THE BIG STARVATION MODE MYTH.

loislenski

There is actually something legitimate called starvation mode. That's when you completely fast for 3 days or longer, or you are in a severe calorie deficit for some time (not sure where the cutoff would be). The body's metabolism slows some, because it has to try to survive.

With that said, people have taken this real thing and liberally applied the term to things like weight loss plateaus and breakfast skipping when it likely has nothing to do with it. Even people who are legitimately starving will continue to lose weight, because they are still in a deficit.

It's still good to have a modest deficit so you can achieve at most 1-2 lbs of loss per week on average.

This... I really think the term "starvation mode" is used to liberally.

sam308lbs

During times of severe caloric restriction, yes, you'll lose weight. However, a good portion of that lost weight is muscle. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning that it burns a lot of calories at rest. When you lose muscle, your metabolism will slow down.

What does that mean practically? If I lose weight at a slow and steady pace, reaching say, 125 pounds on a 1650 calorie diet and if someone else loses the weight quickly, getting down to 125 pounds on a 1200 calorie diet, I will be able to eat many more calories than the person on the lower calorie diet and maintain the same weight.

i'd like to point out that the calorie intake in both these cases wont be significantly different
Given that
I pound of fat burns 3 cals/day
1 pound of muscle burns 6 cals/day
Lets say both of them lost 30 lbs!
So even if the person on a 1200 cal diet lost 30 lbs of muscle mass(impossible!!) compared to the 1650 cal dieter who lost 30 lbs of fat and no muscle loss whatsoever(again unlikely!)
the difference in their cal intake would be a mere 90 calories(30 x 6 - 30 x 3)

redraidergirl2009

I agree with the OP. I gained 4lbs doing that eat more to weigh less bull. No it wasn't water or "readjustment" it was damn fat. My clothes fit worse.

levicrouch

Maybe the term 'starvation mode' is what throws folks off on this subject. Maybe a better term is 'survival mode'. I imagine folks at 1200 calories probably don't feel like they are 'starving' maybe they don't even feel hungry.

I'm usually a scientific guy, this anecdotal to the max, gathered from life experience so far, things i have read in books and as seen on TV, etc. It makes logical sense in my mind.

Your body needs calories to function, so we eat. As a species humans are pretty successful (~7Billion people exist, and that is a big number), part of that success is our ability to store energy in the form of fat. When food is inconsistent and we may have gone a day or 2 without food we needed to store energy to survive (like a more extreme caloric deficit).

When the 'proper' amount of food is available, our body decides that we don't need to store as much energy and can burn that energy for other functions like building muscle.

For me i believe that an extreme caloric deficit (extreme for me would be 1200 for women and 1500 for men) will cause our bodies to store fat.

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.

I think I'm gonna go with my doctor on this one but thanks for playing.

Notice I didn't say it will burn muscle. Muscle must be fed protein and some carbohydrate for repair and some excess for mass gain. When you do not get that, your performance will suffer, as will your muscle mass and strength. "Starvation Mode" is just a misunderstood and often misinterpreted term or concept (as I said in my longer post here). Furthermore, I am and I hope you are aware that you CAN burn muscle for energy, but it usually only happens in distance runners or people who have eating disorders and conditions. I hope that I'm clearing up any misunderstanding that my previous post may have brought on. On a side note, your standard Doctors may be educated in general health and diagnostics, but are not fitness experts nor nutritionalists - the two fields that deal with this issue specifically. Just something to consider. We're here to help each other, not belittle others or be so callous as to have a condescending attitude.

When I called my doctor because I was concerned that I was losing more than 3 pounds a week (when I first started), all his nurse could suggest was a sample 1200 meal plan. I turned it down because I was already losing "too fast" on 2300 calories a day. She told me that was not uncommon. I adore that office and they are quite knowledgeable, but maybe not the best resource out there for the nuances of dieting.

My doctor specializes in diet and nutrition so he really is the best resource for it.

That's fine, but I guarantee if you take in exactly what I wrote and ask if it's accurate, the answer will be basically, 'yes.' I only claimed that 'starvation mode' in the sense of keeping and storing fat because of a caloric intake that's too low is something that happens. I never claimed that your body will use muscle for fuel before fat. That's is not what 'starvation mode' is - at least not the way that I've interpreted it to be. I'd also like to state that I was never condescending towards you. but if for some reason it came across that way, my apologies. The whole "so thanks for playing," however, was in that fashion though, but that's okay. I don't take things personally.

