THE BIG STARVATION MODE MYTH.

hsnider29

Im not saying that to eat 1200 im saying their is no such thing as the damn starvation mode.

While you are exerting your superhuman will power you should note that as your body burns fat it will burn muscle too. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat and puts higher demands on the body than fat tissue. Yes, you will lose fat but you will also lose muscle, especially on a high deficit for an extended period of time. Your metabolic rate will slow down. This is what people mean when they talk about starvation mode. You can believe it doesn't exist all you want but it does in this context. There are things you can do to minimize the amount of muscle that you will lose while dieting but it is just how the body works. Anatomy and Physiology 101.

alannabowes

Okay, so my opinion is that it depends on your body type. I personally prefer to think of my body type as a fuel saver...I can eat little and it lasts for a long time... but at the same time, I KNOW I have gained weight when I haven't eaten much each day (spent about a year doing this. little tiny bits of food at a time, much less than 1200 cals). I personally have seen my body store fat when I haven't had enough food. If I had pictures I would prove it to you. And there are obviously a lot of factors involved. But I really do think it is a body type thing/a personal thing. No one's journey is the same.

Missjulesdid

I've been eating between 800-1050 calories a day since December (Doctor supervised of course and I had WLS in March) Not only am I not in starvation mode.. but I've also managed to maintain all but 1/2 pound of my lean body mass during my most recent 80 pound weight loss... so all of that "your body is going to just eat up all the muscle instead of fat is NOT TRUE if you have a LOT of fat to lose and you are eating enough protein and you're doing at least a little strength training, your body will eat the fat.. that's WHAT IT'S THERE FOR! I choose my foods wisely and get 70-90 protein grams a day and make sure I'm getting all my micronutrients as well.

There's a HUGE difference between a VERY obese person who has a lot of fat stores eating at under 1200 calories and someone of normal or near normal weight doing so.. and also you really shouldn't do it for a prolonged period of time without being under a doctor's supervision since unless you are meticulous about planning your menu, it's REALLY hard to get all your nutritional needs met on 800 calories and you don't want to become malnourished.

brcossette

I would like to give you my expert opinion on this subject but I'm still fat. All i know is when i eat too much i feel like crap and when i eat too little i feel like crap. There must be a happy medium right? I'll let you know when i reach my goal.

sumthingboutash

i agree

_blizzard_

I don't think that most women would go into starvation eating 1200 calories a day. We are all different though. It is true that if you aren't giving your body enough calories and nutrients, you will eventually starve. I don't think there is a magic number for that though. Probably consistently eating under 900 calories a day would be risky to some, if not most women. A large worry that comes with very low calorie diets is that you will suffer from vitamin deficiencies. It would be wise to raise your calories to a safer level, like the standard 1200, to lose weight more slowly.

AnvilHead

Okay, so my opinion is that it depends on your body type....

http://www.clutchfitness.com/forums/view.php?pg=not-different

eric_sg61

To keep your metab up on a low calorie intake is to get at least 8 hours of sleep and eat 6 times a day and i will stand by that

You don't need to eat 6 times a day to "keep the metabolism up". Eating 1200-1500 cals a day spread out to 6 meals is 200-300 cals per meal, that is a light snack to most people. Eating 6 light snacks a day will do a great job at keeping you ravenously hungry all day long. Besides who whats to live by the tupperware container and the clock?

niightwindz

I did the whole 1200 calories for a little while. I stopped, not because of the "starvation mode" thing, but because I was always hungry and cranky. I now net generally between 1400-1800 and I'm losing weight and inches, without feeling hungry. I'm also in a way better mood nowadays. I would not call that stuffing my face.

husseycd

I'm sure it depends on how much you have to lose and how long you've been dieting. I want to lose 8 lbs, maybe 10. Eating at 1400-1500 calories was getting me nowhere. I was stuck at 138 lbs. For months. Even though I work out seven days a week. Even though some of my workouts are pretty gnarly. Upped to 1700-1800/day and dropped four lbs within a few weeks. Was I starving and that's why I didn't lose weight? No, of course not. Was there some weird hormonal thing going on with my body not letting me lose those last couple pounds? Maybe. Possibly. It doesn't sound that crazy to me.

