body in Starvation mode?

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sharonsjones
sharonsjones Posts: 574 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I talked to a nutritionist today and he told me my body was in starvation mode. I eat at least 1300 to 1400 calories a day (before exiercise). I am not underweight. He told me I need to eat at least 1800 calories a day before exercise. He said I would gain weight at first but then I would be able to sculpt my muscles better after about 6 weeks, because my body wouldn't be in starvation mode anymore. He said that all the calories I'm eating that most is going to fat instead of muscle because of the deficit of calories. 1800 is alot of calories to eat in a day!

I really think that is just too many caloreis and I don't want to gain weight so that I can then lose it to build more muscle. I run 4 to 5 times a week and weight train 2 to 3 times a week.

You can look at my diary, its open.

I really don't know what to do.

Any suggestions

Replies

  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    I say listen to him, or possibly get a second opinion if you're doubtful.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    I say listen to him, or possibly get a second opinion if you're doubtful.
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    I say listen to him, or possibly get a second opinion if you're doubtful.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    He's a professional. So... I'd probably listen to him.
  • jumcadam
    jumcadam Posts: 95 Member
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    Hi! - sorry to hear that you're having a stuggle!

    Just to let you know, your diary isn't open!

    ETA - If he's a pro, it might well be a good idea to take his advice for now!

    :tongue:
  • cpeddie
    cpeddie Posts: 1
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    that seems like a lot of cals to me. I would get a second opinion for sure.
  • mcjabber
    mcjabber Posts: 374 Member
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    Do you eat back your exercise calories? Because if you don't, then your net calories would be pretty low. The advice seems to be that, basically, if you're burning a few hundred calories a pop when you workout. Not that I'm a professional!
  • lawtechie
    lawtechie Posts: 708 Member
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    Your diary isn't open. If you are not netting a min of 1200 you very well could be in 'starvation mode' although the effects can take months to show from what I heard.

    If you're burning sufficiently you won't gain weight. What is your base calories needed to maintain your weight? Did the nutritionist tell you that? Does that include or exclude exercise?

    For a very active person, 1800 calories could be the amount needed to maintain.
  • meeperoon
    meeperoon Posts: 270 Member
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    From the amount of exercise you already do, I'd say he's probably right!

    Sorry, probably not what you want to hear!
    Try drinking some juices, full of goodness but have quite a few cals in them?
  • JeSuisPrest
    JeSuisPrest Posts: 2,005 Member
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    Listen to him and google around for more info. Shape Magazine also suggest women eat between 1500-1800 calories a day.
  • Jemmuno
    Jemmuno Posts: 413 Member
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    I think you should get a second a opinion, and I don't think you should get one because he's wrong I think you should get a second opinion to confirm what he or she is saying. There are lot of different opinions about weight loss even in the PhD communities of nutrition so I think getting a few more opinions wouldn't hurt.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Diary is closed but yeah if you are exercise so much that your net calories is way below 1200 then the nutritionist is right. Since you are not really trying to lose weight just build muscle then more calories sounds correct.

    Maybe just increase slowly instead of jumping all the way up to 1800 and see how it goes.

    Best of Luck!!!
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    My advice..if you are paying for someone to give you advice in nutrition...then you have obviously discussed your past diet?

    You either take their advice and work with it...or you disagree and take your own route on MFP?

    Maybe try their plan and adjust to suit you as you explain to them how your body is adjusting when you log in with them?

    It is never going to be a quick fix...but a long term solution to you dietary & exercise habits
  • robinxhope
    robinxhope Posts: 125 Member
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    Maybe ask for a referral to a nutritionist? Get a second opinion for yourself. Ask your Dr. for more scientific references or journals and information so that you can empower yourself and know that you are making the right decision for you!
  • KindleBlossom
    KindleBlossom Posts: 33
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    Of course, he's a trained professional, so his recommendation carries some weight. If you're looking to improve your health over the long term, I would say his suggestion sounds reasonable. If it turns out that your body is in starvation mode, that means you may be metabolising muscle instead of fat to power your workouts (your body uses up newly acquired calories first, then stored fat, then muscle, if the first two aren't readily available), and that's a process that doesn't just undercut your hard work, it's tough on your organs, as well. If you're having doubts, a second opinion from a doctor is always a good idea, but my amateur suggestion would be to slowly up your caloric intake into the range he suggested. The U.S. daily recommended caloric intake for adults is 2000, after all- and most people burn up around 1900 just to power your body in a resting state. Good luck, and I hope you figure out what's right for you. :)

    Oh! And also, if you want to remove the margin of human error or assumption, you can have your doc test for elevated ketone levels in your blood to see if you're actually in starvation mode. This is a pretty solid indicator.
  • drtracie
    drtracie Posts: 5
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    Hi Sharon, I haven't logged on for a while and have never posted, but I was compelled to reply. I am confused. You are concerned about weight gain (believe me I totally understand that one,) but you are training for a half marathon (way to go sister!!) So to me, you are training for an endurance event, it is really not the time to concern yourself too much over your weight, but you need to be fueling the machine and getting to know how an endurance athlete needs to eat.

    I can't see your diary, but quality of food is very, very important (but you have been doing this for years, so I have a feeling you are already there.) You know, those guys that ride the Tour de France eat 9000 calories a day! Now, I realize that is on the extreme, but training for a half marathon and weight training, you calorie expendeture is pretty hefty, so the 1800 is pretty puny.

    By the way, being a competative athlete 40 and up is a fantastic way keep us young! Competative athletes don't lose VO2max and lean muscle as we age like the sedentary population does and lean muscle mass the the #1 marker for healthy aging. I out there with you! As you push yourself harder and harder, guard your immunity, be sure your vitamin D levels are good, use a high quality multi, epa/dha and probiotics. The best sports drink is Endura, by Metagenics.

    Get online, search around and familiarize yourself with sports nutrition, especially carbing up before and event and glycogen depletion (Endura will keep you out of trouble). After you kick royal butt in the half marathon, THEN you can return to focusing your nutrition and fitness on improving your body composition. Just have one focus at a time. Fuel up, train hard, perform and then worry about the scale. Hope that helps, I wish you the best! -Tracie
  • sharonsjones
    sharonsjones Posts: 574 Member
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    Thanks everyone for all your advice. I was only paying to attention to total calories that I ate during the day. My net calories were around 900 to 1000. So I will eat at least 1800 total calories. My mistake, I thought my diary was open oops! its open now. Thanks Tracie for your advice, very helpful.

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