The Starvation (mode) Myth

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

I ate under 1200 calories and lost weight. Not only did I lose weight, I lost body fat and gained lean mass. So it can be done in a healthy manner.

There's no such a thing as losing weight & gaining lean body mass at the same time. How could you gain body mass if the scale is pointing downwards? It only means you're losing weight whether it is from fat or muscle but definitely don't gain any lean body mass. If that's the case then your weight should stay the same or even gain a little weight but you're getting smaller.

SassyCalyGirl

I ate under 1200 calories and lost weight. Not only did I lose weight, I lost body fat and gained lean mass. So it can be done in a healthy manner.

There's no such a thing as losing weight & gaining lean body mass at the same time. How could you gain body mass if the scale is pointing downwards? It only means you're losing fat but definitely don't gain any lean body mass.

and you would be wrong. I had my stats done professionally, before and after.

vjrose

It is an interesting approach, I was amused by the ad for Weight Watchers points system. However, the quoted literature is all 10 or more years old and there is newer research. The post goes to show that we all must find what WE as individuals need to do for our own journey. WW works for many thousands of people, some of us not so much. I tried the low cal approach, didn't work for beans, pushed it up around 1500 a day and now I'm losing steadily. So to make it seem as if everyone can do 1,000 calories a day is a bit misleading. Now a sedentary 175+ pound person is very different from an athletic or someone who does 2-5 miles of moving every day. On 1200 a day I was tired (eating carefully balanced meals, I am a biologist, lol) going to bed at 8, just not fueling my body correctly. So, very low calories do not work for all, however, they do work for many and congratulations to those for whom it works.

SassyCalyGirl

It is an interesting approach, I was amused by the ad for Weight Watchers points system. However, the quoted literature is all 10 or more years old and there is newer research. The post goes to show that we all must find what WE as individuals need to do for our own journey. WW works for many thousands of people, some of us not so much. I tried the low cal approach, didn't work for beans, pushed it up around 1500 a day and now I'm losing steadily. So to make it seem as if everyone can do 1,000 calories a day is a bit misleading. Now a sedentary 175+ pound person is very different from an athletic or someone who does 2-5 miles of moving every day. On 1200 a day I was tired (eating carefully balanced meals, I am a biologist, lol) going to bed at 8, just not fueling my body correctly. So, very low calories do not work for all, however, they do work for many and congratulations to those for whom it works.

well put! Thank you.

uk_ja

The problem with the term starvation mode is that people think of it as a switch that turns on and off but in reality it is just a process the body goes through when it has a restricted amount of calories. Restrict the calories by too much and the body starts to slow down and it will continue to slow down until it is able to keep the body functioning on the limited amount of calories you feed it.

Really low calories diets are a waste of peoples time, they start off with low calories and lose a large amount of weight,
weeks 1-3 - 3lb a week
weeks 4-6 - 2lb a week
weeks 7-9 - 1lb a week
week 10 Plateau

then they hit that plateau. Weight loss stalls and they work hard, diet hard, feel hungry, miserable and the whole thing seems pointless because the body is fighting to hold onto what it can. Your only option at this point is to reduce your calories again to start the weight loss but you probably don't have many calories left to reduce from. SO you lost 19 lb in 10 weeks, slowed your metabolism down to a crawl. The only option left is to eat more to speed your metabolism back up but in doing that you will gain weight back before it happens and so the vicious cycle starts again.

If they had started out with an easy 1lb a week weight lose the body would not need to slow down, you'll eat more and thus feel better and the weight would slowly come of 1lb a week which will be sustainable

weeks 1-3 - 1lb a week
weeks 4-6 - 1lb a week
weeks 7-9 - 1lb a week
week 10 onwards 1lb a week

This way you'll take 19 weeks to reach the same goal but you will not plateau and you will carry on losing weight this way until you reach your goal weight.

Now this is all just my opinion on how it works, I have no scientific background or any facts to back it up, it's just how it worked for me when I lost my weight. I did the whole 1000 calories a day and lost 70lb, I went from 320-250 and then it stopped and I felt hungry, tired. I changed my diet, started eating 2000 calories a day, gained 20lb and then started losing again at 1lb a week to go from 270-180 without any more plateaus and I didn't do anything special other than weigh my portions and keep my calories at about 2000-2200 a day.

merzback

Food=Fuel!!!!
Not rocket science people. If someone put me on a 800 to 1000 calorie diet a day , that is NOTHING I could sustain long term. Honesty I doubt I could go for a day eating so little without severe headaches and crankiness. I do NOT believe it is enough for most people long term - we are looking at LONG TERM here- not just short term I need to diet to look good at my class reunion silliness. We are looking at health. THat's why I eat back exercise calories- maybe not ALL of them- but I listen to my body. Yesterday I burned over 700 calories exercising. Sure if I only eat 1200 calories I may see weight drop off fast. I am NOT looking for fast, I am looking for steady LONG term, something I can live with in a healthy way.

savage22hp

Never say never and never say always 'cause it never fails that there is always an exception to the rule

jhardenbergh

I will read this later.

