Starvation mode

Question
Hello, I am a 21 year old female, I am 5'2" and I weigh 278lbs. I was recently put on a very low calorie diet by a doctor. I eat between 800-1000 calories a day. I lost 20lbs in September.

My question is, would that amount of calories put someone into "starvation mode". I really don't want to lose lean muscle mass, I want to lose fat.

What are the symptoms of starvation mode?

Thanks,
Kristen  

Answer
Hi Kristen,

Well, that's a very good question! As dietitians we generally put people on diets we think they will be able to follow for a long, long time, and 1000 calories doesn't do it.
I'm not sure what your doctor has in mind...perhaps he wants to help you get a jump start and see a large drop in weight to keep you motivated. Hopefully he also has you taking some vitamin and mineral supplements.
See if he can refer you to a dietitian at your local hospital as an outpatient. She will get you on a healthy meal plan that you can stay on without going hungry!

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