Possible to be overweight by undereating?

Because if you eat too few calories, your body goes into starvation mode... so is it possible to still be overweight from eating too few calories? Because I have known a few people who eat very little but can't seem to lose the weight. But isn't that what anorexics do to lose weight? Undereat? I'm sorry if I sound really ignorant, but I am genuinely curious about this.

I don't see how this is possible at all.  You may go into "starvation mode" but what this is involves burning muscle for energy (sorry is this is a gross oversimplification).

If the people who "can't lose weight" really counted up all their calories, they would have to be consuming equal to or greater than the calories that they burn each day.

Wouldn't you think?

yeah that's what i thought too. thanks hehe

Actually, I have read that this can happen.  Many overweight people will skip meals & load up on a carb heavy processed dinner.  Even if this meal falls below their maintenance level, their body will store this as fat quickly due to constant starvation mode?

Anyone else heard this?

really? that's interesting... i'd like to hear other people's responses..

I actually knew a girl that was diagnosed anorexic and was a size 24.  she was gorgeous and actually modelled but she told me that the smallest she was when she was anorexic was around a 18 (or somewhere around that; I knew her after she had recovered). and then when she finally started combating the anorexia she balloned to a size 24.  I think it possible but i think you would have to take into the other consideration of the person...like if they have anything wrong with their thyroid. 

Everyone's body reacts differently to starvation levels. Some Anorexics become under weight by eating 1000 calories or less, where as some people can eat this much and maintain because their bodies have grown accustomed to using up that many calories. Also, there are people who are under weight by eating a large amount of food where as someone who has a different way of burning energy would probably gain on that amount.

I've read several cases where doctos have tried to lower weights of patient's by lowering their caloric intake. Eventually theperson does starve to death, essentially, but what food they DO ingest goes into fat storage, much as it does in Starvation mode.

Also, I noticed with a lot of my heavier friends who say they do not 'eat anything' or 'eat all that much' may not eat a lot in volume, but what they do eat is unhealthy or high calorie, like huge muffins, doughnuts, or other sugary, cheesy or carb filled things.

But, in short, it can either be just how the person's body is composed, or that the person in question is eating more than they think.

I think it is possible to be overweight and still be undereating. My best friend at school never eats breakfast. She eats less than me for lunch. And I'm sure she doesn't eat that much of dinner. Yet she is overweight.

Last year, I never ate breakfast or lunch.  I ate dinner and a snack and that was all.  I didn't watch what I ate, and throughout the year I gained weight.  I slowed my metabolism down so much by not eating earlier in the day.  So even though I wasn't eating very much, I still gained.  Luckily I have rid myself of those terrible habits and am now gradually losing by eating more food (healthier) and more spread out throughout the day :)

Yes. I am living proof. I was a 245lb bulimic whose daily intake (at the most) was around 500cals a day, for over 20yrs. I'm now at 176lbs or so and am in the process of convincing my body that I'm recovered, I'm eating 2000cals a days and my weight has stabilised. I think my metabolism has recovered because my weight is now stable eating a steady amount.

I read an article about this once...it is posted here. I consider it to have some excellent points. I also used to weight 200 lbs and was gaining about 10 lbs a month on a very feeble diet of 2 very small meals each day (I never used to eat breakfast). I rarely ate more than a cup of soup and a single plate of dinner, with a piece of fruit thrown in there once in a while...I'd doubt that that was more than 1000 calories, yet I gained obscene amounts of weight with that diet.

I'm very active, just as I was at that time in my life. The difference is that I now weight a whole heck of a lot less and I eat 2400-3000 calories a day.

I LOVE that article!! Someone else posted it here when I was hmming about upping my cals and I have it printed out and read it every time I waver. It's brilliant!

^^ omg thank you soo much. That was one of the most interesting and helpful articles I have ever read relating to diet/fitness. All the questions I have had about undereating and how it affects (lack thereof) weight loss were addressed. Thanks again!!

anyone who is restricting should read that article. I used to be a restricter like that woman, and not surprisingly, I could not lose the weight. It's like I was reading an article about myself. I would be miserable and watch my slim friends feast on so much more food than me, but still not gain a pound. And I would have those once-a-week binges, then would compensate by eating very little the other 6 days... and even if you were to total up all the calories for the week, I still was well below the weekly calorie consumption compared to what should be consumed by an average woman.. and I was wondering why I still wasn't losing the weight!! Well now I know...

thank you for the article. i was a restricter as well and lost a lot of weight but now find myself up 15 lbs even when trying to restrict again. I know tahts not the answer. I am just focusing on being healthy now and hopefully won't gain any more weight.

This article also reminds me of a book i read called "How to Break out of Food Jail" by Jean Antonello, which basically has the same concept of eating more to lose weight

I'm starting to think maybe this is me ... maybe this is the solution I've been looking for.  I eat balanced meals and count absolutely every single calorie, but I rarely eat over 1,000 calories a day, typically between 500 and 800.  Once or twice a week I will go out for a meal and eat a "regular" meal.  On those days I will typically eat about 1600 - 1800 calories.  Last week I think I had a day where I ate 1900 and was really upset.  Yet, my body will not lose weight, and if it does, it does it at a snails pace.  I will sometimes see a weight drop mid week, but when I have that one (just one) "larger" meal, my weight will shoot up to where it started and often higher. 

Now I'm thinking maybe I should start eating more.  More like 1400 - 1600 calories and see how that works out ...

^ omg milwaukeegal... you're description is EXACTLY. i mean EXACTLY like mine... i can soooo relate~ and so yeah, now i've decided to up my calories and see what happens. (while exercising too)

I love this thread, so informative! That article explains it very well, thanks missmagill! and I'm going to check the Jean Antonello book as well. Thanks jenny8484!

When I started dieting last May, I was eating very well, just making healthier food choices and the weight came off steadily. I lost 45lbs since May and I'm half way to my goal. However in the last 1.5-2 months I have been losing at a snail pace. I think I'm not eating enough and 40-45% of my intake has been from fats! So after reading this thread, instead of simply cutting the calorie intake, that's my first thought, eat less, I'll  keep eating well, just eating more proteins and carbs instead of all that fat (mostly from dairy and olive oil). It's worth giving it a try. I love the support we get at this site, thank you all for this thread. kudos to you happinesswhereartthou (funny alias btw).