Another Starvation Mode Question

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?fooguy? - 05 Jun 2004 02:52 GMT

Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?

I'm 25, 6' 250lbs, my BMI is 34. Last May I started playing tennis
again, and play at least once a week. In January of this past year I
added an hour of cardio and strength training twice a week to my
program. I have eliminated soda, icecream, processed foods, and most
recently red meat, and I haven't lost a pound in five months. I eat
almost untirely unprocessed foods, whole grain/no trans-fat/nothing
canned/little sugar/lots of fresh fruits and veggies/etc etc including
drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. I just can't figure it
out. I've always been overweight (my 7 year low was 225lbs, high of
277), and I'm starting to wonder if maybe I'm eating all the right
things, but maybe just not enough of the right things (or enough of
anything)? I'm getting ready to add an additional day of strength and
cardio (this is with a trainer and doesn't include when I go out and
walk for 90 minutes - 2 hours by myself), but I'm getting very very
discouraged.

I've had bloodwork in the past and everything is fine -- cholesterol,
thyroid, sugar, triglicerides.

Thanks

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GaryG - 05 Jun 2004 05:36 GMT

> Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
> caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Thanks

I seriously doubt that you are in starvation mode. Most likely, you're
simply eating too much...this can be a real problem for folks who work out a
lot as the workouts tend to make you more hungry.

Have you tried logging your food intake for a week or so? You might be
surprised at how much you actually eat (underestimating true caloric intake
is very, very common).

If you don't want to count calories, you could try cutting back a bit on
what you eat. If you're not gaining weight currently, then you are eating
about enough to maintain your current weight. If you can cut this back by
500 calories per day, you should start to lose weight at the rate of around
1 lb per week.

Best of luck, and congratulations on your progress so far. Cutting out bad
foods and exercising are certainly improving your overall health.

GG
http://www.WeightWare.com
Your Weight and Health Diary

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?fooguy? - 05 Jun 2004 18:24 GMT

> > Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
> > caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> surprised at how much you actually eat (underestimating true caloric intake
> is very, very common).

For several weeks. Typically between 1500 and 2000 a day (usually
toward the low end). I don't eat a lot and I don't eat often,
sometimes only once a day (I work full time and I'm a part time
student). To give you some idea of good and bad:

BREAKFAST
6-8oz of orange juice
large half-calf coffee with a splash of cream and two sugars (my
one cup of coffee per day)
Blueberry muffin
OR
1 cup of honey nut cheerios with milk and a bananna
OR (very infrequently)
Bacon, egg, cheese bagle sandwich
LUNCH
Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread and an apple
OR
Grilled chicken salad with honey mustard dressing
DINNER
Grilled chicken breast (4-6 oz), 1 corn on the cob, steamed green
beans and broccoli
OR (if I'm running around I don't have time)
Chicken grilled stuffed burrito from taco bell
MISC
1-2 sticks of Extra Gum (1 calorie)
4-6 Altoids
A few handfuls of peanuts (lightly salted, not honey roasted)
OR
A couple slices of whole grain bread with natural peanut butter
on them (3-4 tbsp at most)
OR
Carrots, celry, and dip
OR
Fresh strawberries and pineapple cut up
BEVERAGES
Water all day
A soda *maybe* once a week (but more likely a lemonade)
8-12oz of Gatorade 2-3 times a week (usually the days I run or
play tennis)

I can tell you I never have a "bagel sandwich breakfast + grilled
chicken lunch + taco bell dinner + 3 of my snacks in the misc column".
My trainer is a nutritionist, and we removed most of the hidden sugars
and processed foods from my eating months ago. When I eat out I've cut
all my portions down to 2/3 or 1/2 of what I used to eat.

Not to be a whiner, but I have cut out a tremendous amount, anything
more reaches a point that isn't sustainable (I don't do fad diets). My
"diet" is my way of eating, it's not something I do for a month. I
knew I was at a breaking point a couple weeks ago when I gave up beef
(again though, I only eat lean cuts and my portions are never more
than 8 oz), and still nothing.

> If you don't want to count calories, you could try cutting back a bit on
> what you eat. If you're not gaining weight currently, then you are eating
> about enough to maintain your current weight. If you can cut this back by
> 500 calories per day, you should start to lose weight at the rate of around
> 1 lb per week.

I have counted calories. I probably should have mentioned that I have
been on just about every diet known to man: the only time I was "thin"
was in highschool when I ran 5 days a week and ate six times a day.

> Best of luck, and congratulations on your progress so far. Cutting out bad
> foods and exercising are certainly improving your overall health.

Which, honestly, was my original goal when I started making changes
last year. The discouraging part is that I eat healthy and I exercise,
I just can't seem to shed a pound.

