is starvation mode a myth?

LabRat529

I have ednos, I can't help it.
But I do agree that having muscle mass is better than just being fat.

Of course you can help it. Go get the counseling you need. There are a ton of fabulous women and men on this site that have overcome their eating disorders. It may never go away 100%, but you can learn to control it.

justanotherbrickinthewall

When would you consider that point to be when your body starts breaking down? Just wondering.

So you are trying to plan out when to stop eating at dangerous levels? It doesn't work that way. I suggest you talk to a doctor, a counsel, your parents or anyone that can help you get into a healthy relationship with food and your body.

No, I'm not. I have ednos and am meeting with psychologists and nutritionists to help me recover. I was just wondering what you thought.

PepeGreggerton

When would you consider that point to be when your body starts breaking down? Just wondering.

There's a difference between creating a deficit and starving yourself you need to eat every day.

justanotherbrickinthewall

I have ednos, I can't help it.
But I do agree that having muscle mass is better than just being fat.

Of course you can help it. Go get the counseling you need. There are a ton of fabulous women and men on this site that have overcome their eating disorders. It may never go away 100%, but you can learn to control it.

I am trying to, it's hard to recover and the process isn't very quick for me.

LabRat529

I have ednos, I can't help it.
But I do agree that having muscle mass is better than just being fat.

Of course you can help it. Go get the counseling you need. There are a ton of fabulous women and men on this site that have overcome their eating disorders. It may never go away 100%, but you can learn to control it.

I am trying to, it's hard to recover and the process isn't very quick for me.

Sorry, my comment sounded way more harsh than I meant it to sound. I was going for a supportive 'you can do it!' vibe and it came out critical I'm glad you're working on recovery. And I hope you get well sooner rather than later.

Rae6503

When would you consider that point to be when your body starts breaking down? Just wondering.

So you are trying to plan out when to stop eating at dangerous levels? It doesn't work that way. I suggest you talk to a doctor, a counsel, your parents or anyone that can help you get into a healthy relationship with food and your body.

No, I'm not. I have ednos and am meeting with psychologists and nutritionists to help me recover. I was just wondering what you thought.

Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I'm glad you are getting help. I'm not an expert so I don't know. I think BMI is generally a good thing to go by in terms of getting too thin (it's horrible for telling muscular people they are overweight though). Anything less than 17 is pretty bad.

IvoryParchment

When would you consider that point to be when your body starts breaking down? Just wondering.

MFP is about living a healthy lifestyle, not abusing yourself to reach a numeric goal. You should feel stronger, more energetic, more like bouncing and dancing when you move. Your body should be functioning well. If you were obese and are coming to normal, you may notice your periods becoming more regular.

To determine if you are overshooting your healthy weight:
Are you feeling tired instead of energetic?
Are your wounds healing more slowly? Do paper cuts last for days?
Are you getting bruises you don't remember?
Is your skin dry or finely wrinkled? Are your lips chapped?
How much hair is in the drain after you wash your hair?
How's your sex drive? How are your periods?
Are your eyes looking sunken because you're losing the fat that cushions your eyeballs?
Are you getting fuzzy hair on your skin?
Have a lot of people stopped saying how great you look and started making Karen Carpenter jokes?

justanotherbrickinthewall

ah, it's fine. Thank you for the support though

marujita

I think it has to do with slowing down your metabolism. If you starve yourself, lose weight, and then try to go back to a normal calorie amount, you'll gain it all back. At least that's what I feel like that's what my body would do.

honeysprinkles

The real question is: Why do you WANT to eat less than 1200 calories? Eating less than 1900 is hard for me! 1200 would seriously depress me. I like food.

A moderate calorie deficit is WAY EASIER to sustain. And you're less likely to gain back the weight.

I think this is the answer. I don't know so much about the science behind it, but sure you can lose weight by eating less than 1200 calories, your body might not automatically plateau and hold onto every last calorie for dear life, but it does make sense that it at least slows down your metabolism. And it also makes sense that it's not going to work for you in the long run if it's not something that's sustainable. But I'm just looking at the issue with common sense without the science behind it, so maybe I'm wrong? (Not said sarcastically, because I realize it seems like it could be).

Chameleone

I don't think starvation mode is a myth. But I think that the way that it is often explained is a little off. I don't know the exact number of calories that will throw your body into "starvation mode" (it probably varies for each person) but I think that the reason it is an issue for people trying to lose weight, is because if you suddenly start eating significantly less you will lose weight but until your body adjusts it will save slightly more calories (not to the point of you gaining weight though), but I think if you slip and eat a big meal now and then, then that is what could cause you to lose weight, and that is why it is so frowned upon to eat too few calories.

honeysprinkles

I feel like starvation mode is a myth. Why do anorexics, eating so little calories a day, still lose weight?
I eat, on average, 750-800 a day, and my weight loss hasn't stopped.