AnvilHead

For me i believe that an extreme caloric deficit (extreme for me would be 1200 for women and 1500 for men) will cause our bodies to store fat.

The body does not store fat while in a caloric deficit. For fat storage to occur, there must be a surplus in the intake.

Bodyfat percentage can certainly go up while losing weight, due to more of the loss being lean body mass/muscle mass than fat - but you do not create/store fat when there aren't even enough calories to support your daily expenditure (caloric deficit).

mazielinski78

Moral of the story: Starvation mode or not, all you need is a consistent deficit over a long period of time. If the deficit is too large, then you get hungry/miserable/moody. This results in people giving up eventually (often sooner rather than later) and eating like they used to or worse, binging because the diet is too difficult to maintain over a long period and that ends up driving you crazy.
When people say 'eat more and still lose weight', that is true only up to the point where it is still a DEFICIT to your energy expenditure. It's all a balancing act. A small deficit between what you consume and expend is the most effective way to lose weight long term as you're more able to keep the hunger crazies at bay and leads to a sustainable healthy lifestyle. I would be surprised if people eating under 1200 cal/day and exercising like crazy (hence large deficit) could actually keep it up consistently for a whole year or more and stay sane. If you can do it great you'll be successful. But this is usually not realistic for the average person long term, especially one who is on this site in the first place because they have a history of trouble controlling their weight!

InsanityMan84

There is a starvaton mode. It is not a myth. Your metabolism slows and you start to use muscle not fat to keep going and hello that means all muscle heart included is susetible to this. When it occurs is at times a mystery but it does occur and your grey matter in your brain shrinks until you have enough nutrients hence brain fog. many with ED can tell you it happens. If you want to play Russian rolette with your life go ahead. This site was started to share and help each other do it in a safe way. And for many it is not to loose but maintain and stay healthy . You will loose at first but at what cost you might need meds for heart or mess your brain or metabolism up to where it wont recover and for what a pretty body? Get over it and enjoy lfe what ever size and be healthy about it.

please don't talk about science until you actually understand it. not trying to be rude, but you don't seem to know much about what you're talking about and shouldn't be giving advice on it

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.

Exactly!!!

actually, not exactly. science disagrees - look at my previous post on this page for reference

I think this 'starvation mode' thing is being lost in translation in here for some reason. When we talk about it, we're not talking about literal starvation where you're body breaks down muscle for fuel, but rather the point at which the body begins to retain fat and try to store it because of a caloric intake that is not sufficient to keep up with the demands of your physiology. Case in point: distance runners will sometimes get to the point where they run so much that they start to break down their muscle tissue for fuel. It's rare, but does happen. There are certainly several factors as well. but mostly that the running has put them in a carbohydrate deficit and the fat store is no longer sufficient to keep up with the energy output. I like your references by the way. I appreciate the information.

melindasuefritz

YA BUT STARVATION MODE ISNT A MYTH

melindasuefritz

lack of food can cause the body to go into starvation mode, or starvation response, according to an article in the March 2006 edition of the journal "Annual Review of Physiology." Starvation mode is a metabolic response to the body being deprived of food, which may occur during periods of famine or economic depression, when using a fad diet, or when suffering from anorexia nervosa. A variety of specific signs and symptoms affect those whose body has gone into starvation mode.

Physiological Symptoms

Reducing calories to a very low level prevents the body from obtaining proper nutrients and energy, according to the "Annual Review of Physiology" article. As a result, fatigue is common because the body does not have ample energy to function. The body breaks down muscles to be used as fuel as it attempts to keep vital organs like the heart and lungs functioning. Vitamin deficiency is another result of a lack of nutrients, and can lead to anemia, diarrhea, rashes, edema and heart failure. Testosterone levels decrease during starvation mode, so sexual drive also decreases. The primary drive in a food-deprived body is to eat to regain energy and nutrition, not to reproduce. In women, irregular menstruation or a complete absence of a menstrual cycle may occur.


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Depression and Anxiety

In a landmark study by Dr. Ancel Keys, published in the book "The Biology of Human Starvation", subjects who were place on a starvation diet experienced psychological changes. Depression was one such symptom. Dr. Keys found that those who ate the least calories were the most depressed. Anxiety is another psychological symptom of not consuming enough calories. Dr. Keys noted nervousness and impatience among the participants in the study. Some people even avoided eating because they were fearful of gaining weight.

