Starvation mode real?

tjsims8

If I eat under 1200 calories will my body go into starvation mode and stop burning fat? I don’t purposely eat below 1200 but sometimes I add up calories to about 1000 or so and now I’m worried after reading about starvation mode

MichelleSilverleaf

In that context no, starvation mode doesn't exist. Adaptive thermogenesis is a thing, but happens in very specific circumstances that you're probably not in any real danger of. 1200 cal sounds unnecessarily low though.

Teabythesea_

Nope.

But you should be eating more.

wmweeza

No

lynn_glenmont

Nope. You can find all kinds of crazy ideas on the Internet, but if you think about it, it doesn't make sense. If you let the gas tank in your car get low, would you expect to stop burning gas yet somehow magically keep running? Neither your body nor your car can do work (which includes just keeping all your cells and organs running) without expending energy.

L1zardQueen

Food is energy. When you don't eat enough, then you feel sort of crappy.

apullum

No, but there are many other good reasons not to undereat, and no good reason to go below 1200 other than being under extremely close medical supervision.

MikePTY

Sidenote: I kinda miss when Starvation mode was a thing. On this board it was pretty much the answer to any question circa 2010/2011. It was the single most effective thing at getting people to eat more. Listing all the other health side effects doesn't seem to have quite the same effect.

So I say if beliveing in Starvation mode is the thing you need to keep you from undereating, then we can pretend it's real.

GaleHawkins

tjsims8 wrote: »

If I eat under 1200 calories will my body go into starvation mode and stop burning fat? I don’t purposely eat below 1200 but sometimes I add up calories to about 1000 or so and now I’m worried after reading about starvation mode

Actual starvation mode would result in death. Long term of serious under eating may wreck one's longevity goals however.

amandacradduck

I disagree. I am a 5'4 female that weighs 189lbs and both my diabetic Dr and my weight loss Dr told me to eat 1,200 calories a day. That's not too low. Also when I did the scale on this website it told me 1,200 calories a day too. My weight loss Dr said females around my hight and weight should be on 1,200 calories, 80g of carbs, and 90g of protein a day, diabetic or not. (Which is slightly different then the scale on here.) She also said u always wake up in fat burning mode and breakfast should always be only protein with no or almost no carbs, eggs, meat, protein shakes, etc. Whole grain carbs are for lunch and dinner and always eat lotsa veggies and drink lotsa water

*Most females don't get enough protein in there diet.

Lillymoo01

amandacradduck wrote: »

I disagree. I am a 5'4 female that weighs 189lbs and both my diabetic Dr and my weight loss Dr told me to eat 1,200 calories a day. That's not too low. Also when I did the scale on this website it told me 1,200 calories a day too. My weight loss Dr said females around my hight and weight should be on 1,200 calories, 80g of carbs, and 90g of protein a day, diabetic or not. (Which is slightly different then the scale on here.) She also said u always wake up in fat burning mode and breakfast should always be only protein with no or almost no carbs, eggs, meat, protein shakes, etc. Whole grain carbs are for lunch and dinner and always eat lotsa veggies and drink lotsa water

*Most females don't get enough protein in there diet.

I truly hope you misheard your doctors incorrectly. There is absolutely no reason why a healthy female without medical conditions needs to restrict themselves to 80 grams of carbs a day. I am also guessing that if you were told to eat 1200 calories a day you are vertically challenged and sedentary. Most females need more than this as their minimum for calories.
Whether you have carbs or not at breakfast time really is a personal choice. Some find that a breakfast lacking carbs has them hungry soon afterwards as they find wholegrain carbs most satiating. If you workout in the morning carbs also helps to fuel you and give you a better workout.

psychod787

Nope... you can starve to death... ask anyone who has been through a famine

Teabythesea_

amandacradduck wrote: »

I disagree. I am a 5'4 female that weighs 189lbs and both my diabetic Dr and my weight loss Dr told me to eat 1,200 calories a day. That's not too low. Also when I did the scale on this website it told me 1,200 calories a day too. My weight loss Dr said females around my hight and weight should be on 1,200 calories, 80g of carbs, and 90g of protein a day, diabetic or not. (Which is slightly different then the scale on here.) She also said u always wake up in fat burning mode and breakfast should always be only protein with no or almost no carbs, eggs, meat, protein shakes, etc. Whole grain carbs are for lunch and dinner and always eat lotsa veggies and drink lotsa water

*Most females don't get enough protein in there diet.

Find a new doctor.

kshama2001

tjsims8 wrote: »

If I eat under 1200 calories will my body go into starvation mode and stop burning fat? I don’t purposely eat below 1200 but sometimes I add up calories to about 1000 or so and now I’m worried after reading about starvation mode

Many, if not most, of us have bought into a food myth at some time. But let's think about "starvation mode". Do these men from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment look like they stopped burning fat?



No, they look like concentration camp survivors.

Here's why "starvation mode" isn't a thing: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

kshama2001

amandacradduck wrote: »

I disagree. I am a 5'4 female that weighs 189lbs and both my diabetic Dr and my weight loss Dr told me to eat 1,200 calories a day. That's not too low. Also when I did the scale on this website it told me 1,200 calories a day too. My weight loss Dr said females around my hight and weight should be on 1,200 calories, 80g of carbs, and 90g of protein a day, diabetic or not. (Which is slightly different then the scale on here.) She also said u always wake up in fat burning mode and breakfast should always be only protein with no or almost no carbs, eggs, meat, protein shakes, etc. Whole grain carbs are for lunch and dinner and always eat lotsa veggies and drink lotsa water

*Most females don't get enough protein in there diet.

Your doctors might have lowballed you because they expect some amount of non-compliance. A woman your height can lose weight just fine on more calories, and even more if you're active. https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/

You got 1200 calories from MFP based on the weekly weight loss goal you inputted, not because 1200 calories is the default.

What's your goal weight?

kimny72

amandacradduck wrote: »

I disagree. I am a 5'4 female that weighs 189lbs and both my diabetic Dr and my weight loss Dr told me to eat 1,200 calories a day. That's not too low. Also when I did the scale on this website it told me 1,200 calories a day too. My weight loss Dr said females around my hight and weight should be on 1,200 calories, 80g of carbs, and 90g of protein a day, diabetic or not. (Which is slightly different then the scale on here.) She also said u always wake up in fat burning mode and breakfast should always be only protein with no or almost no carbs, eggs, meat, protein shakes, etc. Whole grain carbs are for lunch and dinner and always eat lotsa veggies and drink lotsa water

*Most females don't get enough protein in there diet.

I'm 5'4 started at 145ish and ate 1500 cals to lose weight, usually eating 150-200g of carbs. Lost weight as expected, great blood work. Either your doctors felt those numbers were necessary for you specifically or they are not well versed in nutrition (which unfortunately is a possibility). But eating that way is certainly not necessary, and would be counter productive for some. 1200 cals and only 80g of carbs would've left me hangry and low energy and pretty much guaranteed failure. Hopefully your docs are leading you to the best path for you though!