Sorry cucu, I don't have an answer for you as I also have a very lo-calorie background. I will be following your thread to see what others have to say.

Well, its hard to get very good nutrition on that few calories. I'd be a little concerned your metabolism might slow down. What do you mean you were getting "worst by the week"?

Starvation mode is just a theory, I think. I don't think you'll find any hard and fast facts about it.

I am kind of curious though, seems like eating so few calories, you'd lose a LOT of weight but I only see a weightloss of about 7 pounds.

As far as your system rebooting, I think our metabolism is linked to your muscle mass. If you were losing muscle mass because of your low calorie intake, you'd probably have to work out to get it back.

Cucu, I'd work on healing your metabolism. I'd bet that it has slowed down after eating at 800 calories for an extended period of time. A good start is to eat 10 x your body weight - 1700 range. It could take a while for your weight loss to get going, but it will be worth it in the long run.

JM2C! Paris

Cucu,
I switched to Atkins from a VERY low caloric intake. I was dieting too much, kept cutting back the calories and then realized I didn't want to eat that little forever and that it would catch up to me. It was scary but Ijumped right in to Atkins at about 1200 a day and did not gain.

I tried lowering my cals awhile back, sticking with a very lowfat and lowcarb diet. I didnt break past my stall but then again i only tried it for two weeks...

I had starvation mode problem after gastric bypass because I couldn't eat. No you do not lose all the weight just with surgery!!! My hair fell out, I was dizzy. Now Im on Atkins to lose last 26 lbs and my Metab is a snail because it adjusted to the amount of food I could eat. I have to adjust the food portions obviously but I am losing slow. Up the calories and or carbs to no less than induction on Atkins. 20 Carbs. You might want to try some allowed dairy cottage cheese, with No sugar peaches to help up the calories. I like mandarin oranges on my salads also. Watch the sugar content. Adding fruit will get your carbs up quick. You go too low the body slows to save up for starvation (thanks a lot huh?) You will do no good lowering the calories further. Also I find if I have a treat meal or have a Sarah Lee cheesecake bite, it kicks in losing again.

I hear you..!!! My plan now will be to exercise, push the calories up and 20 g. carbs in order to WAKE UP my body… I jumped in your Journal, it would be nice if you right some more about your experience all the way to 140.. Take care.

Heres a note for you to think about....several years ago I did a weight loss program that allowed only 700 calories a day, as did about 10 of my good friends. We lost weight, I went from a size 24 to a size 12, in a about 6 months,,,and everyone else on the program lost extreme amounts of weight also. But we all found ourselves very moody, depressed and not feeling well in genereal. Within one year, we had all gained back ALL the wieigh we had lost PLUS MORE! The doctor told me that I had almost destroyed my metabolism and hormonal balance, because my body was eating iself..muscle instead of fat. I have found it very hard to lose weight ever since then...and have recently learned that in order to repair my metabolism, I need to eat at least 1500 calories a day,,and to eat every couple of hours something,,,a piece of cheese, a small salad, cottage cheese, an egg,,,in order to keep my metabolism stoked like a small furnace, so that it keeps burning fat steadily. Since I have recently started Atkins, I try to eat near ten times my weight as he advises, and to eat often as my doctor suggests. I have been on the Atkins WOE for 12 days and have lost 17 pounds so far. so something is working. I have not been hungry or suffered from any cravings. I am very excited. So , up those calories, because if you dont, you will pay for it in the long run. I was 41 years old when I did the other plan, did it for almost a year. and I am 57 years old now and still feeling the effects of that other diet. Its not worth it,,,eat healthy!! And enjoy the trip!! The best to ya!! PS00dont ever skip breakfast!!! Get that fire burning so it will burn all day long!! Have a great day, hope this helps!

But--on the other hand--I've seen a lot of advice that if you're not losing weight following the Atkins plan, you're probably getting too many calories and therefore need to lower them...

Six of one--half a dozen of the other...