Z_I_L_L_A

My diary is all over the place, MFP says I need 2000 a day for 1 lb. weight loss a week. I don't weigh my food and how accurate is the food diary on here . Also the exercise diary and my HRM is different, plus the better shape I'm in the more efficient my body is and the exercise diary is not gonna be the same for everybody. Everyone is different, like my heart rate and the rate I burn calories will be different than the next person. With me its a test and go, I don't believe in a magic button or easy pill. Weight loss is not easy, you will have to work one way or another . Quit looking for the easy way out, do the work, do the research, learn your body. My daughter can eat all day and not gain a pound, the only way she can sustain weight is to weight train. We had her thyroid checked and the level was non-existant which would make you think she would gain weight uncontrollably but she doesn't. She is very athletic though. So who the hell knows for sure. I lost 45 lbs. in 3.5 months because I changed my eating habits, what I eat and how much and I worked my @ss off in the gym. I didn't look for the cheat switch because there isn't one. I didn't waste valuable time looking for the easy way out. DO THE WORK! I repeat weight loss is not easy you will have to work. No matter how you get there if you don't eat right and be active after you get to your goal the weight will come back so why not do it right from the get go. What works for you may not work for the next person. JMHO, Good luck on your weight loss journey to weight loss and sustaining your GW weight.

quietpotato

@Aloha

That's great advice for people with health insurance. The rest of us just have to make do with what we can learn from the internet.

IronSmasher

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?desktop_uri=/watch?v=VQ5zoZB0hdg&v=VQ5zoZB0hdg&gl=GB

The whole program is interesting, but 5min onwards is relevant to this topic.

The only problem I have is when people start claiming weight gain from eating too little. That just breaks all kinds of laws.

IronSmasher

I ate under 1200 calories and lost weight. Not only did I lose weight, I lost body fat and gained lean mass. So it can be done in a healthy manner.

There's no such a thing as losing weight & gaining lean body mass at the same time. How could you gain body mass if the scale is pointing downwards? It only means you're losing fat but definitely don't gain any lean body mass.

and you would be wrong. I had my stats done professionally, before and after.

Were the stats in percentages?

MissFit0101

You can ingest a tapeworm to lose weight as well, definitely doesn't mean you'll be healthy!!!

jjblogs

Hmmm....been watching these debates about starvation mode for a while. Got to thinking about people who fast. It doesn't seem to hurt them any. Fasting has been popular for numerous reasons...even lengthy fasts. I think it's very important to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. But, when dieting, fasting, or even cleansing the body, I don't think the lower calories are going to kill anyone unless you do it for very lengthy periods of time. The key is, when you do eat...eat healthy!

LuciaLongIsland

Very informative. However, my friend has celiac, now a bowel inflammation. She had surgery. Every time she eats she get violently ill. She is down to 80 pounds and IS starving. I wish she would gain.

Fattack

And its posts like this where people get the idea of what they are doing to their bodies is okay. IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE NUTRIENTS YOU NEED. Most people will never get the nutrients they need on a 1000 calories a day diet or less. Maybe starvation mode isn't the right word but YOU ARE HURTING YOUR BODY. You NEED a certain amount of NUTRIENTS to make your body run. If you eat only 1000 calories and not meeting your nutrient goal, you really are hurting your body and you really will suffer in the end. I'm a nursing major and am in the process of taking my second nutrition class and I'm pretty sure both of my professors whom have their phd know what they're talking about when they tell us 1200 calories a day for women and 1500 for men. Also you should never be more than 1000 calories in debt for a single day. That is not healthy in any way shape or form. If you want to be in a deficit of 1000 calories for a day try being in a deficit of 500 with food and get up and go to the gym or take a walk to burn calories.

Just sayin. I can't believe people post stuff like this and encourage people to under eat. Makes me sick.

