Starvation mode is a myth.

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Replies

  • adiostrasero
    adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member

    Just unlocked it ... didn't realize it was not public already!

    I'm not going to say I'm the world's greatest eater, nutritionally speaking. (That's something I'm working on ... breaking my Subway habit, lol!) But I rarely go over my calories.

    I really am open to insights. I'm not trying to cheat when it comes to counting calories. I realize that is only cheating myself!
    [/quote]

    Thats fine. We all have to start somewhere and tracking your intake is a great place to start. I have some thoughts. Also several questions. What was your top weight in the last two months ? What was your lowest weight? What is it now? Is it safe to assume you started consistently tracking in mid july?
    [/quote]

    Thanks for the encouragement :)

    My highest weight ever was around 190 back in October 2012. My weight hovered in the mid-180s for many months after that. I have lost weight verrrrry slowly over the last 6 months or so - I was doing Weight Watchers and was very inconsistent - so my weight yo-yo'd for a while, but overall went down a few pounds.

    Started MFP (or restarted, rather) in mid-July and yes, I have been consistently tracking since then. I lost some weight right away, then started a new exercise program and have been stuck at the same weight (170-173 depending on the day) for several weeks. 170 or right around there is my lowest weight since I started this time around.

    I've been told plateaus are normal, but I just didn't expect to encounter one when I still have 50 pounds left to lose!
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member

    Just unlocked it ... didn't realize it was not public already!

    I'm not going to say I'm the world's greatest eater, nutritionally speaking. (That's something I'm working on ... breaking my Subway habit, lol!) But I rarely go over my calories.

    I really am open to insights. I'm not trying to cheat when it comes to counting calories. I realize that is only cheating myself!


    Thats fine. We all have to start somewhere and tracking your intake is a great place to start. I have some thoughts. Also several questions. What was your top weight in the last two months ? What was your lowest weight? What is it now? Is it safe to assume you started consistently tracking in mid july?


    Thanks for the encouragement :)

    My highest weight ever was around 190 back in October 2012. My weight hovered in the mid-180s for many months after that. I have lost weight verrrrry slowly over the last 6 months or so - I was doing Weight Watchers and was very inconsistent - so my weight yo-yo'd for a while, but overall went down a few pounds.

    Started MFP (or restarted, rather) in mid-July and yes, I have been consistently tracking since then. I lost some weight right away, then started a new exercise program and have been stuck at the same weight (170-173 depending on the day) for several weeks. 170 or right around there is my lowest weight since I started this time around.

    I've been told plateaus are normal, but I just didn't expect to encounter one when I still have 50 pounds left to lose!
    What was your weight in mid july when you started? How long did it take to get down to 170? Did you really only eat 800 cals last saturday? I'm almost done I promise.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    I have been stuck at a plateau for weeks now and I am definitely logging calories accurately. I measure/weigh EVERYTHING I eat, I don't drink any calories (water only), I overestimate calories when in doubt, and I don't eat back my exercise calories.

    I don't believe I'm in starvation mode - my only point is, when you say things like, "If you're not losing weight, you're eating too many calories", when the truth could be that you're retaining water or losing fat but gaining muscle.

    There are some of us who have legit issues with losing despite being very accurate at counting ... it's frustrating/annoying to bring it up only to have everyone tell you "You're obviously underestimating what you're eating."

    My understanding is that if you are in a calorie deficet you will loose weight. Even weight training and maintaining or even building muscle will not offset the lost of fat to that extent. As for water weight that wouldn't be significant enough or long term enough to even count I wouldn't think.

    I read the article as well and it made sense to me. I have often heard that phrase and use it myself prior to learning more...it was a good article and informative...

    But isn't that essentially saying then that there's no such thing as plateaus, only a plateau of calorie consumption?

    There's no way there's not something else going on with me, other than "eating too many calories." I'm really not in denial here. I'm measuring/counting everything, I work out 6 days a week and I'm eating less than 1400 calories. Something else has to be happening.

    That's the first issue I see.

    you are "measuring" and/or counting not weighing your food. I did that up until 3 weeks ago as well and would have losses but nothing to speak of over 10 weeks(4lbs)...then I saw this thread watched the video and immediately bought a digital scale and now weigh everything I can and in the last 3 weeks have lost 3lbs...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    My highest weight ever was around 190 back in October 2012. My weight hovered in the mid-180s for many months after that. I have lost weight verrrrry slowly over the last 6 months or so - I was doing Weight Watchers and was very inconsistent - so my weight yo-yo'd for a while, but overall went down a few pounds.

