As part of my diet this time I am going to do sort of a reverse step diet. To avoid my body getting used to my dieting and going into "starvation mode" I will stop after a certain amount of weight... eat more (not enough to gain) and then start again.

I did that yesterday. This is the first time I have ever stopped a diet by my own will and not "falling" off the diet into a pile of candy.

And I have been in a crazy pissy mood all day and yesterday. I won't have the "looking forward" to losing weight but I also won't have the "pile of eating with abandon".

Anyone else ever feel depressed at maintenance.

[strive356]

Unless you are skipping lunch for ketosis, there is no reason to starve.

[QueenOfStars]

Just don't be so hard on yourself.

Dieting depresses me bc I have a hard time sticking to it. Then I feel guilty and frustrated. Edit: whoops, I misread the title of this thread. I thought it said "does dieting depress you?"

[CepheidVariable]

Originally Posted by strive356

Unless you are skipping lunch for ketosis, there is no reason to starve.

If I understand correctly, by "starvation mode" Emily means the body's tendency to resist losing fat when a person reduces their calorie intake for a long time. The body thinks hard times have arrived and starvation is a possibility. And it reacts by trying to maintain its fat reserves.

So a person can try to pause their diet for awhile. The idea is that the body should be given a little time to get used to the "new normal" weight by maintaining a calorie balance for awhile, rather than the calorie deficit during weight loss periods.

Originally Posted by Emily Fox Seaton

And I have been in a crazy pissy mood all day and yesterday. I won't have the "looking forward" to losing weight but I also won't have the "pile of eating with abandon".

Anyone else ever feel depressed at maintenance.

This thread started before I began posting. How are you doing now?

I'm not sure I have any helpful experience, since my only successes have been permanent, incremental changes to my diet over long periods of time.

I've occasionally lapsed and reverted to bad habits. That made me feel icky. I assumed the immediate feeling was due to junk food, not just the calorie count itself. But I don't know that for a fact. I can only suggest asking your doctor, a dietician, or nutrition specialist. They might be able to tell you how people usually react, or if there is anything you can do to counter it.

Originally Posted by CepheidVariable

So a person can try to pause their diet for awhile. The idea is that the body should be given a little time to get used to the "new normal" weight by maintaining a calorie balance for awhile, rather than the calorie deficit during weight loss periods.
This thread started before I began posting. How are you doing now?

Good I am back on my second round of dieting. The eating more was kind of depressing even though I got foods I wanted.

I have never had a problem with "bad habits" I bet I eat better than 99% of the people. I have a slow metabolism (I had had it tested) and what tends to happen is that after 13 weeks (approx) with a calorie deficit (which usually must be low to get me to lose anything) my body adjusts. I believe everyone's body adjusts it is just that some people have a lot of room to reduce more. I do not.

By stopping dieting as soon as my body starts to adjust, I am telling it not to... telling it I am eating enough. And the metabolism goes back to "rev up" mode. But if you are careful... you won't gain weight

It is my belief that your body doesn't have a calorie counter per se but judges what you are eating by the volume of food in your belly over time.

When I attempt to just eat less for a 1 or two year period.. it never works. First, it is impossible with a low maintenance point for you not to cheat in a working world. Just one brownie or muffin that has too many calories can ruin you for a week. Also, my body starts to adjust.. it might be slower but, you will get to the point where eating 900 calories just gets you to maintain.

[solo091]

Dieting depresses me. From personal experience, I believe that depression and low carb dieting do not mix well. I stupidly did Medifast (very low carb + very low calorie) and while the weight fell off of me at a rapid rate I ended up severely depressed. I don't have a history of depression at all (anxiety and ptsd is my thing) so this threw me for a loop. I read The Serotonin Power Diet, which is actually intended for people on SSRIs, but the information about carbs and how they correlate to serotonin production is interesting. I'm full Paleo now, but I eat white potatoes and other starchy vegetables with reckless abandon.

Originally Posted by solo091

I read The Serotonin Power Diet, which is actually intended for people on SSRIs, but the information about carbs and how they correlate to serotonin production is interesting. I'm full Paleo now, but I eat white potatoes and other starchy vegetables with reckless abandon.

Well I will mention that for 1/2 of the dieting I was on Belviq which is a selective SSRI (so not exactly the same thing but the same idea).

That being said I developed heart palpitations after about 5 weeks and my doctor told me to get off. I did get off for about 5 more weeks before I stopped dieting. It was only then I felt bummed out. I believe, because I enjoyed the rush of losing weight. It was something to look forward to.

I weirdly find dieting sort of ok. My body seems to get more energy (not less) and I usually feel like the act of dieting along helps me get in control of my life. I can see how it can develop into an eating disorder.

[solo091]

Yes, I heard of belviq and I was thinking to try belviq and get a prescription, but chose not to, those side effects bother me a lot. I mean Can't they make a safe weight loss pill? lol

But, I bet it must have helped, while you were on it.

I have tried modanifil though, that works from a different mechanism, and it kind of provides the extra edge when you don't feel like doing that workout. But it comes with its own downs and sides.

Originally Posted by solo091

Yes, I heard of belviq and I was thinking to try belviq and get a prescription, but chose not to, those side effects bother me a lot. I mean Can't they make a safe weight loss pill? lol

I know. I feel like they do that on purpose. Belviq had pretty severe side effects for me. But I do not believe the palpitations are part of it. I am back on for a short time to test my theory. But we will see.

But, I bet it must have helped, while you were on it.

Yes for me it works. It allows me to be seriously strict without really thinking about it. But for the first two or three days I feel HORRIBLE. You do get used to it. Then when you get off... it is the same sort of thing. I will not stay on it for more than 6 weeks though. It really makes me klutzy and hard to concentrate.

I have tried modanifil though, that works from a different mechanism, and it kind of provides the extra edge when you don't feel like doing that workout. But it comes with its own downs and sides.

How did you get it? I understand that doctors can't prescribe that for weight loss.

[solo091]

iI have suffered form narcolepsy in the past and modafinil is prescribed for that. I noticed that it has this positive side effect of giving you the extra edge and I also read on various forums people losing weight on it because it also kind of suppresses appetite. I think it just provides you more energy, so you don't feel the need of carbs and sugar for day to day activities.