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"Starvation mode"?
seehowyousoar
Posts: 60 Member
Hey guys.
So I have a question.
I've read the forums and there's a lot of talk about starvation mode, apparently if you eat too little your body will hold on to fat (so, you won't lose). Still, there's some people saying that it doesn't actually exist.
So, what's true? Does it exist or not? Logically, if I am at a deficit, no matter how big or small of a deficit, I should lose. Question would be how healthy the loss is and whether it's fat that I'd be losing, or fat and muscle.
I ask this question because I've been stalled for 2 weeks now. My last week alone was at a 7000 cal deficit, yet I didn't lose the 2lb I was supposed to. I generally eat when I am hungry, so I don't feel like I'm starving myself.
So, is starvation mode really a thing? Because right now I can't think of anything else that would make me stall.
So I have a question.
I've read the forums and there's a lot of talk about starvation mode, apparently if you eat too little your body will hold on to fat (so, you won't lose). Still, there's some people saying that it doesn't actually exist.
So, what's true? Does it exist or not? Logically, if I am at a deficit, no matter how big or small of a deficit, I should lose. Question would be how healthy the loss is and whether it's fat that I'd be losing, or fat and muscle.
I ask this question because I've been stalled for 2 weeks now. My last week alone was at a 7000 cal deficit, yet I didn't lose the 2lb I was supposed to. I generally eat when I am hungry, so I don't feel like I'm starving myself.
So, is starvation mode really a thing? Because right now I can't think of anything else that would make me stall.
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Replies
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it is but you have to eat a really small amount of food for a couple of days, if your eating over 1000 cals id say its reasonable to assume that your not in starvation mode. you could just be holding water/poo, or even just gaining some muscle at the same time0
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Starvation mode occurs after years and years of low caloric intake. You are not even close to hitting this. Why do you think anorexics are skinny? You didn't do enough research.0
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it is but you have to eat a really small amount of food for a couple of days, if your eating over 1000 cals id say its reasonable to assume that your not in starvation mode. you could just be holding water/poo, or even just gaining some muscle at the same time
Adaptive thermogenics does not occur after a couple days.0 -
The starvation mode question is a matter of debate.
Regardless of where you fall on the argument it won't happen in 2 weeks.
2 weeks of no weight loss is not really a stall. The body does not always work like a well oiled machine. Some things take time. I've lost 25 pounds steadily since Christmas - but only steadily if you look at the 4 month trend. I've lost .2 in the past 9 days. And I'm ok with that, because I know I'm doing the right things: being more active, eating a variety of foods to fuel my body and have a calorie deficit. Knowing how my body responds over time and based on the calendar month, hormones, etc. - I predict I'll be down another 1-1.5 pounds in the next week. The results sometimes don't show for a while, then show all at once.
My personal opinion is that weight loss stalls can best be broken by changing things up. Have a higher calorie day occasionally, try a new cardio, start weight training, change the intensity of your workouts. Change in habits is likely to make a change on the scale - but keep in mind its the long term trend to watch for.0 -
source?it is but you have to eat a really small amount of food for a couple of days, if your eating over 1000 cals id say its reasonable to assume that your not in starvation mode. you could just be holding water/poo, or even just gaining some muscle at the same time
Adaptive thermogenics does not occur after a couple days.
ive read that 3 days under 500 cals is enough, but i couldve been mistaken/ read a study that wasnt credible0 -
Also, your diary is extremely inaccurate.
If you were only eating what your diary claims, you would be losing a ton of weight0 -
Try measurements instead of scales.
I was in a 2 pound gain and the scale didn't move for a couple of weeks. I was getting kinda discouraged.
Pulled out the measuring tape and VIOLA! I had actually lost 2 inches on my hips.
When the scale doesn't match what I think it should then I pull out the tape.
