week so I should consume 1500 calories/day. If I wanted to lose 2 lbs/week this recommends I consume 1200 calories/day. The recommended extra calories from working out is to keep you on track with your goal to loose your weekly goal.

With that said, I agree with what has been said earlier about consuming those extra workout calories if you feel hungry, but not needing to. I think it just means you can have those and still stay on track with your goal. However, I would add that if you are burning an extra 1000 calories you should eat the extras if your feeling hungry... you're in this for the long haul so you don't want your body to burn out too quickly!!

:drinker:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek116.htm

The way I look at it is the body knows how many calories it needs to sustain itself if you are below the 1200 calories per day your body starts conserving calories the body becomes more efficent. this is a guide line and every body is different because of medicial condition , body size and other variables. This is not a magical number but the lower you go I believe the more efficant the body gets. Working out allows you to keep eating at a healthy level while still losing weight. I also believe this is true but it also has limitation fatigue and the bodies need to rest will take over at some point again this is not the same for everyone age fitness level all play a role. I prefer to eat around 2000 to 2500 calories this keeps me feeling full and exercise between 800 to 1300 cal/day

Always such an interesting variety of ideas on this subject!

I eat the calories to within 200 calories of recommendation. I have maintained healthy weight loss, i.e. not stressing my kidneys, heart, liver, skin, eyes, etc. You need a certain amount of nutrients that your body is using just to stay alive, never mind the huge stress of adding more muscle. My trainer said HIGH LEAN protein at the latest 45 min after workout. Eat protein before workout. If you aren't hungry, substitute protein powder.

Myfitnesspal helps you figure your BMR. Go to:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

Calories burned vary depending on your heart rate, your weight and your age during cardio-type work; AND the duration of that targeted heart rate. You must take your heart rate.
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HEART RATE CALCULATOR

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/activity/thr.htm

(The following is a synopsis of the above calculator)

Beginner or low fitness level . . .50% - 60%
Average fitness level . . . . . . . . 60% - 70%
High fitness level . . . . . . . . . . . 75% - 85%
Now that we’ve determined and gathered the information needed, we can pull the information together in the Karvonen Formula:
220 - Age = Maximum Heart Rate
Max Heart Rate - Rest. Heart Rate x Intensity + Rest. Heart Rate = Training Heart Rate
For example, Sally is 33 yrs old, has a resting heart rate of 75 and she’s just beginning her exercise program (her intensity level will be 50% - 60%.) Sally’s training heart rate zone will be 131-142 beats per minute:
Sally's Minimum Training Heart Rate:
220 - 33 (Age) = 187
187 - 75 (Rest. HR) = 112
112 x .50 (Min. Intensity) + 75 (Rest. HR) = 131 Beats/Minute
Sally's Maximum Training Heart Rate:
220 - 33 (Age) = 187
187 - 75 (Rest. HR) = 112
112 x .60 (Max. Intensity) + 75 (Rest. HR) = 142 Beats/Minute
Periodically, take your pulse during your exercise session to gauge your intensity level. Typically, the easiest location for taking a pulse is on the side of your neck, the carotid pulse. Be sure not to press too hard on the carotid artery or you’ll get an inaccurate reading. Count the number of beats, always beginning with zero, for 6 seconds (then multiply by 10), or for 10 seconds (then multiply by 6) to get the number of times your heart is beating per minute. If your pulse is within your training heart rate zone, you’re right on track! If not, adjust your exercise workload until you get into your zone.
Ratings of Perceived Exertion (Borg Scale)
Another method that can be used in conjunction with taking your pulse is the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE). This is a subjective method that allows you to rate how hard you feel you’re working. RPE can be the primary means of measuring exercise intensity if you do not have typical heart rate responses to graded exercise. These people include those on beta blocking medications, some cardiac and diabetic patients, pregnant women, and others who may have an altered heart rate response.
On a scale of 0 - 10, rate how you’re feeling in terms of exercise fatigue, including how you feel both physically and mentally. You should be exercising between an RPE of 4 (somewhat strong) and an RPE of 5 or 6 (strong). Use the following table to determine the intensity level:
0 . . . . .Nothing at all
0.5 . . . Very, very weak
1 . . . . .Very weak
2 . . . . .Weak
3 . . . . .Moderate
4 . . . . .Somewhat strong
5 . . . . .Strong
6
7 . . . . .Very strong
8
9
10 . . . .Very, very strong (Maximal)

The Talk-Test Method
Like the RPE, the talk test method is subjective and should be used in conjunction with taking a pulse. The talk test is quite useful in determining your comfort zone of aerobic intensity, especially if you are just beginning an exercise program. If you are able to talk during your workout without a great deal of strain, you’re most likely in your comfort zone. Work at an intensity that allows you to breathe comfortably and rhythmically throughout all phases of your workout. This will ensure a safe and comfortable level of exercise.
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Good luck, everyone. This subject is the heart of these community boards, and is debated probably once a month. Don't be a slave to the scale. I haven't lost weight recently, BUT I have lost an entire size in pants and blouses without losing weight. I'll take my new body and the food!

~Cheryl