    Started MFP (or restarted, rather) in mid-July and yes, I have been consistently tracking since then. I lost some weight right away, then started a new exercise program and have been stuck at the same weight (170-173 depending on the day) for several weeks. 170 or right around there is my lowest weight since I started this time around.

    I've been told plateaus are normal, but I just didn't expect to encounter one when I still have 50 pounds left to lose!

    Stop eating fast food 5-6 days a week and I promise that you will see the scale move again. Also, I am not gonna call bs on you but a good majority of fast food you eat are combo meals yet there is not a drink recorded...
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Reading the comments in these types of posts drives me up a wall because I think the moral of the story is this:

    DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!

    Some people eat 1800+ calories a day and lose weight and some people (like me) set goals at 1200 a day and STILL LOSE WEIGHT.

    Which by the way to the people who say this is not maintainable, I've been eating at this level for over a month and I don't feel starved and I don't feel the urge to binge. And I'm not a small person--I'm 5'9" and 199lbs. And no, I'm not underestimating because I weigh and measure EVERYTHING that goes into my mouth. I don't feel the need to readjust and eat more because this is not achievable--if that changes I will recant my statement but I dont' see that happening.


    You've been doing this for a month. That's not very long.

    And I think you misunderstand most people's intentions when they say you should be able to eat more and still lose weight. Look, I want you to lose weight. I want people to be happy. And I want to see them succeed long term. Unless a person has a special condition that makes them different than the bulk of the population, it isn't that hard to calculate your body's caloric needs. At 5'9" and 199 lbs (and 30 but that was just a high-ball guess) you need 2037 calories to maintain your weight if you are completely sedentary. Which is consequently what I need to maintain a weight of 125 lbs while moderately active.

    I don't know how I feel about starvation mode, though it appears our bodies are somewhat adaptive to caloric conditions.... However, I do want to people to succeed. And when I see overweight friends try to eat super low calories and then binge and then give up because it's too hard, it makes me feel bad.

    But if you're happy with what you're doing, keep doing it. I wish you luck. I personally think there's an easier way. It may be slower but it's maintainable for years and years and years. Eat at your goal weight TDEE. That way when you get there nothing changes, you don't revert to old habits, and you maintain that weight.
  • adiostrasero
    adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member
    [/quote]

    Stop eating fast food 5-6 days a week and I promise that you will see the scale move again. Also, I am not gonna call bs on you but a good majority of fast food you eat are combo meals yet there is not a drink recorded...
    [/quote]

    I don't get the drinks ... I am too cheap :)

    And yes, I need to break my McDonald's and Subway habit. Although I understand completely why from a nutritional standpoint, you should technically be able to eat fast food every meal and lose weight as long as you're under your calories. Not that I'm suggesting that's a good plan for one's health, nor is it something I want to test ... I'm just saying you can't point to a certain food on someone's list and say "That's why you're not losing" if you're also going to argue "The only reason you're not losing is because you're eating too many calories." (Not that you specifically did that - just the thread in general.)
  • adiostrasero
    adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member
    I have been stuck at a plateau for weeks now and I am definitely logging calories accurately. I measure/weigh EVERYTHING I eat, I don't drink any calories (water only), I overestimate calories when in doubt, and I don't eat back my exercise calories.

    I don't believe I'm in starvation mode - my only point is, when you say things like, "If you're not losing weight, you're eating too many calories", when the truth could be that you're retaining water or losing fat but gaining muscle.

    There are some of us who have legit issues with losing despite being very accurate at counting ... it's frustrating/annoying to bring it up only to have everyone tell you "You're obviously underestimating what you're eating."

    My understanding is that if you are in a calorie deficet you will loose weight. Even weight training and maintaining or even building muscle will not offset the lost of fat to that extent. As for water weight that wouldn't be significant enough or long term enough to even count I wouldn't think.

    I read the article as well and it made sense to me. I have often heard that phrase and use it myself prior to learning more...it was a good article and informative...

    But isn't that essentially saying then that there's no such thing as plateaus, only a plateau of calorie consumption?

    There's no way there's not something else going on with me, other than "eating too many calories." I'm really not in denial here. I'm measuring/counting everything, I work out 6 days a week and I'm eating less than 1400 calories. Something else has to be happening.

