Starvation mode?

Took the words out of my mouth. Thank you!
Eating that amount of calories in one sitting when not eating anything else throughout the day WILL store it as fat. It's science. It will also create a slippery slope with binge eating. I have been guilty of it myself; wouldn't eat all day, just drink coffee, small lunch (of doritos..) and then when dinner came around I would be craving carbs wrapped in carbs with a carb filling topped with cheese and bacon. It's tough to break bad habits like that, but well worth the effort.

You need to go back to science class.

If someone can point me to definitive research done by an unbiased source that talks about IF being healthier than regular meals, I'll definitely read it.

Eating that amount of calories in one sitting when not eating anything else throughout the day WILL store it as fat. It's science. It will also create a slippery slope with binge eating. I have been guilty of it myself; wouldn't eat all day, just drink coffee, small lunch (of doritos..) and then when dinner came around I would be craving carbs wrapped in carbs with a carb filling topped with cheese and bacon. It's tough to break bad habits like that, but well worth the effort.

Took the words out of my mouth. Thank you!
Eating that amount of calories in one sitting when not eating anything else throughout the day WILL store it as fat. It's science. It will also create a slippery slope with binge eating. I have been guilty of it myself; wouldn't eat all day, just drink coffee, small lunch (of doritos..) and then when dinner came around I would be craving carbs wrapped in carbs with a carb filling topped with cheese and bacon. It's tough to break bad habits like that, but well worth the effort.

You need to go back to science class.

what are your credentials?

and damn what's with the attitude? she's just trying to help.

I have developed a bad habit of not eating regularly, which I have learned has put my body in 'starvation mode'. My normal routine consists of a couple cups of coffee (with sugar free creamer) in the morning, and then a big dinner at night. I will occasionally eat something mid day, but not regularly. I am generally active, but I don't work out (yet). I have tried in the past to eat on a schedule (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks) but I have ALWAYS gained weight, which of course makes me stop the routine! Are there any tips on how I can get into a routine of eating regularly, especially when I don't feel hungry, and still lose weight?

HI There,

Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals. It sounds like you are skipping breakfast and just having coffee in the morn. Try to eat at least every 3-4 hours. Ex.) Mini meals + 3 healthy snacks. This will help keep your metabolism steady and prevent it from slowing down. Keeping a food journal and planning your meals ahead of time also helps. Adding exercise will only help you lose weight faster. Make sure your calories are never below 1200 per day either. Keep in mind it takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1 lb of body fat. I am a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, so if you need more help you can friend me.

My confidence in the curriculum for dieticians/nutritionists just fell a few notches.

Not really. I know I'm not in starvation mode. Based on what her answer to the question was...let me quote... "Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals." So if I skip meals, I go into starvation mode." AKA If you skip meals. I call bull**** on that.

please relax.

no, it's not as simple as the way she stated it, but if someone used to eating 5,000 calories (not ridiculous with american diets) suddenly drops to 1,200 for a prolonged period of time, their body will start storing fat.

what would you call that?

I've been at 1200 calories since April. Was eating fast food for 3x times a day. Currently not eating fast food. Am I in starvation mode? Curious at what your point is

has your weight loss been constant since that time? or has it ever slowed? plateaued?

Not really. I know I'm not in starvation mode. Based on what her answer to the question was...let me quote... "Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals." So if I skip meals, I go into starvation mode." AKA If you skip meals. I call bull**** on that.

please relax.

no, it's not as simple as the way she stated it, but if someone used to eating 5,000 calories (not ridiculous with american diets) suddenly drops to 1,200 for a prolonged period of time, their body will start storing fat.

what would you call that?

I've been at 1200 calories since April. Was eating fast food for 3x times a day. Currently not eating fast food. Am I in starvation mode? Curious at what your point is

Not really. I know I'm not in starvation mode. Based on what her answer to the question was...let me quote... "Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals." So if I skip meals, I go into starvation mode." AKA If you skip meals. I call bull**** on that.

please relax.

no, it's not as simple as the way she stated it, but if someone used to eating 5,000 calories (not ridiculous with american diets) suddenly drops to 1,200 for a prolonged period of time, their body will start storing fat.

what would you call that?

I've been at 1200 calories since April. Was eating fast food for 3x times a day. Currently not eating fast food. Am I in starvation mode? Curious at what your point is

has your weight loss been constant since that time? or has it ever slowed? plateaued?

It has remained consistent. What gives? Am I the odd ball? Nooo.

haha come on, no need to be defensive! we're all on the same team. we're all trying to improve ourselves - why do so many people on these sites insist on tearing others down? pretty sad frankly.

hey, if it's working for you, more power to you. if it continues to work indefinitely i'll be surprised, but i'll also be wrong - and if that's the case i'll be glad to be wrong because you'll be a healthier version of yourself - and that's the goal.

5 or 6 meals is my way of doing it (and it's worked pretty well as you can see), 1 meal is yours. let's agree to disagree.

Not really. I know I'm not in starvation mode. Based on what her answer to the question was...let me quote... "Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals." So if I skip meals, I go into starvation mode." AKA If you skip meals. I call bull**** on that.

please relax.

no, it's not as simple as the way she stated it, but if someone used to eating 5,000 calories (not ridiculous with american diets) suddenly drops to 1,200 for a prolonged period of time, their body will start storing fat.

what would you call that?

I've been at 1200 calories since April. Was eating fast food for 3x times a day. Currently not eating fast food. Am I in starvation mode? Curious at what your point is

What does eating fast food have to do with it??????

