Starvation Mode: Fact? Fiction?

michikade

I never said that the use of glycogen prevents fat mobilization, I said the body goes for the glycogen stores first - in the muscles and in the liver - before it goes for fat, which is where the whole fear mongering thing about how "going into starvation mode will devastate your muscles" school of thought comes from.

I also said originally that this is in a deprivation state, but I should clarify that by saying that it's in a state of inadequate nutrition over a period of time, not in a calorie deficit state through normal diet and exercise, and by no means is this an immediate issue.

If a person watches their macronutrients, this isn't a problem.

Aaron_K123

I never said that the use of glycogen prevents fat mobilization, I said the body goes for the glycogen stores first - in the muscles and in the liver - before it goes for fat, which is where the whole fear mongering thing about how "going into starvation mode will devastate your muscles" school of thought comes from.

I also said originally that this is in a deprivation state, but I should clarify that by saying that it's in a state of inadequate nutrition over a period of time, not in a calorie deficit state through normal diet and exercise, and by no means is this an immediate issue.

If a person watches their macronutrients, this isn't a problem.

Well I agree with most of this but I disagree that glycogen depletion is what concerns people warning against overly aggressive diets. When I see a 20 year old man on a 1200 calorie diet I'm not concerned about glycogen depletion I am concerned about literal muscle tissue catabolism and reabsorption. Not because I think that prevents fat loss just because if you put your body in a state where it starts to consume its own muscle you are doing your health and fitness real harm.

Weight loss stopping because you aren't eating enough is a myth. Muscle loss occurring because you aren't eating enough is real and I'm not referring to glycogen I mean sarcomers and myosin actin filiments.

Sam_I_Am77

High levels of insulin can hamper fat mobilization but not glycogen.

Well I agree with most of this but I disagree that glycogen depletion is what concerns people warning against overly aggressive diets. When I see a 20 year old man on a 1200 calorie diet I'm not concerned about glycogen depletion I am concerned about literal muscle tissue catabolism and reabsorption. Not because I think that prevents fat loss just because if you put your body in a state where it starts to consume its own muscle you are doing your health and fitness real harm.

Weight loss stopping because you aren't eating enough is a myth. Muscle loss occurring because you aren't eating enough is real and I'm not referring to glycogen I mean sarcomers and myosin actin filiments.

Exactly, people can lose weight by undereating, that should be obvious. If anybody doesn't believe that Google pictures of "Ethiopians and Starvation" and then come back to this thread. The issue with gross under-eating is the long-term affect on metabolism and exactly how are you losing the weight, mostly loss in muscle mass or mostly fat mass? The preferred result should be obvious as well.

belgerian

From what ive read dont even get close to starvation mode until your BF hits 10 percent.

DanaDark

"Starvation mode" is a fact. However, it is one that nobody on MFP will be experiencing anytime soon. It is the metabolic and hormonal changes the body engages in due to chronic (long term) significant calorie shortfalls; large enough shortfalls to cause the body to begin eating its own bones to supply the brain with nutrients.

What people on MFP experience when referring to "Starvation Mode" is actually the effects of malnutrition. This can occur in almost anyone. A person with a surplus of calories can actually be malnourished if they are not getting enough vitamins and minerals. As well, most people tend to be short on one, two, or a few vitamins and minerals causing them to be technically slightly malnourished.

With VLCD (Verly Low Calorie Diets), it becomes more difficult to achieve the right amount of nutrition, thus more likely to be malnourished. Remember, even people in a calorie surplus can be malnourished, so it is not a stretch to imagine someone eating very little and not getting enough nutrition.

So, how does this alter weight loss? Imagine workers building a house, they have the energy (calories stored as fat) but they don't have the materials (vitamins, minerals, and proteins). So, despite having the energy, they won't do any work, because they physically can't without the materials. The body is the same way.

The result? Less calories spent per day. This results in weight loss slowdown, or even plateau. A person could theoretically cut 500 calories from their diet, but due to poor nutrition, are now spending 300 calories less, thus only a 200 calorie deficit when they think its 500. This can ALWAYS be overcome by cutting the calories even further. But that will result in further malnutrition and cause horrible side effects like organ damage, hair loss, etc. but why go through that when you can eat a reasonable amount and get proper nutrition to achieve better results?

This is why very low calorie diets are only advised for people under watch by their doctor, not for Average Joe looking to knock off 50 pounds.

So there you have it. This is all LONG TERM. Your body does not shut down and die if you are an hour late for breakfast.

andreakurylo

Hello all!

It's my first post here, but I've been reading for a while. I'm doing well on my diet plus new exercise regimen, but I keep hearing about "starvation mode." I think I fall into the "a calorie is a calorie" camp, and a deficit will result in weight loss (in my understanding). If this is true, then does the mythical "starvation" mode exist for someone who has an adequate amount of calorie stores?

I'm curious whether or not going well below my calories for a day, exercising and not eating back my exercise calories, could jeopardize my weight loss. I'm not having any issues yet--losing at a reasonable 6lbs in the first month.

