Not enough calories?

[alsace]

I am an athletic 6'0 male who has gone from 280 to 215 in three months (20 pounds the first two months each, then 25 this past month). My method has been to eat very little food (500 [five hundred] calories per day) and exercise a lot.

Typically I'll eat breakfast and dinner each day, choosing between skinless chicken breast, rice, lentil chili, and a couple chicken-based Indian dishes that are basically a bunch of fresh veggies (i.e. nothing pre-made or from a can). I drink 8-10 glasses of water spread out through the day. Sometimes I'll have a banana, orange, or a few hard-boiled egg whites for a snack. I do ~40 minutes cardio five times a week and lift weights about three times a week.

This has gone remarkably well so far.

But lately I've been reading that eating too few calories can hurt you by making your body think it needs to hold on to every last bit that it can. That makes sense, but how is it that I've managed to keep up my pace by eating so little? Am I suddenly going to hit a brick wall and just stop losing weight?

If I do need to increase my caloric intake, is it still possible to continue losing 20 pounds a month? My goal is to reach 160-180 (I'll decide when I get there, not sure what a 'normal' weight for my frame would be) and I'm almost there so I'd hate to change my routine which has worked very well so far.

Also, is it a viable strategy to have a cheat day once a week to keep my metabolism from slowing? For example, going hog wild every Saturday and eating what I used to eat before I dieted.

 

[going21]

but how is it that I've managed to keep up my pace by eating so little?

Usually... the more overweight or overfat you are - you can get away with an aggressive calorie deficit (eg. eating under 1200 cals per day)

Am I suddenly going to hit a brick wall and just stop losing weight?

Everybody's different and you are kinda of ruining your metabolism by training your body to burn less calories by eating TOO less but other hand... maybe your metabolism has stayed in check due to your exercise routine so I wouldn't say 100% you'll hit a brick wall but I DO THINK you'll slow down to way under 20 pounds a month.

If I do need to increase my caloric intake, is it still possible to continue losing 20 pounds a month? My goal is to reach 160-180 (I'll decide when I get there, not sure what a 'normal' weight for my frame would be) and I'm almost there so I'd hate to change my routine which has worked very well so far.

At 215 pounds you need to eat 2000-to-2500 calories a day to lose 1-to-2 pounds of PURE FAT a week but here's the thing... Since you've trained your body to survie on 500 calories a day - You'll gain weight if you did this and you have to seriously ask yourself this... HOW LONG can I eat ONLY 500 calories a day?

Also, is it a viable strategy to have a cheat day once a week to keep my metabolism from slowing? For example, going hog wild every Saturday and eating what I used to eat before I dieted.

Cheat days are only good strategies for people who have excessive cravings that need to be dealt with once in a while during dieting.

That's my 4 cents - I hope it helps though

 

[alsace]

HOW LONG can I eat ONLY 500 calories a day?

Obviously not forever, but I think I can keep myself from falling off the wagon completely. I've developed an appetite for much healthier foods and lost my appetite for the crap I used to eat, and I'm not going to stop exercising. While I don't intend to keep it at 500 calories once I hit my target weight, I don't think I'll have much trouble keeping it around 1500.

Cheat days are only good strategies for people who have excessive cravings that need to be dealt with once in a while during dieting.

Good point. My biggest concern is that I do best with black-and-white rules and if there's any gray area I'll end up bending the rules too far. It'd be much easier for me to have a designated cheat day than to increase every day to X calories, but I guess I'll have to live with whatever actually works...

 

[Kumty]

Wow!!!

I am an athletic 6'0 male who has gone from 280 to 215 in three months (20 pounds the first two months each, then 25 this past month). My method has been to eat very little food (500 [five hundred] calories per day) and exercise a lot.

Typically I'll eat breakfast and dinner each day, choosing between skinless chicken breast, rice, lentil chili, and a couple chicken-based Indian dishes that are basically a bunch of fresh veggies (i.e. nothing pre-made or from a can). I drink 8-10 glasses of water spread out through the day. Sometimes I'll have a banana, orange, or a few hard-boiled egg whites for a snack. I do ~40 minutes cardio five times a week and lift weights about three times a week.

This has gone remarkably well so far.

But lately I've been reading that eating too few calories can hurt you by making your body think it needs to hold on to every last bit that it can. That makes sense, but how is it that I've managed to keep up my pace by eating so little? Am I suddenly going to hit a brick wall and just stop losing weight?

