Starvation Mode?

ETC80
ETC80 Posts: 28 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all!

Just getting started here...

I've found a few references to "starvation mode" in the posts. I wasn't familiar with the term, so after doing a little research of my own, I was wondering if anyone out there had experiences with or knowledge of this phenomenon?

I'm not looking to go into "starvation mode," just wondering how to recognize and avoid it...

Thanks!

Replies

  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Just eat enough. Set moderate weight loss goals. You don't have a lot to lose, so you shouldn't be trying for 2lbs a week. Try for 0.5 to 1 lb per week. If you do decide to eat on the low end of things, and your don't lose weight, or you stop losing weight, try increasing your calories.
  • sister_bear
    sister_bear Posts: 529 Member
    Eat your minimum calories 1200 for women and 1500? for men. If you exercise, eat back as much as you can.

    I've been in starvation mode before. What happened was:

    1. I stopped losing weight
    2. I puffed out in my mid-section, where I carry most of my weight
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
    Disclaimer to follow: The only way to avoid the "Starvation Mode" is to lie about the amount you are eating.

    This is a joke. You can laugh now. Do not do this as it will lead to weight gain and a "puffed out mid-section".
  • kevinot
    kevinot Posts: 5
    I have alot of experience with this! I wanted to compete in figure and was at 14%BF. Met with a trainer who told me that even though I ate clean I was eating all the wrong foods to get lean. So she put me on a plan which consisted of peanuts, oatmeal, chicken, flaxseed oil and eggs. This went on for over 9 months. the first 3 weeks were wonderful. I got learner and leaner thne started gaining and gaining. I went from 112pounds to 130 and 14% to 27%BF in 3 months! She kept telling me it was just my hormones to to give up nd that I was never gonna lose the weight... I was destined to be fat. I then used this site to calculate the calories and it was 900! Not only was it 900 calories but she had me doing cardio 30 mi in the morning and 45 in the afternoon! Thats starvation mode... Its been a year now and I am still struggling to get back!
  • catlover98611
    catlover98611 Posts: 38 Member
    This is starvation mode reality: I drank 3 cups of coffee with creamer in the morning and a couple of snacks during the day and all the mac and cheese I could hold at night before bed. I weighed 170 for almost 3 years. One day I started eating 3 balanced meals, no flour, no sugar, no snacks and started losing 12 pounds a month for the first 3 months, then 8 for the next 4 months, and have lost a total of 68 pounds and I have not done one sec of exercise beyond the busy active job I have as a food server. Your body will not release weight if you do not feed it, unless you are starving.....there are ALWAYS exceptions and eating disorders, etc, but overall you must eat to lose and you will hear that said here a lot.....
  • atomdraco
    atomdraco Posts: 1,083 Member
    The following are some great topic about this subject:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/231636-the-eating-when-you-re-not-hungry-dilemma
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/175241-a-personal-view-on-exercise-cals-and-underfeeding

    (More links about MFP: http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/index2.html)
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