Eating calorie deficient for long periods, harmful to metabolism?

[Neddysmith]

Hey Guys,

I have no problems maintaining a weight between 97 and 100kg on my frame of 6'1" and strength is generally not an issue, however, i struggle to get any lighter then about 95kg and maintain it without a heap of cardio.

Now my diet is generally good without going into detail, high protein, moderate carbs and usually low fats, cals intake is between 1500 and 2000, now i know people will say this is too low and i should be eating more but when i do i find i start putting on weight.

So if i am eating like this consistantly is it likely to sow down my metabolism so when i do increase cal intake is the reason i start putting the weight on?

Cheers

 

[bradsky]

that is very strange, interested to see the outcome, have you talked to your doctor?

 

[jamesyboi]

On 1500 calories a day, you should be losing about a 1kg per week I would guess.

Provided it was a true 1500 everyday.

 

[Bazza20]

On 1500 calories a day, you should be losing about a 1kg per week I would guess.

Provided it was a true 1500 everyday.

Lol. 1500 a day for someone around 100kg is more likely to be just starving themselves. That is the amount of calories for a small female not a 100kg male.

 

[Neddysmith]

Lol. 1500 a day for someone around 100kg is more likely to be just starving themselves. That is the amount of calories for a small female not a 100kg male.

I know mate, and have been told this by a heap of people, but i have been eating like this for a while and i think my body has just adjusted to it or something..

This is why i have asked the question.

 

[Bazza20]

I know mate, and have been told this by a heap of people, but i have been eating like this for a while and i think my body has just adjusted to it or something..

This is why i have asked the question.

This is past my knowledge. Hopefully Max or Dave see this, they should be able to give you some advise.

 

[chocchillimango]

I know mate, and have been told this by a heap of people, but i have been eating like this for a while and i think my body has just adjusted to it or something..

This is why i have asked the question.

It's quite possible your body has adapted. It has to adapt back to eating the right amount for your size.

I am 45kg and 158cm tall and 1500 is under maintenance for me, if I account for my activity/workout levels.
I used to eat half of that at one stage and my body basically went into starvation mode, trying to preserve and be efficient with what it had. That's just our bodies' survival mechanism at work.

Stop starving your body. Maybe the mix of macros isn't right for you either. Can impact on your ability to gain/lose/maintain weight if you are carb sensitive etc.

over to Dave and Max now.... hey, fellas ...

 

[dave]

How long?
How low is low fat?

People metabolisms can be very different but I highly doubt yours is that low normally. Doing low cals for a long period will alter hormone levels and this needs to be fixed slowly so as to not rebound with a large fat gain.

Lyle McDonald introduced me to the idea of diet breaks and I think they are really beneficial especially once you get lean. There is an art to them (timing, getting back to calorie levels). You probably need one.

 

[Neddysmith]

How long?
How low is low fat?

How Long? - been eating like this for years, then when i try increasing cals i start putting on weight or BF and then reduce cals back again, so a bit of yoyo thing.

Fats? usually around 50g/day this comes mainly from egg yokes, olive oil and fats in meats either chicken or steak and some occassional cheese (but this is rare).

 

[jamesyboi]

Lol. 1500 a day for someone around 100kg is more likely to be just starving themselves. That is the amount of calories for a small female not a 100kg male.

I need to get down to around 1500 a day to make sure to drop 1-2 kg per week, and I am 95kgs at the moment. This depends on activity levels too offcourse.

But yes, 1500 is starving yourself.

There is no room for cheat meals, and basically it's protein only.

Protein shakes in water, Tuna and some mixed vegetables basically for the most part.

 

[Bazza20]

I admire you blokes dedication to eating 1500 calories a day for any length of time but something does not seem right to have to go that low. I am similar weight and not real happy if my meals have to drop below 1500 calories.

 

[bradsky]

I know if your body goes well below calories it holds onto fat... but to do it for years... maybe see the doc..

are you having a hard time gaining muscle??

 

[Bella]

Neddy - up the protein and fat, lower the carbs - like me, and many others, you may just be a bit carb sensitive? You can get a hell of alot of good food out of 2000 calories a day if the bulk of it is made up of proteins and fat. 1500 is too low, certainly to sustain for a long period of time.

I'm assuming though, that like me, you cycle calorie intake. (i.e. one day it might be 1500 cals, the next day 1750, the next day 1600, the next day 1900 etc etc)

I find the calories don't really matter as much as the balance of foods I'm getting. My body LOVES carbs and not in a good way! So my intake of protein and fats has to be much higher - and wallah, the weight falls away.....

That's why I don't always believe that fat loss = calories in/calories out. It's not that simple, for me, the % of carbs/protein and fat has to be right, for me to see progress in inches lost and scale weight.

Good luck! Don't starve! Eat more protein and fat and fewer carbs, you're body will respond and surprise you, I bet you $100 bucks!

 

[peanutz]

I have had counter intuative outcomes counting cals. I did six months at 1200-1500 with one cheat meal per week and never lost a fucking kilo. Got rid if carbs and lost bloat and fat off measurements, but very little in terms of weight. If I want to loose I need to ear under 700 a day. I know my mental health meds are a contributing factor to metabolism also.

 

[peanutz]

i wrote that in the bathtub on my iPhone and its a jumbled mess. what I was saying is that i am 100% convinced that zoloft and long term contraceptive use (now ceased) has butchered my metabolism.


let me demonstrate...

so today i have had:
porridge (30gm oats, water, 1tsp sugar)
1 choc protein muffin (home made - about 80cal)
1/2 chicken breast, poached and shredded + 1 cup of diced capsicum and corn
1 pumpkin protein muffin (home made - about 100cal)
1 protein shake
dinner will be chicken, vegetables, maybe some rice... (no more than 1/2 a cup, cooked)

i will not lose weight eating this. or if i do, it will be literally under 100gm a week.

i drink no sugary drinks. I'm on 100mg zoloft and stopping simply ain't an option. thyroid is 1.8 which is low but not low enough for anyone to give a shit. thinking of going to an endocrinologist.

 

[March83]

Is there artificial sweetener in your protein?

 

[peanutz]

tablespoon of stevia across 6 of the choc muffins, none in the pumpkin ones

 

[walt]

@dave @maxbrenner @bazza

is there such thing as eating too much fat? If im 72kg and bulking atm, is 80g fat too much?

 

[dave]

@dave @maxbrenner @bazza

is there such thing as eating too much fat? If im 72kg and bulking atm, is 80g fat too much?

That's a good amount. You can have more but you don't need to.

 

[Bazza20]

80g definitely isn't too much for your weight.