"starvation" mode

cmcollins001

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

Yes you can most likely eat more. You can do a search for IPOARM (In place of a road map) threads that will show you how to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and eat about 20% less than that.

OR...you can manually change your goals on MFP and up the calories yourself. Go to 1500 and see how that works for you.

esballet

Starvation mode isn't complete bs. It's a very real thing that happens to people that are starving. There are some big misconceptions about what it is and how it works on this site though. Such as the idea that under eating for a single day- or even a single meal- is going to put you into "starvation mode." That is bs. It takes under eating by a large amount for an extended period of time. And, obviously, you don't gain weight by not eating enough. If this was true, everyone living in third world countries would be overweight. Starving slows weight loss; it doesn't reverse it.

fakeuntilumakeit

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

Yes you can most likely eat more. You can do a search for IPOARM (In place of a road map) threads that will show you how to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and eat about 20% less than that.

OR...you can manually change your goals on MFP and up the calories yourself. Go to 1500 and see how that works for you.

fakeuntilumakeit

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

Yes you can most likely eat more. You can do a search for IPOARM (In place of a road map) threads that will show you how to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and eat about 20% less than that.

OR...you can manually change your goals on MFP and up the calories yourself. Go to 1500 and see how that works for you.

oOpps don't know how to do this reply thanks for feedback

rob_base

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rob_base

the big misconception on this site is that starvation mode stops weight loss.

In fact, it does not. It SLOWS the ability to lose weight by changing how your body uses energy by shutting down/slowing certain processes. Stopping/slowing these processes is not the healthiest thing to do, but from your body's point of view, its better than dying and from a survival standpoint, it give you extra time to find a food source.

Understand, that under NO circumstances can you NOT lose weight if you are truly in a caloric deficit. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is estimate activity levels and food intake, so those are hard to measure.

exactly

StephConey

Putting yourself into starvation mode is not exactly the ideal way to lose weight. But, being acquainted with people who purposely starve themselves, I know it works. But they constantly do it by choice. They aren't stranded on an island or trapped in some vehicle. But as others have said, if you starve yourself to lose weight, you get it all back (and then some) if you eat more later on.

Personally, I don't think starving is safe. I know that's like a HUGE "DUH" statement, but some people don't understand the severity of attempting such tactics to lose weight. The best way to go is to do something safe you can do forever. Balance your personal caloric intake/activity levels to lose weight slowly and steadily. You'll gradually lose weight that will be easier to keep off.

Good luck to you.

goodtimezzzz

dont even worry about it Starvation mode is largely a myth

CassandraBurgos83

I tried starving myself for 4 hours and it didn't work, however I went straight HULK mad and evil and then ate like a crazed Miss Piggy

grim_traveller

the big misconception on this site is that starvation mode stops weight loss.

In fact, it does not. It SLOWS the ability to lose weight by changing how your body uses energy by shutting down/slowing certain processes. Stopping/slowing these processes is not the healthiest thing to do, but from your body's point of view, its better than dying and from a survival standpoint, it give you extra time to find a food source.

Understand, that under NO circumstances can you NOT lose weight if you are truly in a caloric deficit. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is estimate activity levels and food intake, so those are hard to measure.

This is spot on. If what you mean by starvation mode is what most people on MFP mean, it is a bunch of nonsense. If you are in a deficit, you will always lose, period. If you are not losing, you are not in a deficit. You are either burning less than you think, or eating more. Most likely both.

If you are intent on eating a low calorie diet, do it with the coordination and supervision of a doctor and nutritionist. It is the only way to do it safely.

Sarauk2sf

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

If you have been on very low calories for a while, walk your calories up slowly. Add 50 calories a week until you start to gain weight (ignoring small scale fluctuations). When it looks like you may be gaining - sit at that level for a couple of weeks to monitor. If the weight gain stops, then start again. Repeat until you are actually gaining weight at that level, and then drop down slightly until you have got to your maintenance. Sit there for a while before thinking of cutting again.

Mainebikerchick

Why is it so bad? It seems to work on the tv show survivor? same for people trapped in their car for a week or whatever.....

so why is it so "terrible"?

Lock yourself in your car for a week or two and let us know if you still think it's a good idea. We'll wait...

:laugh:

monicasbradford

I found that this link is very helpful. http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/bmr/

Be sure to subtract burned calories from that total to get a better caloric intake number.

Mother_Superior

I think what some people think of when talking about starvation mode (at least, what I think of regarding it) is a natural process of the body to sustain it in a survival mode state. It puts a strain on the body that is acceptable in a survival situation, but is unhealthy over a long time span. Living with the barest minimum amounts of food and water wouldn't be considered ideal. It's especially not what I think of when I think of "healthy". I could be completely wrong though. I haven't really read much about it. My opinion comes from just a cursory glance at a LOT of discussions about it.

RCMPWannaBe

but like I said it seems to work on the TV show "survivor".....I didn't see them "gaining" weight

That's because they rarely ate like we do while on the show.

misssiri

but like I said it seems to work on the TV show "survivor".....I didn't see them "gaining" weight

Have you ever watched the reunion when they have all gained the weight back? It doesn't last.

misssiri

The most important questions are why risk slowing down your metabolism if you don't have to? Why risk losing lean body mass if you don't have to? Why be hungry if you don't have to be? You can lose weight eating more.

natalie1508

People throw the starvation mode term around when someone says they eat 900 cals one day lol....it's a bigger picture than that, obviously. Here's my story:

I had an awful relationship break up. I couldn't eat. I didn't eat a MORSEL for 3 weeks. After that, because I was worried about my health, I forced down one Complan a day (300 cals) and after 8 weeks I'd lost over 20lbs. The weight fell off me. I was 146 to begin with and ended up at 124lb. I'm 5ft 4, so not like I was obese and had loads of fat to lose, so I'm sure some muscle came away too.

I maintained 124lb for a while even though I went back to normal eating. I've never really had weight issues, so can't say what normal eating for me was, but I guess 1500-2500 cals. The weight started coming back, I was pleased. I hated being stared at by people who knew how I'd looked just 8 weeks earlier. The weight kept coming. I got back to my normal weight of 140lbs. The weight kept coming. I was eating what I had eaten for me entire life, food that allowed me to maintain for years. Remember, I've never had a weight problem. The weight kept coming. In a year I gained back the 22lb I had lost PLUS 30lb. In one YEAR. By eating NORMALLY as I had always done. I'm now 174lbs. I've been calorie counting for 4 weeks and have lost only 2lbs. My metabolism is screwed.

You mention Survivor. This is a reality show. When they are done, they will have experts who will guide them to SLOWLY add extra calories and not rush back to eating normally as I did. No one told me that just cos my life was going back to normal, I wasn't allowed to get my eating back to normal aswell. And now I am paying the price. It's not like I was dieting and mucked things up for myself. Stress and upset mean I cannot eat, but dropping calories so suddenly was a bad move for my body. I wasn't even overweight, so it is probably hating me right now!!

Re symptoms of starvation mode. I was dizzy, thirsty (I drank loads), weak and mentally unstable (though this could have been brought on by what was happening around me). I won't say I felt terrible, cos I didn't. My hair and nails grew better and I slept better and I went to poo everyday, whereas before it was once or twice a week. So in a way, it was like a detox, but I wouldn't advocate it to anyone, cos for the first time in my life, I am now overweight and unable to lose the weight easily.

KANGOOJUMPS

its bull****,,,,