[TW] I think I’ve messed up my metabolism with a very low calorie diet

[Koyo]

Sorry I am posting for traffic. Posted on Weight Loss chat but didn’t get a reply

So I lost a lot of weight doing 800 fast. I was extremely depressed and had become a social hermit due to embarrassment over my weight. I did the low calories diet for 12 weeks. I lost three stone relatively quickly.

But now whenever I eat over 1000 calories I GAIN weight.

I assume it is due to my metabolism having slowed right down. I’m still glad I lost the weight as I feel so less self conscious.

Please share any advice on how to kick start my metabolism?

I do around 45 mins of brisk walking a day. I do plan to go to the gym this week for the first time. An amazing feat if you knew me. My family are very proud.

But I’m quite stressed about what my my body is doing.

Look you are doing the right things. Your body has gone into starvation mode now. It IS a thing much as some people disagree. But it’s okay. You have done really really well. Now you need to figure out how to maintain so your body adjusts to your new weight. And it will but it might take time.

Drop the ready meals. Even if they are from a diet service.

Cut out any ultra processed foods. Eat lots of protein and fibre and drink lots of water.

It’s worth reading “Why We Eat (Too Much)” by Andrew Jenkinson - he explains it all really well.

Going to the gym is a great plan. Add in a bit more movement as well as your walks. Doesn’t have to be lots. An extra 15 minutes a day marching in the spot, doing squats and push ups against the kitchen worktop. Dancing around the living room.

Very low calorie diets can damage your thyroid ( which regulates your metabolism). The thyroid needs a moderate calorie intake to support its healthy function.

Look at reverse dieting back up to your recommended calorie range

I know VLCD are damaging to a certain extent. But I was about as depressed as a human can be. I think some people can imagine the thoughts I had. I can actually leave my house now.

I had to take drastic measures. Truly.

Thank you. Will look into this.

What on earth?!

I wasn’t sure what to make of that comment either

I'd gradually eat more and build up the exercise to a sustainable level for both.

Have you read the maintenance sections on the Fast Diet? It's about Mediterranean low-ish carb eating, any carbs you have should be wholegrain where possible.

I'd start by adding a small portion of starchy carbs to meals which have been just meat fish and veg/pulses before.

The Fast Diet red and blue recipe books are very good for long term sustainable eating.

I think (hope) she means once they recovered, most of them seemed to be a healthy weight, but I'm not sure how true that is. Obviously, no one would argue they looked healthy in the immediate aftermath.

What do you mean gain weight? Are you weighing every day and reading normal fluctuations in weight as 'gaining'. I had a big meal last night with drinks and put on about 2kg overnight. It's not fat though and it will go in a few days.

Anyway, regarding your metabolism you need to do a slow increase, adding 100 calories or so for a while then adding more. Ask chatgpt to put a plan together for you

Hi OP...
Could you go to your GP and asked to be referred to a dietician? You could even get a telephone appointment.
They are keen on this as they want to get people to lower their BMI.. and it sounds like you are working hard but need proper advice to continue.

I agree with the PP who said that weightloss can go in fits and starts.. You lose weight more quickly at the beginning and the plateau is a sign you need to adjust your approach. But I think you need expert advice.

Worth a try anyway

Chatgpt can get things very wrong with math and can make things up. Seems unlikely given this is a frequent topic in its training data, but you might want to try another calculator for BMI and calories etc.

well done OP for addressing an issue and taking action head on. Exercise is going to be key here to revving up your metabolism and sustaining weight loss - all the best at the gym this week. What do you plan to do there? Does your gym offer access to a personal trainer as part of the gym enrolment?

Hello! Just reading through your thread and wondered whether your weight is always something you’ve struggled with? I ALWAYS struggled with mine and then I was diagnosed with PCOS and everything made sense.

I was forever on diets, but couldn’t lose weight unless I was eating 800 calories or less. That in turn would make my hair fall out and I’d be exhausted because I wasn’t getting enough nutrients or energy. Anything over 1,000 calories would mean I gained. I was miserable with a BMI of a huge 37(!) and comparing my diet to women around me made me so hopeless as everyone was eating more than me and staying thin.

When I was diagnosed, I was prescribed Metformin (2000mg) and started only eating whole grain carbs. I was a regular gym goer anyway, but with the Metformin, I noticed a huge difference. I could see the change in weeks and focused on lifting heavy and building muscle which boosted my metabolism.

Keep in mind that if you are going to the gym and building muscle, the scale might go up because muscle weighs a lot. I’d recommend measuring so you can see inches coming off even if the scale remains the same. Or go by how clothes fit/how you feel.

If you have PCOS, HIIT won’t necessarily help you. Walking uphill and elliptical are good, but massive strain cardio is a no no as it causes inflammation.

You may not have PCOS (sorry for going on about it) but it is SO common and many women are undiagnosed. I’ve lost around 30lbs - still got a way to go, but much much happier now! Good luck!!

Sorry I haven’t read every post but just wanted to say I’ve found chat gpt really helpful for tracking macros and planning meals and helping me think what to eat at the next meal to hit my goals

Not to be crude but are you pooping on that diet? Also ready meal = salt = water retention.

What a grotesque comparison ffs.

Don’t rely on ChatGPT, it’s not reliable at all and makes up stuff that sounds true.

I do have PCOS! I was on metformin but when I stopped looking after myself I stopped taking it. I remember the GP was shocked by blood results when I was diagnosed, it was very elevated even for a person with PCOS apparently.

I will get back on it now i feel better in myself

I was hoping to build muscle strength. I was hoping to find something to help strengthen my core initially. I used to constantly have back pain (pre weight loss) so I think that is a good place to start.

I’m not sure what the induction entails. I have my BIL going with me as I have developed quite bad social anxiety.

I am quite regular these days

I did Fast800 and have a similar story; once I started eating carbs again, the weight came back on very fast, and I wasn't overeating, calorie wise I was in maintenance level. I'd never do Fast800 a day because of how quickly the weight came back once I stopped it. Did you resume eating carbs when you came off it?

I've been doing a different low calorie diet since January in 10 week cycles with a month of maintaining in between. It's not as low as 800 per day though (it was 1400 per day at the beginning, now 1200), and I have plenty of healthy carbs. I've lost 42lbs in total since I started, which averages out at roughly 2lb per week. When I took a month off and increased my calories, I maintained with no dramatic weight gain like when I stopped Fast800.

www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-metabolism

I permanently messed up my metabolism with years of extreme and yoyo dieting. I have to reduce to 800 calories or lower to lose weight.

This was confirmed by my GP who monitored me over a year and a half of dieting and only losing a stone and a half.

Getting older also compounds this issue, as does developing insulin resistance.

I am a classic yo yo dieter too. I am hoping getting back on pcos medication and going to
the gym will help revive it.