Starvation mode article that I found very VERY helpful....

But won't you lose muscle mass in addition to fat??

When I had mono and couldn't eat anything for 2 months and all I did was lay in bed (for 2 months - and had to be carried to the bathroom at 19 years old, and bathed by my Mother), I lost nearly all my muscle. Without nourishment, my body took from itself.

Sure, I lost 40 lbs in 2 months time - but it was all muscle. When all was said and done - I couldn't walk by myself most of the time. I was so exhausted, I couldn't stay awake. My friends had to carry my backpack for me to all my classes.

Just saying - you might lose that weight fast - but is that how you REALLY want to lose it??

You would if bed-bound. You need to use the muscle if you don't want to lose it - strength train. So your situation was different.

Um no.

I was eating between 1200-1300 calories per day when I started, lost 37 lbs total, 10 lbs of that was muscle, and I strength train (heavy) 3x per week. You need adequate calorie and protein intake to maintain your muscle.

A word of caution regarding this "article." i find it impossible to address its credibiliiy as it includes no references and/or credentials. This looks like a blog article written on a web site from some average Joe with no facts and/or figures to support it. i'm all for trusting your own body and finding your own way just be wary of charletons trying to sell you what you want to hear. no one really knwos what the safe limit is for you, go ask your own doctor or nutriionist, in my opinion MFP is offten an approximation, i think we all kinda get that, that sometimes we estimate calories both food and exercise calories but i'm very careful about changing my practices based on the latest thought especially when it's an article without basis in fact and theory.

TT

I usually eat under 750 calories BUT its not because im trying to have it help me lose weight.

I eat all throughout the day and im full to the max when i finish eating.

WHATS THE ISSUE?

People would rather me eat until im sick just so i can say im eating over 1000 calories?

No thank you.

^^^Thank-You for this comment... i hear this all the time that I am not eating enough so I ate till I was so sick to my stomach...never again. no thank . I'll take my chances of continuing to loose inches and a 1.5 a week than stuff my stomach beyond a busting point.. Exercise and cutting my meals in 1/2 or eating 5-6 small meals a day works for me.. love how the ones that say that I am doing it wrong, or I must me trying to starve myself I see no PHd. behind their screen name..

I find it hilarious that your on a weight loss site tracking 750 calories if you have such a hard time eating more, how did you gain weight in the first place to wind up here unless your already disordered in some way? The mind can be a powerful thing, working for you or against you, in most cases with ED's against.

Oh and I also find it hilarious that anyone would want to live the rest of their lives on less of a daily caloric intake that my growing toddler needs for good health/energy functions. In fact it is science that if you weigh a certain amount, your body will NEED a certain amount to sustain daily functions BEFORE activity for overall health, I find it very hard to believe many people need less than 1k per day unless they are already around 100 lbs and very petite as well as sedentary most of the day.

That works for my body so i will continue to do what i please.

You are a twit ! .... simple as that

AMEN

I heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and I want to be healthy so I am just going to eat only one apple a day. Who's with me?

In response to all those forum links... honestly I am not sure what they say... but I found that when I wasn't eating enough I lasted with GOOD energy for about 3-4 months just fine... this is eating at the 300 calorie level... I ate ALL day but it was very low calorie stuff like tofu and celery and spinach etc. I am vegan so it was easier to eat less cals bc I stayed away from carbs mostly (not out of fear). A lot of people who don't eat ENOUGH don't typically have healthy eating habits. While again I agree that I am much HAPPIER eating more, my body has responded in my workouts like CRAZY (in a good way)--- starvation mode REALLY does happen once you get to a certain body fat percentage.... also your metabolism really does slow down... and your body does lose a lot more muscle especially under the 35% Body Fat Range.....

I have done a LOT of research on this, and do NOT advocate for the unhealthy eating habits that can be formed by the anxiety of eating more than 1000 cals or 1200 cals... or 300 cals. I was a mental MESS at that low of food even though I ate all day... I fantasized about food... looked at food all day. And eventually started getting VERY weak in my workouts....

in just 2 week of eating 1000 cals and up... my strength is back and even GROWING exponentially... i am only 120 lbs and im 4'10 like I said... and work a desk job... so besides my 5-6 times a week of exercise I don't get much.... and I will probably increase my food when I am at a body fat percent that I am happy with, to about 1500-1700 calories a day.... but if I werent to work out my body would only really need about 1100-1200 cals a day at my weight and height....

At the same time... to get the amount of protein and fiber you need to stay healthy you really really really need to eat more. You cant GET the levels of that stuff that you need at such a low calorie goal. You just cant. I've tried. I know.

Anyway... the article is correct... but is it healthy? Nope not really. Not healthy because of energy and protein needed and essential vitamins etc. Just eat healthier... eat more veggies.... and work out..... thats all there is to it. Losing weight is easy.... we just make it harder on ourselves.

