Hi all,

I went to my PCP because of mirgrans, and she had noticed that my weight loss has slowed down, 1 pound in 3 weeks. I let her know that it will take longer now, because I have lost alot already, (I was her first lab band patient, so she is learning from me). But she asked me how many calories I am eating in a day. I let her know if I averaged it out I may be eating a total of 700 to 800 cal. per day. Well she told me that I should be eating at least 1000 calories a day for my metablisiom to work. I told her I am using my treadmill 2 miles a day, using my excersie ball, and told her I did my first sit up (I can't remember the last time I did that...never). She informed me that I really need to increase my calorie intake, but I really am having a hard time to do that when I am not hungry. I guess I am asking has anyone else heard of this? I have started up again on my protien drinks, eating protien first and really trying to do it. I know I should go see my diatician again, and most likely will call her next week. I really am reaching for my goal of 170 lbs. and would really like to achieve it.

Sorry for rambling on, I just needed to ask that question, does my body need 1000 cals. a day for my metabolize to work? And as I am being honest not getting 1000 cals. a day has just started 2 months ago. I sometimes feel guilty about eating alot. Has anyone else ever felt that way either?

Well thanks for listening

Suzan

I should be eating at least 1000 calories a day for my metablisiom to work

IMO - that statement above is not accurate. 1,000 calories is considered the threshold for the "starvation" signal to the body, and most BMRs (basal metabolic rate -- the number of calories your body needs to do nothing) are above 1,000 calories.

Metabolism will still work - your body will still break down food/nutrients into energy. As long as you're alive, you wil metabolize, so I'm guessing what your doctor meant was that 1,000 calories is needed to keep your metabolism active, not "working".

Congrats on the weight loss!! 154 lbs?!? WOW!! :hail:

Calories just confuse the hell out of me :/

If I'm eating 1000 calories and exercising off about 400-600 calories a day, shouldn't I be losing a lot more than a couple pounds a week? Isn't that logical?

I have come to the conclusion that nothing about weightloss is logical. You roll the dice, you takes yer chances.

Hang in there - stick with it - it'll get better (at least, that's what I keep telling myself!)

In terms of pure numbers, yes - it makes perfect sense. However, our brains & bodies can easily overrise what makes sense.

It makes sense that someone eating 400 calories would lose weight. But it also makes sense that our bodies reach a point of equilibrium where they've given up all they're really willing to let go of, and interpret the decrease in calories as a decrease in food availability. Think back long ago on the evoluntionary ladder when man was nomadic, and meals were few and far between. Our bodies learned to store when we can, burn when we can't, and slow the heck down when we can't store & aren't getting enough to burn. Our bodies being able to say, "Ok, 'nough is 'nough, we have to make preparations in case it's another 3, 5, 7, 9... days until we get food again" (aka "starvation mode") was critical for survival. Dangit, why can't we get past that? (and this whole facial hair thing while we're at it!)

Your body can only do this for so long, or we would never see anyone die of starvation. So the good news is that if you stick with it, weight will come off.

The bad news is that plateaus can last months, maybe longer. The takeaway is that the closer you can keep your calorie intake to the fine line between "eating" and "starving", the steadier & healthier your loss will be.