Starvation mode? how can u tell

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mcfake
mcfake Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So ive been doing my low carbs diet for 2 weeks now. and well week 1 lost alot and week 2 it has slowed down. (i did expect this)

I keep my water intake up quite well at least 2L a day. but how can i tell if starvation mode has kicked in and im storing food. is there tell tale signs?

Replies

  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    If you keep your net cals over 1200 you should be ok. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for your body to let go of the weight when you first start. If at the end of 4 weeks you have stopped losing completely take a look at your food diary and see if you can figure out what may be going wrong. Many people on MFP know a lot about nutrition and may be willing to help you tweak your menu.

    Good Luck!
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
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    Open up your diary for a bit so others can see your habits. A lot of people have great advice when you allow this to happen. I do not know how many cals you're eating but if you are in fact eating enough then maybe you have just reached a very healthy weight that your body likes? Your pic looks quite healthy. I feel as though I am about to hit that mark myself. Good luck!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    Personally, I don't believe in Starvation mode unless your body fat has decreased to the point your body has nothing to feed on.

    With that being said...................

    If you are a on low carb plan, eating whole and natural foods, eating until full but not stuffed - there is no way your in starvation mode in the "definitive" way that everyone around here believes to be true..............

    What do your menus look like?

    With low carb, you will initially lose a lot of water weight first, then fat loss............you should notice inches being gone even when your not really losing pounds.

    It will even out to be about a 1-3 pound loss per week after your body gets used to the new way your eating. You will settle down and get into a groove and things will just flow along............

    I don't know what plan you are specifically following, but if it is like South Beach or Atkins - Follow the plan BY THE BOOK and you will be able to lose weight, feel great and keep it off for the long haul!!!

    It just requires..............Planning, Dedication and Lifestyle Change.

    Good Luck.
  • mcdadew
    mcdadew Posts: 6 Member
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    A lot of what you may have lost in that first week is water weight. Carbs these days tend to hide a LOT of sodium. Cutting the sodium, plus upping your water intake can trigger your body to let go of a lot of that.

    It will take significantly longer than a week for your body to go into any starvation mode, unless you have "trained" your metabolism to do this quickly through yo-yo dieting. If in a month or so you find yourself sluggish, lacking energy, falling asleep at odd times, then you may want to worry. Also, get a good multi vitamin.
  • mcfake
    mcfake Posts: 12 Member
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    i did not know u could open up your diet/

    and i have been kinda bad at entering in this week as its the same everyday prettymuch.

    anyway i have opened it to public as i have nothing to hide.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Starvation mode generally takes a prolonged period ..I dont think on week 2 its even possible to hit starvation mode....however after reading your diary ..I think you need more calories..good ones fruits,veggies,protein...good luck
  • mcfake
    mcfake Posts: 12 Member
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    its a tuff one, as well im hungry all the time :P even after dinner. not sure thats a good thing.
    but early in any diet i expect as i ate so much b4 my stomach shrinking will take time.

    on the other hand , forcing down more good carbs is hard to just keep eating fruit.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    Nutritional Deprivation (my new term to replace "starvation") is when your body doesn't get enough nutrition and begins to conserve. When it happens to me, I feel tired/sleepy and fuzzy-headed and my weight loss slows down. My strength and endurance in the gym lessens and my workouts suffer.

    In any case, make sure you fuel your body adequately, with healthy foods, and then reassess what you're doing if the above happens. Give it 2-4 weeks before changing anything however, that's how long it takes for REAL results to occur (not just water loss).
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    its a tuff one, as well im hungry all the time :P even after dinner. not sure thats a good thing.
    but early in any diet i expect as i ate so much b4 my stomach shrinking will take time.

    on the other hand , forcing down more good carbs is hard to just keep eating fruit.
    try nuts and legumes...lentils etc they add a good amount of calories and also provide a filler between meals..maybe exchange mornng cereal for a nice omelette or smoothie
  • astridfeline
    astridfeline Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Hi
    I had a look at your diary, I would suggest a bigger breakfast with protein. Seems like you're a cereal kind of guy, you could the kashi go lean cereals--they have a good amount of protein. You could also have oatmeal with added protein powder. Good luck!
  • July24Lioness
    July24Lioness Posts: 2,399 Member
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    its a tuff one, as well im hungry all the time :P even after dinner. not sure thats a good thing.
    but early in any diet i expect as i ate so much b4 my stomach shrinking will take time.

    on the other hand , forcing down more good carbs is hard to just keep eating fruit.

    If your going for a low carb plan (I haven't looked at your food diary yet) and your hungry, you need to up your fat intake and protein intake...........

    Also, cereal is probably not a good idea when you first start low carbing either...............

    Eggs (omelettes, scrambled) fill with veggies and some cheese..............

    Lunch:
    Protein, fat and veggies!!! preferrably start with a salad and have lots of green leafy veggies


    Supper:
    Protein, fat and veggies...........preferrably start with a salad and have lots of green leafy veggies

    Snacks:
    Nuts, seeds, berries, peaches, plums, nectarines, melons..........
  • knittygirl52
    knittygirl52 Posts: 432 Member
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    One of the ways you can tell is by checking your basal metabolic rate. How many calories would you burn if all you did was sleep? There is a calculator on this site. You do NOT want to go below that number of calories. If you aren't even eating enough to maintain your body if all you did was sleep, naturally after a couple of weeks of that your body thinks you are not able to get enough food to sustain life, and will slow your metabolism.

    I will say though, that when this happens you usually have several symptoms: (1) you're fatigued, (2) you find your weight loss slowing to a CRAWL! (I'm talking 1/2 pound per week or less, you may even be plateauing or gaining).

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