Thread: Restricted calories / fat / muscle loss

I've been in your shoes and to be blunt, your doctor is a thief.

You're going to ultimately gain back whatever you've lost on this regimen because it is unsustainable.

If you go question your doctor, he is very likely to ride his degree and explain that he's been very successful with his practice. The reality will be that many patients lose a bunch of weight in the beginning and then are never heard from again.

I urge you to not go back to him. It's not a coincidence that experienced fitness enthusiasts don't consume 1000 cal/day to lose fat and do not eat only one solid meal a day. You will not be successful in fat loss if you try to make an end-run on the process.

The quicker you drop the doc, the quicker you'll get to your goal. Fat loss isn't about losing 30 pounds, it's about being able to keep it off indefinitely.

I hear you, This is a temporary phase of his plan. I really let him have it Friday and told him he was full of it. I will be seeing him in two weeks and re examaine the progress and calorie intake. I have been up and down this road and am trying to find long term solution. Both the Doc and I know that this is not the long term plan just a short 3 month "ordeal" This Doctor (#2)is Doing my TRT and I told him I would try his plan. I really want to get and stay on the TRT. So I guess I am letting him try his "voodoo magic" for a couple of months until I get comfortable that he will keep writing for the TRT. I have another Doc Doc (#1)that started TRT with me but he was only giving my 100mg every other week. Doc (#2) has me at 130 mg weekly. I still ahve an appt with Doc # 1 and if he is willing to go with 130mg or so weekly guess who I will stay with...

I gotcha. Good luck with the TRT.

Originally Posted by Marat

I gotcha. Good luck with the TRT.

The doc #2 had me @ 1600-1800 cals a day but I wasn't losing anything. so as an experiment he wanted me to try 2 weeks after a clense (fast)
@ 1000 a day. He tells me he is against keto dieting but his program after a two day fast and two days of 1000 cals put me in keto. I just thought that was weird.

So assuming that I am really in Keto and my fat intake has been around 30g per day over the 4 days. I am assuming that I am burning Body fat?
I just wonder how catabolic I am getting ??

I also told the DOC that I could eat 1000 calories of twinkies a day and lose weight!

I'm weary that a physician would ever use the term 'cleanse' but whatever.

Do you know what your maintenance calories are? They are likely over 1800.

In regard to the composition of your weight loss, I'd comfortably bet that you are losing more muscle tissue than what you'd lose under a more practical fat loss protocol.

The amount of muscle vs fat that you are losing is mildly affected by your current body composition. If you have a bit of fat on you, you have more leeway towards preserving muscle tissue and burning the fat. However, you are still going to lose more lean tissue than you need to.

I'll add that the amount of muscle tissue you lose can be relatively significant. In practical terms, that translates to you looking like a smaller version of your current self. You won't necessarily be leaner, you'll just be smaller. The term "skinny-fat" applies here.

Also, are you doing any training? Does the doctor have you on any prescription drugs related to fat loss? Phentermine/phendimetrazine?

I have to agree with Marat. The more extreme your diet is, the more likely you'll fail. There are no reputable health organizations or reputable fitness experts that will recommend 1,000 calories a day. The doc that recommended 1600-1800 had it right. If you weren't losing at that much, then you weren't doing enough cardio and/or strength training. If you're weight is remaining the same then you have a caloric balance, simple arithmetic. Not to mention, you'll be able to get all your nutrients from real food and not supplements.

Please check out my Journal Jagbender's battle of the bulge

There are details from the get go. Also photos from 2-26-11 and 3-23-11
my maintenance calories are very low for some reason. eating clean @ 1600-1800 I was not losing. I should be losing @ 10-15 calories per pound of body weight which would be 2500 calories. I absolutley cannot lose @ 2500 let alone 1600-1800.

I started @ 1600-1800 very slow progress
1325 for a week maybe 1 pound
just started 1000 calories Monday.

for some reason I have a body type that refuses to let go of Fat!. So I guess I am a rat in a lab again!
I have tried them all Atkins, UD2, Rob Faigen, South beach, Low fat, CKD to name a few. I am just hoping that my low testosterone was causing the problems.
My thyroid checks out strong. I believe that when my test levels get up to 600-800 any diet will work with reasonable caloric deficits.

I would hope to be able to find my true maintenance caloric level and say go 15% less that should produce good results and a safe, comfortable and maintainable level.
Actually 60% caloric reduction is insane. But it is only a test. My doc is trying to figure out what the heck is going on with my metabolism. I have had about every test imaginable done in the last 5 years. been on thyroid pills. checked for food allergies. I don't eat gluten or Milk. It is really messed up.