Metabolic damage?

ecorcor
ecorcor Posts: 4 Member
edited December 4 in Health and Weight Loss
I am extremely athletic female with a very muscular frame and I work out daily. I have lost 30lbs in the last two years by logging what I eat, but am now currently stuck at 143lbs and 16% body fat. I weigh and log everything that I eat (<1500 cals, take a look at my open journal!) and workout very intensively once a day (HIIT, cardio, and/or circuit training); according do both MFP and my new fitbit, I am on a calorie deficit (I also dont eat back my workout calories). While I am in no rush to lose more weight, I can't help but wonder why I am stagnant while on a deficit (usually <1500 calories/day). Any input?

Replies

  • janekana
    janekana Posts: 151 Member
    16% body fat is already quite impressive! How long have you been stuck on 143lbs for?
  • ecorcor
    ecorcor Posts: 4 Member
    I've been at this weight for at least a few months; I was able to hit 139 a few months ago and bounced back within a few days, keeping me at 143 ever since. Maybe I should listen to my body and maintain it here, but I just want to make sure that staying on my current lifestyle (according to MFP, on a"deficit") won't damage my metabolism. If I am maintaining with the current program, increase calories will most likely cause me to gain weight, so I am reluctant to add any food to my diet.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    @ecorcor sorry a little off topic.. But is that Aussie rules you're playing in your profile pic?
  • Kellyfitness128
    Kellyfitness128 Posts: 194 Member
    Less than 1500 calories is extremely low for an "extreme athlete." I don't think your body wants to lose anymore weight.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    A few things;

    - 16% bodyfat is pretty lean for a female
    - 1500 calories is not a lot for someone so lean and active
    - To get leaner, take it slow and don't rush it

    I would potentially say to take a full diet break and eat at maintenance calories for 2 weeks before making a concerted effort to get leaner, if you need to. 16% is considered lean for a female so unless you are competing in a physique sport, I can't imagine it will be healthy or beneficial to get leaner.
  • ecorcor
    ecorcor Posts: 4 Member
    @Christine_72 Yes I am!

    Also thanks for the insight everyone. I think you are right, and am planning on setting up an appointment with a nutritionist on a plan to get back to maintenance diet. My only fear that if I am maintaining my weight now at my current diet, any increase in calories is bound to increase my weight, no?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited October 2016
    Are you sure you log everything you consume? I see you weigh some things but not others... And you are not reaching 1500 calories.. its more like 1260..

    So you are under eating and perhaps under metabolic adaption either way from eating too little..

    Time for a reverse diet to maintenance.
  • dsouldiva
    dsouldiva Posts: 6 Member
    Looking at your diary -you aren't eating enough. Your body has probably gone into starvation mode. If you're only eating around 1260 calories a day AND you're doing very intensive exercise it's highly likely that the stress you are putting on your body is the reason you aren't losing weight. Your diet only looks slightly healthier than mine was when I was anorexic, so I think a nutritionalist could be a good move.

    Try reading Clean and Lean by James Duigan - there's some great suggestions in there.

    All calories aren't equal so you also need to watch where those calories are coming from - your diet is lacking a lot of nutrients, looking at your diary your calories are almost exclusively carb or sugar.

    You aren't eating enough protein to fuel your muscles (and more muscle = faster metabolic rate = healthy weight loss), you should be aiming to eat around 0.36 - 0.40 gram of protein per lb of body weight, around 51-57 grams per day. Plus I can't see any good fats and there are very few vegetables from what I can see - try adding small portions of coconut oil, full fat greek yoghurt (the low fat yoghurt you're eating is high in sugars and sweetners which will mess with your hormones), also add in some nuts, seeds or avocado and fresh veg/salad. That should kick start everything and keep you healthy
  • richln
    richln Posts: 809 Member
    ecorcor wrote: »
    @Christine_72 Yes I am!