> GG
> http://www.WeightWare.com
> Your Weight and Health Diary

Which I think brings me back to my original question. If my AMR/BMR
says I should be eating 2300-2500 calories a day, and I'm consistently
eating 1500-2000 a day, why am I not losing any weight? Has anyone
found themselves in starvation mode, and changed their eating (maybe
not even increased calories, but made sure they ate 4-6 smaller meals
instead of 2-3 larger ones) and found that made a difference?

In a few weeks, I'll have some more time to raise my activity level,
but that will only last for about 8 weeks until the fall semester
starts again, so while I'm willing to do more exercise I won't be able
to sustain an increased level -- I need my metabolism to meet me in
the middle. I know for a while that I was converting fat to lean
muscle (and I've noticed a huge difference in my arms and legs) but
this plateau is getting old, I might as well go back to a steady diet
of Ben & Jerrys washed down with some Oreos. At least then I'd enjoy
every single bite.

Reply to this Message

Ignoramus32760 - 05 Jun 2004 18:57 GMT

In instances such as this one, it is very helpful to actually record
every morsel of food, including when you binge (if you do), rather
than rely on guesstimates and typical meals etc.

Not to sound stupid, but could it be that your scale is broken?
Can you take a 5 lbs piece of something and step on it with that
piece? is the weight different now?

Record everything in fitday for 2 weeks.

i

Reply to this Message

GaryG - 05 Jun 2004 21:43 GMT

> > > Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
> > > caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?
[quoted text clipped - 97 lines]
> last year. The discouraging part is that I eat healthy and I exercise,
> I just can't seem to shed a pound.

Interesting...with your recently increased weight training, do you think
it's possible that you are developing muscle at about the same rate that
you're losing body fat? If so, you should notice a change in size
(especially your waist size) even though the scale reads about the same.

I think a lot of folks have had good luck with the 4-6 small meals approach
to eating...it's a good technique for avoiding big meals, and it keeps your
blood sugar levels at an even keel.

GG

> > GG
> > http://www.WeightWare.com
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> of Ben & Jerrys washed down with some Oreos. At least then I'd enjoy
> every single bite.

Reply to this Message

determined - 05 Jun 2004 05:45 GMT

If you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. If you ate
nothing but celery every day, you could still gain weight if you ate enough
of it. Do you have any idea how many calories you are eating? If you have
low muscle mass, your metabolism may be relatively slow as well. Generally
speaking, you (a guy who weighs 250 and is 6' tall) should be able to lose
weight at 2500 calories.

det

> Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
> caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Thanks

Reply to this Message

Ignoramus32760 - 05 Jun 2004 13:41 GMT

> If you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. If you ate
> nothing but celery every day, you could still gain weight if you ate enough
> of it. Do you have any idea how many calories you are eating? If you have
> low muscle mass, your metabolism may be relatively slow as well. Generally
> speaking, you (a guy who weighs 250 and is 6' tall) should be able to lose
> weight at 2500 calories.

that could be 20 lbs of celery to eat per day...

i

> det
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>>
>> Thanks

Reply to this Message

Ignoramus32760 - 05 Jun 2004 13:40 GMT

> Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
> caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> program. I have eliminated soda, icecream, processed foods, and most
> recently red meat, and I haven't lost a pound in five months.

that's not at all abnormal.

> I eat
> almost untirely unprocessed foods, whole grain/no trans-fat/nothing
> canned/little sugar/lots of fresh fruits and veggies/etc etc including
> drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day.

good for you, even if you do not lose weight.

> I just can't figure it
> out. I've always been overweight (my 7 year low was 225lbs, high of
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> walk for 90 minutes - 2 hours by myself), but I'm getting very very
> discouraged.

I start suspecting that you are joking, but if not -- there is every
indication that you are simply eating too much.

> I've had bloodwork in the past and everything is fine -- cholesterol,
> thyroid, sugar, triglicerides.

Excellent, now, here's what I suggest: eat like you normally would, in
regular quantities, then log all those foods into fitday.

After a week, get a daily average report.

It is likely to show that you eat a lot, like 3,300 calories, for
example. Reduce that by, say, 1000 calories. You will be losing 2 lbs
per week.

i

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JayJay - 05 Jun 2004 20:46 GMT

Spend 2 weeks weighing and measuring all your food and drinks and tracking
your intake. Find out how much you are really eating, then get back to us.

My guess is, while cutting out the junk, you replaced the calories w/ good
food. but when it comes to weight loss, calories are calories - and the
only way to lose weight is to take in fewer calories than your body uses.

> Is there anyone out there who was in starvation mode, increased their
> caloric intake, and was able to shed the weight?
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Thanks

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