Starvation mode article that I found very VERY helpful....

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  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    It's a beautiful thing you want to help people. I applaud it , thank you. But do we need to tell people they have an ED because they can't eat a lot of food? It's not your intentions in question it's your aproach. To everyone reading this take my opinion with a grain of salt. It's not going to make a difference either way i'll still be me and you you. Nothing wrong with that. We can all be happy if we accept that.

    34 year old male netting 650 cals a day? You have an eating disorder. Sorry this is news to you.
  • mom2lakenjj
    mom2lakenjj Posts: 29
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    OK - I have not read any previous posts (at work)

    Sorry to say this - but here you are 4 years later with 60lbs to lose - I don't know much about you, but it sounds as if whatever you did last time was not a sustainable change in your life.......

    Personally I want to be fit - but I also just want to do this once - and then maintain my new found weight for the rest of my life....

    Right from day one it was important to me to do this in a sustainable way - and the first thing that meant was never to starve myself - I have made a vow never to go below 1400 calories a day - and preferably more than that....

    So far so good - I still have a bit to go - and it is going much slower than before, but as a wise woman posted yesterday - the time will still pass - and in the end I will get to my goal - and be able to stay there...






    Actually it did work very well! Kept the weight off for 2 1/2 years..go back a little ways & I said why I put back on weight...and NO it wasn't because I had another baby haha ANYONE following ANY plan would have gained it back in my personal situation..it worked very well for me for quite some time really...go up a couple of posts & you'll see MY why :)
  • smileybooliz
    smileybooliz Posts: 193 Member
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    I don't believe that eating under 1200 will cause anyone to not lose or gain weight.

    I have first hand experience that eating under 1200 resulted in slower, more frustrating weight loss, with excessive loss of muscle, causing me to look a lot worse at my "goal weight" than I did years later eating around 1800-2000.

    Photos here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/494091-i-just-don-t-care-anymore

    So, if I could eat more and have better progress all around... why wouldn't I?!

    You've done a great job and it shows!! Good job!!
  • microwoman999
    microwoman999 Posts: 545 Member
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    bump
  • Seveen
    Seveen Posts: 14
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    the calories you eat to lose - aren't the calories you are going to eat to maintain . . .
  • harmonious1
    harmonious1 Posts: 49 Member
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    It kinda makes sense to me, cause I will eat 3 meals a day untill I'm full & still being a little under 1200, but I will be full n dont want to eat more. This is the one thing that confuses me the most.:huh: But I just read a few post and can understand why it's not healthy. I'm just going to keep on exercizing cause that was what I was not doing. But keeping track of my food n exercize, helps me stay in a frame, that's why I enjoy this site so much.
  • andrewNY
    andrewNY Posts: 1
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    Hello everyone.

    I wrote the blog post that this thread is referencing.

    I've updated it today due to all the traffic that was generated from this thread. I wanted to make sure it was understood what I was saying.

    I was never suggesting anyone starve themselves or eat super-low calorie for an extended period of time. I tried to make that as clear as possible in the post. If you're underweight and insist on starving yourself, you WILL go into a special type of "starvation mode" known as "death."

    Can I repeat again that i don't think people should starve themselves? Okay then.

    That being said, the term "starvation mode" -- as it's used often on diet message boards and in the weight loss industry -- is a myth. You can read the two volumes of The Biology of Human Starvation if you want the real science behind it. It will cost you about $120, and it's 1500 pages and dull as all hell, but if you're a fat person worried about starvation mode it will set your mind at ease.

    I'm someone who has lost 130 pounds and went at it in a highly experimental/scientific way and I enjoyed that because that's the personality I have. These days I've kind of ingrained this diet into my eating habits: http://thedeadweight.com/2008/07/11/7-word-diet/. But I really haven't thought much about my weight in a while now. I think ultimately that's the goal -- to not really think about it. Good luck to everyone here.
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    Well, as someone who had a damaged metabolism for years and have never been able to eat as much as most people without gaining weight, repairing my metabolism is of utmost importance to me. I have been working on slowly raising my calories to achieve this. Like many, I started here eating 1200 calories/day and not eating back my exercise calories. Yes, I lost scale weight. After awhile, I also become very exhausted, would need to nap after my workouts, and just didn't feel very good in general. After reading numerous posts debating this issue, I started eating back most of my exercise calories. I immediately started feeling better and no longer had to nap after exercising (or falling asleep on the couch at 7pm). Lately, I've also bumped my net goal up to 1400 calories/day and continue to try to eat most of my exercise calories on top of that. My energy levels continue to increase and I'm noticing that I'm able to work out more intensely in my workouts.