There is a difference between "starvation mode" and flat out starving. Anorexics starve themselves, sometimes to death. Like I said you body can adjust to smaller calorie amounts but it reaches a point where it can't anymore than it starts to break down. It'll start burning large amounts of muscle in addition to fat and then when there's nothing else to burn it'll start shutting down organs.

Exactly. Eating disorders can cause your body so much damage, even if you are still losing weight. Starvation mode doesn't just mean that you'll get to a point where you stop losing, especially in the very real sense of the word "starvation" when addressing people with disorders such as anorexia.

justanotherbrickinthewall

When would you consider that point to be when your body starts breaking down? Just wondering.

MFP is about living a healthy lifestyle, not abusing yourself to reach a numeric goal. You should feel stronger, more energetic, more like bouncing and dancing when you move. Your body should be functioning well. If you were obese and are coming to normal, you may notice your periods becoming more regular.

To determine if you are overshooting your healthy weight:
Are you feeling tired instead of energetic?
Are your wounds healing more slowly? Do paper cuts last for days?
Are you getting bruises you don't remember?
Is your skin dry or finely wrinkled? Are your lips chapped?
How much hair is in the drain after you wash your hair?
How's your sex drive? How are your periods?
Are your eyes looking sunken because you're losing the fat that cushions your eyeballs?
Are you getting fuzzy hair on your skin?
Have a lot of people stopped saying how great you look and started making Karen Carpenter jokes?

I was never obese, since my teen years I've always been a normal weight for my height. I can't help how I live my life though. but I have experienced all these symptoms, except the hair on my skin and the sex drive thing.

Rae6503

I feel like starvation mode is a myth. Why do anorexics, eating so little calories a day, still lose weight?
I eat, on average, 750-800 a day, and my weight loss hasn't stopped.

Aside from what the other guy said (which is all very true), when you're eating that little it's a pretty sure thing that you're losing more muscle than fat... I myself would rather be a slightly larger 'fit' than to be 'skinny fat'. The point of this website is to learn to obtain and maintain a HEALTHY lifestyle.... which means being healthy... not just fitting into the smallest size possible without literally killing yourself.

I'm wondering if I just got called a "guy" here...

littlesis412

I believe the poster above that listed a series of questions meant to put "underweight" and not over.

IvoryParchment

I have ednos, I can't help it.

You can't help who you are, but you are suffering because you're too good at it. If you were less disciplined, you would be in no danger.

Is there any way you can take on enough new activities that you don't have as much time to devote to your weight program? Especially something where that type of discipline could come in handy?

"Perfection" for a professional musician, for instance, involves 6 hours of practice a day, and lots of attention to proper form to avoid repetitive stress injury. Classical guitar is something that can sound good fairly early in the process of learning yet allow you to spend years really getting skilled, and you can probably get a second hand classical guitar for very little money.

lthomas42

The problem with going too low is it does mess up your metabolism. Your body does adjust to how many calories you're getting, and everyone is different. If you start eating 600 calories a day, of course you'll lose weight, but your body will hate you for it. Plus, you'll gain everything back when you go higher, since your body will be use to only getting a few calories a day.

CallmeSbo

Some info I got http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

Aviendha_RJ

I feel like starvation mode is a myth. Why do anorexics, eating so little calories a day, still lose weight?
I eat, on average, 750-800 a day, and my weight loss hasn't stopped.

See a doctor. Your kidneys can shut down from this.

hpsnickers1

I feel like starvation mode is a myth. Why do anorexics, eating so little calories a day, still lose weight?
I eat, on average, 750-800 a day, and my weight loss hasn't stopped.

They lose muscle, not fat. Their body fat as a percentage of overall body weight goes up because their muscle loss is so profound. Wait until you start losing hair, your teeth start rotting. You start having all kinds of health problems, hormonal problems (how many lose their periods?). You see, in times of starvation - which is what Anorexia is - your body will shut down it's fat burning and break down muscle for energy. The body must hold onto a certain amount of fat it's there for a reason.

Starvation mode is only true on the Standard American Diet. I can eat 1000 calories of real food following my Primal lifestyle and blow the RDA out of the water. Try doing that on the SAD. And never feel one twinge of hunger throughout the entire day. It's not the lack of calories, it's the lack of nutrients.