Gaining weight by exercising more and eating less---Could it be starvation mode?

CorinnePina
CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everybody, HELP!
My name is Corinne. I'm getting too fat for no explainable reason. I gained 6 pounds for no reason! I eat a way less than my BMR and workout!! My BMR is 1,685 calories per day.I eat about 1,500 calories a day and burn 600/day with exercise
My nutritionist says I need to eat more because my body is in starvation mode . She said that some weight gain is normal during the metabolic reset....I'm gonna look like a house for a while. It feels terrible!! But what do you think, should increase my calories slowly? dlxejdt2ch513.jpg
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Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    Nope, just nope. If this 6lbs has appeared in a couple of days it's more likely to be mostly water retention. If not you are probably not logging properly either by underestimating your calorie intake or overestimating your calorie burns.

    @VintageFeline asks some pertinent questions that should help get to the bottom of it.


  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    I just gained 6lb too. In my case it's just water retention, and if it's been less than 6 weeks, it could be that in your case, too.
  • dpg2503
    dpg2503 Posts: 20 Member
    Just what ninerbuff said..... Not enough going in. It will take a while to reboot your metabolism too. You might find it takes 3-6 weeks before your body realises your feeding it well and drops fat. X
  • marie9910
    marie9910 Posts: 34 Member
    Girl, I don't have any advice for you except don't be so hard on yourself. You look amazing and I'd kill to have those stats. Good luck and take care of yourself!
  • CorinnePina
    CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
    My calorie burn is measured by my own Polar watch M600 that has my own Stats. I think you some of you have not read my printout correctly. My Resting Metabolic Rate is 1,685. I log my calories correctly and mostly drink water or calorie free sparkling water. I've been eating and exercising the same. If I eat below my RMR it kind of makes sense that my body goes into conservation. OK, I didn't lose weight on 1,200 calories, and not on 900 calories so I think lowering the calories is not working. Yes, my nutritionist is a registered dietitian and has a high success rate.
    Here name is Lauren Antonucci and here are her credentials:
    EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
    Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from Binghamton University
    Graduate Fellowship in Nutritional Biochemistry, University of California-Berkeley
    Master's of Science in Nutrition and Food Studies, New York University
    Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (R.D.N.)
    Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (C.S.S.D.)
    NY State Licensed Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (C.D.N)
    Certified Diabetes Educator (C.D.E.)
    American Dietetic Association active member
    American Dietetic Association Sports Nutritionist (SCAN) practice-group active member
  • CorinnePina
    CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
    bagge72 wrote: »
    You need a new nutritionist. There are most likely two things that it could probably be. It's either just water weight from a new exercise routine, TOM, or a change in diet where there is more sodium, or you are eating more than you think you are. For your normal everyday person, starvation mode isn't really a thing, and anyone that is telling that's why you gained weight, should not be a professional helping people, then add on the whole metabolic reset. You probably don't think it's that bad, but it really is that bad, somebody in their position would tell you that.

    Have you noticed recently, that every ad on TV, or Radio for the newest fad diet talks about resetting your metabolism, to get it in to fat burning mode. If you hear things like that RUN far away!

    My TDEE is 2,364 calories. I'm not even close to that. If it's 1,700 it's very high.
  • CorinnePina
    CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    You need an RD and not a nutritionist.

    Your NET calories is likely much less than a 1000 calories a day. 1500 minus 600 is 900 and you still haven't added in just regular NEAT (walking to your car, walking around work, walking around home, etc.) Say that's an extra 200 calories. Now you're at 700 calories a day. That's a VLCD and can play havoc with your metabolic rate.

    Eating too little results in a lower metabolic rate. It's not "starvation" but adaptive thermogenisis.

    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

    She is an RD: Lauren Antonucci. www.nutritionenergy.com
    EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS
    Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from Binghamton University
    Graduate Fellowship in Nutritional Biochemistry, University of California-Berkeley
    Master's of Science in Nutrition and Food Studies, New York University
    Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (R.D.N.)
    Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (C.S.S.D.)
    NY State Licensed Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (C.D.N)
    Certified Diabetes Educator (C.D.E.)
    American Dietetic Association active member
    American Dietetic Association Sports Nutritionist (SCAN) practice-group active member

  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    Google starvation mode myth and look at credible sources.

    Perhaps your nutritionist is not up to date or you're not understanding her correctly?

    Sadly even experts can give out dated information if they don't keep up. I found this true with my Dr:(.
  • CorinnePina
    CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Looks like you have people with full access to your history and with significant testing resources available to them trying to help you deal with an adaptive thermogenesis situation.

    I have two questions.

