Do you believe in "starvation mode"

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  • mrsdizzyd84
    mrsdizzyd84 Posts: 422 Member
    Absolutely! I believe in it. It's a scientific FACT not an opinion.

    The question is how soon one gets there and what amount of calories keep you from going there. That is where the Debate comes in. Nevertheless, "starvation mode" absolutely exists. Just have a conversation with a recovering anorexic or bulimic. They'll tell you all about it. It totally screws up your metabolism.

    ETA: I think most of us don't have to worry about it at all unless we are doing something extreme that verges on an eating disorder, and even then it seems you have to do it over a very long period of time in order to make a difference.
  • cardigirl
    cardigirl Posts: 492 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing



    This link is the story that fit me to a tee! I think it's worth a read!
  • grannygethealthy1111
    grannygethealthy1111 Posts: 422
    Absolutely not because it does not exist.

    http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501&sc=801
  • lipglossjunky73
    lipglossjunky73 Posts: 497 Member
    For many of the reasons mentioned above, no. I think it is a nice excuse for us to eat more, LOL.

    It comes down to this - the more calories burned, the more weight you lose. The effects people usually see is NOT that they messed up their metabolism, but they have put themselves on a diet they could never maintain in the long run - so then they eat so much more than they should when they are finally off of it.

    Yo yo dieting is a very different thing. I believe in THAT.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
    Absolutely. I think people on this site definitely throw it around too liberally and inappropriately, but I definitely believe in it.

    After 6 months of my eating 900-1200 calories, I only lost about 8-10 pounds (and I was exercising at least four times a week - yoga, weight training, Zumba, circuit training, etc) and kept it off(to lose it, I was working out many hours a day and restricting to unreasonably low levels), but plateaued for the next five months. Recently, I intentionally raised my calories to a more stable 1200 cals, mostly of protein and a bit of healthy fat (I only eat super clean foods), and I gained two pounds in the first week or two... on 1200 cals!! Right after that, I had an exceptionally lazy week and ate about 2000 calories a day and (after having kept the weight off for 6 months) gained about 10 lbs in ONE week. You'd think it would mostly be water weight, but my arms, stomach, but and thighs definitely have a notable amount more of fat on them, and after 6 days now of dropping my calories back down and working out 1-3 hours each day, my body is still 5lbs higher than it was at the beginning of my bad week.
    I am twenty one. My metabolism shouldn't be this ****ed up. I'm really wanting to increase my calories (and I'm planning on just bumping up my daily cals by 50 one week at a time (ie. 1200, 1250,1300,1350, etc) until I can eat 1600 calories without gaining, it's just really discouraging to do it when 1200 makes me gain at this point.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member
    I prefer the term "storage mode." And yes, I "believe" in it, because it stalled my weight loss for a month. After I started eating closer to my BMR I lost 4 pounds. So, yes. Yes I do.

    Thank you for sharing this. This helps me be more comfortable with the idea of raising my calories)

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