Food Obsession

Food obsession is another symptom of starvation mode, as found in Dr. Keys' study. The deprived body focuses on food because it needs the energy and nutrients to survive. A person in starvation mode may spend much time talking about food, thinking about food and searching for food. In developed countries, people in starvation mode -- such as dieters or people with anorexia nevosa -- may also spend much time watching cooking shows, looking at recipes or shopping for food.

Weight Regain

According to study in the March 2001 issue of the "British Journal of Nutrition," a reduction in the intake of food leads to a reduced metabolic rate, or a decreased rate in burning calories. This decrease in metabolic rate increases as the person loses weight. Once a person begins to eat more, he often experiences increased appetite while his metabolic rate stays at a low level, according to a study conducted by Dr. Abdul Dulloo that was reported in the March 1997 issue of "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." As a result, the person often regains all the lost weight and may even gain more weight than when the starvation started. The weight that is put on is mostly fat tissue, noted Dulloo.

Loasaur

I've actually been in "Starvation Mode" and it doesn't come from eating 1,200 calories a day. It comes from eating NOTHING everyday. When I was 15 I was really self-conscious and had very low self-esteem. I literally almost starved myself to death. I lost nearly 75 pounds and at 5'7" I only weighed 110 pounds. I lost all my muscle and all of my fat. I could barely lift a glass of water without my hand shaking. I couldn't even lift a gallon of milk out of the fridge. I thought this was wonderful! I finally got as skinny as a liked and I was overjoyed...until I started eating again. When I went back to three square meals a day (even HEALTHY meals) my body could not function on this level of food. I quickly gained weight very fast and within 3 months I was back up to 200 pounds. 90 pounds in 3 months!

My metabolism has literally slowed down to NOTHING. I probably have a bowl movement once a week if I'm lucky. I can eat an apple at breakfast and literally not be hungry until the next day. I try to eat when I'm supposed too because my doctor tells me that eating small meals more often through out the day will help increase my metabolism and fix what my body is doing, but it's hard when you're really not hungry.

I'm not using it as an excuse by all means. I go to the gym everyday or every other day. I do two hours of cardio and an hour of weight training in order to slowly regain the muscle that I've lost. I force myself to eat 6 very small meals a day of only fruits and vegetables and 1 or 2 meals of a small amount of protein and I HAVE seen a difference.

This is something REAL that DOES happen to people. I do agree that many people probably use this as an excuse, but that doesn't mean it's not a real thing. Many people followed Hitler, agreeing with him that Arans are a superior race. Does that mean it's true? Of course not. You can't look at things in terms like that. I'm 20 years old now and still facing the consequences of my actions but it can be corrected if you're willing to put in the effort.

HOTSTUFFyes

Listen up heres a story about all these people believing in starvation mode what about all the people who are in hollywood freaking living on sushi and eating nothing but salad are they in starvation mode no they get Really skinny yall im not saying to eat that low im just saying is their such a thing as a starvation mode. I beilve not. if their was we would have no one starving in this world but we do Look up some people on youtube and follow their journey HEY 1900 i eat that some days. some people would even tell me omg your going to go into starvation mode 1900 cals a day. who can you beilve anymore probley no one and the story is no such thing as a starvation mode.

Lauren_Malmsten

I have a disorder called cyclic vomiting syndrome where basically I can't eat anything... My Dr. [who is a top Dr. and is very well respected] said that I wouldn't die and I wasn't starving myself. He had me drink nutritional shakes and basically after almost a year of that and when I got pregnant he forced me to re learn how to eat food again because your body forgets how to digest food and your stomach and intestines can become paralyzed. There are medications for your intestines and for your stomach to help them move and process food. Basically I had an 80 lb weight loss in only 6 months. It wasn't a good thing because I didn't try to lose the weight and was very sick and malnurished before realizing it wasn't an eating disorder, but an actual issue. But now I can eat regular food and I am only trying to lose weight because of two back to back pregnancies. But people do extreme diet it just should be monitored by a doctor and you can't jump back into eating whatever. you will gain the weight back.

