Starvation - Explain this to me... (Please!)

asmithson19

So, about 7years ago (I was 22), an arsehole broke my heart - My way of dealing with it was to not eat... I ate very, very little for a 6-8week period and lost about 10kg (22lbs) - The weight literally fell off.
(I went from mid 60's to mid 50's kg's - I am 5'3 with very broad hips and shoulder, at mid 50kg's I looked very, very slim).

I walked most days, but it was more of a stroll listening to break up songs, I wouldn't call it exercise... :yawn:

I gradually start to eat again but did not gain the weight back - I maintained it for about 2 years without really exercising or watching what I ate...

THE QUESTION:
It is possible my body reacts differently to this whole starvation thing? Losing weight this way worked before and I and so desperately want to do it again - WHY? Because I promise you it worked for me!! I just don't get it!?

Oh and btw - I am NOT one of those people who is just lucky - I look at chocolate and gain weight!

bsalis76

Starvation mode is a bit of a myth. Your metabolism will slow, but the fundamental of energy-in-energy-out always rules.

funkycamper

When you lose weight quickly, you lose a higher percentage of the things you don't want to lose called your LBM (Lean Body Mass). This is made up of muscles and other connective tissues. These are the things that burn calories at a faster rate than fat does. Losing more slowly helps you retain more LBM which is healthier in the long run and will keep you looking better at a lower weight. And don't forget your heart is a muscle. It is possible to cause damage to it as well.

If you are the type of person who gains weight just looking at chocolate, then this is the last thing you want to do as it will just increase that tendency.

Vanilladays

Hello, it was a sad time for you when you lost weight that way.....my advise is not to revisit it.
Losing weight is such a personal journey, highly emotional and confronting so look forward not back for a way that works for you. You see people losing weight by not eating, but you also see people starving and surviving JUST!!!! You can't conceivably MAINTAIN weight loss by not eating. This is the trap so many people fall into. You set yourself up to fail.
Metabolism plays such a big part in weight loss. If you are lucky enough to have a good (undamaged) metabolism then you may well lose weight easily when you cut calories. If you are like me then the less you eat the harder it becomes!
I was at my wits end until recently. Because I just couldn't manage losing the last 15+ kg I had to go. Even when I ate very little I found I couldn't keep my weight loss going. So I kept giving up and straight away I would gain what I had struggled for weeks to lose. This went on for over two years.
I knew a little about 'starvation' mode but found myself falling into the trap regardless.
I recently joined Curves and something clicked and I started to really understand what I have been learning about for so long. My body needs to be fed. Starving it only sent messages to start storing those carbs.....stored as FAT! Now this is a scientific fact NOT a myth.
So a calorie intact too restrictive will not help in the long haul. Healthier choices, lots of natural (less processed) foods and enough exercise is all it takes. Watch the calories of course....I am quite obsessive about this now.
When I began counting calories I started at 1200, I did this for two months and lost about 7kg but hit a plateau. I then increased to 1600 and have lost over 9kg in two months. That's with a few days of 2000+ as my metabolism tweakers. Scientific studies have shown you restart weight loss better by eating more rather than less. I have found if I am plateauing then having a day or two of higher intake followed by a day or two of 1200 gets things moving again.
Just to give you a brief picture of my journey, I have lost 60+kg over about 10 years. I hit plateau after plateau until recently and find now I am finally in control.
Ultimately you have to enjoy life, losing weight has to enhance this enjoyment not tie you in knots and take away any normality. I never felt NORMAL, I always thought of myself as unlucky or different when it came to my body, that I was doomed to be overweight cause it was just too hard. I changed that image of myself and have amazed myself with what I am now achieving.
You are young and deserve to be happy and healthy. Make the right choices and you will have everything you dream of.
xo

Vanilladays

Starvation mode is a bit of a myth. Your metabolism will slow, but the fundamental of energy-in-energy-out always rules.

