How do you know if your body is in "Starvation Mode"

crazymama2two

You won't get pale or orange, your eyes won't get red and you won't grow a third arm Starvation mode means your body doesn't have enough nutrients to work efficiently, so your metabolism slows down and fat loss slows down. It also gets harder to work out and you notice your stamina decreases.

damn, i needed that third arm!!!!

ChelDM

Thanks so much!

SiltyPigeon

After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.

So.... I'm just trying to understand, please don't hurt me... starvation mode (when your body burns lean tissue and muscle as fuel) happens AFTER the body has depleted its body fat?

Would that mean that an obese or overweight person (someone with lots of body fat) would have a difficult time going into starvation mode?

TheWatchStander

After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.

So.... I'm just trying to understand, please don't hurt me... starvation mode (when your body burns lean tissue and muscle as fuel) happens AFTER the body has depleted its body fat?

Would that mean that an obese or overweight person (someone with lots of body fat) would have a difficult time going into starvation mode?

No, starvation mode is a slowing of the bodies metabolism. It still burns fat just much slower. If you were in starvation mode for long enough to burn through all the fat then yes your body would then begin burning lean tissue. No matter how much body fat you have you can still go into starvation mode if the criteria I stated above that is not met.

Still_Sossy

Most days I am at or a little over my 1200. I have been losing 2 lbs a week so far. I do not want to go under cause the thought of Starvation Mode scares the he** out of me. I am just concerned that if the weight loss slows or stops will I be in starvation mode then? Or is it just a plateau? I just want to get to my goal, be healthy look good be happy and not screw my system up in the process. I even swallow a Tbsp. Of organic olive oil a day to get a healthy fat.

live2smyle

You starve? I'd assume REAL starvation is obvious...

LMAO :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

TheWatchStander

After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.

So.... I'm just trying to understand, please don't hurt me... starvation mode (when your body burns lean tissue and muscle as fuel) happens AFTER the body has depleted its body fat?

Would that mean that an obese or overweight person (someone with lots of body fat) would have a difficult time going into starvation mode?

No, starvation mode is a slowing of the bodies metabolism. It still burns fat just much slower. If you were in starvation mode for long enough to burn through all the fat then yes your body would then begin burning lean tissue. No matter how much body fat you have you can still go into starvation mode if the criteria I stated above that is not met.

Also keep in mind, when your body enters starvation mode, the caloric intake it needs to not burn fat lowers below 1200 calories. So once you get into starvation mode, there is a chance that the caloric intake that got you into that mess (<1200 calories) will then be enough to sustain you and no longer burn fat. So you need to get out of starvation mode and reset your body so that you can start burning fat in a healthy manner again.

TheWatchStander

Most days I am at or a little over my 1200. I have been losing 2 lbs a week so far. I do not want to go under cause the thought of Starvation Mode scares the he** out of me. I am just concerned that if the weight loss slows or stops will I be in starvation mode then? Or is it just a plateau? I just want to get to my goal, be healthy look good be happy and not screw my system up in the process. I even swallow a Tbsp. Of organic olive oil a day to get a healthy fat.

The closer you get to the healthy weight for your height and age the harder it will be to burn those last few pounds healthily. So it will slow down and not necessarily mean you are in starvation mode. Keep adjusting your goal by putting in your new weight and it will modify your calorie needs to achieve the goal.

edorice

Studies show that if you eat under 1200 calories a day then your body will go into starvation mode. If you are hungrey eat at least 20 grams of protein that will fill you up and increase your metabolism.

However, as we know not everyone weights the same, have the same metabolic rate, or have the same muscle mass on their bodies. So, the 1,200 calorie rule is a good start for some but not for all.

SiltyPigeon

After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.

So.... I'm just trying to understand, please don't hurt me... starvation mode (when your body burns lean tissue and muscle as fuel) happens AFTER the body has depleted its body fat?

Would that mean that an obese or overweight person (someone with lots of body fat) would have a difficult time going into starvation mode?