    Also thanks for the insight everyone. I think you are right, and am planning on setting up an appointment with a nutritionist on a plan to get back to maintenance diet. My only fear that if I am maintaining my weight now at my current diet, any increase in calories is bound to increase my weight, no?

    Maybe, maybe not. I typically gain a few pounds when I take a diet break at maintenance, but very little of that regain, if any at all, is fat. If you have been at deficit levels for 2 years without taking a break, then it is definitely time for one. Your stall could be a sign of an unfavorable hormonal profile causing water retention. Not uncommon for people in your position to drop weight when transitioning to maintenance:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html/

  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    dsouldiva wrote: »
    Looking at your diary -you aren't eating enough. Your body has probably gone into starvation mode. If you're only eating around 1260 calories a day AND you're doing very intensive exercise it's highly likely that the stress you are putting on your body is the reason you aren't losing weight. Your diet only looks slightly healthier than mine was when I was anorexic, so I think a nutritionalist could be a good move.

    Try reading Clean and Lean by James Duigan - there's some great suggestions in there.

    All calories aren't equal so you also need to watch where those calories are coming from - your diet is lacking a lot of nutrients, looking at your diary your calories are almost exclusively carb or sugar.

    You aren't eating enough protein to fuel your muscles (and more muscle = faster metabolic rate = healthy weight loss), you should be aiming to eat around 0.36 - 0.40 gram of protein per lb of body weight, around 51-57 grams per day. Plus I can't see any good fats and there are very few vegetables from what I can see - try adding small portions of coconut oil, full fat greek yoghurt (the low fat yoghurt you're eating is high in sugars and sweetners which will mess with your hormones), also add in some nuts, seeds or avocado and fresh veg/salad. That should kick start everything and keep you healthy

    in this case starvation mode doesnt exist, she wont stop losing because she is starving,but her body will consume fat and muscle which is not healthy,so she should still be losing weight,but the closer you get to goal the slower weight and fat loss can be.her body is probably stressed for sure eating little and with excessive exercise and not eating back calories.a calorie is a calorie.carbs are good for those who weight lift or are very active.

    carbs and sugar are NOT bad.51-57 grams of protein a day for someone highly active is not enough,thats almost the lower recommended end for those who are sedentary.sugar and sweeteners mess with hormones? no they dont theres no proven science on that. protein is needed yes,but eating in a deficit in most cases does not yield muscle growth,not enough anyway to boost metabolic rates to a big degree. protein for most while losing weight is usually around 0.6-0.8g per lb of body weight,active women or women who lift usually eat up to 1g per lb.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    A few things;

    - 16% bodyfat is pretty lean for a female
    - 1500 calories is not a lot for someone so lean and active
    - To get leaner, take it slow and don't rush it

    I would potentially say to take a full diet break and eat at maintenance calories for 2 weeks before making a concerted effort to get leaner, if you need to. 16% is considered lean for a female so unless you are competing in a physique sport, I can't imagine it will be healthy or beneficial to get leaner.

    latest?cb=20140917022328
  • ecorcor
    ecorcor Posts: 4 Member
    @dsouldiva I think you might have looked at the wrong log, as im (aiming to) eating over 100g of protein per day, which is more than double what you're recommending already. Not sure what you mean when you say my diet is mostly carbs (current goal is 40% carb, 40% protein and 20% fat). If you take a look at my stature, my body is more muscular than average therefore confirming that my protein should most likely be sufficient, if not abundant.

    Also, something important to note is that I don't log my vegetable consumption by virtue of not wanting to put a "limit" on high nutrient foods that have a very low impact on the calorie count. This then answers @RoxieDawn 's question about if I'm logging everything- no. I've estimate those remaining 300 cals that you've pointed out to be filled by the "unlimited" vegetables I eat.

    I really appreciate everyone's insight, and will follow through with seeing a professional. I also want to note that I usually eat when I feel hungry, and I am not depriving myself if I truly feel hunger. My sport performance is still improving (quantitatively), so for those who are concerned that I am harming myself, please don't be too alarmed!
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