Starvation Mode- it's been asked before but I want a clear c

speckle60

I am currently 5'5 1/2, 19, and 141 lbs. On days I work out I burn roughly 750-850 calories, and consume 1400. On days I don't I consume 1200. I called a nutritionist hotline and asked them if that was okay. They told me as long as I put 1400 general calories in my body, I wouldn't succumb to starvation mode.

I eat generally 5-6 times a day (check out my diary)

Please give me your opinions.

FearAnLoathing

You will never ever get a clear answer on this.There will always be some people that say do not worry about it and thoses that say you should worry about.
My only advice is find what works best for you.

Mrs_TrimWaistFatWallet

I dont think your diary is public...but you should be shooting for a NET amount of 1400/day. That means trying to eating back calories when you work out and eating 1400 on days you dont work out..

reneeeiseline

In general you should eat 1/2 your exercise calories minimally. This will keep your body metabolism churning and keep you out of starvation mode. Good luck

layasideEVERYweight

I don't agree. If you starve yourself all day and then eat a 1400 calorie pasta meal at Macaroni Grill at 2 minutes before midnight, guess what: FOREVER ON THE HIPS!!! What I have heard is eat 5-6 small, evenly spaced out and even calorie "meals" daily within 2-3 hrs of each other and then don't eat after 5pm to 8pm and you will have results. Better to eat higher calorie stuff in the morning because your metabolism gets a kick start and thinks it will eat well all day.

Schwiggity

There is no clear answer, and "starvation mode" doesn't happen according to a socially constructed reality. It's different for everybody, but even those who bitterly argue about it in these forums agree that it's more likely to hit those with less weight to lose.

realme56

I feel like I am circling right now and I know I am slightly under 1200 most of the time so I am going to try to eat more and see if I can get the losses to add up some more!!

I agree that you have to try what works best for you and you can't know in short time. I am going to try 2 weeks at higher calories and see if I budge more weight off.

Arizona_JR

I think the phrases "starvation mode" or "survival mode" applies to a longer duration of time; weeks, perhaps, not a day here and there.

annacataldo

if you eat 1400 and burn 850 calories, its like youve only eaten 550 calories for the day. Your body is just like ur car--it takes fuel to run your car and so does for your body...

You can feel great and fine and never realize ur in starvation mode; and also feel very full from eating and satisfied...

It might work for awhile; and u might loose alot for awhile; but dont be surprized if one day u stop losing or losing a few ounces a month instead of pounds. You eventually shut down your metabolism (without even knowing it) and its very hard to come out of because once u start eating all of your calories, you see alot of gain because you no longer have a metabolism pretty much and takes time to rebuild it..

my last diet, I lost 30 pounds (went from 290 to 260) by Netting about 500calories a day; eating perfect and drinking tons of water, etc then excercising as much as i could to burn off the calories.. felt amzing and full of energy!!! I then stopped losing, completely, not a single ounce for weeks... I started to eat normal again--not eating bad or going over calories, just eating normal... i gained my 30pounds back, then went up 35 more pounds (up to 325) that i never had before, and I was dieting and went up all those 65 pounds, it was horrible and heartbraking! Starvation mode is not something to mess with!

It took along time to get my body to readjust back to normal level; not a couple weeks, not a couple months; but literally years.. I remained at my high weight for a couple years, and then eventually started to loose on my own again. and went down 50 pounds to 275; and then gave up for awhile due to a severe car wreck and not being able to excercise and went up about 40 pounds and joined the site and now im 3lbs away from the 275 weight I was at right before my wreck.

annacataldo

I think the phrases "starvation mode" or "survival mode" applies to a longer duration of time; weeks, perhaps, not a day here and there.

absolutely.. i ahve days where i am so busy i forget to eat and then suddenly its the end of the day and Ive netted 900 calories out of my 1600...

Ive read that its ok to have a rare day here and there in starvation mode; but having multiple days a week will cause starvation mode; even if half the week you eat all your calories.

koosdel

I think the phrases "starvation mode" or "survival mode" applies to a longer duration of time; weeks, perhaps, not a day here and there.

Gold star for you!