How to healthily lose a lot of weight without messing my metabolism?

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  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
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    HanaThorne wrote: »
    This made me less worried, thank you! Exactly, I got into a scare after reading about people who lost a significant amount of weight and had problems because their metabolism was out the window as a result due to cutting back too much and working out too much - and not making up for it. I just want to plan this whole thing in a smart way so that I can manage this long term :smile:

    A lot of people who lose weight quickly gain it back not because of anything to do with their metabolism, but because they didn't find a sustainable way to eat. I would imagine embarrassment and feeling defeatist might make some people blame the regain on other things. You sound like you are taking a more sensible approach than a crash diet that ends in burnout and recidivism.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
    edited January 2018
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    I understand your fears and have read those articles about metabolic damage as well! As I can recall, the metabolic damage is really not a whole lot. Maybe just a hundred calories or so.

    But it's not something to fear, and there's no way you'd be stuck eating 1200 calories to maintain. I'm 5'7", and at 150lbs, my sedentary (aka sit on my butt all day) maintenance is 1800.

    You definitely won't have to give up any of your favourite foods, but just make sure to watch your portion sizes of them. I still eat plenty of rich dishes, rice, pasta, pizza, etc.

    I do intermittent fasting so I can enjoy nice restaurant meals with my friends and family without worrying too much about the calories. I just skip breakfast, have a light lunch, and save the majority of my calories for dinner! It's a nice strategy to keep yourself from feeling deprived.

    Anyway. It all seems scary now, but I guarantee when you reach your goal, you will forget about all these worries and feel so much better. :) Good luck.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited January 2018
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    HanaThorne wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Net your calorie goal (eat back exervise cals) and have a week at maintenance every couple of months and your metabolism will be fine.

    I wouldn't really be asking if I wasn't reading all over that you shouldn't be eating excercise cals back or maybe just a portion of it :neutral:

    You are reading is "all over" because

    A) People don't understand how MFP is designed. You get a calorie deficit with zero exercise factored in.

    B.) People want to believe the numbers they read on exercise machines, or fitness websites. Take a practical approach; eat a portion of exercise calories back and ADJUST that number over time based on actual results.

    C) People assume they are logging food accurately. Hint - when people are wrong here.......is usually an under estimation of food calories. Even if the exercise calories were accurate....the numbers are still wrong.

    D) Sometimes when people do use a calculator that included exercise up front (TDEE), they forget how they set up their account here and give you wrong info based on that.
  • Jingsi84
    Jingsi84 Posts: 127 Member
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    augustremulous wrote: »
    @deannalfisher

    The fact is that not everyone will be healthy at the same number of calories. You might be great on 2400 but there are definitely people who eat 1300 and are healthy and satisfied as well. Everyone is different.

    For the record, I am one of the people who have to eat 1250 at maintenance (short, old, sedentary). I'm not there yet but I am eating 1200 to lose right now and I'm never hungry at 146 lbs.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    It's true that some shorter and sedentary women may need to eat low calorie to maintain their weight. But they are for sure in the minority. I have also helped many women with their diaries who said they were eating 1200, but once they started using a food scale and using accurate entries, they found that wasn't the case. Regardless, none of this has anything to do with the OP. 5'4" is not unusually short and she is planning to start exercising. If she makes that a priority, she won't need to eat 1200 calories, which is the point we were all trying to make. She's going to rock this and feel a million times better a year from now :grin:
  • HanaThorne
    HanaThorne Posts: 14 Member
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    sksk1026 wrote: »
    You've got some great advice on this thread. I would just add that there is time to experiment with recipes and treats and eating schedules on your weight loss journey so you can incorporate the food you love. I'm writing this from McDonald's having just finished a cheeseburger and small fries.

    Ha, for the time being this isn't possible due to my fatty liver. Because of this, I can't eat anything greasy or sweet because I get a reaction (nausea, pain). It's something about enzymes and sugars; I also got a high glucose reading on my blood test. So, until it clears (I read it's 6 months minimum, but we'll see at my check up in May), no experimenting with my favorite food in the world (which happen to be fries and pizza xD). I'm living on baked (a teaspoon of olive oil in total) and cooked food only - this is actually helping me lose the weight a lot faster than it would before. I had chocolate cake for Christmas because - darn it I can't be strict on Christmas!... And was sick the entire day afterwards :(

    I really appreciate the thoughtful and wise replies you had. I only am not sure if the same principle (just log and follow the numbers and you'll will be fine) because the body does such a huge change - with hormpnes too! I just recently did blood work on my sex hormones - when one literally halves in size with 150lbs to lose.

  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    I think it helps to think short term when it comes to weight loss. Long term goals are great, but worrying about the what if's a year or more down the road isn't helpful. When my doctor talked to me about my weight he recommended losing 10% of my body weight rather than telling me to go lose 140. Losing 10% can make big improvements to your health and is much easier to think about. When you hit that first mini-goal shoot for the next one. If you feel like you need a break, take one. You will get to know your body well along the way and will be able to make the adjustments you need before causing any long term damage. Relax and enjoy the journey.
  • megs_1985
    megs_1985 Posts: 199 Member
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    I think if you do it slowly you are less likely to damage your metabolism. The body needs time to reset and when some does a biggest loser type of diet they shock the body and it hasn’t had time to reset. I’m not sure if this is scientifically proven but data doesnsuggest that people who take longer to lose weight rather then a quick whoosh have better success. Read the success story board and you’ll find lots of great tips. I think the above poster is right. Focus on losing just 10% of your body weight right now. I bet that will help your glucose numbers at least and you can avoid insulin. You’re likely “insulin resistant” or prediabetic. So reduce your intake of carbs (not drastically maybe to 30-40%). Also if you do some weight training that will help keep up your metabolism. Just go get some soup cans or some 1-3 kg hand weights and do a total body low impact 10-20 minute weight training routine 2-4x a week. Intersperse it with whatever cardio you like. Good luck. I know going slow is tough but it’s better to start now and be somewhere even a bit better a year from now then in the same place.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Any notable loss of weight will have an effect on “metabolism” (it’s really more an effect on TDEE, but we’ll use the shorthand for now).

    If you lose weight, it’s going to happen, so I would not let it dictate your approach. At your weight, there is no reason to starve yourself. If you are following an exercise program (which includes strength training), have your macros straight, there is no reason why you can’t lose steadily on 1600-1800 cals per day (sometimes a little more). Since you seem to be comfortable at that level, that should work. At your weight, you can handle a higher daily deficit without adverse effects.

    Worrying about what will happen somewhere down the road when you lose 100+ pounds is kind of putting the cart before the horse. When you get there, your body will be different, your physical abilities will be different. You will have different options.

    While a lowered “metabolism” is a likely part of any substantial weight loss (at least temporarily), most people don’t regain weight due to a “damaged metabolism”—unless they have lost substantial lean mass. They regain weight because they go back to their old habits.

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