Do you believe in "starvation mode"

avk9802

I was curious how many of you believe in "starvation mode" I've been eating 1000 calories a day for almost 4 months and I've lost 27 pounds so far. So I don't believe in it. However; In my case I do 75-85 min. of cardio a day and strength training everyday. Maybe that's what's keeping my metabolism high to burn so many calories? Who knows..

How about you guys? Anyone ever eaten below 1200 and found that it was hard to lose weight?

mallory3411

I found if I eat under 1300 right now I won't lose well if at all. I do not believe that 1200 is the magic number that causes the body to enter this starvation mode. It is totally dependant on each person for their size, daily activity level, etc etc.

Everyone's body functions differently.

jbootman

no I do not,

energy in energy out

I believe in physics

the closer you are to goal weight the harder it is to diet and little women can even gain at 1200 calories the so called minimum,

I do believe it is very hard to get all of your macro and micro nutrients the fewer calories you eat,

so be careful, choose well

ishallnotwant

I believe in it...but i've actually had it happen after going super low cal for too long (2/4/6/8 diet anyone? I lost over 20 pounds in 5 weeks.) You've lost less than 7 pounds per month, that's a good loss, but you probably could have lost the same amount and still enjoyed fueling your body with decent, healthy foods. You are going to have to finish losing and then maintain. If you need to create a bigger deficit as you lose, are you going to just keep going lower and lower on your cal intake? Probably not, as the cal intake you have now, you wouldn't be able to go too much lower without having ill effects to your health (believe me, i've been there too.) It's good to start out eating as many cals as you and to healthfully lose so that when/if you have to cut cals, you have somewhere to go.

Pebble321

I believe that the term "starvation mode" is overused and often inappropriately used.

But, I also believe that severly restricting calories is not a healthy long term strategy. You run the risk of not getting enough nutrition to keep your body healthy and for most people it isn't going to be sustainable, so you are setting up habits that you can't possibly keep up over time.

I also don't see the point in restricting cals more than is necessary, I'm betting that a lot of people who blindly choose the fastest weight loss option could lose weight on a larger number of calories. And we also have to consider that 1200 is for the "average" person - probably someone like me as a 5'4" woman, just over 150 pounds. A big man or a small woman are going to have a differnt number that is the healthy limit for each of them.

To me, food is enjoyable, it is social, it is part of every culture, so finding away to enjoy a moderate amount of good food and be healthy seems like a win-win situation to me.

jbootman

also it is VERY important we learn to eat for the rest of our lives,

we need to learn to make new lifestyle choices,

find your good foods

monty_williams

Completely overused and misunderstood term around here. There are so many people that think they have to eat every 3 hours, 6 times a day or else they'll go into "starvation mode" or their muscles will fall off due to catabolism. The fact is most people would need to fast for at least 2-3 days before having a significant lowering effect on their metabolism or any significant muscular catabolism.

Actually, your metabolism increases during short periods of fasting due to the hormone Ghrelin and catecholamine output.

silkysly

I think it’s more to do with muscle deterioration . You may be losing weight, but it’s probably muscle. If you fine with that…, go for it.

kimberly702

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/447397-my-plateau-nutrition-story-learn-from-my-mistakes

I didn't... but do now. Read this. I've been stuck for 4 months... and that's how long ago it was that I really started working out a lot burning at least 1000 cals and was eating 1300. Giving me a net of 300 cals for the day. I've lost maybe 10 lbs in those 4 months and couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing more especially with how much I was working out. Was I in starvation mode? Maybe... something... I just know I'm gonna start eating more on days I have a big calorie burn.

_Kate_P

I definitely do. I've found that to lose weight, I either have to eat like 1400 cals/day or like 600! Which to me obviously suggests that between those numbers is low enough to lower my metabolism, and make me hold onto everything, but enough to have something to hold onto. So obviously I go with the 1400/day!!! there was a day though, where I was pretty sure anything over 500 would make me fat......not good, not good.

xraychick77

there is nothing to believe..since it doesnt exist as most people take it.

look up the minnesota starvation study. this is what the myth is based on.
you body doesnt store fat on a calorie deficit, and it doesnt shut down its metabolism because you dont 'eat enough calories'.

