low calories on weightloss?
I started intermittent fasting recently, which is suiting me, but it has cut my calorie intake even lower - sometimes as little as 600 calories a day. I must be burning fat for energy because although I get hungry towards mealtimes, I'm not feeling any ill-effects. I feel better on these lower calories, particularly with skipping breakfast.
I'm probably not getting enough protein (according to some calculations I should be eating around 75g of protein daily, but my intake is more like 40g, and today it's only been about 30g. I just worry about losing muscle and all that stuff. I listened to Jason Fung explaining that in weightloss, it's not a big deal to eat less protein as the body will consume excess skin, etc., rather than target important muscle. I have excess skin, and I'll hopefully also have excess fat cells I'll be glad to relinquish. :P Could anyone with a bit more knowledge and experience advise me? |
I found this transcript of Jason Fung talking about fasting, loss of muscle and other issues very interesting. It put my mind at rest regarding muscle loss and the other issues:
https://blog.daveasprey.com/why-you...nd-jimmy-moore/ Quote:
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IF doesnt have to be everyday. Dr Fung talks about every other day fasting , meaning a skip day, but eat well on eating days.
Did you find info on autophagy?? |
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Hi Ms Arielle, Thank you for the reply. I found some information on autophagy. It perhaps explains why I am feeling so good on this IF. I'm only skipping breakfast, and it is suiting me far better. I think my blood sugar regulation is really wonky in the morning, so even eating an egg can knock me off-colour. Delaying eating until noon is feeling great for me. My only concerns are about the calories/protein sometimes being so low. I do get hungry towards mealtimes, but am very satisfied by the amount I'm eating at mealtimes. I made a lot of mistakes before learning about Atkins, cutting fat and food quantities lower and lower to try to avoid any further weightgain, so my metabolism ground to a very limited pace indeed. I think both my mind and body need to adjust further to a more liberal way of eating, and of course that is difficult to achieve with anxiety caused by the controversy around animal fat/protein health risks. Thanks again, Ms Arielle. |
Hi Kirsteen. I have the same problem with getting enough protein. I always underestimate it, too, if I'm eyeballing it, compared to using my handy little digital food scale.
I wouldn't worry about low calories as long as you're generally listening to your appetite, which it sounds like you're doing. Starvation mode does exist, but it takes a lot of deliberate starvation. Like Dr Fung said, it's not going to happen from prudent IF and good nutrition. (An exception might be some very messed-up thyroid or other hormone issues, but that's probably a whole different thread/discussion about seeing a competent endocrinologist.) I practice IF as long as it's suiting me. Like Arielle mentioned, it's easy to forget that the "I" in IF is intermittent. I've pulled the plug on intended fasts many times if I get a hypo (do you have a glucometer?) or if I'm just plain too hungry. Are you doing at least some strength training? I think it's pretty well established that it goes a long way to prevent muscle and bone loss, especially for us ladies. I hate it, but I've begrudgingly adopted the habit and I'm determined to do at least a bare minimum. |
if you're doing 600 calories a day (every day) it sounds like you are calorie restriction eating. do you have days where you don't count calories and eat Low Carb ad hoc? But if this is working for you now with no hunger or are able to satisfiy it with 600 cal a day - might be right for you for now - and be open to changing this strategy later :)
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Hi Thud123, I'm really just trying to limit the carbs, and am only really counting because I tend to eat too many veggies, which pushes me out of ketosis. When I add up my intake, I realise that I have eaten too few calories, but I tend to add them up after mealtimes, so I don't really feel like eating any more. As I say, I get hungry before mealtimes, but by the time I have eaten, I don't really want to eat more. I do have days when I eat over 1100 calories, so perhaps they balance things out a bit.
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Hi Kristine, thanks for the reply. I hink I probably need to do some mental adjustment and also to try to find foods which I can have to boost protein after meals, if I find they have been a bit low.
I can't do any working out. I have a chronic condition which totally rules out any exertion and pans me in with a small amount of activity. I just try to do as much as I can. Thanks for your reply. I'll get better at this. :) Quote:
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I'd say continue on and see what happens. If appetite increases, go with it. The only way to lose weight (hopefully mostly fat), if that's your goal, is to expend more energy than you take it over a period of time. There's no magic in that but there's also no calculators and way to measure what is happening - especially on a home scale. During that period of time you want to let the body operate as it was designed to and not throw things out of wack with sugar, over/under exercise, low or no protein, etc. If you have excess fat to use as fuel on your body, putting your metabolism in a position to have access to it is a good thing. At some point, if your body works right, your appetite may come back - watch what you then put in your mouth ;) I like this axiom lately and generally it seems to work for me: Control Carbohydrates (sound like you're on top of that!) Prioritize Protein (there's much debate on how much) Fill with Fat (that's tuff cause I can eat lots of fat and it doesn't fill me - working on it myself) Anyway, keep on truckin' |
^ I almost typed the same one, Thud. I can't remember where I heard it first.
My tricks lately for getting more protein: - Add collagen and gelatin powder to hot liquids like soup and sauces (winter) and to sugar-free Jello (summer.) I've heard of people mixing it in coffee or tea. - Keep your meat scraps and bones for broth; use it for your cooking - If you like to make scrambled eggs, quiches, etc - get a carton of liquid egg whites. You can add some for a protein boost, and you can freeze what you don't use before it expires. I found several half-price one time and froze most of it in ice cube trays - then the cubes are 2 Tbsps each. It was handy. These were pasteurized, too, so I wasn't afraid to put them raw into smoothies. - Protein powders, but I'll admit that I'm better at buying them and ignoring them than eating them. :o |
Hi Thud, thank you so much for your encouragement. I'll follow your advice and go with the way my body feels.
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Kristine, I really appreciate these pointers about how to get extra protein. I'll look into those. I'm sure it'll help.
Best wishes Kirsteen |
I keep Trutein protein powder around for those days when I need a little extra protein. It tastes good, doesnt have a lot of extra junk in there and a half scoop has 100 calories and a nice boost of protein. I just mix it with 6-8 ounces of water and ice and it isnt a huge shake to drink-- easy to get down.
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Thanks Gzgirl. That sounds really good. |
Updating this thread.. I bought protein powder and have made an effort to eat more protein and fat. I also had a breakfast today to shake things up a bit. I'd moved onto the OWL level of Atkins, so I am aiming closer to 30g of carbs daily, and probably overshoot that a little some days. Since making all those changes, my weightloss has stopped, and I've maybe gained a pound or two, however, I am going to persist longer to give my body time to adjust and then I will see how it goes.
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