This

LuciaLongIsland

Hmmm....been watching these debates about starvation mode for a while. Got to thinking about people who fast. It doesn't seem to hurt them any. Fasting has been popular for numerous reasons...even lengthy fasts. I think it's very important to get all the nutrients you need to stay healthy. But, when dieting, fasting, or even cleansing the body, I don't think the lower calories are going to kill anyone unless you do it for very lengthy periods of time. The key is, when you do eat...eat healthy!

Yes!!! It needs to be a long time. That is what all my doctors said. Heavy people will not starve to death unless they deprive themselves for a Long time.

MaximalLife

And its posts like this where people get the idea of what they are doing to their bodies is okay. IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE NUTRIENTS YOU NEED. Most people will never get the nutrients they need on a 1000 calories a day diet or less. Maybe starvation mode isn't the right word but YOU ARE HURTING YOUR BODY. You NEED a certain amount of NUTRIENTS to make your body run. If you eat only 1000 calories and not meeting your nutrient goal, you really are hurting your body and you really will suffer in the end. I'm a nursing major and am in the process of taking my second nutrition class and I'm pretty sure both of my professors whom have their phd know what they're talking about when they tell us 1200 calories a day for women and 1500 for men. Also you should never be more than 1000 calories in debt for a single day. That is not healthy in any way shape or form. If you want to be in a deficit of 1000 calories for a day try being in a deficit of 500 with food and get up and go to the gym or take a walk to burn calories.

Just sayin. I can't believe people post stuff like this and encourage people to under eat. Makes me sick.

I leave people to their own failures.
Remember, you were warned.

snookumss

I ate under 1200 calories and lost weight. Not only did I lose weight, I lost body fat and gained lean mass. So it can be done in a healthy manner.

There's no such a thing as losing weight & gaining lean body mass at the same time. How could you gain body mass if the scale is pointing downwards? It only means you're losing fat but definitely don't gain any lean body mass.

and you would be wrong. I had my stats done professionally, before and after.

Were the stats in percentages?

Seriously dont start a little argument. Its common knowledge early amateur lifters will gain muscle despite a deficit. Its only for noobs, doesnt last long but does happen quite often. Its how they lose inches but not lbsor even gain a bit at first.

IronSmasher

Sorry, I was hoping to settle one, not get involved.

ironanimal

thank you for posting this. the simple fact of the matter is that if you are eating less/consuming less cals and working out you will lose weight.

Yes, but what kind of "weight" will it be?

Lean body mass?
Bottom line is you can find anybody to agree with your absurd notions of unhealthy weight loss..
And if you want to fail, starve yourself.

Go right ahead - be my guest.
For those here who want to succeed and be fit for life, run from any diet that restricts food too much.

MFP recommends 1 lb per week for a reason.
Be smart and do this the right way. Don't cheat yourself.

1 lb may not sound sexy, but in a year, that's 52 lbs - wow!

It's not a race folks.

Pretty much this.

If you undereat, your body uses muscle for fuel. So, go ahead. It doesn't matter what you call it - eating too little regularly is stupid. And you won't necessarily lose weight on a calorie defecit as many people discover when the scale doesn't move. You need to get to the point of eating like a chronic bulemic or anorexic for that to work - and at that point, your body is literally eating itself.

kwest_4_fitness

All I want to know is who among you is a medical doctor, registered nurse, dietician or nutritionist? And if you are any of the four, I congratulate you on being able to diagnose the entire population of the earth and prescribe the best way to lose weight based on internet studies.

The WW post is an interesting read and is a science based study, as are many other studies that can be dug up. However, WW did not become the number one rated weight loss system by physically damaging massive numbers of its members. And yet it is correct to assume that their plan will not work for everyone.

Everyone individual is different; different tastes, different metabolisms, different activity levels, different physical disorders, different commitment levels. Not a one of us is exactly the same. If I eat 1200 calories a day and do not consume back exercise calories and still lose 60 lbs, you may not. Simple as that. People who are not medically qualified to give advice (personal trainers are NOT medically qualified to give nutritional advice, sorry) should not be handing it out. :grumble:

emrys1976

It's an interesting article and, as a medical professional, I do value evidence and peer-reviewed studies and such. However, medical researchers, doctors, etc. put far too much emphasis on hard evidence (in the form of measurable numbers) and bodies are far too complex for that sort of simplification. I lost 50 lbs before starting with MFP by restricting my average intake to between 500 and 1000 cal per day (yes, I have an eating disorder and am working on that) then stopped losing weight for over a month, even though my intake was still only 1000-1300. My BMR is calculated at 1900 (TDEE at 2300) so there's no reason for me to not lose weight according to numbers. Yet, my body is stalling because it's more complex than all that. Besides, if you do research on CRON lifestyles, you will find a heap of valid studies that will tell you bodies do decrease their metabolism dramatically in very restrictive diets.