ComeAroundSundown

To put it simply, no, I don't. It's a term that is used way too loosely.
I found these interesting:

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/

xraychick77

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/447397-my-plateau-nutrition-story-learn-from-my-mistakes

I didn't... but do now. Read this. I've been stuck for 4 months... and that's how long ago it was that I really started working out a lot burning at least 1000 cals and was eating 1300. Giving me a net of 300 cals for the day. I've lost maybe 10 lbs in those 4 months and couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing more especially with how much I was working out. Was I in starvation mode? Maybe... something... I just know I'm gonna start eating more on days I have a big calorie burn.

you will always lose on such a low calorie deficit. i highly doubt you were burning that many calories. and just because you failed to lose 1 lb in a week doesnt mean you are in the so called starvation mode. it is physiologically impossible to gain weight or not lose weight on a calorie deficit..no matter how low or drastic it is. every part of your body needs calories to function. if you dont give it enough, it'll take it from fat and/or muscle. your heart needs a certain amount, your liver and other organs, your muscles need a certain amount, your brain needs a certain amount. none of these shuts down or stops its functions to 'store' fat or keep fat for later. it needs it now and will use the calories from fat now!

when we work out like fiends, we put stress on our bodies..this creates cortisol which limits fat burning. it'll slow it down, but not stop it. just like not eating enough. it may lower your bmr, but its not by much maybe 200 calories. still not enough to 'hold onto fat'. look at holocaust victims, and people starving in third world countries..they may net 300 calories a day and you dont see them 'holding on to fat'.

Rachiepie6

I do, but not like a switch. I feel when I don't eat enough for too many days in a row, I feel weaker. But, I also don't believe in the 1200 rule, I believe that there is a number for everyone, but related to their own BMR and daily activities etc.

rochey1098

Starvation mode as in you can eat next to nothing and not lose weight? I'm pretty sure that's not possible, it seems to me like a magic trick and would solve world hunger lol.

eclecticwingtips

I dont thinl there is anything to 'believe' there is a lot of scientific evidence to show that eating too few calories slows down your metabilism.

it doesnt mean you wont lose weight. it just means it will be slowly and your more likely to put it back on again

david081

I read a thread here earlier where someone said they were sticking to 1200 cals, working out every day but not losing. A lot of people were telling him "eat more to lose weight" rubbish! Try telling an African famine victim they will not lose weight if they don't eat enough. I believe 'starvation mode' is a short-term slow down in metabolism when our bodies realise they are not getting enough food, but it won't last long. Starving to lose weight is not a great plan because most who do this put it back on...

SusanMcAvoy

No, I don't believe in it. I suppose if I didn't eat for like a few days my body would slow down significantly. You're doing the right thing by exercising and keeping your metabolism going. I have lost 44 pounds and for the most part I ate between 1000 - 1300 calories during the major part of my loss. Fabulous job on your weight loss. Good luck and have a nice day!! :bigsmile:

PercivalHackworth

Funny how people consider that starvation mode as a myth. The underneath and real question is :
- Does my body adapts to what I bring to it ? I dare anyone to tell me no :-)

The body is an incredible thing, and it's ability to adapt to it's environment amazes me more and more since I'm learning how it works.

When you lower you income, you start to loose weight very quickly, then you slow less and less. Sometimes you gain (water retention for instance).
Ask yourself the somes questions that might put you on the right track :
1- Why, if I think It's pure numbers, the day after I eat less, I gain weight sometimes ?
2- Why do I do water retention, and that water goes out if I drink more water ?
3- Why if sometimes I eat 5000 kcal, I only gain 700 grams the next day ?
4- Why on extreme diets, I keep loosing muscles while my body fat doesn't move
etc...

Cheers

brookepenni

I dont and I'm getting really, really sick of all the forum posts here lately TELLING us what to do. Everyone is sudenly an expert on complete strangers bodies - even people who are 100lbs overweight and been here for a week are suddenly experts on my body.

Ive stuck to 1200-1400 calories since May, lost 55lbs (25kgs) and never had a gain - during this time Ive also spent 5 weeks on international or interstate holidays too. I dont eat my exercise calories back (well obviously sometimes just 200) and I am so over people telling me to eat more or that my muscles are drying up. I have just 5kgs to go now - and I understand it will slow. I wont be posting a 'help me' post once it slows, or even if I plateau which I know is inevitable soon.

Blah blah, spout your science all you want (outdated and un specific that it is) - but do what you want with YOUR body. Leave me to do mine! (OK, rant over).

