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Does Starvation mode truly exist?

workoutgirl23
workoutgirl23 Posts: 267
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
ok. my question is, does the starvation mode thing really exist. i'm confused. what about all the anorexic people out there who lose weight barely eating anything? some one un confuse me. i just don't get.

Replies

  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    No, it doesn't, not like they describe here.
  • mandipandi75
    mandipandi75 Posts: 6,035 Member
    Here's the thing with starvation mode... you can come to a point where the body will preserve it's resources. Yes, eating next to nothing you will still lose weight but it will be at a much slower pace and at the expense of muscle instead of fat. Not to mention, you would not be getting enough vitamins and minerals. Organs will eventually be impacted.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Here's the thing with starvation mode... you can come to a point where the body will preserve it's resources.
    LOL. Doesn't happen though, does it. You die. The body can't "preserve its resources" - Google "hunger strikers" etc.
  • tweakz20
    tweakz20 Posts: 152 Member
    Less than 10% body fat and it will slow down, or so they say. However, metabolism slows down with lower body weight. It's not something we need to worry about though, since most of us are on here because of being overweight.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    One reason metabolism (BMR) goes down with lower body weight is because it takes less energy to support a smaller being. That's a GOOD slowing in metabolism. Another GOOD reduction is as you eat less you expend less on digestion.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    weight loss surgery is a sustained deficit that most people in MFP would call dangerous or impossible or unless they knew the person had surgery they would say they are in starvation mode and only losing muscle not fat - obviously they are mistaken. The gastric bypass has been around for 30+ years and most eat an average of 600-800 calories a day for the first year and many exercise during that time. Research says that while some people gain weight back they are the minority and rarely gain it all back. Also regarding burning off muscle or fat as you lose quickly due to what MFP's like to call starving if you keep your protein up that's not really an issue either.
  • cannotfailunlessyoustoptrying
    cannotfailunlessyoustoptrying Posts: 90
    Bump. This is interesting
  • mandipandi75
    mandipandi75 Posts: 6,035 Member
    You're right in that the body will not be able to persevere in long durations of hunger (read the rest of my post). Your body will suffer and it can lead to death. I know this woman that has exercise anorexia. She looks wonderful, you can't tell there is anything wrong with her... quite the contrary. Just recently her heart gave out. First thing people think is no way! She's so healthy... but she has been doing it for so long... her heart muscles thinned out. Her heart is only working at 25% capacity. So not worth it.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Another potential PRO of 'starvation mode' is low calorie diets are found to possibly increase longevity.

    http://calorielab.com/news/2011/04/28/low-calorie-diets/
    http://okinawa-diet.com/news/20040831_star_bulletin.html
  • mandipandi75
    mandipandi75 Posts: 6,035 Member
    There are pros to low calorie diets for overweight people... not to exceed less than 1000 calories though for any length of time without supervision of a dr.

    The question here was asking about anorexic people... those whom do not have extra body fat to spare...
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    I think she meant how do anorexic people get down to such low body weight if this mysterious starvation mode applies as soon as you get into a big deficit, and your body quits losing weight. Not 'are starving anorexics starving'.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Stop eating and see if you stop losing weight.
  • jojo52610
    jojo52610 Posts: 692 Member
    Stop eating and see if you stop losing weight.

    I did and I kept losing weight - I had personal issues and didn't eat anything for 4 days I lost lots of weight, however for 3 months I barely ate anything maybe 400 or so calories a day. I looked awful - I lost whatever muscle mass I had, my skin hung off me .

    So I don't believe you stop loosing weight - but it's not good for you or your body
  • ccfcchris
    ccfcchris Posts: 4
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNGM5TvQzUM
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    Starvation mode exists, but not in the sense that it is used so often on this site.

    Eat less calories than your body uses to function, and you will lose weight. Eat WAY less calories than your body needs on a daily basis and you will lose more weight.

    However if you eat under 1000 calories (roughly-depending on age, size, etc) your weight loss will slow slightly in favor of preserving organ function.

    This is not a factor with the obese because they have plenty of fat stores to keep everything functioning properly even on very low calorie diets.

    So basically, if you are obese, don't worry. If you are just trying to lose the last 10-20 pounds...finding a balance between exercise and a deficit in calorie intake is more important if you want to keep weight loss going at a decent rate. But even so, if you eat less than you burn, you will lose.

    Sources of information include my family doc, personal doc, and multiple websites and publications.
  • SJCon
    SJCon Posts: 224
    You're right in that the body will not be able to persevere in long durations of hunger (read the rest of my post). Your body will suffer and it can lead to death. I know this woman that has exercise anorexia. She looks wonderful, you can't tell there is anything wrong with her... quite the contrary. Just recently her heart gave out. First thing people think is no way! She's so healthy... but she has been doing it for so long... her heart muscles thinned out. Her heart is only working at 25% capacity. So not worth it.

    Whoa I thought her hair was supposed to fall out and she would not have the energy to exercise??? Guess the other believers were misinformed.

    BTW I know there are a lot of apparently healthy people that are not on diets that have heart attacks as well. They were in starvation mode, it is all making perfect sense not.
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