Question:
Is my body in starvation mode?

I am averaging between 90-150 calories a day. I know this is not enough but simply dont know what to eat to make it better or to up it any. Is my body in starvation mode and is that why I am not losing any weight. I havent lost anyting in 4 weeks. I am keeping the same weight. I eat three times a day and thought I was eating what I needed to and then someone told me that I wasnt eating right that I was eating too many carbs. I was eating mainly soups. I dont do meat really well. I have to simply make myself eat the meat. I dont like the taste of it anymore and its hard to go down. Someone please give me some good advice here. I dont know what to do!    — Carol K. (posted on December 4, 2003)

December 3, 2003
Did you really mean 90 to 150? Have you talked to your doctor about not being able to keep food down? Can you eat eggs? I've LOVED egg salad since I had the surgery and I eat tuna and chicken salad. I really don't care for just plain meat anymore but if I mix it with something, it works fine. Can you drink milk? IWhat about cottage cheese, cream cheese, peanut butter? If you're truly only getting 90-150 calories, you must do something to get more protein.
   —  SCbabe B.

December 4, 2003
Wow, only 150 calories a day. That is way to low. Instead of meat, try some cottage cheese for protein. You can also add protein mix to instant pudding for a good burst of protein (made with skim milk). Maybe some eggs with cheese or a cheese omelet. I prefer bacon (crumbled up into tiny bits)and cheese omelets but if meat is a problem, stick to the cheese omelet. Can you tolerate tuna? That is also a good source of protein - either plain or mixed up as tuna salad. I also eat salmon. It is also normal to plateau periodically so not losing in 4 weeks is not abnormal. Try tracking what you eat on fitday.com. Measure/weigh your food so you are sure of how much you are eating and protein should always be your first choice, fresh fruits/veggies next with pasta/breads/rice, etc. last and at a minimum. Good Luck
   — Carolyn M.

December 4, 2003
Hi, Carol. We had our surgeries around the same time - mine was 9/11/03! I'm sorry you're not doing better with the meat. I'm Ok with most meats, but they have to be very, very moist, and not stringy. I eat a lot of soups/stews, but make sure they have lots of protein. I make chili with very lean ground meat and lots of kidney beans. I also like Dinty Moore beef stew, and Campbell's Select ready-to-eat wedding soup. It has tiny meatballs in it which are very soft. String cheese is a good protein source. I do a protein shake every morning to boost my grams - I use ProScore 100 chocolate. You get 32 grams for 2 scoops. Vitalady.com has tons of samples you can try for $1.99 each. I have also tried Hormel turkey pepperoni, it's not bad, the pepperoni is very soft. I agree that your body is probably in starvation mode at this point. Your calorie intake seems way too low, although there are still many days when I feel I don't get enough in, either. Lately, I have been focusing on getting at least 60 grams of protein every day, and that has really helped my weight loss. I was on a plateau for 2-3 weeks, and when I started focusing and making sure I was getting the protein in, my weight loss started again. Good luck to you.
   — Carlita

December 4, 2003
Hi Carol, me again! If you're still drinking the protein shakes with the fruit you're getting more than 150. One of the shakes alone is over 360 calories. Do you like pizza? Try a stick of string cheese with a couple of tbs. of spaghetti sauce over it in the micro wave for 45 seconds or so. This is great and will give you a little protein. Beans are good, any kind of cheese is good, eggs are good. You can make a chicken chili that is pretty mild if you can't handle regular. It's hard right now, I know. It seems impossible to find anything to satisfy your taste and your nutritional needs. It's early yet for you, hang in there. I had a tough time until around 2 1/2 - 3 months. Then things got easier. Keep searching for protein you can tolerate and you'll be fine. Pam
   — Pambylah