No, starvation mode is a slowing of the bodies metabolism. It still burns fat just much slower. If you were in starvation mode for long enough to burn through all the fat then yes your body would then begin burning lean tissue. No matter how much body fat you have you can still go into starvation mode if the criteria I stated above that is not met.

Also keep in mind, when your body enters starvation mode, the caloric intake it needs to not burn fat lowers below 1200 calories. So once you get into starvation mode, there is a chance that the caloric intake that got you into that mess (<1200 calories) will then be enough to sustain you and no longer burn fat. So you need to get out of starvation mode and reset your body so that you can start burning fat in a healthy manner again.

Thank you for clearing that up.
Now, for the record.... because this was the HUGE issue here yesterday. Say a person has an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and they cannot take the medication that would help them (allergic). So! Their doctors prescribe them a "diet" in which they alternate between very low calories and "normal" calorie levels throughout the week (because it causes the body's glucose levels and hormones to go crazy, affecting the thyroid, and reducing symptoms such as severe migraines.) Is that person's body going to eat all their muscle mass and organ tissue, then make them really fat, and eventually kill them? And should that person be called mean names by others on MFP? :frown:

taso42_DELETED

However, as we know not everyone weights the same, have the same metabolic rate, or have the same muscle mass on their bodies. So, the 1,200 calorie rule is a good start for some but not for all.

Very good point. 1200 is a general guideline (for women that is; for men it's something different, 1500 I think). If we had the tools to really measure this stuff accurately, of course some people would be more, some would be less. It's a general rule of thumb. Like setting the oven to 350F (seems to work most of the time )

Still_Sossy

Most days I am at or a little over my 1200. I have been losing 2 lbs a week so far. I do not want to go under cause the thought of Starvation Mode scares the he** out of me. I am just concerned that if the weight loss slows or stops will I be in starvation mode then? Or is it just a plateau? I just want to get to my goal, be healthy look good be happy and not screw my system up in the process. I even swallow a Tbsp. Of organic olive oil a day to get a healthy fat.

The closer you get to the healthy weight for your height and age the harder it will be to burn those last few pounds healthily. So it will slow down and not necessarily mean you are in starvation mode. Keep adjusting your goal by putting in your new weight and it will modify your calorie needs to achieve the goal.

Thank you! So this site will reset my calorie goals as I lose weight, I did not know that.

ladyhawk00

Generally, for a lot of people - you DON'T know. It's NOT something that happens in hours or days - it takes weeks or months of sustained underfeeding to occur. But typically some of the issues you CAN have is fatigue, tiredness, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, hair loss, hormonal issues, lack of menstrual cycle, consistent plateau/weight gain, changes in hair/nails, depression, bingeing, loss of muscle tone.... Those are just some. But, as you can see, the list is a lot of things that could be caused by other things. So it can be difficult to know - you don't just wake up with a sign on your forehead.

If you have your goals/deficit at an appropriate level, you meet/come close to daily goals, and are eating healthy foods, it's unlikely you would experience it.

Here are some threads that describe what some people have experienced.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/174065-starvation-mode-is-real-and-ugly

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/158203-why-aren-t-i-losing-anything?page=1%23posts-2138274
(Need to read through this whole thread to get to the good info)

Heather75

YOU DIE!

SiltyPigeon

YOU DIE!

:flowerforyou:

Still_Sossy

Generally, for a lot of people - you DON'T know. It's NOT something that happens in hours or days - it takes weeks or months of sustained underfeeding to occur. But typically some of the issues you CAN have is fatigue, tiredness, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, hair loss, hormonal issues, lack of menstrual cycle, consistent plateau/weight gain, changes in hair/nails, depression, bingeing, loss of muscle tone.... Those are just some. But, as you can see, the list is a lot of things that could be caused by other things. So it can be difficult to know - you don't just wake up with a sign on your forehead.

If you have your goals/deficit at an appropriate level, you meet/come close to daily goals, and are eating healthy foods, it's unlikely you would experience it.

