Starvation mode Fact or Fiction.......

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  • mhig011975
    mhig011975 Posts: 181
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    fact
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
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    Fiction...
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    Legend.
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    It's whatever you want it to be. It just depends on how you word it.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Since I've experienced it, I'm going to say it's a fact.
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    This is the way to go if you're aiming at becoming anorexic..

    The problem with this argument is that people DO toss is out there as the solution too often.
    Having a day where you only eat 500 calories when you normally eat 1600 is n't going to put you in starvation mode.
    Doing this repeatedly, daily, over many weeks WILL.
  • CoachNYLA
    CoachNYLA Posts: 129
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    Point. If you calorically eat less than what your body needs just to blink your eyes and your organs to work properly and you begin to lose lean mass. I don't know....sounds like starvation mode to me.

    Where do you think they get the "metabolism slows down". Partly due to the reduction of enzymes in the muscle tissue which has been utilized for fuel do to lack of caloric intake.

    Also, anaerobic training can strip down (form of expression) use up muscle tissue as well, so....

    You don't have to have an eating disorder to muscle waist, I don't think. A body image issue....maybe - who knows.

    Just eat what you need to eat to be healthy and stop eating the cake. LOL
  • SprDg
    SprDg Posts: 5
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    From personal experience I found it is true.

    I started with a very low calorie diet (about 1000 cal/day) and lost 15 pounds in the first two weeks. Then gradually over the next two weeks my weight loss stopped. I was tired all the time and couldn't help but sleep a lot. Oddly when I would 'splurge a little', I would lose some more weight. So I started increasing calories and went to a different diet. But then I reached a point where I was gaining, even though I was in recommended limits: about 1800 cal/day.

    So now I'm trying a different recommendation that is in-between with about 1400 cal/day and starting to lose again.

    Additionally I'm finding that it isn't just about the calories. Cardio and strength excercises make a difference. I tend to lose when I keep up with these and gain when I don't. Also, often not mentioned, getting about 8.5 hours of sleep a night makes a difference. On days I don't get enough rest, I tend to regain (and get discouraged).

    So, yes, there is a balance to aim for. Each person should find out for themselves what works and what doesn't, taking into account medical advice, expert recommendations and their own experience.
  • CyrusMachin
    CyrusMachin Posts: 18 Member
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    If you find that even with low calorie consumption and lots of cardio that you're still holding on to the "last few pounds" of fat, then I would say YES. The term "starvation mode" sounds serious, but like Tharrop said, it's all how you word it. Bottom line...you can call it whatever you want. Based on my own success and failures, I find that cycling my carbs by eating low carb for 3 days followed by a day of high carbs prevents my body from ever entering starvation mode. As a result, my body continually uses fat for fuel on low carb days.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,704 Member
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    I would say under nourished instead of starvation.
  • oswaldbowser
    oswaldbowser Posts: 164 Member
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    I would like to know at what point does your body go into starvation mode, MFP recommends that I have about 1950 Calories, I reduced it to 1800 calories because eating that much of heathy food I just couldnt do it and felt bloated....reducing it by 150 calories to 1800 does not make me feel tired or weak and I actually seem to be able to train quite well ...my BMR according to some websites is 2615...others say its 3200 ish......as I am new to this site I am trying to find my feet and whats best for me, but so many conflicting views

