please help:i want to return to 'normal'

[FitFossil]

You're 16. Your bones and muscles are still growing. It's extremely important that you not starve your body ever (but particularly at this time). Strict dieting will make you lose weight, but a high proportion of that weight is muscle - that's why you feel weak and can't perform sports as well. When you lose muscle, you lose metabolically active tissue. Muscle burns calories, body fat does not.

A body that thinks it's starving will start to drop muscle and hold onto fat in an effort to survive, since fat doesn't require calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you need. Losing muscle makes it easier to gain more fat. The reason most crash diets fail is because they focus on weight loss rather than bodyfat loss - they kill the muscle and kill the metabolism. A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. That's why a lean muscular guy will weigh (and can eat) more than just a skinny guy of approx the same body measurements.

It make take some time to retrain your metabolism, but it can be done. (I'm a 20 vet of eating disorders, and believe me, you do NOT want to go down that road!) Small frequent meals every 3-4 hours will keep your blood sugar stable and your metabolic fires burning. Each meal should contain some protein. When you don't eat for awhile, the fire goes out, and the body tends to store more bodyfat the next time you eat because it thinks you're going to starve it again.

 

[PwB]

Its a misconception that fat is metabolically inactive and doesnt burn calories. It does, just a great deal less than muscle tissue and is metabolically active. It releases certain hormones that tell the brain the condition which the body is in (ex. Leptin release signalling the brain to know it is starving, slow metabolism, etc)

Strict dieting when done INCORRECTLY will result in a great deal of muscle loss, not when done correctly. There are many factors involved but its really misleading saying strict dieting causes a great deal of muscle loss. Very low calorie dieting will do this, and this also depends on the persons current bodyfat, genetics, and many other factors.

Again, dieting is basically starvation to the body. It doesnt know you are trying to look good in a bathing suite so it adapts to prevent further weight loss. But dieting correctly, moderate calorie defecit, increased exercise (mainly lifting), adaquete protein, EFA's, will not automatically make the body horde fat and lose muscle. Its when dieting like he was (700 cals, not enough protein, too much exercise, etc etc) that this tends to happen.

 

[PwB]

Its a misconception that fat is metabolically inactive and doesnt burn calories. It does, just a great deal less than muscle tissue and is metabolically active. It releases certain hormones that tell the brain the condition which the body is in (ex. Leptin release signalling the brain to know it is starving, slow metabolism, etc)

Strict dieting when done INCORRECTLY will result in a great deal of muscle loss, not when done correctly. There are many factors involved but its really misleading saying strict dieting causes a great deal of muscle loss. Very low calorie dieting will do this, and this also depends on the persons current bodyfat, genetics, and many other factors.

Again, dieting is basically starvation to the body. It doesnt know you are trying to look good in a bathing suite so it adapts to prevent further weight loss. But dieting correctly, moderate calorie defecit, increased exercise (mainly lifting), adaquete protein, EFA's, will not automatically make the body horde fat and lose muscle. Its when dieting like he was (700 cals, not enough protein, too much exercise, etc etc) that this tends to happen.

And again, 3-6 meals is all thats needed. You have to look at 24 hr. calorie intake, metabolism doesnt run on an hour to hour basis (for the most part, ex. ghrelin), but overall its 24 hour intake vs. expenditure that matters. You wont automatically see a huge drop in metabolic rate after 3 hours of no food, its another bodybuilding myth thats good to sell MRP's. If one is eating protein every meal, along w/ fat, and fiber, digestion can take much longer than 3 hours, so food is still being digested, its not mandatory to put more in after this time frame. if one is using when protein (digested quickly) then yes, more frequent is necessary for keeping a positive nitrogen balance, but if foods and mixed protein drinks are used, its not mandatory. And if waiting longer than 3 hours, you wont automatically store more as fat.

 

[denzig]

ok your advice has all been great.im seeing a doctor just to make sure i didnt mess myself up.the only goals i have left are just a final bit of bodyfat around the midsection,most people would not worry about it, but as i said i set out these goals i will complete them.obviously i am afraid of regaining any weight,but i do see that if i don't eat more,especially in the protein area, i will be causing damage.im having difficulty finding enouh protein though,i dont eat red meat(never have)and chicken and tuna can only do so much,and as i am trying to return to 'normal' any kind of suplememnt drink is not an option.i do think my family has a 'slow' metabolic rate though,but i dont think that is ever an excuse.

 

[denzig]

ok your advice has all been great.im seeing a doctor just to make sure i didnt mess myself up.the only goals i have left are just a final bit of bodyfat around the midsection,most people would not worry about it, but as i said i set out these goals i will complete them.obviously i am afraid of regaining any weight,but i do see that if i don't eat more,especially in the protein area, i will be causing damage.im having difficulty finding enouh protein though,i dont eat red meat(never have)and chicken and tuna can only do so much,and as i am trying to return to 'normal' any kind of suplememnt drink is not an option.i do think my family has a 'slow' metabolic rate though,but i dont think that is ever an excuse.
thanks!