Metabolisms. I don't understand them...?

monicahullinger
monicahullinger Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Please share your knowledge with me! o:)

I know it is important to eat enough calories to maintain a healthy metabolism but I don't really understand the why. For instance lets say, hypothetically speaking, (I promise its hypothetical) I only eat 1,000 calories a day. At first I lose weight really quickly but then I plateau. Why is it harder down the road to lose weight when the body is on a strict calorie restriction?

I'm asking this question because it was brought up in another post and I'm curious about it.

Thanks! <3

Replies

  • TorStar80
    TorStar80 Posts: 252 Member
    I think it's something to do with having less to lose but I'm not totally sure myself, I'd like to understand as well.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I don't know about matabolism but the lower your calories the less likely you are to get adequate nutrition. Skinny doesn't equal healthy and if your hair is falling out and your organs are shutting down from lack of nutrients will it really matter how skinny you are? Not saying you're at that point but as you lose weight you'll need less calories to lose more - how low are you willing to go? I'd rather focus on health.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    It's more important to get enough calories for health/organ function. The metabolic impact of a severe deficit lasting a long time is only about ~9%. It's called adaptive thermogenesis. You don't plateau because of adaptive thermogenesis. Everyone's calorie need drops as they lose weight (maybe it will drop slightly more with adaptive thermogenesis). You plateau when your calorie need drops but your intake doesn't. That's true whether or not adaptive thermogenesis is present.
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
    There is a common idea out there that if you under-eat, your body will slow fat loss in order to preserve what it has, aka "starvation mode". This is only true to an extent. Your fat loss may slow some in an extreme calorie deficit, but you will still lose fat. And then eventually muscle. Some people believe that eating too little is the reason why they aren't losing weight at all or even gaining weight, but that's not the case. This is a good article on the subject- http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

    Now that being said, as you lose weight your weight loss may plateau, which doesn't have so much to do with your metabolism, but more so that smaller bodies just need less food, and smaller bodies burn less calories doing the same activity as someone who weighs more. So it's common to need to adjust your calories and work out more as you lose.

    I hope I answered the question you were trying to ask!
  • sosteach
    sosteach Posts: 260 Member
    This might explain your "plateau" http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html/
  • LynnJ9
    LynnJ9 Posts: 414 Member
    JackieMarie1989jgw wrote: »
    There is a common idea out there that if you under-eat, your body will slow fat loss in order to preserve what it has, aka "starvation mode". This is only true to an extent. Your fat loss may slow some in an extreme calorie deficit, but you will still lose fat. And then eventually muscle. Some people believe that eating too little is the reason why they aren't losing weight at all or even gaining weight, but that's not the case. This is a good article on the subject- http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

    Now that being said, as you lose weight your weight loss may plateau, which doesn't have so much to do with your metabolism, but more so that smaller bodies just need less food, and smaller bodies burn less calories doing the same activity as someone who weighs more. So it's common to need to adjust your calories and work out more as you lose.

    I hope I answered the question you were trying to ask!

    Great article! I used the Naked and Afraid example myself. Thanks
  • monicahullinger
    monicahullinger Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks everyone! That was all very helpful information!!
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    JackieMarie1989jgw wrote: »
    There is a common idea out there that if you under-eat, your body will slow fat loss in order to preserve what it has, aka "starvation mode". This is only true to an extent. Your fat loss may slow some in an extreme calorie deficit, but you will still lose fat. And then eventually muscle. Some people believe that eating too little is the reason why they aren't losing weight at all or even gaining weight, but that's not the case. This is a good article on the subject- http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

    Now that being said, as you lose weight your weight loss may plateau, which doesn't have so much to do with your metabolism, but more so that smaller bodies just need less food, and smaller bodies burn less calories doing the same activity as someone who weighs more. So it's common to need to adjust your calories and work out more as you lose.

    I hope I answered the question you were trying to ask!

    Close, but not exactly right.

    Lets say your target weight is 130. Maintenance for you at 130 is 1300 calories. You have 100 lbs to lose. You NET 1500 calories daily. somewhere around 170, you stall at 1500... and when I say stall I don't mean a week or 2, but 6.. even though calculated maintenance at 1500 is 150 lbs not 170. But, due to 6 months of weight loss, your body has reduced your needs, and you can no longer lose at 1500. You could lose at 1300, but you won't get to 130. The solution is a diet break to give your body the opportunity to restabilize. so you bump to 1750 for 2-3 weeks. and then go to 1300 or 1350 or even 1200.

    The body is complicated as is weight loss and metabolism. Simple answers aren't always right. but they get close.
  • monicahullinger
    monicahullinger Posts: 5 Member
    Stannmann571 - That's the exact explanation I was looking for! Makes so much more sense to me now. Thanks so much!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    This is good too: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/metabolic-damage
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1077746/starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    monicahullinger wrote: »
    Please share your knowledge with me! o:)

    I know it is important to eat enough calories to maintain a healthy metabolism but I don't really understand the why. For instance lets say, hypothetically speaking, (I promise its hypothetical) I only eat 1,000 calories a day. At first I lose weight really quickly but then I plateau. Why is it harder down the road to lose weight when the body is on a strict calorie restriction?

    I'm asking this question because it was brought up in another post and I'm curious about it.

    Thanks! <3

    Unless you're tiny, like 4 foot nothing tiny, or already looking like a concentration camp victim, you're not going to plateau on 1000 calories.

    If you have plateaued, you're eating more than 1000 calories.

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