Coming off of severe calorie restriction?

machelle · Post by **machelle** » Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:57 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm new here, and cannot believe I stumbled upon this diet (or rather, excitingly...a way of life)! I really am thrilled! Here's a question though. I have lost about 15 pounds by severely restricting my calories. Some days I have literally eaten next to nothing. My question is, if I'm coming off of that to eating three (moderate) meals per day, how is it that I will continue to lose? To me, this makes no sense. Can someone please enlighten me? It seems that I would naturally gain weight...not lose it.

I'm sure this has been asked before, so thank you in advance for your patience!

DaveMc · Post by **DaveMc** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:36 am

Welcome aboard! I think the simple answer is that you don't need *severe* calorie restriction in order to lose weight. In fact, that's not recommended, medically: it puts too much stress on the body, and rapid weight loss is the most likely to be regained equally rapidly when the extreme behaviour becomes too difficult to sustain. NoS lets you lose weight by *moderately* restricting how much you eat.

It's going to be much slower than what you saw with that severe calorie restriction, but also much more humane, and much more possible to maintain for the long term. Could you really live with that severe level of calorie restriction for years and years? I couldn't! I've lost weight with NoS: 20 pounds over the course of a *year*. (I bet you lost your 15 pounds in, what, a month or two?) But once you start thinking of this style of eating as something you're going to be doing for the rest of your life, a year here or there doesn't seem so daunting.

Best of luck! We like to think we're a pretty friendly bunch, around here, and we're always happy to make impertinent suggestions or answer questions.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:35 am

Machelle, I think it's possible that if you've been severely restricting calories you may gain a little weight initially by eating moderately.

My question would be, why did you have to restrict calories so severely in order to lose weight? Is your weight loss goal reasonable?

kwidener7 · Post by **kwidener7** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 3:35 pm

Machelle,

It may also be possible that you have restricted your calories too severely and temporarily altered your metabolism (i.e. your body thinks it starving so it's holding on to every last calorie you put into your body). I mention this since you asked about continuing to lose weight, which tells me you want to lose more than what you have so far. And I may be wrong in what I am inferring, but I'm thinking that you came to No S because you have probably stalled and want food sanity.

If this is all true, then you will have to accept the possibility of weight gain at the beginning. Please do not let this turn you off of No S! Just realize that once your body figures out that is is not starving, I'm sure you will return to where you were and probably even lose more than you were on severe calorie restriction. Concentrate on the habits and enjoying what you eat and the rest will follow.

Also, if you are not now, throw in some weight training to build back your muscle and to gain more. You have almost certainly lost muscle mass and need it back to prevent huge weight gains. This may add more weight, but you will find that you trim up in the process. DO NOT be afraid of getting massively bulky either, women don't do this without steroids.

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 3:43 pm

I second the weight training! Also, if you're not already doing this, you can add in some walking or other cardio several times a week. By adding in exercise, you'll be creating a calorie deficit for yourself each day, and you won't have to cut back on your food nearly as much.

machelle · Post by **machelle** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 4:52 pm

Thanks everyone for the input. I sort of figured I would have to gain a bit initially because my body is still going to think I will starve it. I don't think my goal is too unrealistic. I am 5'2" small frame and weigh 134 right now (46 years old...ugh!). I would like to get to 115, which is certainly reasonable, and I feel best at that weight. I had gone up to 146 at one point, and freaked out. I started WW, which helped, but I stalled, so I started doing the every other day diet. Then I stalled with that, so I just started not eating or eating very little for a period of time. Of course, the weight came down quickly, but this is a crazy way to live. I was going to start the cookie diet when I ran across this book on Amazon.com. I am really so excited that this is working for so many of you, and I am anxious to see the scale budge again....and certainly not go up. I will hang in there though, because this diet makes more sense to me than anything I have (or might have) tried. I don't feel deprived at all on this. I am way more satisfied. If I can deprive myself for so long and find out I can actually EAT now, imagine how happy this has made me.

I'm usually not a snacker or one to get seconds at the table. I am more a sweets eater and I like my beer at night when I get home from work. Well, the beer is gone during the week is all and I am just fine with no sweets.

I know I should exercise, but just not making time right now. I am going to think about it and figure out how to implement it into my busy schedule. I'm not afraid of weight training at all. Used to do that a while ago and saw awesome results.

Anyway, it looks like I found a home here. Thanks again everyone. You will see me around.

***Edited to add***
Geez, I'm SUCH a newbie! HAHA! I just read the sticky on phases of No-S. I'm definitely in Phase I. Though I sure don't like the idea of an initial gain, I will keep going with an eye to the future....

idontknow · Post by **idontknow** » Sat Sep 04, 2010 6:55 pm

Hi Machelle - I too am 46 and 5'2. I've been doing no S since the end of April and have lost about 12 lbs so far (I'm now 131.4lbs). Like you, I have tried ww but it took me a long time to reach my goal weight and once I had I immediately went back to my old habits and put most of the weight back on. No S is a very sane way of eating. I feel better about my eating habits than I ever have before and my sweet tooth has definitely reduced. I feel healthier and 'lighter'.
I think it is definitely worth giving no S a chance. You may put on weight to start with because you have been restricting calories so severely. However, in the long term you will lose weight if you stick to the rules and keep your portion sizes reasonable.
Good luck!

machelle · Post by **machelle** » Sun Sep 05, 2010 9:47 am

idon'tknow: Thank you for your input! That's so great that you've lost 12 pounds! I will absolutely stick to this, because like you said, this is a sane way of eating. I did the same thing with WW and also the every other day diet. You are so restricted in calories that you're just always starving, which for me...ended up in a binge at some point...counterproductive. With this, I am always satisfied, so the huge cravings never really kick in.....productive, right? I can see myself eating this way for the rest of my life without a doubt. How many diets are there that you can say that about?? Hardly any that I know of.

I am going to buy a sledgehammer today and start going at it for 15 minutes on no s days. Hopefully this will help things along.