disillusioned??

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shaggymum
shaggymum Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hello, I've been doing this for 12 days, exercising (cardio mostly) well each day, but NOT eating my exercise calories, mostly eating an average of 800 cals a day......I started at 69 (12 days ago), dropped to 68.1 in a week (was feeling good), went up to 68.8 3 days later, and for the past two days, despite sticking to the calories emphatically (!), no shift :(....feeling disillusioned.....
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Replies

  • Lunatary
    Lunatary Posts: 8
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    You're doing good! You will actually gain weight from muscle and water weight. I promise if you stick to it you will see results. Don't give up!
  • ministamper
    ministamper Posts: 1
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    you should be eating more than 800 calories a day, especially if you are exercising, what is your calories allowed, around 1200 you are only eating 2/3 of what you should be.
  • SuddenlyPickles
    SuddenlyPickles Posts: 88
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    You're eating a total of 800 calories and exercising on top of that? You're starving yourself.

    Someone posted this article today... Might be worth a read. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

    If you search, there's also lots of great info on this forum about net calories and weight loss. Good luck...
  • SuddenlyPickles
    SuddenlyPickles Posts: 88
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    You're doing good! You will actually gain weight from muscle and water weight. I promise if you stick to it you will see results. Don't give up!

    :noway:
  • Hoakiebs
    Hoakiebs Posts: 430 Member
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    You should never be eating that few calories per day. Look @ the bottom of your report for a warning that you are in starvation mode.
  • shaggymum
    shaggymum Posts: 2 Member
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    hmmm, I keep telling myself, skinny people don't eat! Seen it with my own two eyes. My PT said 'starvation mode' was a load of crock, that it's basically input/output. So if you don't eat it, and drop your input, and increase your output = weight loss. hmmm, waiting for that 'effect' to happen. too scared to put more food in my mouth, as if I can't lose weight at 700-800 calories a day, then eating more would = weight gain?? maybe I just need more sleep.....
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
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    hello, I've been doing this for 12 days
    Give it more time.
    NOT eating my exercise calories, mostly eating an average of 800 cals a day....

    Eat more.
    hmmm, I keep telling myself, skinny people don't eat! Seen it with my own two eyes. My PT said 'starvation mode' was a load of crock, that it's basically input/output. So if you don't eat it, and drop your input, and increase your output = weight loss. hmmm, waiting for that 'effect' to happen. too scared to put more food in my mouth, as if I can't lose weight at 700-800 calories a day, then eating more would = weight gain?? maybe I just need more sleep.....

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/395881-people-who-lost-weight-eating-more
    skinny people don't eat!

    :laugh:
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
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    I think you need to eat more, heres why..

    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle building, and reducing fat. This means it is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode).

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    Good luck on your journey :flowerforyou:
  • Chairless
    Chairless Posts: 588 Member
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    Chin up, if you are disillusioned after 12 days this is going to be quite a struggle.

    Takes time, a lot of time.
  • meggers123
    meggers123 Posts: 711 Member
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    I know everyone is saying "eat more", and you think we're crazy. "How can I possibly eat more and lose, if I'm not losing at 800 calories?"

    You know what, I don't know the answer, BUT I've lost 26 lbs so far doing just that. I lost just over a pound this week- eating over 1200 calories, even had chips and pudding :) Aaaaand, I haven't had time to work out this week- just walked to work and took the stairs.

    I don't study nutrition, I'm not a physical trainer, but this has been working for me. I'd say give it a try for a month- sticking to 1200 calories, and if it doesn't work, then go back to your 800. You've got nothing to lose- but weight. :)
  • goodhealth2012
    goodhealth2012 Posts: 85
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    Everybody here is right. You are eating too little. This slows down your metabolism. By eating more (of the good food, don't just eat cake to fill your calorie requirements!) you will speed up your metabolism. I can speak from experience. When I first started on MFP I was going from having 800 calories for a few days than binge, then back to 800 calories. I never lost weight, in fact i gained at an incredible rate, sometimes gaining up to 3kg a week!!! When I started tracking on MFP my main goal was to stick to my calories, whether I need to eat more to do it or rein myself in on that day...lo and behold the second day I was hungry! My PT said this was a sign that my metabolism was speeding up and I was burning food faster, stuck with it and lost 10 pounds in 10 days. (i exercised a few times in this period. Try sticking to your calories for a while and se how you go, exercise to burn fat, not eat less, Good luck!
  • Sabresgal63
    Sabresgal63 Posts: 641 Member
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    First.......................eat all or some of your exercise calories...................second................go to any website on the web and it will tell you that if you go below 1200 cals per day your body goes into starvation mode. Stick to your plan that is on here and you will start to see the difference. Good luck
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Weight fluctuates hourly. Weigh yourself once a week at the same time.