    That's the first issue I see.

    you are "measuring" and/or counting not weighing your food. I did that up until 3 weeks ago as well and would have losses but nothing to speak of over 10 weeks(4lbs)...then I saw this thread watched the video and immediately bought a digital scale and now weigh everything I can and in the last 3 weeks have lost 3lbs...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    Sorry if it wasn't clear ... I am weighing and measuring. I have a digital scale. I measure if it's more appropriate, like say, 8 ounces of milk or something.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member

    Stop eating fast food 5-6 days a week and I promise that you will see the scale move again. Also, I am not gonna call bs on you but a good majority of fast food you eat are combo meals yet there is not a drink recorded...

    I don't get the drinks ... I am too cheap :)

    And yes, I need to break my McDonald's and Subway habit. Although I understand completely why from a nutritional standpoint, you should technically be able to eat fast food every meal and lose weight as long as you're under your calories. Not that I'm suggesting that's a good plan for one's health, nor is it something I want to test ... I'm just saying you can't point to a certain food on someone's list and say "That's why you're not losing" if you're also going to argue "The only reason you're not losing is because you're eating too many calories." (Not that you specifically did that - just the thread in general.)
    [/quote]

    I did say it....you are measuring your food not weighing it...to loose weight you have to be in a caloric deficet.


    But not to hijack this thread any longer as it is about an article on the often over used phrase of "STARVATION MODE"
  • christianamayer
    christianamayer Posts: 2 Member
    No. My advice would be to make sure that they are drinking enough water and make that they are eating "good" foods not junk.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    I have been stuck at a plateau for weeks now and I am definitely logging calories accurately. I measure/weigh EVERYTHING I eat, I don't drink any calories (water only), I overestimate calories when in doubt, and I don't eat back my exercise calories.

    I don't believe I'm in starvation mode - my only point is, when you say things like, "If you're not losing weight, you're eating too many calories", when the truth could be that you're retaining water or losing fat but gaining muscle.

    There are some of us who have legit issues with losing despite being very accurate at counting ... it's frustrating/annoying to bring it up only to have everyone tell you "You're obviously underestimating what you're eating."

    My understanding is that if you are in a calorie deficet you will loose weight. Even weight training and maintaining or even building muscle will not offset the lost of fat to that extent. As for water weight that wouldn't be significant enough or long term enough to even count I wouldn't think.

    I read the article as well and it made sense to me. I have often heard that phrase and use it myself prior to learning more...it was a good article and informative...

    But isn't that essentially saying then that there's no such thing as plateaus, only a plateau of calorie consumption?

    There's no way there's not something else going on with me, other than "eating too many calories." I'm really not in denial here. I'm measuring/counting everything, I work out 6 days a week and I'm eating less than 1400 calories. Something else has to be happening.

    That's the first issue I see.

    you are "measuring" and/or counting not weighing your food. I did that up until 3 weeks ago as well and would have losses but nothing to speak of over 10 weeks(4lbs)...then I saw this thread watched the video and immediately bought a digital scale and now weigh everything I can and in the last 3 weeks have lost 3lbs...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    Sorry if it wasn't clear ... I am weighing and measuring. I have a digital scale. I measure if it's more appropriate, like say, 8 ounces of milk or something.

    Did u see my follow up post? I wanted to clarify a few pieces of info.
  • c_tap77
    c_tap77 Posts: 189 Member
    Reading the comments in these types of posts drives me up a wall because I think the moral of the story is this:

    DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU!

    Some people eat 1800+ calories a day and lose weight and some people (like me) set goals at 1200 a day and STILL LOSE WEIGHT.

    Which by the way to the people who say this is not maintainable, I've been eating at this level for over a month and I don't feel starved and I don't feel the urge to binge. And I'm not a small person--I'm 5'9" and 199lbs. And no, I'm not underestimating because I weigh and measure EVERYTHING that goes into my mouth. I don't feel the need to readjust and eat more because this is not achievable--if that changes I will recant my statement but I dont' see that happening.


    You've been doing this for a month. That's not very long.

    And I think you misunderstand most people's intentions when they say you should be able to eat more and still lose weight. Look, I want you to lose weight. I want people to be happy. And I want to see them succeed long term. Unless a person has a special condition that makes them different than the bulk of the population, it isn't that hard to calculate your body's caloric needs. At 5'9" and 199 lbs (and 30 but that was just a high-ball guess) you need 2037 calories to maintain your weight if you are completely sedentary. Which is consequently what I need to maintain a weight of 125 lbs while moderately active.

    I don't know how I feel about starvation mode, though it appears our bodies are somewhat adaptive to caloric conditions.... However, I do want to people to succeed. And when I see overweight friends try to eat super low calories and then binge and then give up because it's too hard, it makes me feel bad.