So far so good...:flowerforyou:0 -
source?it is but you have to eat a really small amount of food for a couple of days, if your eating over 1000 cals id say its reasonable to assume that your not in starvation mode. you could just be holding water/poo, or even just gaining some muscle at the same time
Adaptive thermogenics does not occur after a couple days.
ive read that 3 days under 500 cals is enough, but i couldve been mistaken/ read a study that wasnt credible
There was a study posted on here a few weeks ago. It pretty much debunked the whole starvation myth as people know it.
I will find it for you in a few minutes.
3 days under 500 cals will not do anything lol0 -
Thanks for your replies. I wasn't sure about starvation mode, that's why I asked.
I haven't lost inches either.
Nothing. Guess I'll give it more time.
And my diary is accurate - at least the past week has been (I paid VERY close attention exactly to make sure I wasn't overeating) - I have tracked, weighed and logged everything from april 23-30 because the weight loss stopped. That's exactly why I'm so confused.
My metabolism is very slow. Could this be a possible cause?0 -
starvation mode as it is understood does not exist.
People think if you eat too low your body will stop burning fat and some even say create it...that is crap. Your body will adapt to low calories over a period of time tho. It is called adaptive thermogenics.
What happens is after a period (longer than a couple days) your body slows down to conserve the fuel you are giving it...and your hunger cues get screwed up to ensure your body isn't fighting against what it thinks is a famine situation.
You will continue to lose weight however...you have to as you are in a deficet...eventually tho what happens is that your metabolism slows down enough that is is only burning what you are eating...but by that point you have gone through most of your fat stores, a lot of your muscle and are skin and bones..literally...
And at that point you have done damage to your organs, you are so weak you can barely walk and you basically are near deaths door...
eating under 1k calories does not do that in a couple days...it would take weeks and weeks...think long term.
So that is why eating VLCD are not healthy....that is why going by hunger is not the best guage of what your body needs...
If you eat below 1200 as a women you are missing out on nutrients your body needs micro (vitamins and minerals) and macros (carbs, fat, protien)
So yes if your diary says you are eating 700 calories and you are not losing weight...you are not logging accurately...and if your diary is accurate why are you punishing yourself with so little food?0 -
Thanks for your replies. I wasn't sure about starvation mode, that's why I asked.
I haven't lost inches either. Nothing. Guess I'll give it more time.
And my diary is accurate - at least the past week has been (I paid VERY close attention exactly to make sure I wasn't overeating) - I have tracked, weighed and logged everything from april 23-30 because the weight loss stopped. That's exactly why I'm so confused.
My metabolism is very slow. Could this be a possible cause?
Do you weigh all of your food with a food scale?0 -
True or not, I don't know. But I've heard to boost metabolism its good to eat something every few hours & to move more often. Certainly can't hurt to try. More snacks of things like raw fruits, veggies. Add a little dose protein like cheese, peanut butter. And add in bursts of energy. Do 12-15 crunches, or take a 5 minute walk.
My metabolism is very slow. Could this be a possible cause?0 -
Thanks again, clears things up.
I don't feel I'm punishing myself, I still eat things if I feel like eating it and I eat when I'm hungry... I lowered my cals lately because I figured maybe I was wrongly estimating my calorie intake.
Also, yes, I use a digital scale and I log EVERYTHING. It's starting to drive my mom crazy haha0 -
Don't forget that the body weight is affected by sodium, stress, hormones, etc. So scale results short term are not necessarily accurate of fat/other loss.0
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True or not, I don't know. But I've heard to boost metabolism its good to eat something every few hours & to move more often. Certainly can't hurt to try. More snacks of things like raw fruits, veggies. Add a little dose protein like cheese, peanut butter. And add in bursts of energy. Do 12-15 crunches, or take a 5 minute walk.
Thanks again for being so nice.
And yeah, I actually started doing this recently! Snacking on fruits/veggies when I feel like snacking, instead of getting junk food.
It's pretty great, actually! Sliced apples are so much better than normal 0 -
True or not, I don't know. But I've heard to boost metabolism its good to eat something every few hours & to move more often. Certainly can't hurt to try. More snacks of things like raw fruits, veggies. Add a little dose protein like cheese, peanut butter. And add in bursts of energy. Do 12-15 crunches, or take a 5 minute walk.
