Does eating more calories really work?

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  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    Starvation mode is a myth, I can't believe people honestly still believe it!

    I think it might have something to do with your water. Obsess about it for a few days and I promise you'll see a diff :) x

    What are your sources? I'd love to believe you, I'm not judging but MFP is overrun by starvation-mode theory so is caloriescount.com etc, just more reasons to believe it’s correct. I'd love to say it doesn't exist so let me know if you have info on that.

    If starvation mode was 100% accurate, then why do people loose weight on VLC intake either due to illness or b/c they have an eating disorder? We are talking about healthy sized people becoming skinny. Yes, lean muscle mass is lost but enough to drop 20+ lbs? Seems like your muscles would atrophy if you lost that much lean mass and wouldn’t be able to move which only occurs in people with BMI of about 14 and people with various medical illnesses.

    People on VLC intake are "normally" under the care of a physician, and, as such, are taking in additional supplements so their bodies are not deficient in the nutrients they need. I have experience with a family member who continues to battle anorexia. Extremely low calorie intake for an extended period of time, obsessive exercising, no menstrual cycle, no muscle mass ... not healthy.

    Set realistic goals for yourself, including some junk foods in moderation. Most people are trying to make a lifestyle change. You're not going to never eat junk food again. You are trying to do this in a healthy manner so you can maintain the weight loss and be healthy without medical problems.

    That didn't answer my question and instead you inferred I was starving myself. I didn't say that, I just posed a question. I wanted to see evidence of the contrary before we believe in something that may very well in fact be a theory rather than a fact like gravity. Its important to obtain as much information as possible but we are all one-track-minded here on MFP and to date I haven’t seen a nutritionist on here, just the occasional trainer.

    Please do not make assumptions in the future. You know what they say... assumptions makes an a** out of u and me ;)

    Even if you were to reference this article which convinently was bumbed up moments ago, http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    the article states the individual was consuming 700 calories for months at a time (so a 3 day diet or fast of some sort wont cause detrimental effects) she was entirely sedentary and whatever food she did eat was cookies which being mostly carbs and fat it's very easy for the enzymes to shuttle the dietary fat into stored body fat. It's what they were designed to do.
  • carolinegeorgia
    carolinegeorgia Posts: 157
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    personally, I do about 5 days of 'normal' calories then 2 days on 'low', I think the body gets used to the same amount every day, needs a change, it works for me anyway!
  • Shamrock40
    Shamrock40 Posts: 264
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    You should also be consistent. If you eat 1000, then 500, then 2500 or something even less drastic, your body assumes that you're starving and will try to save calories. You need to make sure it knows you're not starving. ;)

    I disagree, calorie cycling is a great way to boost your metabolism. Going from 500 to 2500 of course is extreme but eating 1200 one day, 1400 the next, then 2000 calories, then 1100 and so on tricks your body into thinking you are getting consistent amounts of food so it won't go into starvation mode for the 24 hour period you are eating less.

    I agree. A lot of people don't believe in "cheat days" or "cheat meals" but I have found, both this time, and the last time I lost a considerable amount of weight, that just like changing up your workouts boosts your metabolism, changing up not only your number of calories consumed, but the KIND of calories you consume, keeps your metabolism guessing, and keeps it going.

    I don't need an article to know starvation mode is not a myth. Call it what you want, but when your body starts eating away at your muscles to get the nutrients it needs, you're not in a good, healthy place. Your muscles burns calories more efficiently than your fat does, but your muscles need fuel to burn those calories. When you work out and burn those calories, your muscles want more fuel, which is why you should eat back at least half your exercise calories, if not more. You will still lose weight, and chances are you won't be famished at the end of the day. Be realistic, and don't just go by what people say on here (including me!) because you will get varying information and opinions from everyone. Listen to your body and educate yourself!
  • Shamrock40
    Shamrock40 Posts: 264
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    Starvation mode is a myth, I can't believe people honestly still believe it!

    I think it might have something to do with your water. Obsess about it for a few days and I promise you'll see a diff :) x

    What are your sources? I'd love to believe you, I'm not judging but MFP is overrun by starvation-mode theory so is caloriescount.com etc, just more reasons to believe it’s correct. I'd love to say it doesn't exist so let me know if you have info on that.

    If starvation mode was 100% accurate, then why do people loose weight on VLC intake either due to illness or b/c they have an eating disorder? We are talking about healthy sized people becoming skinny. Yes, lean muscle mass is lost but enough to drop 20+ lbs? Seems like your muscles would atrophy if you lost that much lean mass and wouldn’t be able to move which only occurs in people with BMI of about 14 and people with various medical illnesses.