Here, let me bust out my little list again. Here are sob stories from people on this site who have been chronically under eating. But I don't have a PhD, and neither do they, so the argument is invalid, I guess?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/419136-what-am-i-doing-wrong
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/419393-need-serious-help-please
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/420759-gaining-weight-on-a-low-carb-diet-please-help
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/421412-so-fed-up-there-has-to-be-an-easier-way
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/446248-why-am-i-gaining-weight
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/447513-disillusioned
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/448803-not-loosing-weight-or-inches
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/454374-gaining-with-scrict-diet-and-workouts
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/455392-no-results-at-all-despair
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/457566-why-cant-i-loose-weight-or-inches
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/457037-feeling-disheartened
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/467001-why-1200-c-a-day-and-still-no-weight-loss
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/480698-assistance-please-this-is-getting-ridiculous
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/480186-tiredness
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/487729-the-scale-wont-move
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/493331-i-need-some-straight-up-advice-on-this-dieting
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/503342-mfp-lied-help
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/509836-i-can-t-seem-to-lose-any-weight
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/517635-what-is-wrong-with-me

what is the argument? that i am not eating what you would consider the norm to loose weight? when in fact I have lost weight and inches> because I dont agree with you that everyone (including myself) can and should eat more than 1k calories a day. And then when i dont or cant because i fill full that i must be wanting to starve myself? No, I joined this site to start eating healthier not come here to be ridicule by others who think they know my life story and what is best for me. what is best for you to eat over 1k calories works for you...that is great. but what works for you and others is not the same for me (and others) doesnt make me right or wrong. it's a re-learning process for me to eat healthy and not have a fear of food. and not think because i eat this food i will gain a huge amount of weight. i came here for support not to be judged. and definitely not to belittled by you or the others that dont agree with my or someone elses feelings and thoughts.

I think the intent was to demonstrate that there are many MFP users who have had their weight loss stalled due to eating too little.

But won't you lose muscle mass in addition to fat??

When I had mono and couldn't eat anything for 2 months and all I did was lay in bed (for 2 months - and had to be carried to the bathroom at 19 years old, and bathed by my Mother), I lost nearly all my muscle. Without nourishment, my body took from itself.

Sure, I lost 40 lbs in 2 months time - but it was all muscle. When all was said and done - I couldn't walk by myself most of the time. I was so exhausted, I couldn't stay awake. My friends had to carry my backpack for me to all my classes.

Just saying - you might lose that weight fast - but is that how you REALLY want to lose it??

You would if bed-bound. You need to use the muscle if you don't want to lose it - strength train. So your situation was different.

Um no.

I was eating between 1200-1300 calories per day when I started, lost 37 lbs total, 10 lbs of that was muscle, and I strength train (heavy) 3x per week. You need adequate calorie and protein intake to maintain your muscle.

How much protein did you eat? How much cardio did you do? When losing weight there will always be some muscle loss, you try and limit it as much as you can. The bed-bound person was in a different situation.

I think "starvation mode" is becoming the new sensational thing to report about (or find old reports about).

This guy, Dr Gary Taubes, is suggesting a whole new way of thinking about how we gain weight. Its kinda long, but totally worth the time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUspjZG-wc

This is the basis of the "Keto" diet that I recently dove into and absolutely love.

TL;DR: You aren't fat because you eat too much, you eat too much because you're fat. Change what you eat.

Taubes' book was great but calories do matter. He is too concerned with carbohydrates. Low carb is a great start to get weight loss moving but you shouldn't stay low carb as a lot experience problems - low thyroid etc.

what is the argument? that i am not eating what you would consider the norm to loose weight? when in fact I have lost weight and inches> because I dont agree with you that everyone (including myself) can and should eat more than 1k calories a day. And then when i dont or cant because i fill full that i must be wanting to starve myself? No, I joined this site to start eating healthier not come here to be ridicule by others who think they know my life story and what is best for me. what is best for you to eat over 1k calories works for you...that is great. but what works for you and others is not the same for me (and others) doesnt make me right or wrong. it's a re-learning process for me to eat healthy and not have a fear of food. and not think because i eat this food i will gain a huge amount of weight. i came here for support not to be judged. and definitely not to belittled by you or the others that dont agree with my or someone elses feelings and thoughts.

The argument is that chronic undereating will likely result in muscle loss, lowered metabolism, weight loss plateaus, and potentially other issues. Some people manage to get away with it for months and months, and then transition to a normal calorie intake. But most will not.

From your profile: "I want to be healthy and not revert back to old habits of an eating disorder."

But what you are saying in this thread contradicts that. You ARE STILL in the old habits of your eating disorder. If you want to improve, we're all behind you. But instead of striving for improvement, you're defending the disordered eating. If you were to say, "I am eating less than 1k a day, but trying my best to do better each day", then I would root you on, 100%. But on the contrary, you're eating less than 1k a day and then dismissing everyone who tells you this is unhealthy, asking to see their PhD's.

Do you want to be fit and healthy or not? Don't kid yourself and think that eating < 1k calories per day is healthy.

I think "starvation mode" is becoming the new sensational thing to report about (or find old reports about).

This guy, Dr Gary Taubes, is suggesting a whole new way of thinking about how we gain weight. Its kinda long, but totally worth the time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUspjZG-wc

This is the basis of the "Keto" diet that I recently dove into and absolutely love.

TL;DR: You aren't fat because you eat too much, you eat too much because you're fat. Change what you eat.

Taubes' book was great but calories do matter. He is too concerned with carbohydrates. Low carb is a great start to get weight loss moving but you shouldn't stay low carb as a lot experience problems - low thyroid etc.

I agree with this 100%. I am sticking to the 5% carb "Keto" approach for a few more weeks, then I will start introducing more carbs for workout energy, etc. I still think low-carb is best for those who are completely sedentary and have fully functional internal organs