My metabolism is very slow. Could this be a possible cause?
I doubt metabolism is slow..have you had it tested? or just an assumption?
As well meal timing and frequency does not speed it up...0 -
Re: Starvation mode - have a look at this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing0
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I doubt metabolism is slow..have you had it tested? or just an assumption?
As well meal timing and frequency does not speed it up...
Going ot be slightly awkward here.
An assumption - but since I "go" once every few days (unless I drink lots of teas that kickstart it), I thought it'd be safe to say it's slow?
Any suggestions?
Thanks for trying to help btw. I appreciate it 0 -
Re: Starvation mode - have a look at this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing
Yeah, I read this the other day, which is exactly why I was wondering about it today. Probably wouldn't have posted anything without having read it first. =P0 -
My kids think I'm weird but I like salt on my granny smith apple slices. Watermelon, also. While I know sodium can be problematic, my heart is in great shape and I am doing much better these days at drinking a fair amount of water.
I've been averaging an apple a day recently. Eating more f/v & drinking more water are personal goals for me - areas I tend to do poorly unless I make an effort. The interesting thing is that most of us are here for the same reasons, and we all have different strengths & weaknesses. No one is perfect. Its a process.
As to your original question(s) - something to consider: there is more potential long-term harm in under-eating than there is long-term benefit.0 -
I recently broke a stall by doing an intermittent fast.
Starting a week ago, I'm taking in all my calories during a 4-hour window. (The timeframe is up to you - people do 6 or even 8 hour windows...). I sit at a desk, so I picked 4-8pm so I can have a snack at work at the end of the day, then dinner with the fam at home.
As of this morning, I'm down 10 lbs from that. I'm pretty freaking flabbergasted but keep in mind - 10 lbs in a week is NOT GOING TO BE FAT LOSS.
It's almost certainly water weight, including weight I put on during the VACATION I took previous to last week, a vacation during which I tracked food and tried to stay honest, but somehow went up 4lbs anyway.
My point is simply that it worked for me, it's worked for many people, it's not THAT hard if you're dedicated, and lets you have an extra-large dinner
Good luck!
[Edit]
Oh also: Starvation mode is bull****.0 -
"Starvation mode" is when you are literally starving, like those famine-stricken children in Africa. It's when you have no carbohydrate or fat reserves left in your body, so you start to burn protein (which is largely stored in your muscles) as a source of energy. This is a very serious condition and not likely to happen to the average Westerner unless you have a serious eating disorder.
Eating under 1200 cals, or 1000 cals every so often or for a short period of time is not going to put you in this very malnourished state. It's not recommended of course, but it's not the same thing as starvation mode.0 -
I recently broke a stall by doing an intermittent fast.
Starting a week ago, I'm taking in all my calories during a 4-hour window. (The timeframe is up to you - people do 6 or even 8 hour windows...). I sit at a desk, so I picked 4-8pm so I can have a snack at work at the end of the day, then dinner with the fam at home.
As of this morning, I'm down 10 lbs from that. I'm pretty freaking flabbergasted but keep in mind - 10 lbs in a week is NOT GOING TO BE FAT LOSS.
It's almost certainly water weight, including weight I put on during the VACATION I took previous to last week, a vacation during which I tracked food and tried to stay honest, but somehow went up 4lbs anyway.
My point is simply that it worked for me, it's worked for many people, it's not THAT hard if you're dedicated, and lets you have an extra-large dinner
Good luck!
[Edit]
Oh also: Starvation mode is bull****.
Thanks!
I kinda did this for a while, but it was only 12-14 hours of not eating. Never tried making it any bigger! I might try this sometime.
Let me just ask, did you exercise during the intermittent fast?0 -
I doubt metabolism is slow..have you had it tested? or just an assumption?
As well meal timing and frequency does not speed it up...
