Starvation Mode/Metabolism?

[fitspogo]

So I've posted here before about gaining weight (I'm recovering from an eating disorder) but I've been reading up on starvation mode and I'm afraid that my metabolism may be a little off balance. I've been eating between 900-1200 calories a day for the past 8 months (and doing lots of cardio + lifting) only recently have I started to slowly up my cals (+100-200 each week) How do I get my metabolism back to normal?

I've read that even in "starvation mode" your BMR doesn't decrease by much, but I would still like to get it back to normal.


Thanks!

* I'm also afraid that by eating more (even though its under my maintenance) will cause me to gain fat. My BMR should be around 1268 without my activity level...around 1900-2100 with it.

[benchwarmer18]

idk, but your pretty hot. add ten or so pounds and you'll look mint

[Ondemand]

Afaik the only to get your metabolism back to normal is to start eating more, which I see you've started doing. Just keeping increasing cals like you are weekly and monitor weight gain. Though when increasing food you'll store more water weight so don't be afraid of the scale rising weekly.

[NegatronPrime]

Have you sought help of professionals?

Psychological to help you deal with your ED in the best way and possibly somebody who specialises in metabolic problems/recovery?

[coconuttree2009]

Afaik the only to get your metabolism back to normal is to start eating more, which I see you've started doing. Just keeping increasing cals like you are weekly and monitor weight gain. Though when increasing food you'll store more water weight so don't be afraid of the scale rising weekly.

This ^^^^
Add calories slowly, drop the crazy cardio. You might gain few pounds but it will mostly be water and glycogen, which will regulate with time. Once you reach your maintenance calories and things seem stable, you should start thinking about gaining muscle by eating over maintenance and lifting.

[dizzzane]

IMO you are seriously under eating. I would suggest slowly raising calories (as you're doing) until you get back to maintenance, which will be the caloric intake at which you aren't gaining any further weight. Also, eating in a deficit for long periods of time is not good for the body so I would definitely raise those calories. Being in such a deficit and eating so little, I'd also get rid of the cardio. Just my .02.


EDIT: And you will not gain fat if you are eating under maintenance (with extreme exceptions). You may gain some weight but as others have said, its mostly just water and glycogen stores fluctuating.

[fitspogo]

okay thanks thats very reassuring! And I already lift 3-4x a week so once I get my calories up to normal I hope to gain muscle!

[Ashlei]

Have you sought help of professionals?

Psychological to help you deal with your ED in the best way and possibly somebody who specialises in metabolic problems/recovery?

^Agreed.

Eating more is the way to get your metabolism back up to where it should be. You may hold more water and feel more bloated the first couple weeks due to the increased food but just keep going with it.

[RealMenDeadLift]

idk, but your pretty hot. add ten or so pounds and you'll look mint

While she is very pretty she is only 17, so calm down chief lol

EDIT : HA! so are you, check that

[vitornoob]

please, stop with this sh!t about getting fat eating more, i know how it works, i do not want anyone suffering what i had...
if your calculations are 1900-2100, follow this!

[lovingit]

okay thanks thats very reassuring! And I already lift 3-4x a week so once I get my calories up to normal I hope to gain muscle!

It's hard enough as a female to gain muscle, you WILL need the calories. And you are young and active. Do not be afraid to eat and gain weight. That's what you want to happen to achieve the physique that you desire. =)

[ajs8140]

Professional help is my .02 - Its really the most mature, responsible thing to do. But you probably wont (I wouldn't get help for anything until recently and I'm 22)


You should stay consistent and increase calories slowly. Everybody is different, and there are many things that could contribute to a low appetite. If you want to experiment with a different routine make changes slowly so you can understand how it effects you.

I for one don't handle a lot of sets per workout very well, and can easily stumble into overtraining. When I overtrain, I seriously have no appetite and could get away with eating 1 meal a day (would lose weight, but would not be hungry). Also, if I get into the habit of sleeping-in too much I lose my appetite. Things like this make it so there is no magical answer.

Consistently raise your calories. If you hit a wall, change your routine. And for crying out loud don't be afraid to gain a little fat - you are getting better either way as long as you stick to your dieting and working out.