This might be a dumb question, but if I eat 800 calories a day and burn an additional 500 through exercise (not including my resting calorie burn), then aren't I considered to be in starvation mode? I do not understand the calories in vs. the calories out. Can someone help me understand this? I have yet to start working out and want to be sure that I am not sabotaging my weight loss by adding in exercise. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I have had some pretty big stalls due to low calorie intake (when I previously ate lower than 800 calories), but I really am aching to get back to spin class. Any guidance is appreciated.

_{Not a dumb question at all!! I've been struggling with the very same thing and trying to get a clear answer from someone!! I have an appointment with my NUT on Thursday to discuss it. Im hoping someone will post an answer on here!! Thanks for asking}

Check this out:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/33349-1200-1500-caloriesreally/page__p__291866#entry291866

Do a search on basal metabolic rate, too. Google or here.

Exercise is always a good thing ... even if you don't see the scale move. Get spinning.

Awesome article, pdxman!! Thanks for sharing! It makes a lot of sense now!

Check this out:

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/33349-1200-1500-caloriesreally/page__p__291866#entry291866

Do a search on basal metabolic rate' date=' too. Google or here.

Exercise is always a good thing ... even if you don't see the scale move. Get spinning.[/quote']

Thanks so much! This is awesome and so helpful. I just love this board.

I asked my family doctor that very thing. How could I be healthy eating only 500 calories a day. She told me that I am living off my fat. Duh!!! Why didn't I think of that. She said I would be perfectly fine as long as I took the vitamins I was supposed to and the protein.

As far as exercise, I exercise 1-1/2 hours a day and then do ballroom dancing 1-1/2 hours four nights a week on top of that. It has not sabotaged my weight loss. I am 10-1/2 months out and lost 92 pounds. I have gone from a size 2X to a size XS. And, I have consistently eaten only 500-700 calories per day since my surgery. Believe me, the body can sabotage and hang on to those pounds for only so long. If it could do it indefinitely, no one in Africa would be starving, right?

Great point Sandi. I haven't made it to spin yet, but I did start running this week. So far, I've run 4 miles this week and will head back into the gym tomorrow. Congrats on all of your success! I hope to be in your shoes some day soon.

You'll get there. Just keep exercising. The sleeve will keep you from eating very much. I took a picture of myself that I posted to my friends on FB every time I lost 15 pounds. It was great for me to see how much of a change there was, gave me small bite-size goals, and the encouragement from my friends was a big boost.

Sandi, great idea. I can see it in my clothes more than on the scale so I try to go just by that rather than the scale when stalled out.

There is a program you can buy called Weight By Date. There is a nominal cost, if I recall right. There, you can keep track of your measurements and your weight. There is also a scale you can buy called the Omron scale. It keeps track of weight, muscle percentage, fat percentage and BMI, as well as body age. My actual age is 62. My body age when I started was 69. Now, it's 45. I keep track of as many stats as I can so that I am never relying ONLY on weight. So many things change with your body when you are on this journey, and it is kind of exciting to see all the changes that are taking place that you might not otherwise notice.

Great point Sandi. I haven't made it to spin yet, but I did start running this week. So far, I've run 4 miles this week and will head back into the gym tomorrow. Congrats on all of your success! I hope to be in your shoes some day soon.

You will be. Running four miles in a week is awesome. Sounds really good to me, since I HATE to run. But, I can tell you, I haven't seen many fat runners, so if you love to run, keep it up, and you will see those pounds melt away. Good luck to you.

You will be. Running four miles in a week is awesome. Sounds really good to me' date=' since I HATE to run. But, I can tell you, I haven't seen many fat runners, so if you love to run, keep it up, and you will see those pounds melt away. Good luck to you.[/quote']

Ha! Good point. I don't really love to run, but I do really love how I feel afterward and this is what motivates me to run.

There is a program you can buy called Weight By Date. There is a nominal cost' date=' if I recall right. There, you can keep track of your measurements and your weight. There is also a scale you can buy called the Omron scale. It keeps track of weight, muscle percentage, fat percentage and BMI, as well as body age. My actual age is 62. My body age when I started was 69. Now, it's 45. I keep track of as many stats as I can so that I am never relying ONLY on weight. So many things change with your body when you are on this journey, and it is kind of exciting to see all the changes that are taking place that you might not otherwise notice.[/quote']

You know my scale does all this and I never look at it, but this is some great advice. I need to start looking at all of those numbers, especially when stalled out. I'll check the weight by date out too. Thanks!

Hey 3500 calories equal a pound. If you eat 800 and u burn 500 . You will loose a pound a week r more that's not counting the calories u burn home at work walkin etc. Enjoy.

Ha! Good point. I don't really love to run, but I do really love how I feel afterward and this is what motivates me to run.

Try to find something you don't hate to do. For me, it's low impact step aerobics. Then, I also found something I LOVE to do, which is ballroom dancing. For you, it could be racquetball, badminton, square dancing. I don't know. Think about it, and when you figure it out, then look on the internet for places where you can take lessons, and that will get you started and get you in touch with other people who like the same thing. You will start hanging out with people who are more focused on that activity than they are on food, and that is a good thing.