Starvation mode?

Almoshposh

I'm having problems meeting my calorie goal everyday and my appetite is at an all time low. I almost have to force myself to eat. I'm seriously considering having BPC at each meal just to get something in. I've heard so much about Starvation mode and I'm afraid I'm headed in that direction. I've also heard that is a myth. Does anyone know if it does exist and how long it takes to set in?

GSD_Mama

How long have you been eating that way? I try to eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not, I don't force myself to eat. Do you work out or do a lot of physical activities? That will increase your appetite.

wabmester

Well, ketogenic diets were designed to mimic starvation mode.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response

But what you want to be careful of are thyroid issues like low body temperature (feeling cold all the time). Normal low carb diets will reduce hunger, and ketogenic diets can reduce it even more. If you're uncomfortable about your calorie intake, knock yourself out of ketosis for a while.

Almoshposh

itcphotog wrote: »

How long have you been eating that way? I try to eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not, I don't force myself to eat. Do you work out or do a lot of physical activities? That will increase your appetite.

My appetite had been pretty low for the past two weeks or so. Some days I'm hungrier than others but most days I eat about 1100 calories and I'm stuffed. My goal is 1500 which is about a 20% deficit. I'm happy to eat so little if it doesn't send my body scrambling for every last fat droplet.

Almoshposh

Oh I forgot to say I don't work out much. Just a short walk everyday.

glossbones

I find that BPC reduces my appetite, so if you want to increase your calories you might try a day without it and see what happens.

JPW1990

Maikanyenga wrote: »

I'm having problems meeting my calorie goal everyday and my appetite is at an all time low. I almost have to force myself to eat. I'm seriously considering having BPC at each meal just to get something in. I've heard so much about Starvation mode and I'm afraid I'm headed in that direction. I've also heard that is a myth. Does anyone know if it does exist and how long it takes to set in?

Starvation mode as you're referring to it is a myth. However, there is a very real risk of being too low on important things you need to survive if your intake is too low - vitamins, protein, etc. I have 0 hunger, ever, so eating around my hunger isn't an option for me. Instead I loosely plan out each day either a high impact breakfast or dinner, and do what I can the rest of the day to eat a few little things to fill in the nutrition gaps. For me, that's easiest by just focusing on things I really like. If that means I eat the same thing every day for a week, oh well. What's more important is that I don't have an excuse to not eat it, because hunger is never a reason.

Also, if you're finding yourself low every day, look into making some fat bombs. Focus on the savory ones, they're more likely to contain nutrient heavy ingredients rather than the "pretend to be cake" ingredients. You can get a lot of what you need in a few bites instead of forcing yourself to eat a whole meal.

IamUndrCnstruction

Starvation mode is a myth in regards to physical weight loss, but it I believe it will slow your metabolism down as the body finds ways to compensate for the lack of calories. I ate very very little for way too long and lost very little after the initial low carb woosh of water weight. Granted I was also working out a lot. I find now that my hunger cycles, days I am less active I eat much less than days I lift weights or do extended cardio.

You should try and meet your 1500 cal goal which is quite reasonable. If you think BPC will help try that, however as Octobubbles said, fat is very filling and may make you even less hungry.

minties82

I wish I had this problem! I've gone from 1200 to..er...1350ish calories a day because I love the low carb food and I'm still getting hungry often. Though nowhere near as bad as before.