If I do need to increase my caloric intake, is it still possible to continue losing 20 pounds a month? My goal is to reach 160-180 (I'll decide when I get there, not sure what a 'normal' weight for my frame would be) and I'm almost there so I'd hate to change my routine which has worked very well so far.

Also, is it a viable strategy to have a cheat day once a week to keep my metabolism from slowing? For example, going hog wild every Saturday and eating what I used to eat before I dieted.

OMG!! Alsace I love this news. (It might sound a little weird, but I like your diet) I want to lose 55 pounds in around five months, and I want to lose it ONCE and FOR ALL. I plan on consuming a max of 1500 calories a day, if not less. I need some help in what type of exercise I should do, though. I do not access to a gym, weights, etc, ATM, so give me things I can do outside (like walking for a specific time, or anything like that). My height is 6 feet two inches, and I currently weigh 212 pounds. I want to go down to at least 165 by mid June of this year. I really need SPECIFIC advice, otherwise I will feel guilty doing my weight loss routine. So please advise me on what cardio you did, or any alternatives. I greatly appreciate your help.

Kumty

 

[NoLoveLost]

I am an athletic 6'0 male who has gone from 280 to 215 in three months (20 pounds the first two months each, then 25 this past month). My method has been to eat very little food (500 [five hundred] calories per day) and exercise a lot.

Continuing along these lines is going to be detrimental to your health for sure. Most doctors will tell you that the most FAT you can loose in a day is 1/2 a pound. Anything more is water weight.

Typically I'll eat breakfast and dinner each day, choosing between skinless chicken breast, rice, lentil chili, and a couple chicken-based Indian dishes that are basically a bunch of fresh veggies (i.e. nothing pre-made or from a can). I drink 8-10 glasses of water spread out through the day. Sometimes I'll have a banana, orange, or a few hard-boiled egg whites for a snack. I do ~40 minutes cardio five times a week and lift weights about three times a week.

Sounds like the types of foods and exercise is ok, you just need to take in more calories. small meals spread out will keep you from feeling hungry and keep your energy up. By only taking in 500 calories a day,your body will go into what is called "starvation mode". And yes, the more you starve yourself of nutrition, the more your body will try and absorb every little thing it can. It is an ugly circle you need to break.

But lately I've been reading that eating too few calories can hurt you by making your body think it needs to hold on to every last bit that it can. That makes sense, but how is it that I've managed to keep up my pace by eating so little? Am I suddenly going to hit a brick wall and just stop losing weight?

the starvation mode I mentioned....

If I do need to increase my caloric intake, is it still possible to continue losing 20 pounds a month?

Not in a healthy way, no.

My goal is to reach 160-180 (I'll decide when I get there, not sure what a 'normal' weight for my frame would be) and I'm almost there so I'd hate to change my routine which has worked very well so far.

Also, is it a viable strategy to have a cheat day once a week to keep my metabolism from slowing? For example, going hog wild every Saturday and eating what I used to eat before I dieted.

Loosing weight and keeping it off, is a matter of changing your habits and as you have probably read or heard before people call it a "lifestyle" change. You shouldn't have to have "cheating days" to get by. Finding the foods that are good for you and eating "those treats" in moderation is the best way to keep a balanced and healthy body.

I"m new here, but I am not new to diet and exercise. I'm 5'7" 130lbs. I gained 10 lbs recently because I had surgery and have not been able to workout like I usually do. I have finally been cleared to workout and will be able to drop it off pretty quick. However, I have had to work to keep my self slim. I'm also 42 yrs old, a mother of 2, and was 185 lbs some years ago.

You have started on teh right path, good foods and exercise. Now be smart about how you use these new found tools and do it in a way that is healthy. For someone 6'0 tall you can afford to take in more than 500 calories.

Since you do have great concern about taking in too much calories, why don't you slowly increase you caloric intake while you are working towards your goal? a little at a time and you can break the "starvation mode" you are probably in.

I don't mean to sound preachy, and if I do I apologize, but I speak from experience, I have been there and done that and it doesn't work.......

Good luck!
Diane

 

[alsace]

Thanks, last10lbs and everyone, for the advice. It looks like I have entered starvation mode. I've begrudgingly decided to stop losing weight and work on maintaining weight while increasing my caloric intake. My next goal is to be able to eat ~1500 calories per day while not gaining weight. Then I plan to go back on the diet (500-1000 calories per day) but only for a couple weeks before easing back up to 1500 again. I'll repeat this until I hit my goal weight. After that, it would be ideal to be able to eat 2000 cal/day without gaining weight, but we'll see.

