Starvation Mode

MinMin97

It is used as a scare tactic. Nothing more. I don't even bother completing my daily log as it gives me the annoying message every time. If starvation mode as it is used on this board existed then you are correct, gastric bypass would not work and anorexics would not be under weight. I am not making fun of anyone, especially those with and ED. I'm saying that if starvation mode worked as "advertised" then it would not be an issue.

BTW - In 6 months I have only twice consumed more than 1,200 calories and I have lost over 85lbs, lost almost no muscle mass, and increased me HDL (good cholesterol). This calorie amount was recommend by both my MD and nutritionist who said that women can lose weight perfectly healthy on 1,200 per day. I defer to their judgement over a website.

This success of yours is good to know--congratulations! When logging my food, I notice I seem to be satisfied everyday on about 1500 calories so far. Less than that and the hunger builds up after a few days. I'm pretty active. It's good to know I don't need to eat more than that. Thanks for sharing!

meeka472

If you research the starvation mode theory, when they tested it people's metabolism slowed when they were at about 5% body fat and had been on extremely low calorie diets for quite a while. Even then they still lost weight just at a slightly slower (about 10%) rate.

If the starvation mode thing were really a huge problem, anorexics would never lose weight and people wouldn't die of starvation.

I think that the starvation mode is a scare tactic to discourage people from taking extreme methods to losing weight like starving themselves...

okay--well starve yourself, lose all of your muscle mass, reduce your metabolic rate, and then wind up skinny fat and unhappy--struggling to lose even more because your body still isn't even close to being where you want it to be despite having lost WEIGHT(mostly muscle).

I'm not starving myself. I'm on a medically supervised diet of 1200 calories per day and working with a personal trainer. I've toned up and lost weight. I'm just saying that it won't kill you to eat 1200 calories a day and still exercise. Especially if you are making sure you eat the right things. (ie. no simple carbs/less sodium and getting enough protein). I watch how many grams of proteins/carbs/fats/sodium I eat a day as well as the calories.

Actually my doctor pointed me out to this site because of the ability for me to log all my food and keep track of how much protein/sodium/fat/carbs I was eating. I print off my food/exercise diaries and take them in for the doctor to review...

skinnylove00

OKAY heres a scare tactic for you. starvation mode makes your hair fall out, makes your periods stop, makes your nails chip, your skin turn gaunt and yellow and your breath to STINK. what the hell is wrong with nourishing yourself? maybe THATS the reason you cant seem to keep the weight off.



thats me eating 600-800 cals a day, about 3 months into my sickness. starvation mode is REAL. and do NOT educate people on matters that you know very little about. it doesnt happen over night, of course, BUT if you religiously eat way less than 1,200 cals a day there are going to be inevitable health complications. that simply is NOT ENOUGH calories to sustain an active lifestyle! CMON GUYS LETS BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES HERE!

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

It is used as a scare tactic. Nothing more. I don't even bother completing my daily log as it gives me the annoying message every time. If starvation mode as it is used on this board existed then you are correct, gastric bypass would not work and anorexics would not be under weight. I am not making fun of anyone, especially those with and ED. I'm saying that if starvation mode worked as "advertised" then it would not be an issue.

BTW - In 6 months I have only twice consumed more than 1,200 calories and I have lost over 85lbs, lost almost no muscle mass, and increased me HDL (good cholesterol). This calorie amount was recommend by both my MD and nutritionist who said that women can lose weight perfectly healthy on 1,200 per day. I defer to their judgement over a website.

This success of yours is good to know--congratulations! When logging my food, I notice I seem to be satisfied everyday on about 1500 calories so far. Less than that and the hunger builds up after a few days. I'm pretty active. It's good to know I don't need to eat more than that. Thanks for sharing!

people hear what they want to hear. you'll do what you want to do--like most people starting out--rush off the starting line at a full sprint and teeter out. you'll regret it and then think back to this conversation.

Fit_Canuck

It typically doesn't bother me when people want to give their opinion on a subject, but when it comes to something so connected to your health and well-being as metabolism, people giving out misleading or downright false information can lead to serious health complications. It's simple your body is a machine and if you're going to push that machine harder you need to give it enough fuel!

BellaB7810

I agree But there are a lot of conflicting articles out there online...I just needed some type of clairity! Thanks

I'll share my personal experience, the site was recommending 1700 calories a day for me to lose 1lb a week, I tried it and at first it worked but then I started getting tired, sick , it just wasn't working.

I then went to see a dietitian and had my metabolism tested professionally and discovered I at the time it was 2299 calories BMR, I was under eating by a massive amount, yes weight was dropping but I wasn't healthy. Now I eat between 2800-3000 a day and I have lost 20 lbs, gained muscle mass and dropped 4% body fat.