    People on VLC intake are "normally" under the care of a physician, and, as such, are taking in additional supplements so their bodies are not deficient in the nutrients they need. I have experience with a family member who continues to battle anorexia. Extremely low calorie intake for an extended period of time, obsessive exercising, no menstrual cycle, no muscle mass ... not healthy.

    Set realistic goals for yourself, including some junk foods in moderation. Most people are trying to make a lifestyle change. You're not going to never eat junk food again. You are trying to do this in a healthy manner so you can maintain the weight loss and be healthy without medical problems.

    That didn't answer my question and instead you inferred I was starving myself. I didn't say that, I just posed a question. I wanted to see evidence of the contrary before we believe in something that may very well in fact be a theory rather than a fact like gravity. Its important to obtain as much information as possible but we are all one-track-minded here on MFP and to date I haven’t seen a nutritionist on here, just the occasional trainer.

    Please do not make assumptions in the future. You know what they say... assumptions makes an a** out of u and me ;)

    Even if you were to reference this article which convinently was bumbed up moments ago, http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

    the article states the individual was consuming 700 calories for months at a time (so a 3 day diet or fast of some sort wont cause detrimental effects) she was entirely sedentary and whatever food she did eat was cookies which being mostly carbs and fat it's very easy for the enzymes to shuttle the dietary fat into stored body fat. It's what they were designed to do.

    Heather, don't take it personally. I was never inferring YOU were starving yourself. I was merely trying to respond to (not "answer") your VLC comment. On the contrary, you seem pretty well informed on the subject of weight loss. So back off, chickie. : ) If you look at my other post, you'll see I quoted you again, and agreed with you.

    I didn't even read the article, nor do I need the advice of a nutritionist to know what is healthy and unhealthy eating. It's basically common sense. What I'm trying to say to, not you, but other people who might read this thread, is that consuming too few calories on a daily basis, for an extended period of time, without being under the care of a physician, is treading on thin ice. Is that my opinion? Yeah, you (or anyone else) don't have to believe me, but I think there is plenty of information out there to back me up. I'm trying to lose 97 lbs in a year. That's a lot of weight, and I'm doing it by myself, using a tool (MFP) that I find helpful, but I also am also educating myself outside of this website.

    MFP is using basic math, and after two weeks, I agree with their formula. They give me a certain number of calories (less than I need on a given day, so I'm already at a calorie deficit,) I exercise, I eat back my calories, boom. I lose weight. When I came on this thread, I wanted to inform the poster that, increasing her caloric intake by eating back exercise calories, might, indeed work for her as well.
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I don't know what to believe about the whole starvation mode thing. I try to be as consistant with my calories as possible.... around 1,200.... more if I earn exercise calories. However, if I have days were I'm over a few hundred, I don't think it's the end of the world. Maybe it does jumpstart your metabolism. It seems like there' s a lot of contradictory information out there about this... so it makes sense to do everything in moderation, even your calorie count.

    Shannon
  • Jaypea15
    Jaypea15 Posts: 71 Member
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    Im really bewildered re the starvation mode thing, especially when you see, or read in the magazines that if someone has a gastric band, or any other kinds of proceedure medically, then they can only stomach a very small amount of food at a time, and lost heaps of weight.

    It may not be the healthiest way to lose but seems to work, so why do the medics who oversee someones care after surgery not worry about starvation mode?

    Any replies would be useful please. I am finding it difficult sometimes to eat my 1490 cal allowance, and have been 450 under sometimes, then the next day im up to the wire as they say. I really dont know if I am doing the right thing when I read about this starvation mode topic. Thanks. J
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    Im really bewildered re the starvation mode thing, especially when you see, or read in the magazines that if someone has a gastric band, or any other kinds of proceedure medically, then they can only stomach a very small amount of food at a time, and lost heaps of weight.

    It may not be the healthiest way to lose but seems to work, so why do the medics who oversee someones care after surgery not worry about starvation mode?

    Any replies would be useful please. I am finding it difficult sometimes to eat my 1490 cal allowance, and have been 450 under sometimes, then the next day im up to the wire as they say. I really dont know if I am doing the right thing when I read about this starvation mode topic. Thanks. J

    It is basic math, but it's just not simple. I've been at this long enough that I think quality and nutrient density of food play just as important of a role as total calories. But for some reason, there isn't a lot of conversation around that. There is a big nutritional difference between 1400 calories from a well rounded diet and 1400 calories of lean cuisines and 100 calorie snack packs. And before anyone jumps on me, I realize that pre-portioned approach works for a lot of people, especially when starting out. I'm just saying that there are better options for meeting overall nutritional needs.

