What extra do you eat?

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Figueroa06
Figueroa06 Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Blah i think my bods going in to a starvation mode :( Im working out twice a day 2 hrs total and doing about 1400+ calories and only eating 1200 but the scale isnt going down (i have lost weight be since i started 2 a days its staying the same) :( going to add another protein shake and hope that helps... My problem is after i have breakfast, lunch, or dinner im not realy hungry after wards i dont eat big portions they have droped to half of what i use to eat. I guess my body just dont like eating alot... Do yall add protein shakes or bars or something else to help you not get in that starvation mode?!?!
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Replies

  • rainunrefined
    rainunrefined Posts: 850 Member
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    You're burning 1400 cals working out and only consuming 1200 cals per day? Umm yes, you should be eating a lot more. Add a little more to each meal. Almonds, full fat dairy (yogurt, milk, sour cream, cheese), protein shakes, peanut butter, granola bars. You should be eating your exercise calories back... at least half of them anyway.
  • crazytxmom
    crazytxmom Posts: 166 Member
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    Yes, you need to eat more if you are going to work out that much. Think of your body as a car. It needs fuel to run. You don't ask your car to drive 200 miles on 100 miles worth of gas. You can't ask your body to do so either.

    Try adding some snacks - even if you don't think you're hungry. Fruits & veggies make great mid-morning & mid-morning snacks. Or, milk, almonds & peanut butter are easy ways to add calories & protein without having to eat huge portions.

    Best of luck in reaching your weight loss goals and taking care of yourself along the way!!
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    Eating 1200 calories while exercising 1400 away is basically like not eating at all. You have no fuel left over to run your body's normal functions if you burn away all the food you ate through exercise. You should be eating twice what you currently are if that's the case.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
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    Most likely your body is NOT going into starvation mode. Your body would have to live off a VERY low calorie diet for several days to go into starvation mode. It may be possible that your body is dehydrated, if your working out that much you should be drinking and increasing your water intake (the more you sweat the more you need).. also keep in mind that your muscles are changing.. don't just go by what the scale is saying! You can drop a pants size and not lose a single pound!
  • AJSINK
    AJSINK Posts: 12
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    I would definately add a protein shake. I work with a Personal Trainer and he is always on me to eat more, even if I'm not hungry, he wants me to eat enough calories, so I eat back almost all of my exercise calories. It's hard to do, because when you are eating the right foods, you are not really hungry. He had told me to do it anyway, its fuel for your body, otherwise your body will start storing fat. I will say, I am getting results after having a plateau for almost a year!! The scale has started moving again!! I love almonds and greek yogurt, those help me get my calories up too...good luck!!
  • Mgrogers09
    Mgrogers09 Posts: 61 Member
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    You have to consider that you may be building muscle since your working out so much and that will initially raise your weight but after a while that muscle will adapt, stop growing, and start burning fat

    "Starvation mode" is kind of a myth actually. The reality is this-you have to accumulate a 3500 calorie deficit to burn a pound of fat sooooo- if you cut 500 calories under your BMR (maintenance # of calories )a day for 7 days you will lose one pound a week. Cut 1000 calories per day and lose two pounds a week. logic would say that if you cut 1500 you would lose 3 pounds a week that you would lose 3 pounds a week but in actuality the "starvation effect" slowing your metabolism would cause you to only lose 2 1/4- 2 1/2 pounds.
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
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    If you are burning 1,400 a day, you need to eat AT LEAST 2,600 calories a day to net 1,200.

    Nuts, olive oil, avocados, nut butter, full fat dairy, and whole grain bread/pasta are all good sources of some extra calories you may be missing out on.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    Most likely your body is NOT going into starvation mode. Your body would have to live off a VERY low calorie diet for several days to go into starvation mode.