    What do you expect the community with no access to you or your records to offer to you?

    Why are you focused on losing WEIGHT at a BMI of 20?
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Looks like you have people with full access to your history and with significant testing resources available to them trying to help you deal with an adaptive thermogenesis situation.

    I have two questions.

    What do you expect the community with no access to you or your records to offer to you?

    Why are you focused on losing WEIGHT at a BMI of 20?

    I just want to lose 5 pounds. I was always 122-125. I just all of a sudden gained 6 pounds changing nothing. I mean how can "adaptive thermogenesis" be a myth? If my BMR is 1,685 calories and I eat only 1,400; my body goes into conversation mode.
  • CorinnePina
    CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
    You asked for help but ............ you believe your dietician is right. Not sure what you need. Do you track your intake accurately?
    I was asking if anybody else had experienced this.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    I've been dieting for six months straight and have not experienced adaptive thermogenesis, starvation mode, or conservation mode. As I understand it adaptive thermogenesis happens when a person eats a low calorie diet over a long period of time. Your print out is interesting, but it does not answer all our questions. How long have you been tracking your calories and body weight? When did you gain six pounds? Are you measuring your food portions with a scale, measuring cups, or estimating?
  • fubarfornow
    fubarfornow Posts: 40 Member
    I am nowhere near your stats (I wish I were!) and when this happens to me it is water weight, sometimes from something that didn't show up as salty on the MFP stats, so I wasn't expecting it. I'm too old for this issue, but could you possibly be pregnant? I would think your dietician has checked, or had you check, but if it is theoretically possible, you might want to check it out.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,303 Member
    edited March 2017
    I've been dieting for six months straight and have not experienced adaptive thermogenesis, starvation mode, or conservation mode. As I understand it adaptive thermogenesis happens when a person eats a low calorie diet over a long period of time. Your print out is interesting, but it does not answer all our questions. How long have you been tracking your calories and body weight? When did you gain six pounds? Are you measuring your food portions with a scale, measuring cups, or estimating?

    You're also not BMI 20 and creating a deficit that cannot be supported by your available fat stores.

    Having said that, the weight "gain" fluctuation is not what adaptive thermogenesis is about.

    And having said that the OPs focus on weight while at a low normal weight and with a build that is unlikely to be skinny fat given her exercise levels is of concern to me at least.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    edited March 2017
    True, but when I was a BMI of 20 I still lost weight when I didn't eat enough.

    And since were editing, I did not say her weight gain or adaptive thermogenesis had anything to do with fluctuation. I don't have the OP's situation figured out, hence the questions.
  • mengqiz86
    mengqiz86 Posts: 176 Member
    edited March 2017
    This was me this time last year. I'm 5'6", athletic, have always been around 118-123. Early 2016 I got injured and became slightly more sedentary - my weight shot up 8lb in 2 werks. Made no sense. I started training again and counting calories, netting around 1000-1300 each day, depending on my training schedule, and I could NOT lose any weight. But I stuck to the lifestyle because it helped me be more mindful about what I ate and I thought it was the right thing to do anyway.
    This went on for about 10months - no weight loss. Then beginning of this year - my weight dropped. 6 lb in 2 months - and I didn't feel like I changed anything. Again, it did not make any sense to me - but through this process, I learned to not obsess over the whole weight thing, and completely revamped my eating habits.
    I know this probably didn't help you much - I was in your shoes, and know how frustrating it could be. But since you asked for similar experiences, I thought I'd share. At the end of the day - take the long-term view -- do your best with eating well and within limits, the weight will drop, and you'll be healthier. As for increasing calories - if you feel good eating 1,500 at the current activity level, then I wouldn't raise the caloric intake. I don't think starvation mode is all it's cracked up to be.
  • CorinnePina
    CorinnePina Posts: 26 Member
    edited March 2017
    I've been dieting for six months straight and have not experienced adaptive thermogenesis, starvation mode, or conservation mode. As I understand it adaptive thermogenesis happens when a person eats a low calorie diet over a long period of time. Your print out is interesting, but it does not answer all our questions. How long have you been tracking your calories and body weight? When did you gain six pounds? Are you measuring your food portions with a scale, measuring cups, or estimating?
    I'm using measuring cups. I gained the 6 pounds in the last month; haven't changed anything.
    I've been under eating and over exercising for many years. I also had anorexia from from age 15-30. I just want to get it "right" this time. I don't lose any weight restricting calories any further; I tried that for the past 15 years too. I used to eat 1,200 calories a day and workout 3 hours a day and not lose any weight. My weight seems to have these sudden fluctuations.

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