Remember when you could...

[girlygirl]

...easily lose 2lb each week on an intake of 1000-1200 calories, with never a thought for net carbs or glycogen regain?

I used to lose at that rate. So why, now, does a daily intake of 1000 well-balanced calories cause my weight to plateau, or even increase? Others have remarked that they now maintain but don't lose on 1000 calories.

Makes you think.

 

[Kate]

I easily lose 2-3lb per week eating 1500 calories a day and doing an hour of exercise a day.

Of course it never happens that way as I tend to do at least 2 hours of cardio most days so I have extra calories although I do aim for less than 2000 a day for a 2lb loss per week.

1000 calories is very low unless you're on a formula VLCD - that might be the reason you're plateauing? If your body isn't getting sufficient calories and nutrients it will start to go into starvation mode.

 

[Russiandoll]

It does make you think.

After 20+ years of yo-yoing my way up to 22st, I think I must have the cr*ppiest, hair trigger metabolism on the planet. It takes hardly anything for me to gain

 

[KD]

...easily lose 2lb each week on an intake of 1000-1200 calories, with never a thought for net carbs or glycogen regain?

That's the only problem with a VLCD, you should come off by working up the plans. If you go straight to 1,000 you need to be very patient. I worked through the plans, so didn't have to worry about the old glycogen. Keep on trucking though and it will stabilise itself

I can maintain on my maintenance calories (about 1800 is recommended for my age and weight). If I do extra exercise...like a load extra walking, I can up it to about 2000 and a bigger workout takes it to about 2200.

But...if I go over 1800 on a more restful day, I can add another 3lbs to the scales. Even just one packet of crisps more than I need will show a 3lbs gain. It's just water, but does make you sigh.

Another thing I noticed was how patient I really have to be. When I put on some over Christmas, I reduced portion sizes to lose the weight.

My mind was still telling me that I should see a loss on the scales each day. Of course, it doesn't happen like that

 

[girlygirl]

LOL Karion! Patience is a virtue, as they say, and weight control requires a ton of it.

I wouldn't mind longterm maintenance on 1800 calories; that seems reasonable. Obviously after VLCD-ing one would have to build up to that figure gradually, and include daily or every-other-day exercise.

There are those who insist that dieting on around 500 calories per day does not affect the metabolism, and those who say that it does. I tend towards the second school of thought. Even so I would think that any slowing could be counteracted by extra exercise and yet more patience.

The glycogen regain bit is more difficult to deal with cos you can pretty much count on it if you switch from VLCD/low carbing to even moderate 'normal' eating in a short space of time. That's when most peeps seem to panic and run screaming back to SS-ing!

 

[girlygirl]

Just realised that I'm getting back the ability to lose weight on a mixed diet of around 1,000 cals or less. Thought I'd update this little sub-topic to say so.

This is what I was hoping for months back. It's taken a while to find the right balance of food types and calories but what I'm doing now seems to suit me and - the acid test - I am losing weight at a fairly good rate.

Delighted.