I'm sure super low calorie diets have their place...for a short period of time. I firmly believe our bodies eventually adjust. So yes, I'd like to be 125 lb with 20% body fat (I'm 134 and 25% BF right now). But I also want to maintain it. Supposedly with my activity level, that's 2050 calories/day. Could I get there by only eating 1200? Maybe, maybe not. I'd rather try at 1700-1800 and be able to maintain at 2000. And hopefully maintain my muscle tone at the same time. :-)

BTW, I have had to lose 30 lbs a couple times in my life. Once after my son was born and the second time after I quit working at a horse ranch and packed on some weight. But I'm the same weight I was in high school and I've pretty much maintained that for the last ten years. I couldn't have done that if I had to eat 1200 calories a day to stay at this weight. I only mention this because lots of people lose lots of weight and then gain it right back. It has to be something you can maintain/manage long term.

But if it works for you, go for it. It wasn't working for me.

Kimdbro

Some guys did a study

Haha!!

Bikini27

I would like to give you my expert opinion on this subject but I'm still fat. I'll let you know when i reach my goal.

See, exactly.

Bro-science comes from the tasty meaty guys in selfies at the gym.

And now I'm hungry and must eat more calories.

BrianSharpe

Yes, thank you for the correction it is indeed a database. Lol...but it's a lot more academic than ...what did someone call it? bro-science?? Haha. It actually came from a journal called Positive Health.

I would have a difficult time calling Positive health "journal" (http://www.positivehealth.com/)

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Best information I've read on the subject:

http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/#starvationmode

_blizzard_

That is such a bizzare syndrome. I've never heard of it. It sounds like you are doing better. And congrats of the babies. What type of nutritional drink did the doctor give you?

T0FatToB3S1ck

Starvation Mode is a myth in my opinion. I've lost 107 pounds so far and at times have netted below 1000 for a week or 2 at a time. Not because I tried it but because I didn't understand that I was supposed to eat back some of those exercise calories. If starvation mode was legit, I'm sure I would have gone into it on more than one occasion.

shannonespinoza

Yes, thank you for the correction it is indeed a database. Lol...but it's a lot more academic than ...what did someone call it? bro-science?? Haha. It actually came from a journal called Positive Health.

I would have a difficult time calling Positive health "journal" (http://www.positivehealth.com/)

Lol...that was one article out of many located in the DATABASE. Sorry I didn't cite it in MLA format. I find it interesting that so many of you feel you know better than what is published and reviewed and that everyone should believe you over other sources. And that you insist on pointing it out. Is any journal or article 100% accurate? No, but I am more likely to believe it than anyone on a social site. Whatever works for you. It's awesome. It won't keep me from motivating others and being a positive influence on those around me.

jessicapetert23

Yea...that was pretty much one of the worst posts i've ever read on this site. Did your school have the subject of writing/english and did you participate?

InsanityMan84

I hear you bro, I'm so sick of people talking about starvation mode. It's all a load of B.S in my opinion, or the whole "Your body will start burning muscle instead of fat" LIESSSSS, your fat is there for when your body needs it, that's the whole point of fat people. Your body will only start breaking down your muscle tissue once it's fat reserves are gone.

100% true!!!

Actually, not true. Your body will lose muscle if you are not getting enough nutrients and protein to keep what you have. It doesn't necessarily 'break it down' for energy, but you lost the amount of muscle mass and the strength that comes with it. Starvation mode is just misunderstood, but it is a real thing.

diaryofaskinnygirl

I think that starvation mode is really only a worry for those with very little fat. If you have a lot of fat stored on your body then it can be burned for energy.
However when I was on a diet of 800-1000 cals a day and borderline underweight my metabolism slowed way down and I stopped losing weight. It took about a year of hard work to repair my body and metabolism.