This may not have been starvation mode per say, but metabolic slow down does indeed exist and if people chose to ignore it that's their choice but to denounce it outright is dangerous in my opinion.

FYI : Metabolic Starvation does not = Tummy Grumbling

meeka472

It typically doesn't bother me when people want to give their opinion on a subject, but when it comes to something so connected to your health and well-being as metabolism, people giving out misleading or downright false information can lead to serious health complications. It's simple your body is a machine and if you're going to push that machine harder you need to give it enough fuel!

I am not condoning people eating less than 1200 calories a day but to say that people will go into "starvation mode" by eating a balanced diet of 1200-1300 calories a day is just incorrect and I doubt that you will find any medical evidence to support that either.

jayliospecky

I do think it's a scare tactic. Before I started my diet I went to a nutritionist and she told me to drop my caloric intake to 1200 calories and to exercise if I could. My trainer also has no problem with me being at 1200 colories so I don't worry about what this site says about starvation mode. I've lost 20lbs since the end of Jan. (8 while on this site) working within the 1200 calorie guidelines that I was given by my doctor...

A scare tactic by who? The evil Metabolism Corporation in league with the grocery stores?? What is there to gain by scaring people into eating a healthy amount of calories to support a weight loss and physical fitness routine.

Fit Canuck, I don't know you, but I'm starting to think I need you on my friends list.

Sarauk2sf

I can lose weight eating 1900 calories a day, ensure that I get enough micronutrients through food, go out and enjoy myself and have a meal/glass of wine etc, get enough energy to strength train, get enough protein and fats (yes, you need fats too), not worry about gaining when I hit my target and go to maintanance.

Or, I can eat less than 1000 calories a day, not get enough micronutrients through food, never go out for a meal, have declining energy levels, not get enough protein or fats and gain when I try to eat more when I have hit my target and run the risk of having a suppressed .metabolism.

Now, I can lose weight on both (I am currently losing at 1900) - but I know which one I prefer. So whether you believe in starvation mode or not, my question is....why would you pick the latter?

I get that this is a cost/benefit decision. If someone is very overweight, then the cost/benefit is different than someone who has 5, 10, 20lbs to lose.

Also, there are so many posts from folks under 1200 saying that 'it works for me' or 'I have lost no muscle mass' - how do they know? - have they had their metabolism tested and a DEXA scan before and after?

aproc

I'm just blown away by all the misleading and harmful information that is being given on this thread. If your eating such low calories, don't make it seem like it is perfectly acceptable and fine for everybody else to do. None of you know what is going to happen once you get down to your "perfect weight". When you start having problems with your body and can't even eat at a range closer to maintenance without putting on a bunch of weight or you start losing hair, losing cycles, etc then you might see where you messed up. Don't pawn off your diet advice to others and put them on a horrible path. There are way to many complications that come from not eating enough to try to tell others it is ok. You BMR is what your body NEEDS TO FUNCTION. Why would you want to deprive yourself of the nessecary calories required to keep your organs functioning properly??

I don't even care if the whole 'starvation mode' is a myth or not. Stop encouraging others to eat way less than what they should be.

aproc

I'm just blown away by all the misleading and harmful information that is being given on this thread. If your eating such low calories, don't make it seem like it is perfectly acceptable and fine for everybody else to do. None of you know what is going to happen once you get down to your "perfect weight". When you start having problems with your body and can't even eat at a range closer to maintenance without putting on a bunch of weight or you start losing hair, losing cycles, etc then you might see where you messed up. Don't pawn off your diet advice to others and put them on a horrible path. There are way to many complications that come from not eating enough to try to tell others it is ok. You BMR is what your body NEEDS TO FUNCTION. Why would you want to deprive yourself of the nessecary calories required to keep your organs functioning properly??

I don't even care if the whole 'starvation mode' is a myth or not. Stop encouraging others to eat way less than what they should be.

A simple way to get this to stop, is to say "inexperienced people please stop posting on this thread."

Oh but then everybody suddenly becomes an 'expert'. Because they know so much from their 'own experience' with eating that way.

ebaymommy

I do think it's a scare tactic. Before I started my diet I went to a nutritionist and she told me to drop my caloric intake to 1200 calories and to exercise if I could. My trainer also has no problem with me being at 1200 colories so I don't worry about what this site says about starvation mode. I've lost 20lbs since the end of Jan. (8 while on this site) working within the 1200 calorie guidelines that I was given by my doctor...

A scare tactic by who? The evil Metabolism Corporation in league with the grocery stores?? What is there to gain by scaring people into eating a healthy amount of calories to support a weight loss and physical fitness routine.

Fit Canuck, I don't know you, but I'm starting to think I need you on my friends list.

