Do you believe what they say about "starvation mode"?

Options
amelodyasong
amelodyasong Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
For those who don't know it: "Starvation mode is a state in which the body is responding to prolonged periods of low energy intake levels. During short periods of energy abstinence, the human body will burn primarily free fatty acids from body fat stores. After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source."

If your body goes into starvation mode when your calorie intake is low then... why do anorexic people lose so much weight? Is it really a myth?
«13

Replies

  • crazy_ninja
    crazy_ninja Posts: 387 Member
    Options
    Boooooooring............how often this will you guys restart this starvation crap?

    :huh:
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    Options
    People who believe this REALLY believe it. You're not going to change their minds.

    However, your body is designed to lose fat for fuel. To lose weight, you need a deficit. If you have no fat, your body will try to protect itself, but if you've got a lot of extra LBS, then your body will use that.

    But, you're just asking for trouble posting it here :P
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
    Options
    For those who don't know it: "Starvation mode is a state in which the body is responding to prolonged periods of low energy intake levels. During short periods of energy abstinence, the human body will burn primarily free fatty acids from body fat stores. After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source."

    If your body goes into starvation mode when your calorie intake is low then... why do anorexic people lose so much weight? Is it really a myth?

    Anorexic people lose weight because they don't eat and they are slowly starving themselves. Not sure that's the comparison I would go with.
  • EdTheGinge
    EdTheGinge Posts: 1,616 Member
    Options
    Starvation mode, what's that ???lol
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Options
    Depends what "they" meant by "prolonged periods", "low energy intake levels" and how much fat the subjects had to start with.

    Under controlled conditions fat people on 600 or 800 calorie diets lose weight (>70% fat) over periods of several weeks. A very obese man who ate literally nothing for a year lost about 0.7 lbs per day (then kept it off for 5 years).

    Restricting energy intake will reduce metabolic rate to some extent, but only by a couple of hundred calories or so.

    There isn't a "mode" where anything "switches" from fats to other sources, in general what is available is used - eat carbs, burn carbs etc. Practically all weight loss involves both fat and non-fat hence the 3500 calories rather than 4100 per lb.

    "The energy balance equation only falls down in free living humans, mainly women, and their pets." as I read somewhere.
  • Love_flowers
    Love_flowers Posts: 365 Member
    Options
    I'm a believer. :wink:
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
    Options
    No.
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
    Options
    It's hard to get adequate levels of nutrition at a below or bare minimum calorie count. Your body is a machine. Feed it.

    And with that I leave the beating of the dead horse to someone else.
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    Options
    I dont know whether I believe in 'starvation mode' as such. What I do know, is that last year, I was working out up to 3 hours a day, and eating a low calorie diet. Did my body change? No, and I was constantly tired and hungry. My body has changed more in the past couple of months through heavy lifting, and eating well , then it did in a whole year of trying to beast it out.

    And happyfeetrebel, that woman on your profile pic does not have 'killer legs'. she has like no muscle on her thighs whatsoever.
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
    Options
    I dont know whether I believe in 'starvation mode' as such. What I do know, is that last year, I was working out up to 3 hours a day, and eating a low calorie diet. Did my body change? No, and I was constantly tired and hungry. My body has changed more in the past couple of months through heavy lifting, and eating well , then it did in a whole year of trying to beast it out.

    And happyfeetrebel, that woman on your profile pic does not have 'killer legs'. she has like no muscle on her thighs whatsoever.

    Yeah but her thighs don't touch.

    Which apparently is some kind of holy grail goal around here.
  • Caitlinhappymeal
    Caitlinhappymeal Posts: 185 Member
    Options
    Boooooooring............how often this will you guys restart this starvation crap?

    :huh:

    your comment is so inspiring especially for new members who are still finding their way round this site, very welcoming.
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
    Options
    Boooooooring............how often this will you guys restart this starvation crap?

    :huh:

    your comment is so inspiring especially for new members who are still finding their way round this site, very welcoming.

    Luckily you are here to provide some inspiration of your own?
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    Options
    Boooooooring............how often this will you guys restart this starvation crap?

    :huh:
    Until EVERYBODY agrees!
  • nasreenbaby
    nasreenbaby Posts: 11
    Options
    What if you eat healthy the whole week and throw in one starvation day here or there only once in a while?
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Options
    If your body goes into starvation mode when your calorie intake is low then... why do anorexic people lose so much weight? Is it really a myth?
    How many muscular anorexics do you know?
  • norwichman
    norwichman Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I am trying 500 calories /day for a week and will see how the weight loss goes. I know how to eat healthy and have done 1500 calories/day successfully losing weight slowly. I want faster and more dramatic results and am happy to eat just dinner and drink water all day to achieve that. I've gone from no dieting around 2500 calories to 500!

    If the rate of weight loss slows down then I'll stick myself on 1500 calories which I know I can do fairly easily
  • pjrbs
    pjrbs Posts: 179 Member
    Options
    I think people talk about starvation mode as it is the term this site uses. Whether you agree or disagree, MFP states the following when you eat less than 1200 calories.


    Based on your total calories consumed for today, you are eating too few calories. Not only is it difficult to receive adequate nutrition at these calorie levels, but you could also be putting your body into starvation mode. Starvation mode lowers your metabolism and makes weight loss more difficult. We suggest increasing your calorie consumption to 1,200 calories per day minimum.
  • auntdeedee87
    auntdeedee87 Posts: 706 Member
    Options
    I am trying 500 calories /day for a week and will see how the weight loss goes. I know how to eat healthy and have done 1500 calories/day successfully losing weight slowly. I want faster and more dramatic results and am happy to eat just dinner and drink water all day to achieve that. I've gone from no dieting around 2500 calories to 500!

    If the rate of weight loss slows down then I'll stick myself on 1500 calories which I know I can do fairly easily

    Enjoy your hard-earned flabby-skinny physique.
  • chroniclesofthinoholic
    chroniclesofthinoholic Posts: 143 Member
    Options
    What if you eat healthy the whole week and throw in one starvation day here or there only once in a while?


    I think that's fine...my mom fasts 12 hours twice a week(not consecutive) and at 60 she's pretty healthy! :)
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    Options
    I dont know whether I believe in 'starvation mode' as such. What I do know, is that last year, I was working out up to 3 hours a day, and eating a low calorie diet. Did my body change? No, and I was constantly tired and hungry. My body has changed more in the past couple of months through heavy lifting, and eating well , then it did in a whole year of trying to beast it out.

    And happyfeetrebel, that woman on your profile pic does not have 'killer legs'. she has like no muscle on her thighs whatsoever.

    Yeah but her thighs don't touch.

    Which apparently is some kind of holy grail goal around here.

    Yeah I don't get that, its total thinspo porn. yuk.

Categories