MissFit0101

All I want to know is who among you is a medical doctor, registered nurse, dietician or nutritionist? And if you are any of the four, I congratulate you on being able to diagnose the entire population of the earth and prescribe the best way to lose weight based on internet studies.

The WW post is an interesting read and is a science based study, as are many other studies that can be dug up. However, WW did not become the number one rated weight loss system by physically damaging massive numbers of its members. And yet it is correct to assume that their plan will not work for everyone.

Everyone individual is different; different tastes, different metabolisms, different activity levels, different physical disorders, different commitment levels. Not a one of us is exactly the same. If I eat 1200 calories a day and do not consume back exercise calories and still lose 60 lbs, you may not. Simple as that. People who are not medically qualified to give advice (personal trainers are NOT medically qualified to give nutritional advice, sorry) should not be handing it out. :grumble:

It certainly doesn't take someone with a degree to know that not eating enough is just dumb.

Saftlad

... People who are not medically qualified to give advice (personal trainers are NOT medically qualified to give nutritional advice, sorry) should not be handing it out. :grumble:

That may be true in USA, but in other parts of the world Personal Trainers ARE qualified to give nutritional advice. Would you be surprised to hear that most medical professionals are no more or less qualified to give nutritional advice than Personal Trainers?

Being a nutritionist requires very little in the way of regulation or qualification. Being a dietician however does require a long and very intense university education, and is quite strictly regulated.

kwest_4_fitness

There are two things everyone has.
Opinions and *kitten*
Which one are you gonna share with the world??
Really, because something isn't right in line with YOUR point of view, doesn't make it wrong, just not right for you.
Don't be mean to the girl just because she found support in something that feels wrong to you.

Amen.

alyssamiller77

All I know is my own experience watching my wife battle a plateau. After losing almost 40+ pounds by cutting calories and working out, she hit a plateau. She hadn't been eating back her exercise calories and most days was just eating around 1200 total calories. She tried everything, adding more cardio, adding more strength training, being more disciplined about macros and sodium and such. None of it could get the scale or her shape to budge. Finally after much frustration she took my suggestion and started eating her exercise calories back. She's now eating a total of close to 2000 calories a day. After a little less than two weeks, her weight loss has taken off again.

I know for a fact she was not going through the speculated periods of over-eating, she was very controlled and disciplined. The link between eating more and breaking her plateau was very clear. So call it starvation mode, or call it something else, I firmly believe it exists because I've watched it first hand.

Saftlad

Of the references quoted, two make no mention of a return to prior levels of RMR, one was a study based on a 10 day period, and the other was unable to confirm or deny that basal metabolic rates were able to return to prior levels within a 12 week period.

Now, I'm not saying that WW had an ulterior motive in finding or quoting these studies, however I suspect that it wouldn't be too difficult to respond to their findings with contrary studies.

Take a look at some of the studies into the long-term effects of Bulimia, depressing stuff, especially around the loss of cardiac muscle and around the digestive tract.

thankyou4thevenom

And its posts like this where people get the idea of what they are doing to their bodies is okay. IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE NUTRIENTS YOU NEED. Most people will never get the nutrients they need on a 1000 calories a day diet or less. Maybe starvation mode isn't the right word but YOU ARE HURTING YOUR BODY. You NEED a certain amount of NUTRIENTS to make your body run. If you eat only 1000 calories and not meeting your nutrient goal, you really are hurting your body and you really will suffer in the end. I'm a nursing major and am in the process of taking my second nutrition class and I'm pretty sure both of my professors whom have their phd know what they're talking about when they tell us 1200 calories a day for women and 1500 for men. Also you should never be more than 1000 calories in debt for a single day. That is not healthy in any way shape or form. If you want to be in a deficit of 1000 calories for a day try being in a deficit of 500 with food and get up and go to the gym or take a walk to burn calories.

Just sayin. I can't believe people post stuff like this and encourage people to under eat. Makes me sick.

This.

Marig0ld

There are articles to support anything you WANT to believe. That being said, people should eat when they are hungry, anyone can lose weight, they will gain it back if they starved themselves to get there, that's about as simple as it gets. 1200calories is base, if you feel comfortable there, great, but normal people who need a bit more to function like humans will require more, and still lose weight.

Definitely this!