I hope you didn't mean it the way it sounds, but 'before realizing it wasn't an eating disorder, but an actual issue.' is personally offensive. Eating disorders are very much a real issue. Just thought I'd point that out to everyone, not trying to single you out or start a problem

Mcgrawhaha

well, i have been eating 1200 calories a day since september, and have lost 75 pounds... thats 75 pounds in 8 months, and im still losing. i also exercise 4-5 days a week, and do not eat back my calories. i have found great ways to get in a lot of food and still stay within my calorie limits. im not starving, nor am i in starvation mode. i have 17 pounds to go to reach goal! 5 foot 10, starting weight was 246, current weight 172, goal weight is 155.

Mcgrawhaha

I've actually been in "Starvation Mode" and it doesn't come from eating 1,200 calories a day. It comes from eating NOTHING everyday. When I was 15 I was really self-conscious and had very low self-esteem. I literally almost starved myself to death. I lost nearly 75 pounds and at 5'7" I only weighed 110 pounds. I lost all my muscle and all of my fat. I could barely lift a glass of water without my hand shaking. I couldn't even lift a gallon of milk out of the fridge. I thought this was wonderful! I finally got as skinny as a liked and I was overjoyed...until I started eating again. When I went back to three square meals a day (even HEALTHY meals) my body could not function on this level of food. I quickly gained weight very fast and within 3 months I was back up to 200 pounds. 90 pounds in 3 months!

My metabolism has literally slowed down to NOTHING. I probably have a bowl movement once a week if I'm lucky. I can eat an apple at breakfast and literally not be hungry until the next day. I try to eat when I'm supposed too because my doctor tells me that eating small meals more often through out the day will help increase my metabolism and fix what my body is doing, but it's hard when you're really not hungry.

I'm not using it as an excuse by all means. I go to the gym everyday or every other day. I do two hours of cardio and an hour of weight training in order to slowly regain the muscle that I've lost. I force myself to eat 6 very small meals a day of only fruits and vegetables and 1 or 2 meals of a small amount of protein and I HAVE seen a difference.

This is something REAL that DOES happen to people. I do agree that many people probably use this as an excuse, but that doesn't mean it's not a real thing. Many people followed Hitler, agreeing with him that Arans are a superior race. Does that mean it's true? Of course not. You can't look at things in terms like that. I'm 20 years old now and still facing the consequences of my actions but it can be corrected if you're willing to put in the effort.

makes no sense. even when "damaged", a metabolic decrease caused by extreme vlc over an extended time has only been shown to slow up to 10%-15% from its normal rate. that would not account for a 90 pound gain in 90 days.

swaggaville09

I'd like to say no, it isn't true about the body burning lean muscle before fat on a diet that low in cal. I've lost 16 Lbs this way so far. But its not healthy for the brain or for the body as a whole. Just convenient for people like me who just want the fat gone.

AbsoluteNG

Everyone has a different definition for starvation mode so this can get confusing.

Shelleben82

I'm on a 1200 cal diet, AND i don't even know how I could eat more! When your clean eating, that's a lot of freaking food!!! I honestly could never eat enough sometimes, especially when i work my butt off at the gym and i have a deficit to account for. I don't eat back all my workout calories, but when i burn, i am sometimes hungrier and eat around 14-1500 because i crave carbs, so in that case ill add a banana, meat or potatoes and it usually does the trick. This whole starvation mode is WAY over rated!!! YES i believe it is an issue for some, but i swear people can be so judgmental and just throw that word in your face accusing you of starving when your really not. Can you imagine how offensive that would be to someone who has suffered and/or recovered from an eating disorder? come on people, seriously?

DatMurse

For me i believe that an extreme caloric deficit (extreme for me would be 1200 for women and 1500 for men) will cause our bodies to store fat.

The body does not store fat while in a caloric deficit. For fat storage to occur, there must be a surplus in the intake.

Bodyfat percentage can certainly go up while losing weight, due to more of the loss being lean body mass/muscle mass than fat - but you do not create/store fat when there aren't even enough calories to support your daily expenditure (caloric deficit).

glycogen and fat are being stored and removed at the same time when you take in carbs and fats

longtimeterp

I hope you didn't mean it the way it sounds, but 'before realizing it wasn't an eating disorder, but an actual issue.' is personally offensive. Eating disorders are very much a real issue. Just thought I'd point that out to everyone, not trying to single you out or start a problem

Psychological vs. Physiological correct? Funny how that was the first post you ever made too and was "i'm offended" sounds like you are trying to start a problem lol...