Not really. I know I'm not in starvation mode. Based on what her answer to the question was...let me quote... "Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals." So if I skip meals, I go into starvation mode." AKA If you skip meals. I call bull**** on that.

please relax.

no, it's not as simple as the way she stated it, but if someone used to eating 5,000 calories (not ridiculous with american diets) suddenly drops to 1,200 for a prolonged period of time, their body will start storing fat.

what would you call that?

I've been at 1200 calories since April. Was eating fast food for 3x times a day. Currently not eating fast food. Am I in starvation mode? Curious at what your point is

has your weight loss been constant since that time? or has it ever slowed? plateaued?

It has remained consistent. What gives? Am I the odd ball? Nooo.

haha come on, no need to be defensive! we're all on the same team. we're all trying to improve ourselves - why do so many people on these sites insist on tearing others down? pretty sad frankly.

hey, if it's working for you, more power to you. if it continues to work indefinitely i'll be surprised, but i'll also be wrong - and if that's the case i'll be glad to be wrong because you'll be a healthier version of yourself - and that's the goal.

5 or 6 meals is my way of doing it (and it's worked pretty well as you can see), 1 meal is yours. let's agree to disagree.

I wasn't being defensive. I was just stating the facts of myself. 5-6 meals is a little ridiculous to ME, but then again I like a big dinner. My mom eat 2-3 meals a day. She eats cookies for "breakfast" around 3pm then has dinner at 7pm and has a snack at 9pm. She loses weight. It's whatever works for you and remaind under your calorie deficict.

To me, I like to keep my breakfast light (or skip it altogether), light lunch, and big dinner. I don't store fat by skipping breakfast. I've lost 71lbs so far. As long as you remain a calorie deficit. You are golden.

Now, I'm very curious. What would you say if I said if I didn't eat breakfast OR lunch and just had a huge dinner after 7pm? Would everything be stored as fat, BUT my calories were oh I don't know 1500?

Not a scientific study but 2 observations. My boss is 65 and in excellent health. For the past 30 years he has eaten one meal a day, usually some time after 8 pm after which is goes to bed. It's not usually a particularly healthy meal and is probably a minimum of 2,000 calories a day. He's 5'4" and weighs 135 lbs which he says is the same weight he's been his whole adult life. He doesn't refuse food during the day if we happen to have something in the office but he doesn't seek out food or have meals, just coffee, gallons of it all day long.

My neighbour ate a very small breakfast of a piece of toast with tea and then nothing until his supper at the end of the day. He was a farmer and worked hard all day everyday until he passed away at the age of 90.

May be just coincidence but neither one of them seem to have suffered any ill effects from their eating habits.

Now, I'm very curious. What would you say if I said if I didn't eat breakfast OR lunch and just had a huge dinner after 7pm? Would everything be stored as fat, BUT my calories were oh I don't know 1500?

Not a scientific study but 2 observations. My boss is 65 and in excellent health. For the past 30 years he has eaten one meal a day, usually some time after 8 pm after which is goes to bed. It's not usually a particularly healthy meal and is probably a minimum of 2,000 calories a day. He's 5'4" and weighs 135 lbs which he says is the same weight he's been his whole adult life. He doesn't refuse food during the day if we happen to have something in the office but he doesn't seek out food or have meals, just coffee, gallons of it all day long.

My neighbour ate a very small breakfast of a piece of toast with tea and then nothing until his supper at the end of the day. He was a farmer and worked hard all day everyday until he passed away at the age of 90.

May be just coincidence but neither one of them seem to have suffered any ill effects from their eating habits.

it very well may be coincidence. or genes. or both. or related to their diets. who knows?

hardly enough evidence to support how abrasive your posts have been though.

Look, Coach, I've watched you argue in every thread you've been in for a few days now. I think you go spoiling for a fight. No one is being "abrasive" or "mean" or "angry" or blahblahblahblah. You are the one with attitude. I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt, since you are from New York and the general "attitude" there is defensive - but this is an extremely tame site - most people here are nice, helpful, and willing to accept that there are two road that diverge in the woods.

You are the only one who tries to pick a fight in the posts I've seen you in. It's okay, we still like you. Now breathe. In......out......

I have developed a bad habit of not eating regularly, which I have learned has put my body in 'starvation mode'. My normal routine consists of a couple cups of coffee (with sugar free creamer) in the morning, and then a big dinner at night. I will occasionally eat something mid day, but not regularly. I am generally active, but I don't work out (yet). I have tried in the past to eat on a schedule (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks) but I have ALWAYS gained weight, which of course makes me stop the routine! Are there any tips on how I can get into a routine of eating regularly, especially when I don't feel hungry, and still lose weight?

Well, the most successful people who lose weight and keep it off for good eat breakfast. There are always exceptions to this. Its calories in vs. calories out.

HI There,

Your body goes into starvation mode when you 1.) Don't eat enough calories and 2.) skip meals. It sounds like you are skipping breakfast and just having coffee in the morn. Try to eat at least every 3-4 hours. Ex.) Mini meals + 3 healthy snacks. This will help keep your metabolism steady and prevent it from slowing down. Keeping a food journal and planning your meals ahead of time also helps. Adding exercise will only help you lose weight faster. Make sure your calories are never below 1200 per day either. Keep in mind it takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose 1 lb of body fat. I am a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, so if you need more help you can friend me.

I skip breakfast occasionally and make up for it on other meals and sometimes I don't make up for it at all. How do you explain my 71lbs lost Ms. Dietitian/Nutritionist?


Well, the most successful people who lose weight and keep it off for good eat breakfast. Breakfast Breaks the Fast, hence helps your metabolism get going for the day. There are always exceptions to this. You did say you skip occasionally, not all the time. Its calories in vs. calories out, but that doesn't mean eating one dinner that is 1500 calories and not eating all day is the same either.

Bump. I love a good trainwreck.