The Starvation Mode Myth...again.

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Replies

  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    A lack of food can cause the body to go into starvation mode, or starvation response, according to an article in the March 2006 edition of the journal "Annual Review of Physiology." Starvation mode is a metabolic response to the body being deprived of food, which may occur during periods of famine or economic depression, when using a fad diet, or when suffering from anorexia nervosa. A variety of specific signs and symptoms affect those whose body has gone into starvation mode.

    Physiological Symptoms

    Reducing calories to a very low level prevents the body from obtaining proper nutrients and energy, according to the "Annual Review of Physiology" article. As a result, fatigue is common because the body does not have ample energy to function. The body breaks down muscles to be used as fuel as it attempts to keep vital organs like the heart and lungs functioning. Vitamin deficiency is another result of a lack of nutrients, and can lead to anemia, diarrhea, rashes, edema and heart failure. Testosterone levels decrease during starvation mode, so sexual drive also decreases. The primary drive in a food-deprived body is to eat to regain energy and nutrition, not to reproduce. In women, irregular menstruation or a complete absence of a menstrual cycle may occur.


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    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/458832-signs-symptoms-of-starvation-mode/#ixzz2RC67vpXa


    STARVATION MODE IS NOT A MYTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    no not only skinny people go into starvation mode. fat people w ho eat 500 - 1000 calories a day do too
    it s not a fat or skinny thing
  • Colleen790
    Colleen790 Posts: 813 Member
    Bump
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    Regardless of whether it's a myth or not, why would people want to restrict their calories so low when they could eat a reasonable amount (say 1700 calories for the average 5'4" woman) and exercise moderately and daily. I feel like so many people set themselves up to fail by being in a huge hurry to drop as many pounds as possible.

    If your doctor deems it necessary to restrict your calories so low, then by all means do it. I guess I have seen too many friends severly restrict their calories most days, have a few "cheat" days and barely lose any weight, if they lose at all. Maybe they're sneaking snickers behind my back, but I seem to outeat women 40lbs heavier than me. I'm not *that* active and I definitely cheat from time to time.

    What the heck is wrong with eating TDEE-20%, or eating at your goal weight TDEE as fat2fitradio suggests? Seems like a more manageable "diet" to me, and sets a person up to succeed long term instead of losing a bunch of weight and then gaining it back. Which, as far as I can tell just by looking around, is definitely not a myth.

    *begin digress* I do think some people (women more than men, IMO) like to brag about how little they eat. Like it's some sort of badge of honor. Eating like a bird and all that. As if eating gets lumped into bodily fuctions, like farting, and should be avoided. Joking aside, I do realize there is social stigma against eating, especially if you're carrying a little extra weight, or your body image is skewed and you think you're overweight. *end digress*
  • lizzardsm
    lizzardsm Posts: 271 Member
    bump
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
    I think a lot of people confuse "starvation mode" and plain old starvation. You can be starving and be fat; you can starve and not lose weight. Starvation is severe nutritional deprivation, whether of calories alone, calories and nutrients, or just nutrients -- and it's a different thing from "starvation mode," which is a metabolic process alteration that presents in very specific long-term circumstances.
  • DancingDreams1234
    DancingDreams1234 Posts: 165
    I applaud you.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
    Yes - I can't help but feel that in many cases people get a bit tired and actually over estimate exercise done as they don't do much (maybe using MFP figures), while underestimating food they've actually eaten.

    Calories in vs calories out still always stands - it's just a case of working out the right figures :).
    QFT, nicely put...simple and elegant.
  • Missyb322
    Missyb322 Posts: 145 Member
    The problem with most of the studies is to realize all people can not be grouped in the same manner. All people lose weight different and not every method will not work for every person. You basically have to learn your own body and go from there. Nobody denies the fact that in severe starvation mode many things happen to your body. The dilemma is....no one can say how long exactly does starvation mode set in. Many people would have you believe that if you skip breakfast this morning, OMG you're now in starvation mode. Most people realize this to be false. So basically it's a matter of you figuring out what works best for your body. Your body knows when it's stressed and will definitely let you know.
  • FrankieTrailBlazer
    FrankieTrailBlazer Posts: 124 Member
    BUMP
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    sigh...here we go again ...

    talk about a dead horse..

    look if you eat nothing for a period of greater than 72 hours you will be in starvation mode..

    if you are eating 1000 cals a day you will not be in starvation mode...

