call it what you want "starvation mode" is REAL

The thing is 1200 for some people 1200 is optimal.

No one is saying "You will stop losing weight." But that's not to say that their loss is OPTIMAL loss. It's making it more difficult than it needs to be.

Years ago, I struggled for a good 8 or more months to lose about 20 pounds when I wasn't eating enough. I thought the only way to keep losing would be to eat even less than I was. Average loss per week was about a half pound a week, many weeks less than that, even though I was aiming for 2 pounds or more per week.

But eating the RIGHT amount of calories for what I weighed and how much I wanted to lose, which is nearly twice as much as I was years ago, I easily and effortlessly lost 30 pounds in 7 months. Average loss per week over the entire duration was one pound a week, aiming for one pound a week then a half pound a week for the last 10 pounds.

That's all anyone is trying to say. Eat the RIGHT amount of calories for what you weigh and the amount you have to lose. There's no need to automatically go for the lowest possible number of calories.

If they are under 5' tall!

*cough*

First off, I find it disturbing when people toss out a "starving children of Africa" analogy, but really... the fact that those people are even ALIVE on how little they have to eat shows that the body adapts, slows down and is able to function (not optimally, of course) when there's real or perceived famine.

And I am going to keep losing weight eating lots of nice food (about 2,000 calories worth a day)

I'll just keep losing weight and being fit my way. Good luck all. And thanks to all the emails from
people who get what i'm saying. Keep em coming.

And then we can hear from those same people on the forums with ALL the many topics that pop up about stalling for 3 months, probably 3 months down the road.

Or all the people that have already publicly make announcement topics about eating more and losing the same weight or more than when eating low.

Look around, there has been a real change of wisdom and reality on MFP. New MFP'ers are discovering these topics 2-3 weeks into their journey, and realizing they want to do it right and making the changes before they stall or fight eating so little for no good reason.

Because they have already done it your encouraged way before, sometimes many times before, and they are back, and don't want to do it again that way. Insanity.

I'm glad your body has adjusted and still doing weight loss, hope it's not muscle you may desire at some point. For many it is, they'll never eat maintenance again, because they are already almost there.

You haven't read the studies, or the fact of lean muscle loss possible?

Showing the predicted changes in metabolic rates decline sharply in individuals undergoing adaptive thermogenesis which does lead to plateauing. ie suppressed BMR, slower metabolism, ect.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11430776
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19660148
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20054213
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17260010
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/3/431.full#T2

I'll believe what I want. The Scientists, or where ever the hell you got your information, are not always right. I don't believe it's real. You're hungry, and that's it, but it's not starvation mode. No one refers to the kids in Africa, do they? We don't need another one of these threads.

Its not about encouragement perse it's more about not discouraging which seems to he a huge problem on this site. If someone does something differrent than the norm they are threated like an outcast or "trouble maker",

Its not about encouragement perse it's more about not discouraging which seems to he a huge problem on this site. If someone does something differrent than the norm they are threated like an outcast or "trouble maker",

I'd say more that someone is considered a troublemaker when they bump up a thread and post just to mock the premise of it.

Not only that, you're doing the EXACT same frickin' thing you're accusing others of doing. People are doing things different than you, and having great success in it, and you're treating us like we're doing something wrong.

The thing is for some people 1200 is optimal.I eat about 1400 or so. And work out 500-600 every day and I don't eat my excersice calories back. You can figure out my net. I've had no issues with weightloss nor any issues going from having tiny little boy arms to nice big manly mechanic arms. I guess i'm a freak.

Lol i eat plenty of food im stuffed 99% of the time. I had eggs, bacon, pancakes, home fries and toast for breakfast.A cherry dip dairy queen cone for a snack,mashed potatos and corn and shake and bake pork-chops for dinner. Yummmmm. That's how I roll.

How does all the food above come out to 1400 calories. Not trying to be mean, but I'd love to see the breakdown of all that food that comes in at 1400 calories. I find myself skeptical.

I don't think I'm genetically gifted if I were I wouldnt have been 260 lbs. I had to work my fat butt off to do it. But I did it differently than a lot of people. I just ate healthy and worked out hard. Never counted calories. Just cut out the crappy food that was going to send me to an early grave. I had many people tell me you're doing it wrong or you need to do this or that. I ignored it and it worked out for me either by accident or design I can't tell you to be honest. I will however like to note that many of the peple who said I was doing it wrong are still struggling with obesity or being overweight. Go figure.


"I think its plain to see that Wat here is genetically gifted!
He can eat what he wants and he doesnt have to count calories!
GJ! "

Well the truth of the matter is most people on here are looking to lose weight and are starting off on the wrong foot.
They dont understand how weight loss works and in turn, extend their diets by months if not years.
When you come in and say...

Lol i eat plenty of food im stuffed 99% of the time. I had eggs, bacon, pancakes, home fries and toast for breakfast.A cherry dip dairy queen cone for a snack,mashed potatos and corn and shake and bake pork-chops for dinner. Yummmmm. That's how I roll.

...most of the people reading this cannot eat what they want and arent stuffed 99% of the time.
I think this is insensitive.
Imagine being someone whos just getting started.
They are sitting at the table eating their 200 calorie dinner and have been on 1200 cals a day for a few days.
Grumpy and miserable.
Then they read that!

I'm glad you lost a lot of weight.
I think you look fantastic in the previous pic with the muscles etc.
But there is a time and a place for the bragging.

Netting 600-700 daily?
You may feel great but that still doesnt change the fact that on a physiological level you could be screwing up several different types of hormones as well as creating future issues with your CNS.
But hey!
It works for you!
Hence the "Genetic Superior" quip.

Fair enough!
Looking at your previous pic you look like youve got things well under control.
Do you cycle your diet?
Do you take short periods with lower cals, 600-900, then take a few weeks of higher cals?
Or just whatever feels right?

Thanx about the hair.
Wait...in my profile pic or the spiky doo?
=D

For instance on the calorie cycle i'm still on a cut and shooting for single % in BF.
I eat 1700 on rest days, 2000 on lifting days and once a week I pull a full 24hour fast.
In about 3-6 weeks i'll bump up all calories to maintenance to regulate everything and decide to bulk or still cut.
Does that make sense?

Both pics look cool I always wished to have hair like that lol. Not going to happen. You know I never thought of calorie cycling and I may actually do this by accident. Most days I am within my 1400 calories that I eat but as I said on a previous post I made I did eat 1600 calories on Saturday where I had a nice big breakfast and some of my favortie foods. I don't have big breakfasts like that all the time at all, I was just in the mood for it but I did go to a buffet 3 weeks ago. So maybe by accident I've calorie cycled. what do you think? I would say 95% of the time I eat about 1400 or so work out aproximately 500-600. I used to work out more than that but It was not really doing anything but wasting time. I mentioned it before I don't keep track of my calories just protein,fat,carbs and such but MFP does track calories so when people ask I tell them what my app tracked for a total

You mentioned above that you used to work out more but it was a waste of time.
If you were to figure your TDEE and eat above that on lifting days you could stimulate more lean mass.
A great resource to look at if interested is www.leangains.com.
You have the low days down and it doesnt seem to really bother you that much.
If you adopted a compound routine and lifted heavy 3 times a week you could eliminate the rest of whatever fat you have and build lean muscle.
I prefer skipping breakfast myself.
I like using those calories as a late night snack!