Starvation Mode Question

ethancarlson
ethancarlson Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello Everyone!

I have been tracking/eating better/excercising since January 1st and have lost 20 lbs. - the past few weeks I have been doing exactly the same as far as diet/exercise goes (maybe even more exercise) and haven't lost anything and even gained a few pounds - I believe I put my body into self preservation (starvation) mode. I saw a post on TDEE and that you should aim for TDEE -20%, but that would mean I have to eat 2550 calories (I'm a 6 foot man, 250 lbs) and that seems a bit high and that I would probably gain if I ate that.

Anyway, after eating at least 2000 calories/day - how long do you think it would take to get my body out of this self preservation mode and back into allowing me to shed fat?

Thanks for your help!

Replies

  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    You only have been tracking since Jan 1st. Its not even considered a plateau until you haven't lost for a month. You have lost 20 lbs in 8 weeks. That is well over 2 per week. I think you just need to keep going, but maybe up your calories a little. I'm 5'9 and workout quite a bit and am losing about 1 per week on 2000 per day.
  • tknight1984
    tknight1984 Posts: 19
    This is exactly what i was wondering, For the start of this year i was trying to eat 1300-1400 a day with more at weekends (5'10 180lbs) and managed to lose about 4lbs (0.5 lbs a week), my TDEE is 2340 so have set my MFP to this and am trying to eat around 1800.

    I have seen some small gains already, i am hoping this is my body coming out of starvation mode.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,260 Member
    This is exactly what i was wondering, For the start of this year i was trying to eat 1300-1400 a day with more at weekends (5'10 180lbs) and managed to lose about 4lbs (0.5 lbs a week), my TDEE is 2340 so have set my MFP to this and am trying to eat around 1800.

    I have seen some small gains already, i am hoping this is my body coming out of starvation mode.
    Starvation mode as you put it is just the body slowing your BMR somewhat but it doesn't stop weight loss, or as you say, gain a few lbs....weight loss isn't linear and pretty much nobody gets the math right for counting calories, just keep going and give yourself a diet break every 6 or 8 weeks and readjust calories for weight that is lost.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    You wont be in 'starvation mode' if you only started in January.

    However you are right that you should be eating more and going by the TDEE method of eating TDEE -20%. As a 6ft man of 250 lbs you should definitely be able to eat well over 2000 and still lose.

    I'm a 5'8 female of 155 lbs and I can lose weight on 2300 cals.
  • ethancarlson
    ethancarlson Posts: 8
    Thanks for the responses! I guess I will take a couple days "off" (eating much closer to the 2000-2500 calorie mark) and get back to work and hopefully see more results
  • Ddezi88
    Ddezi88 Posts: 3
    You have to forget calories, forget about burning calories and seriously forget about starvation mode or metabolism damage. In order to lose weight you have to eat healthy, eat a little and have moderate activity. The issue with counting calories is that there is no way they can be counted accurately, count calories burned is near impossible unless you get Lab test done. Calories should be of a guide then a rule. Metabolism is not an organ, muscle alone does not fuel it and eating too little will not effect it drastically if you have weight to lose. There are so many components to a persons metabolism such as, your endocrine system, digestive system and so fourth it becomes a very individualized process and no diet or magic calorie # will change it. You have to find what works for you and stick with it
  • mryak750
    mryak750 Posts: 198 Member
    You have to forget calories, forget about burning calories and seriously forget about starvation mode or metabolism damage. In order to lose weight you have to eat healthy, eat a little and have moderate activity. The issue with counting calories is that there is no way they can be counted accurately, count calories burned is near impossible unless you get Lab test done. Calories should be of a guide then a rule. Metabolism is not an organ, muscle alone does not fuel it and eating too little will not effect it drastically if you have weight to lose. There are so many components to a persons metabolism such as, your endocrine system, digestive system and so fourth it becomes a very individualized process and no diet or magic calorie # will change it. You have to find what works for you and stick with it

    I like this
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Starvation mode, preservation mode, metabolism slow down doesn't happen until you've been eating extremely low calories (under 500) for a long time and your BF% had dropped below 5% so no worries about that having happened. Just carry on and be patient. Sometimes your body just wants to take a rest period.

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