Going ot be slightly awkward here.
An assumption - but since I "go" once every few days (unless I drink lots of teas that kickstart it), I thought it'd be safe to say it's slow?
Any suggestions?
Thanks for trying to help btw. I appreciate it
no...most people who "believe" they have a slow metabolism actually have a normal one..."going" infrequently isn't a sign...having a hard time losing weight doing everything right...would be an indicator...
Logging accurately, everything you eat, using a food scale and measuring cups and choosing the correct entries is the only way to know if you are in a deficet. A reasonable deficet...
If you exercise eating back 50-75% is good as well that way you wont be over estimating burns...as MFP database is known for it.
It's all about keeping calories in lower than calories out...0 -
My kids think I'm weird but I like salt on my granny smith apple slices. Watermelon, also. While I know sodium can be problematic, my heart is in great shape and I am doing much better these days at drinking a fair amount of water.
I've been averaging an apple a day recently. Eating more f/v & drinking more water are personal goals for me - areas I tend to do poorly unless I make an effort. The interesting thing is that most of us are here for the same reasons, and we all have different strengths & weaknesses. No one is perfect. Its a process.
As to your original question(s) - something to consider: there is more potential long-term harm in under-eating than there is long-term benefit.
Funny food cravings are the best. The other day, I wanted to eat some salami but had no bread, so I had salami with petit beurre biscuits. It was actually not half bad hehe0 -
no...most people who "believe" they have a slow metabolism actually have a normal one..."going" infrequently isn't a sign...having a hard time losing weight doing everything right...would be an indicator...
Logging accurately, everything you eat, using a food scale and measuring cups and choosing the correct entries is the only way to know if you are in a deficet. A reasonable deficet...
If you exercise eating back 50-75% is good as well that way you wont be over estimating burns...as MFP database is known for it.
It's all about keeping calories in lower than calories out...
Yeah, I understand. That's why I'm sooo confused. But I guess I'll keep trying for longer and give it more time. It's just so discouraging... 0 -
I doubt metabolism is slow..have you had it tested? or just an assumption?
As well meal timing and frequency does not speed it up...
Going ot be slightly awkward here.
An assumption - but since I "go" once every few days (unless I drink lots of teas that kickstart it), I thought it'd be safe to say it's slow?
Any suggestions?
Thanks for trying to help btw. I appreciate it
I'm not a medical professional but I don't think the rate at which you poop is anything much to do with your metabolism. Contrary to popular belief, your metabolism isn't just about "how fast you burn calories"; metabolism is actually the rate at which your body carries out ALL the chemical reactions it does every day, *some* of which involve breaking down fats/carbs etc for energy. Most people do this at around the same rate, unless you have a medically diagnosed condition.
I saw a TV programme recently in which it highlighted that most people who assume they have a slow metabolism because they find it hard to lose weight, actually don't. They have a normal metabolism and simply overeat without being aware of it!
Pooping every few days may be normal for you - you don't necessarily need to go every day; everyone is different. If you are constipated however, it may be that you simply need to drink more water or eat more dietary fibre to get things moving!0 -
Thanks!
I kinda did this for a while, but it was only 12-14 hours of not eating. Never tried making it any bigger! I might try this sometime.
Let me just ask, did you exercise during the intermittent fast?
Only the past couple days. Having kids, my window for working out is at like 5am, and after the aforementioned vacation I really didn't feel like getting my butt out of bed that early again until yesterday
I'm still keeping up the fasting, though this morning I had some cream in my coffee which I'm justifying by having burned 500cals on an exercise bike. (Fingers crossed.)
I'm also reading the article linked above, at bodyrecomposition.com, and he talks about stress and cortisol and water retention. It sounds very sciencey, and makes sense to me, and given my experience (pardon me) pissing like a racehorse the past couple of days, I'll lay money on it being retained water weight.0 -
I would try getting more exercise to mix things up. You're body will like it and respond. You should add some more calories too.0
This discussion has been closed.
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