    If you are eating a heathy balanced diet and are satisfied with what you are eating, I wouldn't worry about it. I just stick to a caloric range of 1400-1600 and that seems to work for me. Once a week or so I will eat more, which is supposedly good for you. And every once in awhile I come out way under too, but if I'm not hungry I won't eat.
  • katbass
    katbass Posts: 351 Member
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    (My trusty old response that I will repeatedly copy and paste until someone proves me wrong):

    This is from several posts yesterday, and I just copied and pasted it for convenience sake, so ignore the parts about exercise that dont pertain to your situation. But the BMR stuff is important :) MFP sets your calories based on what you tell it. If you told it you want to lose 2lbs per week, its gonna go as low as 1200 calories. But thats not necessarily healthy or the right thing to do. Really...check out your BMR and stick to it:


    Short answer: Try Searching this topic, as it has been discussed ad nausea here on the site.

    Longer (but not nearly long enough) answer:
    Your body requires a certain number of calories in order for you to simply exist. In order for you eyes to blink, your heart to keep beating, your hair to keep growing, your organs to keep functioning, you have to feed it a certain number of calories. This number is called your BMR. (Use the tool on this site to check your BMR...) For example, my BMR is about 1490 calories. So say I lay in bed allllll day, motionless. I would require 1490 calories just to keep my body alive in a coma-like state.
    The second I get out of bed, walk across the room, open the door to the bathroom, brush my teeth, pee, weigh myself, turn on the hot water,and hop in the shower...I have burned calories. Minimal...but still enough to start cutting into the 1490 my body needs in order to fuel its most basic functions.

    So if I eat my BMR of 1490 a day, I am only giving my body enough to do its basic functions.

    MFP gave me 1200 calories based on my desire to lose 2 lbs a week. At my height and current weight, losing 2 lbs per week is not reasonable, but I wanted to lose FAST. And the lowest MFP will set someone's calories is 1200 (For many good reasons). 1200 is sort of an arbitrary number at this point but no one should really eat LESS than 1200, and there are likely very few people who could eat 1200 calories for the rest of their lives and maintain weight or stay satisfied. (opinion...sorry) I lost 20+ lbs eating 1200 cals a day. Wahoo! Yeah me!! Right? WRONG. The second I started eating "normal" again, I gained all 20+ lbs back, PLUS MORE. It might "work" in the short term, but for many here, 1200 calories isnt the lifestyle change needed to STAY healthy and thin.

    OK, back to the exercise thing. If I eat my 1500 (1490) cals today, my body will already be at a deficit for weight loss since I got out of bed, functioned, walked, lifted my toddler countless times, etc. So if I were to workout and burn 500 calories this afternoon, my body would be at an even greater deficit, and risk pushing my body to panic. Once your body panics and your metabolism worries that you are not feeding it enough, you will start to store fat at a faster rate. Your body and metabolism will try to hang onto any extra store of fat in preparation for an upcoming "famine".

    Another way to look at it: If you eat 1200 calories and then exercise 500 calories away, you are only holding onto 700 calories for your body to draw from for energy, organ function, eye blinking, etc etc. Its just not enough for your body to exist on without causing longterm troubles.

    It took me a looooong time to "get" this. I still have to consciously remind myself to eat my calories in order to lose weight. It seems counter-intuitive...but it WORKS. When I eat my BMR and at LEAST half my exercise calories, I lose weight. When I only eat 1200 calories, I am miserable, hungry, and i might lose some weight initially...but i gain it alllll back with a few extra for fluffiness.

    Bottom line: eat more, keep moving, lose more, keep it off
    BMR + exercise calories = longterm success



    Hope that helped!

    Also, if you put your goal as "lose 2 lbs per week" then MFP will set your calorie goal accordingly. That is why it gave you 1200 cals rather than your BMR. Its fruatrating to repeatedly see people say "eat 1200 if youre a girl and 1500 if youre a guy" because every body is sooo different. Dont take that 1200 "golden" number and assume you will lose weight. You might initially, but youll likely stall if your frame/height/etc arent getting enough calories to exist on.
  • katbass
    katbass Posts: 351 Member
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    Also wanted to add for the original poster: YES, eating more DOES work. I was afraid, too...and I DiD experience a brief weight gain that was discouraging. But then the pounds started falling off with very little effort. PROMISE!
  • Jaypea15
    Jaypea15 Posts: 71 Member
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    Wow Katbass and RMinVA : Excellent info. I have read and digested it.... thanks sooo much :flowerforyou:
  • benitocereno
    benitocereno Posts: 101 Member
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    For anyone else who's interested, I think this is a very interesting article for those looking at 'plateaus':

    http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-instinct-diet/200903/plateaus-why-they-happen-and-how-get-through-them

    As all of us know... weight loss is as hard mentally as it is physically. Lots of times you just need to stick with what you're doing and push through it. It's all about sticking with it, your body will not hold the weight forever, especially if you're being honest with your recording and exercise. Good luck!
  • CombatVet_Armywife
    CombatVet_Armywife Posts: 300 Member
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    I am always amazed at the direction some forum posts will take. Just wow.

