What causes plateaus when dieting?

[thin]

Temple01 wrote:
When you eat less than 1800-2000 calories a day you will lose weight for awhile and then your body says STOP. It begins to hang onto its fat stores for dear life
Add cardio and it will also work for awhile but your body will also adjust to that and make the necessary metabolic adjustments.
You can lift weights but you will not gain lean mass on inadequate calories.

okay, I assume that those numbers are for someone who is maybe 120 lbs at least? If you are under 100 lbs your BMR is (in most cases) only 1400 or so. I HAVE to eat about 1000ish cal a day to lose.

I've been doing this for 7 years, I'm an expert.

If you lift you can gain lean muscle mass-- I've lost fat because I lift but do not eat much, the body burns the fat to build the muscle.

Cardio will work no matter what, you just have to switch the kind and increase the intensity: so if you run, just run faster.

You can get plenty strong on a meger but balenced diet.

What % of your body weight can you people bench?

 

[mini_mouse]

ayyysh!

200 calories a day..even 500 per day!!

I cannot imagine how bad you must feel doing that...

how do you get through a day of work...much less a workout??

It's true that, after a week or so, I feel pretty shitty when restricting heavily. The headaches and nausea usually come on the 6/7th day but they pass after about 48hrs. The lethargy, dizziness and general feeling of 'flatness' sticks though. The thing that keeps me stuck in the bind, however, is the fact that I would feel *emotionally* far worse were I to boost my intake than I could ever feel *physically* from keeping it restricted. I'd rather feel a little physically uncomfortable than experience total panic, depression and despair. When someone drops their cals really low their emotions become blunted. Starvation is like a tranqualiser: it anesthetises you of all feeling, good as well as bad.

However, I'm not saying that it's in my best interests to restrict, even if it does relieve me of various ill feeling. You ask how we get through a day of work ... well, ashamedly, I had to drop out of school just before xmas because I wasn't able to get through a day of work . I've had to come crawling back home, back to curfews and parental dependence. This wasn't exactly my plan! I *am* going to start school again, in September, it's just going to have to be a school that's nearer home so that I can commute each day. Some people say that they can hold down a job and go about their daily business while subsisting on 200/300/400/500cals, but I certainly can't. I have since increased my calories though and I am planning on cleaning up my diet a little bit too. A lovely chick called KEL is helping me spring-clean actually 6 meals a day instead of 2; more cals; more protein; less simple carbs; p:c:f ratio of about 40:40:20 ... I'm going to give myself a chance.

(and next week? the pink fluffy dumbells and geri halliwell videos are coming out! muhaha! )

 

[Temple]

originally posted by Thin:
I've been doing this for 7 years, I'm an expert.

If you lift you can gain lean muscle mass-- I've lost fat because I lift but do not eat much, the body burns the fat to build the muscle.

Cardio will work no matter what, you just have to switch the kind and increase the intensity: so if you run, just run faster.

You can get plenty strong on a meger but balenced diet.



Please site the study that says that anabolism is possible in a calorie restricted diet. Also it is my understanding that the only substance that can create muscle is protein - would be very interested to see the one that says fat can be converted to muscle.

 

[thin]

Okay so maybe it was the protien I was eating...



I dunno the number 1800 freaks me out.

I've had 8% bf before and I was quite strong... maybe my running burned the fat...

 

[KBgrl]

Since we're getting all warm and fuzzy, KB, the Project and I were saying just last night that lately you've posted some quality stuff that's easy to read (not abbreviated words and emoticons... ). When you find a subject you are passionate about, you really shine. I'm glad you have the patience for this topic.

LOL. Thank you spatts! I am actually trying to better myself with regards to this. I got so used to typing like an internet fool I found it difficult to write my papers for school . I need to start typing on the boards properly. You will still see my famous KBgrl abbreviations and "stuff" but I'm getting better baby!!! thanks for noticing! You are very observant my dear!

Wlibbe... keep reading and educating yourself! Be strong and stay POSITIVE!

MM.. You little nut... I just hit ya back with a PM.

Thinnn.. you are going DOWN my friend!! ok... maybe I'll be the one dead on the floor after 30min..

 

[Bikini Mod]

I've had 8% bf before and I was quite strong... maybe my running burned the fat...

Thin, what is your definition of "quite strong"? I realize that you don't want to be a power lifter, but tell me that you got through the day without a single nap or without taking some sort of ephedrine or other some such stimulant.

I was 8%bf once (bbing show) and I could barely take care of my kids for that last week before the show... Yes, I was pretty much napping A LOT.. and this was NOT while I was starving, just seriously limiting my carbs.

Wlibbe - May I just tell you how stunningly beautiful you are?! I mean that sincerely. Please hang around and LISTEN and DO. It will be REALLY SCARY at first. I KNOW. But just visualize that food that you just ate as feeding your growing muscles. Tell yourself that it is OK that your stomach is full and it FEELS GOOD!

Follow ANY of the diets posted by the fine and knowledgeable ladies and TRAIN HARD with the weights... DON'T GET ON THE FUCKING SCALE! Make your body strong and make your soul stronger!.....

Take before pics instead.... TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!

I am just worn out today... Had a lot of my energy drained lately, but it was for a good cause.

My ex and I are in the final throws of our divorce and it seems that all of my "work" has done some good.... I think we may just get through this thing OK.

Thanx Temple *wink*

 

[Temple]

B - winkin' back at ya babe

 

[Temple]

Wlibbe
I missed your pics until Bmom said something. As you can tell from my previous posts brutal honesty is my strong suit. So I am going to give it to you straight
Can I have your face?????
Not that I'm unhappy with mine but I think I like yours better.
And I understand that you have height to go with it?
Baby you can change your body to be anything you want it to be if you know what you are doing.
What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve - Napolean Hill I believe. I am big on visualization - just ask Bmom.
I want you when you go to bed tonight to visualize yourself the way that you want to look in your wildest dreams and I want you to visualize the looks on your coworkers and sisters faces when you look that way. It may take some time to get this down but once you have it your conscious mind will take over and start taking the steps to get you there.

 

[Bikini Mod]

Wlibbe
I am big on visualization - just ask Bmom.
I want you when you go to bed tonight to visualize yourself the way that you want to look in your wildest dreams and I want you to visualize the looks on your coworkers and sisters faces when you look that way. It may take some time to get this down but once you have it your conscious mind will take over and start taking the steps to get you there.

Listen to Temple.... this is some very hocus-pocus scary shit!

Guess what?...

IT IS MAGIC.....AND IT DOES WORK!

If I don't watch myself, I may have to change my handle to "bikiniwitch" heheheheheee

 

[Temple]

Spats - you are the perfect candidate to test the seeing your body as you want it to be theory - you have incredible tenacity. I am currently working with this for myself. I am sure that it has been done before but haven't been able to find anything on it.