    Like this one

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science
  • VickiMitkins
    VickiMitkins Posts: 249 Member
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    Sounds like you are figuring it out on your own. It's different for everyone and a balancing act. You want to reduce calories enough to be in a defecit, but not so much that you decrease your bmr. Experment a little and see how you feel. your body will tell you a lot.
  • kimtpa1417
    kimtpa1417 Posts: 461 Member
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    I think you have to play around with the numbers to find what works for you. Some days I cant reach my goal of 1200 calories because I am not hungry enough to eat that much and some days I hit it to the T and some I go over and eat some of my exercise calories. When I frst started I was at 1300 calories and I lost weight in the beginning but then it stopped. So i switched up some exercising and now I try to eat at goal for 2 days then have a higher calorie intake for a day then back to goal for 2 days. This has worked the best for me.
  • Sul3i
    Sul3i Posts: 553 Member
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    Interesting* I wonder how true this is... I certainly don't want to get na eating disorder & I have been losing significant weight following the stay above starvation mode rule & I've also told others about it saying u must spike ur metabolism to mose wieght u gotta have at lease 1200 cals but now its got me thinkin hmmm link http://www.weightwatchers.com/templates/print.aspx?PageId=1041591&PrintFlag=yes&previewDate=7/15/2007
  • Sul3i
    Sul3i Posts: 553 Member
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    I would like to know at what point does your body go into starvation mode, MFP recommends that I have about 1950 Calories, I reduced it to 1800 calories because eating that much of heathy food I just couldnt do it and felt bloated....reducing it by 150 calories to 1800 does not make me feel tired or weak and I actually seem to be able to train quite well ...my BMR according to some websites is 2615...others say its 3200 ish......as I am new to this site I am trying to find my feet and whats best for me, but so many conflicting views

    Like this one

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science


    Very interesting ** but what I don't understand is that I know some people who started this program very overweight but weren't even getting 800 cals on a regular basis & when starting this had to focus on feeding themselves at least the 1200 Cal's & started losing weight...with that said if someone is overweight but consumes little cals everyday how would u advise them to lose weight?
  • CyrusMachin
    CyrusMachin Posts: 18 Member
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    I would like to know at what point does your body go into starvation mode, MFP recommends that I have about 1950 Calories, I reduced it to 1800 calories because eating that much of heathy food I just couldnt do it and felt bloated....reducing it by 150 calories to 1800 does not make me feel tired or weak and I actually seem to be able to train quite well ...my BMR according to some websites is 2615...others say its 3200 ish......as I am new to this site I am trying to find my feet and whats best for me, but so many conflicting views

    Like this one

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

    There's alot on info out there but here's my take. So long as you're continuing to lose weight at a steady pace, I wouldn't worry about it. Also, it's usually when your bodyfat levels start getting low that your body might start to hold onto bodyfat because it doesn't realize that your dieting. It's at that point that you might want to consider adding a high carb day every 3 to 4 days to send a signal to your body that you're not starving and to release fat. Generally this is something that people hovering around the 10% bodyfat range do. Like I said before, if your seeing results with what your doing, keep doing it and don't worry about it until you've reached low bodyfat levels. Hope this helps.
  • SprDg
    SprDg Posts: 5
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    I would like to know at what point does your body go into starvation mode, MFP recommends that I have about 1950 Calories, I reduced it to 1800 calories because eating that much of heathy food I just couldnt do it and felt bloated....reducing it by 150 calories to 1800 does not make me feel tired or weak and I actually seem to be able to train quite well ...my BMR according to some websites is 2615...others say its 3200 ish......as I am new to this site I am trying to find my feet and whats best for me, but so many conflicting views

    Like this one

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

    I think the main problem with most (and maybe all) studies is that they dont' speak to the specifics of any one individual. If you find a study that follows men in your weight group, then that would be more applicable than looking at a general study of people that you have very little in common with. Sometimes studies can become inapplicable because of factors like the difference between Asians and Westerners. To me it seemed the study was concluding by saying the individual needed to take into consideration both scientific information and their individual situation. In the end what matters is what works and doesn't endanger your health.

    If you are really concerned, a health checkup by a doctor is a good idea. Especially if you seem outside the norm. And a doctor's evaluation is many times better than random forum opinions or entertaining articles.
  • SprDg
    SprDg Posts: 5
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    I made an error in an earlier post. My daily calorie base is about 1600 and not 1400. Then I exercise and burn about 200 calories walking, which bumps my target to about 1800. So far this has been more successful than starting with a base of about 1800. Sorry about the error.
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
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    bump

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