    But if you're happy with what you're doing, keep doing it. I wish you luck. I personally think there's an easier way. It may be slower but it's maintainable for years and years and years. Eat at your goal weight TDEE. That way when you get there nothing changes, you don't revert to old habits, and you maintain that weight.

    To start, I realize that a month isn't very long--I see success stories all the time in the boards of people who have been using the site for 5 years and have made huge life changes. I hope that someday I will be one of them. I really do understand that by comparison to some people, I'm a baby on MFP. That being said, I've used the 21 day habit-forming technique successfully in other areas in my life, so I applied it to this site. I said I was going to try a 1200 calorie approach for 21 days and see if it was something I could commit to indefinitely.

    I haven't felt the need to run to the kitchen and tear through a bag of chips or eat an entire pizza or down a gallon of ice cream. If I start getting those urges and feeling like my calorie count is too low to be successful, I will absolutely re-evaluate my strategy. I'm not so proud to think that what's working for me is the perfect method and will always be realistic. I might need to make some changes down the road.

    My point was simply that if eating a low calorie diet is realistic for me and is working (as it is for many other people on this site) why is that "wrong". I wouldn't say someone eating 1800 calories a day is wrong if that method works for them and they're happy with their progress.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    Thanks for the article. It drives me nuts how so many uninformed people regurgitate what they read about "starvation mode" to others who complain about not losing weight by eating x amount of calories.

    The common thing I read is something like: You're only eating (usually a number 1500 or less) calories a day. You're in starvation mode and your body is holding onto (or gaining) fat to preserve itself. You need to eat more in order to lose more.

    That's complete bull. It's also dangerous to tell people who are overweight that they need to eat more in order to lose, because I'm betting they aren't losing because they aren't accurately tracking their calories and are actually eating over maintenance.

    If you're overweight or not dangerously thin, you could eat 0 calories a day for quite some time and not experience starvation. Why? Your body gets its energy from your fat store. Is it recommended? No. People get fixated on calories and ignore what else food provides us - nutrients that are essential for bodily functions. VLCDs will make you lose weight and not go into starvation mode until you have no fat to burn, but they also make you malnourished and unhealthy.
    Speaking of uniformed....
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I've been told plateaus are normal, but I just didn't expect to encounter one when I still have 50 pounds left to lose!

    Same here! I lost steadily for 10 months, then I hit a plateau for 3 months. I kept "gaining" and "losing" about 4 pounds over and over again. Then suddenly, I dropped those pounds, then another, then another. Once all was said and done, the final loss appeared inside of a week, and it matched what my loss should have been during that three month period of not losing. People might want to claim that I was *suddenly* not doing something right, but clearly my body, for whatever reason, decided to hold on to those pounds for a few months. Some will say that a plateau shouldn't last three months, but it can. It did. Thank God it's finally over.
  • adiostrasero
    adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member

    Stop eating fast food 5-6 days a week and I promise that you will see the scale move again. Also, I am not gonna call bs on you but a good majority of fast food you eat are combo meals yet there is not a drink recorded...

    I don't get the drinks ... I am too cheap :)

    And yes, I need to break my McDonald's and Subway habit. Although I understand completely why from a nutritional standpoint, you should technically be able to eat fast food every meal and lose weight as long as you're under your calories. Not that I'm suggesting that's a good plan for one's health, nor is it something I want to test ... I'm just saying you can't point to a certain food on someone's list and say "That's why you're not losing" if you're also going to argue "The only reason you're not losing is because you're eating too many calories." (Not that you specifically did that - just the thread in general.)

    I did say it....you are measuring your food not weighing it...to loose weight you have to be in a caloric deficet.


    But not to hijack this thread any longer as it is about an article on the often over used phrase of "STARVATION MODE"
    [/quote]

    Huh? I am weighing my food. Did you not see my other post? I have a digital scale and I use it to weigh my food unless it's a liquid; in which case I measure.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member


    If you are not losing weight, it's almost virtually guaranteed that the reason is that you are not accurately counting your caloric intake.

    I assume you know that " virtually " means that it may, or may not....which makes the whole statement moot .
  • adiostrasero
    adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member
    Did u see my follow up post? I wanted to clarify a few pieces of info.



    Sorry, no! I did not see this questions until you said that:

    What was your weight in mid july when you started? How long did it take to get down to 170? Did you really only eat 800 cals last saturday? I'm almost done I promise.


    July 4th I "restarted" and my weight was 177. I lost 3 pounds the first week to bring me down to 174. By early August I was down to 168. I started a new exercise program around that same time and weight crept back up to 170, 171... it hovers around the 171-173 range every day.

