Starvation Mode Myths and Science

lilac_bunny

This makes for very interesting listening, it's very long. The bit relevant to this thread is at 52 minutes when he explains "a calorie burned is a calorie burned, but a calorie eaten is not a calorie eaten" http://thedianerehmshow.org/audio-player?nid=16890

Sorry I don't think I can edit, its from 47 minutes not 52, that's the total length. Silly me.

smcolton

Bump

mattboysport

nice answer! & good points, i did refference 'English' merely as an example though, anyhow it's a pet hate of mine, as i'm useless @languages & excel @maths & the sciences (as much as i 'excell' @anything, that is) my theory on this is that :

if rules are logical i'm happy to abide & respect them,
if they'r not i'd rather rip the rulebook up, than study the nonsense... hehe,

-ofcourse that's exactly how the language develops, really -but it IS the study of the 'Consensus' & ultimately currently the consensus of the lowest common denominator, & to have the L.C.D. writing the Rulebook for Me, will NEVER sit comfortably.

To have someone insist you've pronounced something 'wrong' becouse 90% of the population have got used to miss-pronouncing it for the last decade (oft. foreign place names for example) is a good example, who's right, the people who live in those areas on those foreign lands, or the ignorant masses who's 'Consensus' rules?

I know which i'll go with.

slroggemann

I started eating 1200 calories a day in October, and lost 27 pounds eating healthy meals (lots of fruits, vegetables, etc). It's difficult for me now to eat more than that in a day, because I get full on so much less. If I work out I do eat a little bit more usually but not if I'm still full. I don't see myself being in starvation mode; my BMR is pretty low because up until now I'd led a fairly sedentary lifestyle.

tiffanyadkins82

I think that when you first get started it is important to hit the pavement hard shooting for your calorie goal, but if you come in 100 or 200 below its ok. You will lose weight faster which will motivate you in the long run. Many start out dieting and fall off the wagon in two weeks. Get those 5 pounds off the first two weeks and you wanna keep going. On days you cheat you make it up on other days you come in below. In the long run you make those life changes and tell yourself to cut your portions, watch your numbers, and weigh your food options in relation to your daily goals. Starvation mode terminology puts fear in some people's minds when they begin dieting...I believe a little starvation goes a long way at first equipping you for better choices down the road.

runwmeNC

Enjoyed reading. Thanks for posting

CristinaL1983

I think that when you first get started it is important to hit the pavement hard shooting for your calorie goal, but if you come in 100 or 200 below its ok. You will lose weight faster which will motivate you in the long run. Many start out dieting and fall off the wagon in two weeks. Get those 5 pounds off the first two weeks and you wanna keep going. On days you cheat you make it up on other days you come in below. In the long run you make those life changes and tell yourself to cut your portions, watch your numbers, and weigh your food options in relation to your daily goals. Starvation mode terminology puts fear in some people's minds when they begin dieting...I believe a little starvation goes a long way at first equipping you for better choices down the road.

I completely agree!! I read a book once (an Intermittent Fasting study personal account by a dietician and fitness trainer) that said that with or without IF he always recommended people start their diet with a 24 hour fast. It reminds you what hunger feels like and forces you to commit to your diet. Additionally, it often jump starts weight loss and "success breeds success." I have found this to be excellent advice. As far as starvation mode goes, most if not all of these studies were done on relatively (to very) fit individuals. Any study I have read on people who needed to lose weight suggests that things like significant changes in hormones and destruction of muscle tissue were not experienced until the person reached the 'essential body fat' threshold. I also tend to count my calories on a weekly basis which forces me to make better decisions and allows me to 'forgive myself' when I don't (if only because I still haven't used all of my calories by the end of the week.)

SHBoss1673

I completely agree!! I read a book once (an Intermittent Fasting study personal account by a dietician and fitness trainer) that said that with or without IF he always recommended people start their diet with a 24 hour fast. It reminds you what hunger feels like and forces you to commit to your diet. Additionally, it often jump starts weight loss and "success breeds success." I have found this to be excellent advice. As far as starvation mode goes, most if not all of these studies were done on relatively (to very) fit individuals. Any study I have read on people who needed to lose weight suggests that things like significant changes in hormones and destruction of muscle tissue were not experienced until the person reached the 'essential body fat' threshold. I also tend to count my calories on a weekly basis which forces me to make better decisions and allows me to 'forgive myself' when I don't (if only because I still haven't used all of my calories by the end of the week.)

Unfortunately your facts on muscle loss and hormones are fundamentally wrong. I have posted dozens of studies already, all showing that the body enters a state of increased fat storage and muscle cannibalization well before the crossing of the essential fat range.

please see my posts here for the links.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/861778--starvation-mode-a-myth?page=2#posts-13022727

msamur

fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/

Please read. It gives a lot of insight to the whole deal.

Sarauk2sf

fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/

Please read. It gives a lot of insight to the whole deal.

I would suggest checking out the studies...if you can find reference to them.

Gogretchen1

Finally, someone spells it out! I appreciate you taking the time to share this with everyone. I think it some are mislead by the little red warning that pops up after a day when you do not meet your calorie total, because it mentions starvation mode. It does not mention, however, the specifics of how the body actually reaches starvation..

I did not realize that initially, a larger caloric deficit increases the metabolism... This makes me wonder if it might be beneficial to have one particularly low calorie day per week or biweekly- to give the body a consistent metabolic boost? Of course, continuing a normal intake for the rest of the week?

your thoughts?

paprs

bump!

GIAngel222

bump

jonkiem

Thankyou, that was very informative.

ElizabethRaeBarnes

THIS! Great post. Glad Im reading it. Thanks for posting!

DDSMEW

bump

shed50kg

I believe that 'Starvation mode" is a myth, as in how most people think it is.

In my opinion it is simple, if you eat more calories than your body needs then your body stores it as fat for later. If the "later" never comes then you will stay fat. If you continue to eat more calories than your body needs, then you will store more fat, and you will continue to get fatter ; - (. Are we much different to animals that hibernate in the winter? They eat more than they need in the summer, and store the extra as fat for the winter months ; - ).

So, when we cut our calories to a silly low amount then our body does not get enough fuel to keep our bodies running. This is when our bodies start to use the fat/muscle we have in our storage. Here's the problem (in my opinion), I would of thought that stored fat/muscle would take a lot longer to break down than the calories we actually put in our mouths? Therefore you hit the so called plateau because you body is longer to use your stored fat/muscle. I think eventually you will get past that plateau and start to lose fat/muscle again.

However, it would be very silly for people to diet this way, your body needs a lot of nutrients to keep your body in fine tune. What happens to your car if you stop checking the oil, it will eventually stop working.

And of course, everybody's body is different so it may take longer for some people than others.

Oh.... that's just my opinion, maybe I am wrong, but it makes sense to me.

mulkeyr

The volume of fat vs muscle are different though. So 1 lb of fat takes up more volume than 1 lb of muscle.

lorenzovonmatterhorn7549

Thank you...

totem12

I've always found it ridiculous and offensive that we fling around words like 'starvation'. There are real starving kids in the world and not because they skipped their bloody bacon and eggs in the morning!