I think my mistake was following my diet for too long. If I stopped after 1-2 months I would have been fine, but I guess I've learned my lesson. At least now I know how to drop a quick 10-20 pounds in the future, should the need arise.

Loosing weight and keeping it off, is a matter of changing your habits and as you have probably read or heard before people call it a "lifestyle" change. You shouldn't have to have "cheating days" to get by. Finding the foods that are good for you and eating "those treats" in moderation is the best way to keep a balanced and healthy body.

The terminology makes it sound bad -- I wouldn't call it a 'cheat' day because I didn't crave those bad foods. I have been perfectly happy on my new healthy diet. To some extent I think 'cheating' did help me. There was always a meal or two that I couldn't avoid for social reasons, namely going out to eat. I used to groan at those, thinking about how much they would offset all my hard work, but in retrospect I think they kept my metabolism from falling into starvation mode even earlier.

As far as keeping the weight off via lifestyle change, I think I am all set there. I used to envision the smorgasbord to which I'd treat myself upon reaching my goal weight, but now the thought of all those foods makes me queasy. I really like the fresh foods and I enjoy cooking -- I'll gladly ditch those Hot Pockets in favor of a nice chicken curry or a freshly-pealed orange. I've learned that I can put the fork down before I feel full and I'll still be satisfied until the next meal. I've found other things to do when I'm bored besides eating. The same sentiments go for exercising.

 

[alsace]

I need some help in what type of exercise I should do, though. I do not access to a gym, weights, etc, ATM, so give me things I can do outside (like walking for a specific time, or anything like that). My height is 6 feet two inches, and I currently weigh 212 pounds. I want to go down to at least 165 by mid June of this year. I really need SPECIFIC advice, otherwise I will feel guilty doing my weight loss routine. So please advise me on what cardio you did, or any alternatives. I greatly appreciate your help.

Keeping in mind that this is all based on my experience and common sense without any formal nutritional or fitness training, here's what I'd do in your situation.

First, you'll need some sort of cardio exercise, and jogging can be done just about anywhere. Walking is okay, but you'll do your heart a favor and burn more calories per minute by running. If you haven't been running, start off really easy. Jog a couple hundred yards or until you can't keep going. Walk until you catch your breath, then run again. On your first couple of days you can stop at this point. Don't worry about your speed too much. Over time, very gradually, you'll be able to run further and further. You'll won't believe it now, but eventually you'll be running a mile in one shot. When you can do that a few times, start gradually increasing your speed. You'll know at this point whether you want to work on running faster, further, or both.

Note that you may get shin splints, i.e. pain in your shins (the front of your lower leg). This is common and Googling the condition will reveal myriad results. All I can say is to just keep running through the discomfort. Run until you're forced to stop by your breathing or energy, not by the shin splints. They will eventually go away once the muscles there build up a bit.

If/when you have access to a gym, I recommend using the elliptical or arc trainer machines -- the ones that make it look like you're running, but not the treadmills (yet). These take out all the impact of running -- your feet won't be smacking the pavement, your knees and ankles won't be banging and grinding, etc. Work with the incline and resistance settings on these. Start out at 20 minutes for a couple weeks, then 30, then 40. You should feel like you got a good workout when you're done -- sweaty and breathing hard, but in a good way.

Second, you will need to lift weights. This is probably more important than the cardio and just as important as the diet. I can't stress that enough. Muscle burns calories all day, so if you have a bunch of muscle in your body, guess what? You'll be burning calories all day, even while you're sitting at your PC.

You don't need a Nautilus machine or Bowflex or anything fancy. Go to your nearest sporting goods store and buy some dumbbells (the kind you hold in your hands). Start off with a pair each of 5 pounders, 10s, 15s, and 20s. Weights are just fine when they're used, so ask your friends and family if they have an old set in the basement collecting dust (someone probably does), or check on craigslist.org to find someone locally, or try a used sporting goods store (Plat It Again Sports, etc).

Look up the following exercises for instructions on how to do them: bench press, shoulder press, lunges, fly (or butterfly, not sure what the name is, but you lie on a bench and open and close your arms as if you had giant wings), and squats. While browsing for those you'll probably come across some other exercises that pique your interest -- do those, too.

Split your chosen weight exercises into two groups, A and B. Maybe put the arm stuff into A, the leg stuff into B. Do group A one day. Try doing 3 sets for each exercise, with 10 repititions (reps) per set. Go easy! If you fancy yourself a powerful person, go with the 10 pound weights, otherwise do 5. You'll think you can easily do five times as much, and you can, but you'll be very sore the next day. On day two you'll be sore because you didn't listen to my last sentence I make this mistake every time I start lifting again. On day three, do set B. Keep alternating between the groups, giving each group two days rest before repeating it. Example week: A on Monday and Thursday, B on Tuesday and Friday.