Here are some threads that describe what some people have experienced.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/174065-starvation-mode-is-real-and-ugly

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/158203-why-aren-t-i-losing-anything?page=1%23posts-2138274
(Need to read through this whole thread to get to the good info)

These just confused me even more, they were great to read, but now I wonder if 1200 cals is too little. Aughhhhh.
And I do not want to be skinny fat, I want long lean toned beautiful muscles, so that right there is scary.
Thank you for taking the time to post these, it really was awesome.

ladyhawk00

Generally, for a lot of people - you DON'T know. It's NOT something that happens in hours or days - it takes weeks or months of sustained underfeeding to occur. But typically some of the issues you CAN have is fatigue, tiredness, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, hair loss, hormonal issues, lack of menstrual cycle, consistent plateau/weight gain, changes in hair/nails, depression, bingeing, loss of muscle tone.... Those are just some. But, as you can see, the list is a lot of things that could be caused by other things. So it can be difficult to know - you don't just wake up with a sign on your forehead.

If you have your goals/deficit at an appropriate level, you meet/come close to daily goals, and are eating healthy foods, it's unlikely you would experience it.

Here are some threads that describe what some people have experienced.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/174065-starvation-mode-is-real-and-ugly

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/158203-why-aren-t-i-losing-anything?page=1%23posts-2138274
(Need to read through this whole thread to get to the good info)

These just confused me even more, they were great to read, but now I wonder if 1200 cals is too little. Aughhhhh.
And I do not want to be skinny fat, I want long lean toned beautiful muscles, so that right there is scary.
Thank you for taking the time to post these, it really was awesome.

Well... That was so not the goal. :laugh:

Honestly, you can really let MFP do all the work for you. The numbers MFP uses are general guidelines, but they are pretty acceptable for most people. You may need to do slight tweaking occasionally, but it's really best when starting out (unless you are under the care of a professional who has advised a specific diet) to input your info correctly, and let MFP generate the numbers, and follow them.

Based on the info I can see about you (15 lbs to go, at 5'11") I would guess that 1200 IS too low for you. Your BMR is going to be relatively high (compared to someone who is 5'2"). My best advice would be to check out this thread that has some great guidelines on how to figure out a good starting point for your goals/deficit.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

Hopefully this one won't make the confusion any worse! :laugh:

FearAnLoathing

You won't get pale or orange, your eyes won't get red and you won't grow a third arm Starvation mode means your body doesn't have enough nutrients to work efficiently, so your metabolism slows down and fat loss slows down. It also gets harder to work out and you notice your stamina decreases.

so then even though on the days I exercise im only netting like 900 and have been this way for a year.Since im still losing and my stamina is great im not in starvation mode

Right, are you keeping your intake before exercise above 1200 or so?

yeah befor exercise im at like 1200 to 1300 but after exercise im alot lower cuz i burn up to 500

lodro

After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.

So.... I'm just trying to understand, please don't hurt me... starvation mode (when your body burns lean tissue and muscle as fuel) happens AFTER the body has depleted its body fat?

Would that mean that an obese or overweight person (someone with lots of body fat) would have a difficult time going into starvation mode?

No, starvation mode is a slowing of the bodies metabolism. It still burns fat just much slower. If you were in starvation mode for long enough to burn through all the fat then yes your body would then begin burning lean tissue. No matter how much body fat you have you can still go into starvation mode if the criteria I stated above that is not met.

but actually, that is the true definition of starvation mode, or starvation response, and that starts when your body has below 6% body fat. (think famine survivors).

anything else is, strictly speaking, not starvation mode. i think many people see it as an explanation for when they plateau, but usually then there are other factors.

Pebble321

... I am actually terrified of entering the phase, so I try very hard to eat all my calories everyday and to pack as much of a nutritional punch from every bite I take....

It sounds like you are doing things just right, don't panic about starvation mode, and pay attention to LadyHawk (the rational Queen of MFP in my opinion!)
And remember that if you don't have much left to lose then it will come off at a slower rate than if you are much larger. Don't panic about that either, just keep doing the above and you will feel great!