This is true only to a point.......depriving your body of nutrients ie food will cause weight loss AND energy loss. Less energy in means less to spare in the form of exercise. I haven't seen a starving person have enough energy to exercise substantially. Usually they are sitting listlessly, conserving energy. Our brains need to be fed in order to function efficiently. Feed your body wisely and you will keep it well tuned and healthy.

xraychick77

what is the exact question here?

sure you can starve yourself and lose a lot of weight (no such thing as starvation mode)...and after you start eating again, as long as you are at or around your T.E.E. calorie intake you wont gain anything either.

fatcushman

can understand feeling low and not eating in the past from your break up BUT why would u starve ur self again! do it the healthy way!

jennifershoo

Would it worked? Probably
Is it an healthy way to lose weight? NO

ironanimal

I'd like to give your diet a name. I think I'll call it the Third World diet. Really, there is no reason for you to starve yourself in order to lose weight and it most definitely isn't healthy. Without nutrients, your body will start to break down and do irreversible damage to itself, given enough time.

skyeashlee

My Fiance lost a significant amount of weight from the same problem a few yrs ago - heartbreak ...
I think your mind.body.soul were suffering and hopefully ur not in that same state of mind so the same approach may not have the same effect this time round...
Each body is completely different so will certainly react differently than others to this starvation mode, altho as u prob are aware its not the way to go about it and ur body will prob store any fat you consume and hold onto it... once you start eating better or indulge more often the weight will come back tenfold and put you in a yo-yo dieiting position.. thats my theory anyway !!
I think you have enough determination to eat right, and to lose weight and feel good whilst doing it !!!
When people ask how did you lose that weight? wouldnt it feel nicer to say by living a healthier happy lifestyle as opposed to a weight loss journey you once discovered through heartbreak and depression where you simply didnt eat and just moped around ?? Ive seen someone in my fam lose weight in a very unhealthy state and I want to be an example that weight loss can be done in the right ways, whilst still loving food, and life!! :O)
I also googled this for you which may help:

"...Many weight loss coaches use the term “starvation mode” to describe your body’s natural response to protect itself when you don’t eat enough for extended periods. When you regularly eat too little food to provide your body with the necessary nutrients, it perceives itself to be in danger from starvation. Since your body is wonderfully designed to protect you, it will slow down your metabolism to conserve energy so it can keep vital organs such as the brain and the heart going for as long as possible in the face of the perceived threat. While it will burn fat for fuel, it will also start burning lean muscle mass for fuel, which will slow down your metabolism even further. People on starvation diets invariably find that they regain all the weight they’ve lost (and then some) very quickly as soon as they start eating again.

While a starvation diet may help you lose weight quite fast in the short term, you will pay a heavy price because you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of weight problems. Your metabolism gets progressively slower with each day you remain on a starvation diet. This resultant slower metabolism needs less fuel, so you consistently have to eat less and less to lose weight! As your metabolism slows down even further and your lean muscle mass dwindles you will also find that you become more and more tired. This in turn means you will get less exercise, which leaves you with less lean muscle, and an even slower metabolism. It really is a vicious cycle. The importance of protecting your lean muscle mass to boost your metabolism can not be stressed enough.

The question arises: when does your body go into starvation mode? As with anything that involves the human body, there is no one single answer that will be true for everyone. The levels at which starvation mode kicks in vary from person to person. What we can do though, is understand how it gets triggered so we can avoid getting our bodies in that state. Your decision of how much to eat should be based on your individual Total Daily Energy Requirements, which takes into account a variety of factors including height, weight, age, gender and activity levels. If you want to lose weight safely, without setting off the alarm bells in your body; aim to eat approximately 300 – 500 calories less than your total daily requirements. This will provide your body with enough fuel to keep it going comfortably, but will still create a sufficient caloric deficit to ensure that you lose weight. To protect your metabolism even further, make sure your diet contains enough protein and that you maintain / increase your activity levels..."