    She is NETTING -200 calories per day. If that's not a "very low calorie diet" I don't know what is. Most women should be netting somewhere between 1200-1600.
    You have to consider that you may be building muscle since your working out so much

    Don't you need a surplus to build muscle? Or at least, to be eating above your BMR?
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
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    You have to consider that you may be building muscle since your working out so much and that will initially raise your weight but after a while that muscle will adapt, stop growing, and start burning fat


    The OP said she is burning 1,400 a day, I am assuming the majority (if not all) of those calories are burnt through cardio. Cardio does not built muscle. Furthermore, building muscle on such a high deficit is nearly impossible.
  • LMorrison1009
    LMorrison1009 Posts: 114 Member
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    If you have a lot of weight to lose, its possible to not eat those calories back and still lose. But if you aren't seeing any results this way, its time to change it up. Dried fruits, granola, peanut butter, full fat dairy, Greek yogurts... All will increase your calories and not be too filling. If you add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter every day, it isn't much extra but it adds 200 good calories!
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
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    Most likely your body is NOT going into starvation mode. Your body would have to live off a VERY low calorie diet for several days to go into starvation mode.

    She is NETTING -200 calories per day. If that's not a "very low calorie diet" I don't know what is. Most women should be netting somewhere between 1200-1600.
    You have to consider that you may be building muscle since your working out so much

    Don't you need a surplus to build muscle? Or at least, to be eating above your BMR?

    I like you.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    You have to consider that you may be building muscle since your working out so much and that will initially raise your weight but after a while that muscle will adapt, stop growing, and start burning fat

    "Starvation mode" is kind of a myth actually. The reality is this-you have to accumulate a 3500 calorie deficit to burn a pound of fat sooooo- if you cut 500 calories under your BMR (maintenance # of calories )a day for 7 days you will lose one pound a week. Cut 1000 calories per day and lose two pounds a week. logic would say that if you cut 1500 you would lose 3 pounds a week that you would lose 3 pounds a week but in actuality the "starvation effect" slowing your metabolism would cause you to only lose 2 1/4- 2 1/2 pounds.

    I'm not going to argue the existence of starvation mode, but can't we all agree slowing down the metabolism is something to avoid?

    And no, not building muscle on a net of -200 calories. There's no energy to do so. If anything, muscle is being burned to fuel her body because she's not giving it enough to run basic metabolic functions like digesting and being alive.
  • maemiller
    maemiller Posts: 439 Member
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    i add protien shakes, protien bars, greek yogurt and cottage cheese to my mid & am and pm snacks. I try to take in 130-150grams of protien per day due to the amount of works i do
  • jmxxiiii
    jmxxiiii Posts: 231 Member
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    "Starvation mode" is kind of a myth actually. [/quote]

    THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS! I agree!

    I work out 2 hrs 4 days a wk (hey,I'm using and abusing that YMCA membership of mine :] ) I have a protein shake for dinner, I keep a jar of almonds at my desk at work, I'm trying to force feed myself more fruit and veggies. I agree, go by your inches, not pounds lost :] And don't forget to take a few days off a week!
  • Figueroa06
    Figueroa06 Posts: 11 Member
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    So since im burnings 1400+ calories a day should i start eating like 2400-2600 calories a day?
  • Ebbsies
    Ebbsies Posts: 94
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    How are you calculating your calories burned? Do you wear a HRM? How intense is the level in which your working out at? What is your BMR, height, weight, age, etc? I'm going to be going under the assumption that yes you very well are under eating, but without that information it's very hard to tell you that because you could be miscalculating.
  • Figueroa06
    Figueroa06 Posts: 11 Member
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    Well im getting it off the machines... And not only do i work out for those 2 hrs a day but i also clean office buildings and a gym for 5 hours a day and i dont even count those calories
  • Ebbsies
    Ebbsies Posts: 94
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    Okay, so the machines could be skewed, I wouldn't take them as the gospel, but given it takes your body 1000 calories (if you aren't super petite) just for your body to regulate it's own bodily functions before all of that activity during your day, that puts you at at least 2000 calories burned per day with exercise and just being alive. Now I myself not a whole "Starvation moder" either, but it could very well be possible you are slowing down your metabolism by not eating enough and doing too much. It says on your profile you want to lose 40 lbs, what is your current height and weight?
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    Just curious as to why you are exercising so much? You don't need to exercise half that much to lose weight, gain muscle, and be healthy. I wouldn't eat more. I would exercise less...
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Agreed.. I think exercising less and eating more (healthy food) would be much healthier and more likely to lead to long term success.

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