    oh and in...for the idiotic debate to come...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    The problem with most of the studies is to realize all people can not be grouped in the same manner. All people lose weight different and not every method will not work for every person. You basically have to learn your own body and go from there. Nobody denies the fact that in severe starvation mode many things happen to your body. The dilemma is....no one can say how long exactly does starvation mode set in. Many people would have you believe that if you skip breakfast this morning, OMG you're now in starvation mode. Most people realize this to be false. So basically it's a matter of you figuring out what works best for your body. Your body knows when it's stressed and will definitely let you know.

    you need to read more of the threads on here..people call 'starvation mode' at all kinds of stuff, and skipping breakfast is one of them...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Regardless of whether it's a myth or not, why would people want to restrict their calories so low when they could eat a reasonable amount (say 1700 calories for the average 5'4" woman) and exercise moderately and daily. I feel like so many people set themselves up to fail by being in a huge hurry to drop as many pounds as possible.

    If your doctor deems it necessary to restrict your calories so low, then by all means do it. I guess I have seen too many friends severly restrict their calories most days, have a few "cheat" days and barely lose any weight, if they lose at all. Maybe they're sneaking snickers behind my back, but I seem to outeat women 40lbs heavier than me. I'm not *that* active and I definitely cheat from time to time.

    What the heck is wrong with eating TDEE-20%, or eating at your goal weight TDEE as fat2fitradio suggests? Seems like a more manageable "diet" to me, and sets a person up to succeed long term instead of losing a bunch of weight and then gaining it back. Which, as far as I can tell just by looking around, is definitely not a myth.

    *begin digress* I do think some people (women more than men, IMO) like to brag about how little they eat. Like it's some sort of badge of honor. Eating like a bird and all that. As if eating gets lumped into bodily fuctions, like farting, and should be avoided. Joking aside, I do realize there is social stigma against eating, especially if you're carrying a little extra weight, or your body image is skewed and you think you're overweight. *end digress*

    maybe because TDEE - 20% does not work for everyone..you have to find what works for you as an individual....Everyone always bombs threads and says TDEE, TDEE, TDEE sounds like the hook in a rap song....as if TDEE - 20% is a cure all for every single persons dieting ills..please....
  • Sul3i
    Sul3i Posts: 553 Member
    Bump
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member


    maybe because TDEE - 20% does not work for everyone..you have to find what works for you as an individual....Everyone always bombs threads and says TDEE, TDEE, TDEE sounds like the hook in a rap song....as if TDEE - 20% is a cure all for every single persons dieting ills..please....

    For some people -25% can be appropriate or -15% or -10% of some other number in between. But, surprise, that amount changes as you lose weight.
  • demelzanoo
    demelzanoo Posts: 14 Member
    Yes - I can't help but feel that in many cases people get a bit tired and actually over estimate exercise done as they don't do much (maybe using MFP figures), while underestimating food they've actually eaten.

    Calories in vs calories out still always stands - it's just a case of working out the right figures :).

    im always quite surprised at the amount of calories that seem to get burned doing activities on here, i stopped including the calories burned because i felt they were inaccurate.... or worse still... too depressingly low ! I was equally shocked at how many calories i was actually eating, this only came to light when i started actually measuring my food.... turns out i was eating twice as many calories as i thought i was and burning half as many calories as i thought i was.... so now i am re-educated hopefully my calories burned will be more than the calories i eat so i will finally lose some weight!.... its only taken me 16 years to accept that this is the only way to do it!
  • pj27559
    pj27559 Posts: 23 Member
    The myths regarding starvation mode will not die out whilst certain sellers of protein products imply that if you do not use (their) protein within 30 minutes of working out your body will become catabolic .

    The same (un-named) company also sells a gel to rub on your skin to increase muscle size - I think that's all we need to know about them surely!
  • moniqueoreilly
    moniqueoreilly Posts: 1
    Thank you for this post!
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    I love Lyle McDonald.
  • maybeazure
    maybeazure Posts: 301 Member
    It would be interesting to see some research on the differing psychological effects of lean vs. obese people. Yes the actually starving men (who were losing muscle mass and looked like starving or anorexic people) started having weird psychological problems. But I would not expect that obese people would necessarily have the same issues, but it would be interesting to see. Does the body recognize the reduction of calories and trigger the starvation response, or does it sense that it is getting dangerously low in fat reserves?

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