Thoughts?

http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

Please read this article. I'm so sick of people talking about this "Starvation Mode" thing and how you need to increase calories to lose weight...it's all complete b/s!!! U need protein to burn fat, and lean proteins make u feel A LOT fuller than carbs. So limiting carbs isn't necessarily a bad thing if you aren't feeling "full." I've been eating under 1200 calories everyday, but I also exercise 5-7 days/week. 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of different weight training techniques. You would be surprised at how full you can get by increasing your protein intake to about 30-35% of your daily intake of calories. PROTEIN burns fat and builds muscle, and is a healthy and essential way to lose weight and feel full. I'm usually under 50 carb/day...not per meal...per day! Chicken and Ground Turkey have NO CARBS and make u feel full for a longer amount of time than just eating veggies and fruits. I eat a ton of fruits, make smoothies out of strawberries, bananas and blueberries (blueberries have enormous amounts of antioxidants and aid in weight loss) with a little Organic Strawberry Banana juice. I cut up all my fruits as soon as I buy them and freeze them, so when I'm actually drinking a smoothie, it's 100% fruits and antioxidants...not watered down with ice. That's usually my way of snacking and what I give my 4 year old son instead of ice cream. I LOVE TACOS!!! So I've found some pretty amazing whole grain carb smart wraps...one only has 11 carbs/wrap and one is 14 carbs/wrap and the one that's 14 carbs is only 50 calories too!!! So I'm getting whole grains, which help control insulin levels, ground turkey is the meat that I use...and it has no carbs at all and just a little serving or 2 of cheese. It doesn't matter if the cheese is 100-110 calories/serving because this meal is way under 500 calories!!! And what's more is that it's super filling!!! A mistake that people often make when it comes to tacos, is buying pre-packaged seasoning, and unfortunately, a mistake that I've made most of my life! I LOVE Old El Paso's Taco Seasoning...love it. And when my son's father was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease 3 years ago, I started using the one labled "25% less sodium." With Meniere's Disease, you have to cut your sodium intake immensely and this helped. However, from a diet stand point it breaks down to this: 1 package is 6 servings (and u use that whole thing in 1lb of ground meat) 15 calories per serving, 270mg of sodium, and 3 carbs. Doesn't sound like much right? Until you multiply those numbers by 6!!! So I opt'd to make the seasoning myself (which is waaayyy better tasting and healthier!) using chili powder, red pepper, garlic powder (not garlic salt!) and onion powder. You can put in as little or as much as you'd like for flavor and there's no added calories, sodium or carbs! Top w/some organic salsa or even some bottled taco sauce (but watch how much u use of the bottled stuff cause it does contain carbs, but being that this is an extremely low carb containing meal, 2 servings is no big deal) I also chop up tomatos and dice green chilies and add them to the meat for even more flavor and nutrients!!! The only thing I look for with cheese is the reduced fat kind. And here's a direct quote of why u need some fat....

"Triglycerides, cholesterol and other essential fatty acids—the scientific term for fats the body can't make on its own—store energy, insulate us and protect our vital organs. They act as messengers, helping proteins do their jobs. They also start chemical reactions that help control growth, immune function, reproduction and other aspects of basic metabolism.
The cycle of making, breaking, storing and mobilizing fats is at the core of how humans and all animals regulate their energy. An imbalance in any step can result in disease, including heart disease and diabetes. For instance, having too many triglycerides in our bloodstream raises our risk of clogged arteries, which can lead to heart attack and stroke.
Fats help the body stockpile certain nutrients as well. The so-called "fat-soluble" vitamins—A, D, E and K—are stored in the liver and in fatty tissues.
Knowing that fats play such an important role in many basic functions in the body, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health study them in humans and other organisms to learn more about normal and abnormal biology.
Despite fat's importance, no one yet understands exactly how humans store it and call it into action. In search of insight, Oklahoma State University biochemist Estela Arrese studies triglyceride metabolism in unexpected places: silkworms, fruit flies, and mosquitoes.
The main type of fat we consume, triglycerides are especially suited for energy storage because they pack more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates or proteins.
Once triglycerides have been broken down during digestion, they are shipped out to cells through the bloodstream. Some of the fat gets used for energy right away. The rest is stored inside cells in blobs called lipid droplets. When we need extra energy—for instance, when we run a marathon—our bodies use enzymes called lipases to break down the stored triglycerides. The cell's power plants, mitochondria, can then create more of the body's main energy source: adenosine triphosphate, or ATP."


Eating leafy green veggies and fruits lower on the glycemic index is also SUPER important for weight loss and overall health benefits. Here's some essential info about the glycemic index...which was brought to my attention by my Endocrinologist.

The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger. Low GI diets also reduce insulin levels and insulin resistance.

Recent studies from Harvard School of Public Health indicate that the risks of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease are strongly related to the GI of the overall diet. In 1999, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommended that people in industrialised countries base their diets on low-GI foods in order to prevent the most common diseases of affluence, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

This link will tell you all about the glycemic index of carb containing foods: http://www.glycemicindex.com/index.php

Berries and Strawberries are really low on the glycemic index...making u feel fuller longer and more satisfied, while bananas are on the moderate side, slightly spiking your glucose levels...but not enough to be super concerned. They are to be eaten in moderation, while watermelon's GI ranges from 72-80 and cantaloupe's GI ranges between 65-70!!! Those should be avoided or eaten in moderation along with lower GI foods.

I was diagnosed with Insulin Resistance 2 months ago and have a best friend who is a Team Beach Body Coach and I'm full of helpful information!!! If u have any questions or concerns feel free to message me and I'll hook u up with all types of info. Believe me, you can easily get filled on 1200 calories/day as long as u eat the right ones!!! The link above for glycemicindex.com will also allow u to search for your fav foods and see how they are rated on the GI scale. It's not just a blog talking about the benefits of eating low GI foods...it has all sorts of tools to help you!!! Good Luck w/everything!!!