Ditto that! I like this guy!

ebaymommy

I can lose weight eating 1900 calories a day, ensure that I get enough micronutrients through food, go out and enjoy myself and have a meal/glass of wine etc, get enough energy to strength train, get enough protein and fats (yes, you need fats too), not worry about gaining when I hit my target and go to maintanance.

Or, I can eat less than 1000 calories a day, not get enough micronutrients through food, never go out for a meal, have declining energy levels, not get enough protein or fats and gain when I try to eat more when I have hit my target and run the risk of having a suppressed .metabolism.

Now, I can lose weight on both (I am currently losing at 1900) - but I know which one I prefer. So whether you believe in starvation mode or not, my question is....why would you pick the latter?

I get that this is a cost/benefit decision. If someone is very overweight, then the cost/benefit is different than someone who has 5, 10, 20lbs to lose.

Also, there are so many posts from folks under 1200 saying that 'it works for me' or 'I have lost no muscle mass' - how do they know? - have they had their metabolism tested and a DEXA scan before and after?

100% agreed!!!!!!!!

Taylerr88

lets eat sub 1200

burn off all are muscle

then think we are doing a good job..

JacksMom12

love4fitness- you rock! I love all of your responses.

I am maintaining 115 lbs on 2200 calories a day, because I fueled my body properly. I love it. It's sustainable, I can have pizza, cake, and chicken wings several times a week and not go up 5 lbs. Everyone else can do this their own way, but I'm very happy with my results and when all the yo-yo under 1000 calorie dieters are back here in 6 months when they've gained the weight back, I'll still be happily in my size 2's, eating a slice of pizza.

MoreBean13

love4fitness- you rock! I love all of your responses.

I am maintaining 115 lbs on 2200 calories a day, because I fueled my body properly. I love it. It's sustainable, I can have pizza, cake, and chicken wings several times a week and not go up 5 lbs. Everyone else can do this their own way, but I'm very happy with my results and when all the yo-yo under 1000 calorie dieters are back here in 6 months when they've gained the weight back, I'll still be happily in my size 2's, eating a slice of pizza.

115lbs ans 2200 cals is dreamy. I am going to do everything possible to get my fat hypothyroid *kitten* there someday. Because of my thyroid disease, I may never get there, but I do not understand why perfectly healthy people would choose not to have that!

Barbellerella

I'm just blown away by all the misleading and harmful information that is being given on this thread. If your eating such low calories, don't make it seem like it is perfectly acceptable and fine for everybody else to do. None of you know what is going to happen once you get down to your "perfect weight". When you start having problems with your body and can't even eat at a range closer to maintenance without putting on a bunch of weight or you start losing hair, losing cycles, etc then you might see where you messed up. Don't pawn off your diet advice to others and put them on a horrible path. There are way to many complications that come from not eating enough to try to tell others it is ok. You BMR is what your body NEEDS TO FUNCTION. Why would you want to deprive yourself of the nessecary calories required to keep your organs functioning properly??

I don't even care if the whole 'starvation mode' is a myth or not. Stop encouraging others to eat way less than what they should be.

A simple way to get this to stop, is to say "inexperienced people please stop posting on this thread."

^^^^^^^ Listen to them!!!!!! Trust me I have been there and all of you who eat under your BMR WILL rebound at some point!

LemonBurns

I do think it's a scare tactic. Before I started my diet I went to a nutritionist and she told me to drop my caloric intake to 1200 calories and to exercise if I could. My trainer also has no problem with me being at 1200 colories so I don't worry about what this site says about starvation mode. I've lost 20lbs since the end of Jan. (8 while on this site) working within the 1200 calorie guidelines that I was given by my doctor...

A scare tactic by who? The evil Metabolism Corporation in league with the grocery stores?? What is there to gain by scaring people into eating a healthy amount of calories to support a weight loss and physical fitness routine.

Fit Canuck, I don't know you, but I'm starting to think I need you on my friends list.

Ditto that! I like this guy!

Yes, i am about to send a friend request to this guy too!! Accept me please!!!

Nerdy_Rose

Studies show that facts and science, instead of causing people to re-evaluate their opinions, usually cause them to cling more vehemently to their viewpoints.

In other news, /facepalm.

for reference: 5'3", 123 lbs, plateaued on low calories, now eating 1600-2000+ per day and feeling wonderful and lost 2 more lbs.

FlaxMilk

I compromise between the two camps--I shoot for 1200 one day (rest day with VERY light activity) and then shoot for 1500 with strength and cardio exercise the next and back and forth. I don't worry about net.

(MFP would only put my calories at 1330 for the highest activity setting anyway, on .5 a week weight loss, and I'm no construction worker.) There doesn't seem to be much acknowledgement that 1200 calories is appropriate for some people--based on this website's recommendations.