SpinQueen's Journal

[sillygirl]

Perhaps I am reading this incorrectly, but for the day you ate 1645 calories, but burned 1130 through cardio & exercise?

That's not good. You need to be eating more, more, more. If I read that correctly, that means you're giving your body only 515 calories to function on for that day. I have no idea what your Resting Metabolic Rate is, but I had mine tested this summer when I had my bodyfat measured using the hydrostatic method. At 5'3", 102 lbs and 13% bodyfat, I had a RMR of around 1400 calories a day (I can't remember the exact number, I have it somewhere around here). That means if I didn't do ANYTHING physical, just sat around on my butt all day...my body would still need at least 1400 calories to function.

Add in about 40 minutes of cardio a day, and I need at least 1700 calories...if not more.

Only giving your body 515 calories a day is screaming "starvation mode". Like I said, I hope I'm reading that incorrectly...

[SpinQueen]

No, that's correct. I know I should eat more, but my body turns EVERYTHING into fat. And I've been stuck on this plateau for weeks now. I seriously have to lose body fat.

It seems the only way I can do that is to restrict my caloric intake.

[sillygirl]

You're both overtraining and not eating enough. Aren't you FAMISHED?! You're starving yourself! That's why your body is turning everything into fat. 500 calories a day is no where near enough for someone who is 5'8" to shed fat properly. You're pushing your body into starvation mode-- your body is only going to try to preserve bodyfat while eating up muscle.

Until you either drop the cardio or up the calories, you're just going to be stuck in a rut and spinning in circles. And you're running the risk of being extremely unhealthy while burning out completely on the cardio.

You need to fuel the machine, okay? Eat, eat, eat! And cut back on the cardio!

[sillygirl]

--And I'm definitely not trying to beat up on you. I just get so worried when I see other people overtraining and undernourishing themselves, as I've been down that road myself. It's not a fun road to go down.

I'm not implying by any means that you have an eating disorder; however restricting calories that severely can eventually lead someone down that path. It doesn't matter if you're male or female, big or small. When you restrict calories by a severe amount, your body does go into starvation mode and it can very much warrant mental effects as well as physical.

Here's a study done on starvation and the effects on the body. Interestingly enough, this study was done on a group of males. However, the symptoms and behaviors demonstrated by the males are also very commonly found in females suffering from anorexia or who restrict too heavily in calories. I've experienced a lot of it myself, as I've suffered from an ED in the past and have been working towards recovery. Once again, I'm definitely not saying you have an ED. I'm simply trying to show you what the risks are of not eating enough:

http://river-centre.org/StarvSympt.html

[SpinQueen]

I'm trying. Really. I took your suggestions, and I changed up my diet a bit. I do not want to starve myself, I just want to be slim. And I'm not offended, in some respects, I probably do have an eating disorder, at the very least, an unhealthy body image.

Today:

Breakfast:

2 egg whites 60 cal
2 pieces whole wheat toast 120 cal
1tbsp peanut butter 95 cal
1/2 cup All Bran dumped into egg whites 50 cal
325 total

Midmorning:

1 sugar free jello 10 cal
1/2 bag celery about 20 cal
30 total

Lunch:
1 1/2 servings lentils 120 cal
1/2 cup All bran 50cal
1 pear 80 cal
250 total

Midafternoon:

1/2 protein bar 140 cal

Dinner:

2 cups brown rice 300 cal
1 serving tofu 100 cal

For dessert, I plan to have a sugar free fudge pop, and maybe some mroe cereal, which would be another 80-130 calories.

Total:
1045 without dessert and I plan on eating the 130, I think.

I taught my first spinning class tonight!!!

I did legs, and some abs.

Burned 750 calories.

Better?

[sillygirl]

Eek. You're still not giving your body nearly enough calories. As you burned 750 calories today, I'd say you need at least 1800-2000 calories to keep your body out of starvation mode and to still lose weight. 2000 may even be too low. That'd leave you with about 1100-1300 calories for your body for the day.


According to your calculations, you only gave your body about 455 calories.

Eating anything less than 1000 calories a day, is considered a starvation diet, I believe.

I'm not by any means telling you to start scarfing down jars of peanut butter and big macs- I'd increase it up slowly (like 100 calories) every week to a point where you feel comfortable.

Try getting in some more protein to every meal. Where's the tuna? Chicken breasts? Cottage cheese??? Hahaha, I think you get the idea. Every meal should be centered around some sort of protein and a good carb. Your lunch needs some protein (like 1 cup of fat-free cottage cheese!) and tofu is alright for dinner, but think about switching to tuna or chicken. And I always eat a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese at night with 5 scrambled egg whites before bed. Cottage cheese is a slow digesting protein, so I like to think it's giving my muscles some nourishment while I'm sleeping for 8 hours. :thumbup:

And how'd the spinning class go?? I've never taken a spinning class and I'd love to try it sometime!

[tremere]

My wife is thinking about taking the spinning class at the gym we attend. If she says it's pretty intensive, I'll give it a go. If not, I'll just find something else to do.

[SpinQueen]

Crank up the resistance on that bike, tremer, and it's INTENSIVE. Trust me.

[SpinQueen]

I consumed at least 2600 calories today. I cannot even believe how much I ate.

I had a normal day.

Breakfast was 2 egg whites, half a cup of All Bran, and two pieces of whole wheat toast.

Worked out, burned 600 cal.

Lunch was 1 cup lentils, half cup All Bran, one small can tuna.

Had 2 sugar free ice opos for 30 cal.
1 pear.

Dinner:
A bunch of white meat tukey, two slices of tofurkey. A ton of asparagus and mushrooms.

Dessert:
A huge piece of sugar free pie.

I realize it was sugar free, but I ate a BIG piece.

And I had some almonds.

I'm a cow.

[sillygirl]

You're not even CLOSE to being a cow! You definitely did better than most people did today, haha. It's just one day to give thanks and to spend with the family- don't beat yourself up over it, okay?

(And remember- it takes approximately 3500 extra calories to make up a pound of fat. Did you eat an extra 3500 calories? Nope. So any "bloating" you'll feel is just water weight- drink lots and lots and lots of water today and tomorrow and you'll be fine! :thumbup: )

[Chain]

Don't be so hard on yourself. You're not a cow.

Sillygirl is right. Some people actually don't eat enough to lose fat. I'veseen people that didn't eat enough and couldn't lose weight and when finally convinced to up their calories a bit they started to lose weight.