    It hasn't been easy to eat more without eating some calorie-dense treats as my stomach isn't used to eating large quantities of food. And, yes, my weight loss has slowed down a bit by doing this. However, from what I understand, as my body adjusts to the higher calorie level and begins to learn that I won't starve it, the weight loss may speed up again. Even if it doesn't, I'm still losing. Slowly but losing. But the best thing is that I don't even feel like I'm on a diet. I no longer feel deprived. It's a good thing.

    As I'm also lifting heavy to retain as much muscle mass as I can while losing, it just makes sense that my body needs the fuel to do this. I have to admit, I do have days where my nutritious isn't very good. But I'm working on that as well.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
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    you can't eat enough food to satisfy the recommended daily vitamin intake

    that's why you you need a multiple vitamin - dieting or not

    i doubt folks are counting the grams of vitamin c, vitamin d - my food diary doesn't do that
    Mine tracks some of them, such as vitamin A, iron, calcium, and yes, vitamin C. The one I use is called MyFitnessPal.
  • JadeRabbit08
    JadeRabbit08 Posts: 551 Member
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    So yeah make her eat more than than she can physically eat so she can meet your standards. Great. I agree if you can eat more eat more if you can't you can't. I can't eat a ton I don't have an eating disorder I Iove food. I think it's unfair and unhelpful to be so judgmental.Some people do have an Ed this term does not need to be thrown out like it has no meaning. Ed is a serious thing and just because people don't eat as much as you can does not mean they have an ED.
    I usually eat under 750 calories BUT its not be cause im trying to have it help me lose weight.

    I eat all throughout the day and im full to the max when i finish eating.

    WHATS THE ISSUE?

    People would rather me eat until im sick just so i can say im eating over 1000 calories?

    No thank you.

    What's the issue? Anorexia. Eating that little is disordered eating. That's the nutritional requirements of a 30 pound Cocker Spaniel.

    Oh please! People would rather you stop putting up straw men to deflect from the fact how you are eating is not sustainable if you want to be healthy.
    Typical psychological defense to acuse people of being hard hearted "wanting" you to throw up so you dont have to face the flaws in your logic. No one is buying that pity-puppy.

    Eat some good healthy fats full of omega 3. Tiny amount of food, very calorie dense, and NOT junk food. All the stuff your brain needs to function. You wont overload your stomach. I can't eat gluten or dairy without getting ill and I have no problem eating clean and going well over 1500.

    Nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut oil (controversial you need to do the research and decide for yourself on that one). Find a healthy blended drink with added protein powder for breakfast. I thought it was impossible to eat more than 1200 at first now its easy. Chai seeds high cal, insanely good for you, 1 tablespoon or two a day.

    Great that you eat a lot of vegies so many people don't.

    Within a few weeks your appetite will increase to a healthy level so you will be able to start meeting your nuitritional requirements.

    Good luck
  • watboy
    watboy Posts: 380 Member
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    Umm no and umm sometimes I eat more. And I'm not worried about losing weight as a matter of fact I didn't join mfp to lose weight I did it to track protein and carbs because i've been weightlifting and building muscle. And I've eaten this way for pretty much all my life I don't have a huge appetite. I wasn't fat because of how much I ate but what I ate. I eat tons of lean meats and have protein shakes and have vitamin supplements I also eat lots of vegetables. Also tons of people on this site do not eat all of their workout calories and they don't have eating disorders. I have like I said an average of 1300 or so calories I eat every day. However I work out a lot for fun because I really enjoy it. By the time I am done working out my net obviously goes down but I have already eaten plenty of food and I'm full. That is not an eating disorder you obviously don't actually know what that is. There are people who are starving themselves to be skinny I am not one of those nor do I think it's a good idea the point my post was to point out not everyone can eat a ton of food and they shouldn't be belittled or labeled as having an ED just because they can't eat anymore. You missed that point, And honestly your opinion means nothing to me, I don't know you nor care to know you and I have an awesome life so worry about you not me because I know I'm not worried about you at all.
    It's a beautiful thing you want to help people. I applaud it , thank you. But do we need to tell people they have an ED because they can't eat a lot of food? It's not your intentions in question it's your aproach. To everyone reading this take my opinion with a grain of salt. It's not going to make a difference either way i'll still be me and you you. Nothing wrong with that. We can all be happy if we accept that.

