Weight loss: hazards of extreme dieting

[Ozark]

If you want to lose weight, extra exercise is the only way to go - burn off extra weight and raise your metabolism. This will keep it off combined with a good diet. Fasting alone will simply guarantee that it comes back with a vengeance as you are telling your body to burn calories more slowly. Did you know that you can burn up to 400-600 calories per hour of moderate cycling? I generally burn 800/hr and therefore may eat as I please and still stay trim, as well as enjoying the benefits to the cardiovascular system.

I know it. I know it. but......

[LexiNexi]

I know it. I know it. but......

I guess my goal was to lose the man muscles not the fat..

[Nikkilovesdresses]

No amount of weight loss will change your shoulder width. You'll have to wear tops that disguise that.

I was talking about the padding of fat over the frame, and reducing the size of my upper arms. It's working, but I'm noticeably weaker in terms of muscle.

I eat more healthily and smaller portions now than at almost any time in my life, barely drink alcohol at all, no fizzy/pop drinks; no bread/cakes/cookies/chips/crisps, way less sugar in any form, way less dairy, and I eat a lot of fish and salad, plus I juice fresh fruit and veg every other day.

The 600-a-day was a brief period, and I eat nearer to 3x that now.

I'm 5'10" and 185lbs.

I could still exercise more...

[LexiNexi]

I was talking about the padding of fat over the frame, and reducing the size of my upper arms. It's working, but I'm noticeably weaker in terms of muscle.

I eat more healthily and smaller portions now than at almost any time in my life, barely drink alcohol at all, no fizzy/pop drinks; no bread/cakes/cookies/chips/crisps, way less sugar in any form, way less dairy, and I eat a lot of fish and salad, plus I juice fresh fruit and veg every other day.

The 600-a-day was a brief period, and I eat nearer to 3x that now.

I'm 5'10" and 185lbs.

I could still exercise more...

I miss being strong, but girls ae not supposed to lift heavy things,

[ReineD]

I miss being strong, but girls ae not supposed to lift heavy things,

Um … until they move and carry boxes and furniture out to the truck, or they have to put a lot of stuff up in the attic, or they're spring cleaning and moving all their furniture out of the way to clean behind and underneath stuff, or they hoist the lawnmower in the back of the car if it needs repair. If a girl is single, there are no magic fairies that will do all the lifting.

Also, moms haul kids while doing errands. It's like carrying a 35-40 lb weight for long stretches of time, in and out of cars, in and out of shopping carts, down the length of malls when they don't want to walk, plus the shopping bags, diaper bags, purses, etc.

[Caden Lane]

I miss being strong, but girls ae not supposed to lift heavy things,

Lexi, I do not see how you do not understand why some members are finding your posts distressing. You seem to live and abide by these strange stereotypes and archetypes of women. You diminish women when you say things like, "realize I'm a bitch." How do you not understand even that? I only partially identify as female, and you riled me up with that little comment. Thats not even fully taking into account these stereotypes you keep referencing towards women in general.

You've quipped that you thought this place was for support. But it is difficult to support you when you seemingly shun advice given you. I mean for the sake of all thats holy, seeing a gender therapist is NOT going to jeopardize a career. In most cases we cannot give you accurate advice, or support you because you give very little back story. Or if you do, its only after you've posted a distressing one liner comment, and when people post their concern, THEN you come off of relevant details which would have helped to have known in the first place, but in the end, make your post no less distressing.

So why not sit down, and write a little essay about how all of this started for you, when it started, what you've done since then, and how it has progressed. Just based on what I'm seeing, it is entirely possible you are deeply wrapped up in the pink fog, and the euphoria just sort of deadens your judgment. Badly. But that doesn't account for the stereotypes or disparaging language towards women. Which still puzzle me.

Ever & Always,
A desire to be of help, Caden Lane

[Nikkilovesdresses]

I observe myself being physically weaker, and I don't seem to mind. So what? I could move large objects with ease since I was about 14, and now I just spend more time figuring out leverage, or I get my wife to help. She's half my weight but she can lift almost as much.

We watched 5 strong Moroccan builders trying to get a large stone out of a deep hole, and they couldn't do it- there was only enough room for 2 of them to lift at a time, and it needed 4. They gave up and went for a coffee. My wife arranged some heavy timbers, used a pick axe to lever the stone up and slip a rope under it, then levered the stone up a foot at a time, dropping concrete blocks underneath to support it. When the guys came back the stone was right out of the hole and she did it without my help, which they totally refused to believe. Imagine how they felt, being bested by a small, blonde American infidel. Made my day, I can tell you.

[MelanieAnne]

Weight loss simplified: Burn more calories than you take in.

[kimdl93]

I would add to the chorus warning against extreme dieting. I lost more than 70 pounds in less than a year. Aside from the physical harm, severe weight loss, such as I experienced, pushed me into a deep clinical depression, cost me a marriage and a job. Only the lack of energy kept me from following through on recurring suicidal ideations.

Muscle loss from dieting is akin to starvation...and its nothing to mess with.

[Caden Lane]

I have to echo Kim's warning as well. Since December 2nd of 2013, I have lost 165 pounds. Just a little over a year. However, that weight loss has been under a managed Bariatric weight loss program, after having had a full stomach bypass. I've been on full Bariatric vitamin supplement program, a managed exercise program, and have been monitoring my food and water intake religiously. Despite all of these efforts, I have lost vast swaths of body hair, hair on my head, and lost muscle mass, and my nails weakened. While some might argue that those could be desirable effects, it has been blotchy at times, and not even or consistent. I've endured severe muscle cramps, stomach cramps, and despite additional iron supplements, I've also been anemic several times. Crash diets are NOT safe. Even managed programs can be less than safe. One of the women in my program ended up in the ICU for five days, and she was working the program as it is supposed to be.

Ever & Always,
A much lighter, but wary Caden Lane