constance's constant battle

[constance]

Thanks ladies.

[constance]

Well...

[constance]

I have been reading stuff online about weight loss...

[Freja]

I completely understand where you're coming from. The all or nothing mentality makes it pretty hard to do anyhting but either starve or go completely out of control. I wonder about starvation mode too, but honestly, I reckon that if you have higher calorie days once in a while, whether planned or by mistake, this will help keep your metabolism up. Plus, like you said, weight training - building muscle - should countertact muslce loss right? Having said that, I unfortunately know that restricting (and bingeing/purging) can severely mess up your metabolism, because it happened to someone I know, and she still has to take medication to regulate it, decades later. But this is of course an extreme case. The problem is we will never get a health professional to answer these questions, since they would (rightfully) never tell anyone that it's possible to lose a lot of fat, rather than muscle, and keep it off by restricting, exercising, and weight training, as long as you increase your calories once in a while. Now it may not be true, but if it is we are unlikely to get it confirmed...

Anyway, I don't want to encourage anyone to starve, but I'm in the same boat as you. I would also like to eat 1200 cals a day and lose weight, but every time I try that I end up going over and evetually bingeing...

I do worry about you sometimes though, because you can be so diligent with your restricting, and I hope you'll stop before you get unhealthy... Body image is a devious thing, we are so easily tricked to see something in the mirror that isn't there. I hope you do take it in when your husband tells you you are skinny. I do hope that all of us will learn to love, or at least accept, ourselves (although then the boards would really be quiet...) .

Also, thank you for your latest post in my journal, your words really helped.

[constance]

Thanks so much,

[constance]

The weekend has not be

[constance]

So...

[itsjustme]

I know you will get back on track. Hang in there!!

[constance]

Thanks,

[Chani]

i'm a bit late to comment on this, but i do not believe in starvationmode the way it is portrayed by the media.
i do believe it's true that the body lowers it's metabolism to conserve energy in times of restricting. but i do not believe this is irreversible, and i also do not believe that you won't lose any fat anymore because of starvationmode.
it would be impossible, cuz when your intake is lower than what you burn, you lose weight, it's as simple as that. and ofcourse when your metabolism is lowered, you burn less. but let's say your basic metabolic rate is 1500 cals (and this is not unrealistic, mine is around 1450) and you start restricting. starvationmode lowers your BMR to 1200 or even to 1000. When you restrict to 800 cals a day, that will mean that you have a loss of at least 200 cals. but BMR is the amount of cals you burn by just living. So when you walk around, do stuff or even exercise, you will burn more than those extra 200 cals. This means basically that you have a surplus of at least 500 cals a day. So you will lose weight, it's just slower and harder. And your body will not start to eat muscles unless there are no carbs available, combined with a low bodyfat percentage. muscles are made of protein, and it's very hard for the body to use protein for energy. so when you have carbs in your system (which might be a problem when you do low carb dieting) or have some fat stored on your body. you will not lose muscle easily. but if you are worried about muscleloss, you can prevent this by using a supplement called L-glutamine. two teaspoons mixed with a drink, and you're fine for the day. this is especially important when you do weighttraining, low carb, and have a low bodyfat percentage, but even if this doesn't apply to you, this supplement will do only good.
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[constance]

Thanks Chani

[Freja]

Congrats on the loss!

I read an article about CR some time last year, it was about a group of people somewhere in the US, NY I think, and the purpose was, as you mentioned in an earlier post, to live longer. All quality food, perfectly measured out to the gram. I guess that's kind of how we live anyway on good days...except their calorie intake is higher since they eat for maintenance. It's pretty interesting stuff. Do you think you'd be able to keep something like that up for life? Personally I find it hard to believe that I could go through life never bingeing again. But I'm working on it...

Good luck with April Ambition. I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines...

[constance]

Freja,

[constance]

Good news....

[itsjustme]

Way to go!!!