    ANYways....responding to the OP....

    I have been stuck at a plateau for 2 months, fighting with the same few lbs. I got my weight down to 168.4, then fluctuated with those few lbs for an entire 2 months. My workouts/eating/water consumption were never an issue for me...but about 3 weeks ago I started a new program (P90X) since I knew changing my exercise routine would help with my plateau.

    I also decided to follow the advice I'd heard MANY times before, but NEVER wanted to follow because I was afraid it wouldn't work and I would GAIN. In the last couple of weeks I went from eating 1250-1350 calories to 1550-1700, depending on what I burned from exercise. I was also told that we should aim for reaching 1200 for our Net calories, so I have been watching that more closely lately too.

    I am not updating my new weight yet, since I'm still cautious, thinking I haven't really broken my plateau....BUT.....in the last 2-2 1/2 weeks, the scale shows me down by 4 lbs from the last time I weighed in! It is now showing me at 167.2.....for 2 MONTHS I fought to get that scale under 168, so I am very pleased. I just hope by upping my calorie intake, I REALLY HAVE broken this plateau!!

    Just thought I'd share my own discoveries with you, it may be what will help you as well. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    #1) You won't go into "starvation mode" after just a few days of too few calories. You might feel like crap, but you aren't in "starvation mode".

    #2) Starvation mode doesn't mean you won't lose weight....you will, but it won't be all fat. You'll lose hard earned muscle too.

    I prefer the term, nutritional deprivation. If you eat too little, you are not fueling your body. Your organs, including your mind, do not work as efficiently. You are tired (because you body doesn't have the fuel to keep you moving, so the body wants to shut down...ie: sleep) and your mood isn't pleasant. As you lose muscle, and your body becomes used to having so few calories, your metabolism slows down to compensate. If/when you ever eat normally again, you will most likely put on weight since your body has been deprived for too long.

    Honestly, if you can lose weight eating 20% less than maintenance, why on earth would you deprive yourself??

    To the OP, try eating more! If it works, then great. If not, try exercising more or changing your workouts or tighter controls on your food intake. And good luck!!
  • staceyb_2003
    staceyb_2003 Posts: 396 Member
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    bump
  • susu5
    susu5 Posts: 122
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    I agree!
  • Healthymom0000
    Healthymom0000 Posts: 14 Member
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    This is so interesting to me because I have been working out like crazy and eating approx. 1300 calories per day and the scale will not budge! It is so difficult to think adding food will help but I am going to try it. I feel like some of the posts on this thread have convinced me. I will let you know the results!!!! :)
  • bionic909
    bionic909 Posts: 1 Member
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    have you tried cutting down on carbs?
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I agree it's largely a myth. Yes your metabolism might drop a little bit, but the calorie defecit is still big enough to continue fat loss. Most of this starvation mode stuff grew out of a study done in the 40s where men were put on 50% of their maintenance calories for 6 MONTHS, not a day or two. Yes their metabolism slowed but they didn't stop losing fat until their body fat % went down to minimal levels of 5-7%! So I don't think a bit of calorie cycling is going to cause damage to one's metabolism.
    Also remember that a lighter body will automatically mean a lowered metabolism because a lighter body will by definition require less calories to function (your BMR).
    The problem with the people that do calorie restriction, lose weight, and then eat "normally" is they go back to eating the way they were when they were bigger. So of course they'll gain, they start eating too much.
  • archeangeluriel
    archeangeluriel Posts: 2
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    I think that it is weird that someone would try to tell someone who is earnestly attempting to lose weight that there does not exist a starvation mode. Does everyone hit starvation mode? Certainly not, but many do. Much of it has to do with sugars and insulin levels. The goal is to eat the right amount of healthy natural sugars to put your body in the prime fat burning zone. Water is an awesome idea. Cutting back sodium as well of course because once more it is associated with hydration. I think some individuals need to start re educating themselves. Yes you can starve yourself into anorexia. You can shrivel up to bones with persistence. Still, yes if you are not paying attention to the foods that you consume that directly convert to sugar you are going to probably hit a plateau pretty quick. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22414/ use this link. It will explain to you about glucose and insulin. If you are having trouble losing weight after a while take a look at tips from physicians instructions to diabetics who are almost always in starvation mode. These ladies are giving you good advice, but you need to trust the professionals.
  • archeangeluriel
    archeangeluriel Posts: 2
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    oh and if you want to get over the plateau keep up the good work and slap that workout into overdrive. Cardio is awesome, but try building some muscle. Muscle burns calories so much faster. Mix it up a little. Watch sugars. Drink half your body weight in water. Release some stress. Smile.

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