    Last Saturday I was sick (like, throwing up) so I probably did only eat 800 calories. It was not intentional. I finally was able to start eating around 5 p.m. Believe me, I wanted food ... but my stomach did not :(

    Thanks for your help ... feel free to send me a message too if I am hijacking this thread too much! :)
  • Pmscur
    Pmscur Posts: 19 Member
    Sorry to bust some bubbles, but I was under a Dr. s supervised diet for 2 years. He constantly said " you don't eat enough" I even went through the breathing weight test to make sure that his calculations of TDEE were correct. Whith my job, I need to eat more food not less, time of day does not matter, content does! Constantly under eating during the week also made me have memory issues, depression and other health problems. This was a strict program with weekly weigh ins and also included b12 shots. So why am I back to dieting again? His program was very similar to Atkins. Great to loose weigh! But no maintenance program and very hard to stick to for life. No education on nutrition. This keeps his patients coming back as he also does research in this department. I did drop to a size 6 and weigh 145 lbs at one time at 5 ft 5 in, but without proper skills we all go back to the same old habits.

    I will not under eat ever again. A thyroid issue does not help.

    It is a journey to learn from. I learned a lot from this Dr. Now it is up to me to take the next step.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Or it could be that one needs to recalculate TDEE. My rule is, 2 weeks with no loss? Recalculate and try a lower calorie amount.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Okay Adiostrasero. From what I have gathered, the answer to your question is “Patience, Grasshawppa” (picture me in a karate suit with head band when I say this)

    I don't see any logs until 7/15. If you were 177 on 07/4, its possible your starting weight may be higher. But regardless, You lost around 7 pounds in 6 weeks (9 to get to 168). Sounds like the plan is freaking working to me. The quick change in eating habits likely lead to a large flushing of water weight initially which has gradually adjusted out over this “stall”. So basically, the scale showed a larger loss than was actually fat initially, while now some of that water is back but you have still lost fat over the past few weeks.

    Speaking of which you started a new exercise program. Many people don’t know this, but starting an exercise program typically results in some water retention initially. This introduction is likely causing your weight to ride a little higher. Doesn't mean you aren't losing fat still. Google "Lyle McDonald whoosh effect". I think he has a good article on how water retention can be frustrating in the short term.

    Here some additional things that come to mind.

    You are currently using an estimation technique in calorie counting. You are taking info from McDonalds, Subway, and starbucks sites and using them for you counts on several instances. Those are estimations and subject to inaccuracy. Not that you can't do it but you just have to know it is what it is. It is not precise as it is used for the whole population. Ideally, IMO you should stick to prepping stuff at home initially so you can get a handle on your calorie counts and know exactly how much you are consuming day in and day out.

    Also if you are measuring and not weighing as Stephanie indicated above, I would recommend a switch. Buy a digital scale and start weighing. Using cups instead of grams is horribly inaccurate (think sometimes like 50%).

    I would start tracking your sodium intake. When you eat out those products are almost always loaded with sodium which can cause a spike in your weight due to water retention. That’s a useful piece of info to have so you don’t panic if your weight shoots up. My "guess" would be you had some lower sodium days that may have led to a lower # in the short term.

    Practically, I would also think about upping your protein intake. I would say somewhere closer to 100 grams. If you are a little lower or higher some days, nothing to freak out about but I would shoot for a higher number.

    Also, how often do you weigh in?
  • astralpictures
    astralpictures Posts: 218 Member
    Thanks for the article. It drives me nuts how so many uninformed people regurgitate what they read about "starvation mode" to others who complain about not losing weight by eating x amount of calories.

    The common thing I read is something like: You're only eating (usually a number 1500 or less) calories a day. You're in starvation mode and your body is holding onto (or gaining) fat to preserve itself. You need to eat more in order to lose more.

    That's complete bull. It's also dangerous to tell people who are overweight that they need to eat more in order to lose, because I'm betting they aren't losing because they aren't accurately tracking their calories and are actually eating over maintenance.

    If you're overweight or not dangerously thin, you could eat 0 calories a day for quite some time and not experience starvation. Why? Your body gets its energy from your fat store. Is it recommended? No. People get fixated on calories and ignore what else food provides us - nutrients that are essential for bodily functions. VLCDs will make you lose weight and not go into starvation mode until you have no fat to burn, but they also make you malnourished and unhealthy.
    Speaking of uniformed....

    LOL, how so? What specifically is uninformed about my post that you would like to argue about? But hey, way to contribute to the discussion and adding something worthwhile.

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