Starvation Mode- Blast that Stall

I will be doing some "catch-up" posts to explain some things that have really helped me in the last few months get the scale to move down.

I am going to devote an entire post to how I was able to get off my lazy butt and start exercising. Right now though it is very difficult to write because I have missed about 2 weeks of exercise due to being very tired and fatigued. This is the start of a new week though and I feel great and so I am going to get back on the wagon and get going. I am not looking forward to the first few days of soreness, but hey, that is the punishment you get for not being consistent...

ANYWAY...

I have to tell you about a device that changed my perspective on points and on eating. It's called a Polar F11 Heart Monitor. I bought it a few months ago on the advice of a person I respect a great deal on the WW fitnessboard.

I had a stall this summer that was very frustrating. I have always thought that I was just eating too much. But as I began to read the fitness board consistenly something else came to the forefront as the possible culprit andit was almost too impossible to believe when I first read it.

Your problem could be...you are not eating enough.

What the HEY???

I am not even sure how that could be possible. I have a VERY healthy appetite. I always have, hey I am Italian, what can I say?

At my daily target of 26 pts I was eating about 1300 calories everyday. That is fine if I am only burning say 1800-2000 calories.

However I found out through my Polar F11 HRM I was probably burning about 500-800 calories each exercise session...

I began to do some research on calorie deficit diets, basically the foundation of WW, and I learned that my body is probably burning between 2000-2800 calories on any given day depending on my work schedule, my sleeping patterns and my exercise. Which means I had more than a 1000 calorie deficit of calories daily. It takes 3400 calories to burn a pound.

So...the lbs should be burning off me right? Wrong. ANYTIME you go under a 1000 calorie deficit in your diet you throw your body a curve ball. Especially when your only eating 1200-1300 calories.

If I am burning 500-800 calories in one work out and I am only eating 1300 calories a day I am living on about 500 calories. I need about 3 times that just for daily metabolic functions...

This is called starvation mode and its the best way to develop metabolic resistance issues, of which I have multiples.

The light went on. I have had years and years of putting my body into this mode. I have thyroid issues. I have blood sugar issues. OMG what have I done???

The WW community board is littered with people who post about stalling for weeks and don't know why. But now I think I do.

We are encouraged to eat our Activity Points we earn through exercise, but many are afraid that it will slow down their weight loss. JUST THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE...

I was only counting 2 to 4 AP for each exercise session I was doing. Actually I am burning 5 to 8 points according to my Polar F11 HRM. I don't even have one routine where I burn less than 500 calories.

Now as far as the eating goes I need to eat the right things. If I am not eating according to the healthy guidelines I am still starving my body. WHY? Because my body needs more than just calories to function well. It needs nutrients. My body could based on my food choices not budge on the weight because it is not getting the proper nutrients...

I have days that I eat empty calories. Less days now than in the past, but still. I love chocolate, I love salty crunchy food, I love junk. These things have lots of calories, but very little of anything else...

So I can starve my body based on my food choices as well.

Bad food choices and excessive calorie deficit are a great recipe for a plateau, which I had for about 12 weeks.

Now I eat my a balanced diet, I eat enough calories and I exercise. I am finally losing weight again....

Wow I have not written in a long time...

You know keeping a blog is not always easy...but I did it for a reason...I want to be able to read about my journey later to help me stay at my goal weight...it is for me, but if you stumble across it I hope my ramblings help you...

Since I started in February of 2008 Weight Watchers has changed their program so that they now just have one program called Momentum, and no longer do they have something called the "Core" program. The Core food list is now called Filling Foods though and you are encouraged to make most of your food choices from that list and track your choices. I could not be happier with the changes...but I am not changing my blog name...Filling Foods Angel sounds like a fat cherub, and well that is just not the visual I want ;)

What has happened to me since I wrote last?

I am down 40 lbs since I started...its not exactly where I hoped I would be at this time when I first started, but it is a lot more than where I started. I have had alot of bumps in the road, a lot slipping and sliding, but I am on the wagon, even if I do drag my feet on the road from time to time.

I am exercising regularly (well most of the time!). More on that later!

I am in regular misses sizes now. I started at size 24 W, I am not a size 14 M. That is a huge success for me.

I am getting noticed by men. This is weird for me. Not quite sure how to handle this other than blushing, which makes them notice me even more....(heaven help me!).

I have embarked on some principals for weight loss that have helped me. I count calories now, not just points or tracking non-core food. I look at everything I put in my mouth and consider the energy in verses the energy out. This has helped me be realistic in my food choices.

I still love to eat. I still love to cook. I still love food...but it is not my main love now...

I am taking care of ME, I am focusing on being a vessel of God that is healthy and can be used for His purpose in this world...I have to be healthy to do that...