It'll be a couple weeks before you can see the difference. Keep it up, it will work!

 

[Darth Pooh]

I am sorry to add my opinion here but this is not effective for maintained weightloss. It doesn't teach you how to eat right or healthy in the long run.

Good luck though.

 

[James2]

Lots of good information in this thread...

All I can say is to just keep running through the discomfort. Run until you're forced to stop by your breathing or energy, not by the shin splints. They will eventually go away once the muscles there build up a bit.

By "running through" the shin splints, you can injure yourself further, and prolong the shin splints.

Look up the following exercises for instructions on how to do them: bench press, shoulder press, lunges, fly (or butterfly, not sure what the name is, but you lie on a bench and open and close your arms as if you had giant wings), and squats. While browsing for those you'll probably come across some other exercises that pique your interest -- do those, too.

Missing a ton of muscles there, and laboring under some common misconceptions. Anyone reading / interested in this should go take a peek at the lifting thread (stickied in the Weight Loss and Exercise forum, I believe).

 

[alsace]

By "running through" the shin splints, you can injure yourself further, and prolong the shin splints.

True, I could have worded it a little better. What I've done is to keep running another ~20% (i.e. if you've run a mile and the pain builds up, run another .2 miles) before stopping. Maybe that's bad too, I don't know, but it seemed to help me get over it.

Missing a ton of muscles there, and laboring under some common misconceptions. Anyone reading / interested in this should go take a peek at the lifting thread (stickied in the Weight Loss and Exercise forum, I believe).

Agreed; I couldn't even remember half the ones I do regularly!

 

[NoLoveLost]

I am sorry to add my opinion here but this is not effective for maintained weightloss. It doesn't teach you how to eat right or healthy in the long run.

Good luck though.

Thank you Darth Pooh, This is a disaster in the making......

 

[alsace]

Thank you Darth Pooh, This is a disaster in the making......

Heh, yeah it is... I just read through some of the stickies in the other forums, especially Nutrition 101, and I think it's time to cut my losses, so to speak. I think I'll try maintaining my current weight for at least a month (to get out of starvation mode) before trying out a 'proper' diet. If I can manage to stick to this weight I'll consider myself lucky and this will be one lesson learned the hard way

 

[James2]

Before you start going crazy over everything, take a good long look at your caloric intake.

Typically I'll eat breakfast and dinner each day, choosing between skinless chicken breast, rice, lentil chili, and a couple chicken-based Indian dishes that are basically a bunch of fresh veggies (i.e. nothing pre-made or from a can).

A skinless boneless chicken breast straight out of the pack, and some brown rice is over 500kcal right there. If you are super serious about counting every single calorie like it seems you are, go get a scale, and start monitoring precisely what you eat. I bet if you do that, you'll find that you aren't near 500cal/day.

 

[NoLoveLost]

Heh, yeah it is... I just read through some of the stickies in the other forums, especially Nutrition 101, and I think it's time to cut my losses, so to speak. I think I'll try maintaining my current weight for at least a month (to get out of starvation mode) before trying out a 'proper' diet. If I can manage to stick to this weight I'll consider myself lucky and this will be one lesson learned the hard way

Weight loss like most things takes time if you do it right. There is nothing wrong with watching your calories, just don't over do it. If you continue to work out and take in a more realistic caloric amount, you will probably still loose weight just at a slower pace if nothing else you will at least maintain your weight.

Try checking out Men's health magazine:



read some of the things they have to say, it might give you a better idea of what will work for you.

But whatever you do, get off this starvation diet, as it will do more damage to your body than it is worth.

Oh, and just a side though.....go get yourself some men's multi-vitamins! If you truly have been taking in only 500 calories a day, not only have you been depriving your body of important vitamins and minerals but drinking as much water as you have, you have probably been washing out some of the nutrients that your body desperately needs, and that can cause you all sorts of unforgiving problems!


Good luck!
Diane

 

[Blancita]

OMG!! Alsace I love this news. (It might sound a little weird, but I like your diet) I want to lose 55 pounds in around five months, and I want to lose it ONCE and FOR ALL. I plan on consuming a max of 1500 calories a day, if not less. I need some help in what type of exercise I should do, though. I do not access to a gym, weights, etc, ATM, so give me things I can do outside (like walking for a specific time, or anything like that). My height is 6 feet two inches, and I currently weigh 212 pounds. I want to go down to at least 165 by mid June of this year. I really need SPECIFIC advice, otherwise I will feel guilty doing my weight loss routine. So please advise me on what cardio you did, or any alternatives. I greatly appreciate your help.