    Why are youo only eating 800 calories?
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    You can't expect any results in 2 weeks. It just doesn't work like that. Give yourself 2 or 3 months and if you still haven't seen any weight loss, then perhaps rethink. But I guarantee you will.

    Also you are eating too little which will make you irritable and craving calories, which will make you more susceptible to giving up.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    hmmm, I keep telling myself, skinny people don't eat! Seen it with my own two eyes. My PT said 'starvation mode' was a load of crock, that it's basically input/output. So if you don't eat it, and drop your input, and increase your output = weight loss. hmmm, waiting for that 'effect' to happen. too scared to put more food in my mouth, as if I can't lose weight at 700-800 calories a day, then eating more would = weight gain?? maybe I just need more sleep.....

    Starvation mode as many people understand it (that you will GAIN weight if you don't eat enough) is bullox (Brits, is that spelled right???). But eating too little will slow your metabolism, making weight loss a bigger struggle.

    And skinny people eat. When I was at my thinnest was when I ate the worst in my entire life. Skinny people don't eat every second of the day (no one does), so just because you saw a skinny person not eating doesn't mean skinny people don't eat. That's silly. Anorexic people don't eat.
  • hope516
    hope516 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    You have tried your way for 12 days, and have learned personally it is NOT working for you so try a different way. Give it a chance and eat at your recommended level and see what happens. I am willing to bet you will be surprised. And if you are saying things like "skinny people don't eat," then that sounds like an issue more in your head than your body. :flowerforyou: HOpe you start seeing the results you're looking for.
  • TyneeKitty
    TyneeKitty Posts: 39
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    hmmm, I keep telling myself, skinny people don't eat! Seen it with my own two eyes. My PT said 'starvation mode' was a load of crock, that it's basically input/output. So if you don't eat it, and drop your input, and increase your output = weight loss. hmmm, waiting for that 'effect' to happen. too scared to put more food in my mouth, as if I can't lose weight at 700-800 calories a day, then eating more would = weight gain?? maybe I just need more sleep.....

    Starvation mode as many people understand it (that you will GAIN weight if you don't eat enough) is bullox (Brits, is that spelled right???). But eating too little will slow your metabolism, making weight loss a bigger struggle.

    And skinny people eat. When I was at my thinnest was when I ate the worst in my entire life. Skinny people don't eat every second of the day (no one does), so just because you saw a skinny person not eating doesn't mean skinny people don't eat. That's silly. Anorexic people don't eat.

    Bollocks :P
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Starvation mode as many people understand it (that you will GAIN weight if you don't eat enough) is bullox (Brits, is that spelled right???).

    Bollocks :P

    Thanks. ;-)

    I thought it was wrong!
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    You're doing good! You will actually gain weight from muscle and water weight. I promise if you stick to it you will see results. Don't give up!

    First of all,
    you need at least 1300-1500 calories per day. This is NET btw not total!
    Second, muscle takes months to even develop one pound... :noway:
  • lynheff
    lynheff Posts: 393 Member
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    "Starvation mode" will make you lose weight---witness pictures of people who survived concentration camps. Not a look most of us want! Unfortunately if you eat too few calories, more of the lost weight will be lean muscle instead of fat. In the long run that will defeat your efforts in the gym and lower your resting metabolic rate. The reason we are encouraged to lose around 2 pounds a week is that is the best rate for your body to convert fat to energy. and spare your muscles. It takes a lot of exercise to gain muscle mass--especially for women. If water weight is a problem, decreasing your carbs can help. Hope that helps. Good luck!

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