PercivalHackworth

Thanks for the reply. In fact, you are totally right here :-)

Everybody reacts differently.
Thus it takes times to know/ deal with our own body. I wrote that because I made big mistakes, and by wanted to control my body, I pushed too far and payed the price. I won't tell you what you need to do strictly, see them more like mistakes to avoid. Here is what I've written yesterday into another post : (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/455079-cheat-days)

"In fact after I read tons and tons of people diet story, the only conclusion that comes is "Listen to your body, being too restrictive is the worst thing to do". "

I apology if I may hurt you brookepenni

brookepenni

"In fact after I read tons and tons of people diet story, the only conclusion that comes is "Listen to your body, being too restrictive is the worst thing to do". "

I apology if I may hurt you brookepenni

No its all good - it wasnt you specifically. I have just noticed these last couple of weeks soooo many posts on starvation mode and people really being quite agressive telling others they MUST eat back their exercise calories. I laugh though when this advise comes from quite clearly obese people who have litteraly been on mfp for 1-2 weeks (who died and made them experts?). What annoys me more is how impressionable people take snippets and run with it as gospel - then you start seeing replies which say "I read somewhere that you need to..." Or my favourite this week was someone claimed that MFP need to take a recent post (by someone who was sharing his experience with the dreaded plateau and starvation mode) and turn it into a FAQ or instructions for new people. Since when is someones experience scientific fact? When did we consider just 1 person to be all that there is. Since when do we ignore science and just take one persons advice?!? Argh!

What you state is exactly right. Learn your own body - dont reply on others opinions or experience. We are not sheep - we are all individuals with different ways of doing things. Unless you do everything perfect, you are not like me. So why should I think I am like you?!

Edited to add: Generally speaking - it is so dangerous to take medical advice from the internet, strangers or unvalidated sources.... And this is what this is - medical advice. We are playing with our bodies, our lives.

But yeah, nothing about you personally Razique!

PercivalHackworth

Yeah, +1
It could be dangerous. But sometimes I'd rather see people here posting their dangerous diet plan and having it noticed rather than someone who's about to die slowly by eating one apple per day :-(

I think we should, when we know them, teach the big, big principles, but not giving at all medical advices, I agree, I see that more and more. In the end, people follow blindly, and don't think (like u said, sheeps )
thanks for the reminder :-)

popchex

Not so much the way it's used here, I believe in the body's responses and "feast" or "famine" though, on a long term basis. Not over the course of a day though. Over months? Yes.

Kym1610

I think 1200 is not a magic one size fits all number, and that the term "starvation mode" is over used by people that don't fully understand the term.

eayal002

I don't think the question is on starvation mode do you loss weight, more what happens when you start eating more calories when you reach your goal? How does your body react? Because it has been deprived does it begin to store or with exercise has your metabolism gotten to a point where you will be burning extra calories.

I suggest a very slow increase of calories when you reach your goal.

With that said, I'm on the mind set you have to feed it to loss. I think your body's overall health is better when it is getting the nutrients it needs and I just don't believe it can from 1200 calories specially if you are also doing an exercise routine be cardio or weight training. That's my 1 cent won't even say it's worth 2

Angelabec

I found this quite interesting, it explains where the theory of starvation came from, and why, in essence, it's incorrect.

http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html

I'm also quite interested to know where people came up with the idea that you need to eat back your exercise calories. I understand that people get hungrier if they have done more, that's fine, and I understand that it shouldn't hinder your projected weight loss if you do, as long as you are still in deficit, but I can't understand the insistence that you 'must' do this. As I understand it, you need to eat an approximate amount of calories - between 1000 to 1200 depending on the person, to meet your nutritional needs. Once you have eaten them, they don't disappear if you exercise though, so unless you are wanting to create muscle and therefore requiring extra protein, why do you actually 'need' more? I've not seen anything on here to make me believe that it is necessary, and even MFP, which gives you dire warnings about actually eating under 1200, doesn't say anything about your net calories.

Sorry that was a bit of a rant, but I just felt the need to say it

zoodalia

I find if I eat slightly lower than I should I hardly lose much at all but some time ago I was unhappy and ate about 100 calories a day for about 6 weeks and lost 30 pounds in the first month (bear in mind I was only a UK size 12 to start with so weight shouldn't have been falling off me!).

I think that if you give your body a little it hangs on to it, but if you give it hardly anything it has nothing to hang on to. If that makes sense.

P.S. I'm not condoning rapid weightloss, it's so unhealthy and I put it all back on again once I cheered up!

bsalis76

Nope.. don't believe in it.

However, having said that... if your serious about permanent weight loss and healthier living. You would eat properly, exercise, and take your time loosing the excess.

Fit4_Life

I'm on a 1,000 cal diet. No, I do not believe in "starvation mode". If I lift weights and want to gain muscle, well ya..maybe I would consider it. But, I'm one who is not very motivated to start lifting weights, just yet. Maybe when I lose my 50 lbs first. Only you know your body, what you can and can't do.

Pattinan

I was losing weight pretty regularly and feeling great. Then...I did some reading on the message boards about "starvation mode" and spent the last 2 wks trying to make sure I eat my 1200 ca. I am not eating back my exercise calories. I am gaining weight!! Geez...I was better off with my 1000 ca while trying to lose.