Kumty

Excuse me people! It is NEVER OK to eat 500 calories per day, and its even worse if you're exercising.

Call me rude but what you need to do is get a grip! Anorexics eat like that. Is that what you're now becoming? Sure sounds like it.

I can simply guarantee you that you will be back above square one (higher than your starting weight) at some point within the next year or two. I'd be willing to bet a huge sum of money on it. That is, unless the anorexia really does take hold, in which case you know what will happen..the body will eventually start to shut down and organs will be permanently damaged.

Eat normal and stop being in such a damn rush. What you need to do is work on your black/white mentality of eating in excess or not at all. Slender healthy people eat in moderation most days of the week, not too little and not too much and they exercise regularly. That's really all it takes to get weight off at what I'm guessing is your very young age (to even ask if this plan is good makes me think you're definitely a teenager).

 

[Blancita]

Ooops, I hadn't read the entire thread before responding so I'm glad you're now realizing this is not healthy.

Before you start going crazy over everything, take a good long look at your caloric intake. A skinless boneless chicken breast straight out of the pack, and some brown rice is over 500kcal right there. If you are super serious about counting every single calorie like it seems you are, go get a scale, and start monitoring precisely what you eat. I bet if you do that, you'll find that you aren't near 500cal/day.

One serving of chicken is around 200 calories or so. I believe he said he's choosing BETWEEN lentils, rice or chicken, from what I read. So two meals with one of those ingredients adds up to around 500 calories.

How you people can keep this up and still maintain your energy and sanity, I really just dont know.

 

[alsace]

One serving of chicken is around 200 calories or so. I believe he said he's choosing BETWEEN lentils, rice or chicken, from what I read. So two meals with one of those ingredients adds up to around 500 calories.

You're mostly right. I didn't mean an entire chicken breast, I was just specifying the breast to give an idea of what I was eating (i.e., not a leg bone with all the skin and fat intact). I've been keep track of the ounces (roughly) and putting that into sparkpeople, which is where I got the 500 calorie figure.

How you people can keep this up and still maintain your energy and sanity, I really just dont know.

A lot of determination, I guess. I got just plain sick of being fat. I have a lot of endurance so the energy wasn't much of an issue. As for sanity, well I planned the whole thing out in my head before I began so I knew what I was in for and I was well prepared to not touch most of my favorite foods for many months.

 

[Ned]

Sounds as if you've shown amazing self-discipline that you should be congratulated on but somehow doubt it's best for your health - which is really the whole point of the exercise.

I weighed 231 lb 3 months ago, I'm 6'2", and initially cut back so I was losing 5 lb week during the first couple of weeks. When I looked around for good advice I saw the BHF organisation heavily emphasised the importance of maintaining a good level of nutrition while cutting calories. Also important to find a pattern that's sustainable long-term.

I've now eased right back to aiming to lose around 1 to 2 lb a week and find that's so easy. Haven't a clue how many calories I'm getting, never even tried to count them, I was obviously eating to many before. We've always eaten good food anyway, now I'm just eating less. Mostly, I'm just avoiding the things that are packed with calories rather than nutrients and don't miss them at all.

Can eat out and drink with friends occasionally, still eat the same as them rather then rabbit food, and can't see any reason not to keep to a similar pattern long-term. Tend to think that's more important than a quick fix. So it may make sense to lose weight but not in a way that might risk your health to do it.

 

[Caterpillar1]

See a doctor.
I used to behave similarly. I didn't realise how dangerous it was. I didn't realise it constituted an eating disorder but apparently it does.
Apparently exercising while eating that little can cause cardiac problems.
You'll probably need to have blood tests to check your electrolytes.
Stop this before it gets any harder to.

 

[saintjilly]

500 cals a day for an active male is downright dangerous. I hate to burst your bubble but you are not losing fat alone..you are actually losing muscle mass which is much easier for the body to metabolize when in 'starvation mode' Starvation mode for your height/weight is about 1200 cals. You should also remember that the 'heart' is a muscle.Muscle once lost cannot be replaced. The remaining muscle can be bulked up, but not replaced..if you regain weight in the future it will be even more fat. There is no easy way to permanent healthy weight loss...slow is best. As a health professional I am used to seeing sick people who are unable to take nutrition 'waste' and organ failure is a common side effect of wasting. Wise up..get a sensible diet plan going here before its too late.