    34 year old male netting 650 cals a day? You have an eating disorder. Sorry this is news to you.
  • watboy
    watboy Posts: 380 Member
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    thanks I had clicked complete entry stilldoesn't say it lol not sure why I never seen that message.

    I have the iphone app i've never seen that pop up. I netted 588 today, weird

    It pops up after you hit complete entry
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    the calories you eat to lose - aren't the calories you are going to eat to maintain . . .

    Actually, eating the calories you're going to eat to maintain is a VERY effective way to lose weight in a slow and healthy manner.

    I'm eating about the same now that I'm maintaining my weight as I was a year ago when I was losing weight. I'm maybe eating on average 200 calories more. When I weighed more a year ago, not only did I burn more calories doing the same sorts of activities I do now, but the calories required to maintain that weight was higher, so those two factors created a greater calorie deficit.

    Checking my food diary, one year ago today, I ate a total of 1780 calories. Yesterday, I ate 2039. That's only 259 calories difference.
  • bluberrygoo
    bluberrygoo Posts: 222 Member
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    To each their own.
  • sdrawkcabynot
    sdrawkcabynot Posts: 466 Member
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    I feel happier and stronger than ever and I'm never depriving myself of yummy foods. I am 100% against any sort of starvation mode because I know that it is possible to do it in a much healthier way and that starvation not only hurts a body physically, but can also lead to mental damage such as control issues, depression and even anxiety :/ I'm also minoring in nutrition and all of my classes so far disagree with eating less than 1200 calories per day because it's just not good for your body

    *Applause!*

    How many times have we seen thread where someone with a low calorie goal is all stressed out because they *gasp!* ate a slice of pizza? Or had to share a piece of fruit with someone because it had too many calories? That's not a healthy, normal approach to food.

    I don't think I've ever seen any of my friends who eat around 1800 or so have bouts of food-guilt.

    Food guilt goes hand in hand with eating disorders. I know - I suffered from one for 9 years.
  • LoggingForLife
    LoggingForLife Posts: 504 Member
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    Coincidently, there was this article today on the MSN website talking about how movie stars drop weight rapidly for a role and when they do this, the weight comes back quickly and as more fat than muscle. You can find an article to support whichever side of the fence you stand on.



    http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/07/10603095-mila-kunis-black-swan-and-how-extreme-diets-warp-your-body
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    the calories you eat to lose - aren't the calories you are going to eat to maintain . . .

    Sometimes it is - some people chose to eat at the maintenance levels of their target weight, so it's easier to maintain when they get there as they are used to those calories.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/471769-an-easier-way-to-setup-goal-calories-eating-for-who-you-wi
  • watboy
    watboy Posts: 380 Member
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    Great post and great thread you wrote. I agree with it 100% But as you know no matter what everyone on the internet thinks they are experts on both side of the spectrum, whether it's believing starvation mode is real or a myth like the Easter Bunny. And if you don't eat tons of calories you obviously have an eating disorder....of course it can't be your full and can't eat anymore, God forbid. Oh oh I used the G O D word hope that doesn't stir up yet another debate.



    Hello everyone.

    I wrote the blog post that this thread is referencing.

    I've updated it today due to all the traffic that was generated from this thread. I wanted to make sure it was understood what I was saying.

    I was never suggesting anyone starve themselves or eat super-low calorie for an extended period of time. I tried to make that as clear as possible in the post. If you're underweight and insist on starving yourself, you WILL go into a special type of "starvation mode" known as "death."

    Can I repeat again that i don't think people should starve themselves? Okay then.

    That being said, the term "starvation mode" -- as it's used often on diet message boards and in the weight loss industry -- is a myth. You can read the two volumes of The Biology of Human Starvation if you want the real science behind it. It will cost you about $120, and it's 1500 pages and dull as all hell, but if you're a fat person worried about starvation mode it will set your mind at ease.

    I'm someone who has lost 130 pounds and went at it in a highly experimental/scientific way and I enjoyed that because that's the personality I have. These days I've kind of ingrained this diet into my eating habits: http://thedeadweight.com/2008/07/11/7-word-diet/. But I really haven't thought much about my weight in a while now. I think ultimately that's the goal -- to not really think about it. Good luck to everyone here.
  • jenbk2
    jenbk2 Posts: 623 Member
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    Not to be rude- but yes you lost weight- but you gained weight back. You need to eat sensibly - starving your body mean starving your brain. That can lead to fault decisions.
  • mom2lakenjj
    mom2lakenjj Posts: 29
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    To each their own.

    Think i'll try it my way for a bit...see what happens and most definitely report back here!!! ;)

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