Starvation Mode: How It Works

After 8yrs of maintaining my 3st loss, I started to gain... very slowly... and over 2yrs I gained 10lbs. I 'thought' that when I split up with the ex a year ago, got my own place, and started to feed myself 'healthy, nutritious' meals, I'd start to lose it again. But no, I gained another 5lbs. It's got to stop!

Coming here and starting to count my calories, I find I'm having about 700 a day... on a normal working day... but 'occasionally' I'd get cravings and binge on bread, cake, chocolate. I'm not a pudding eater, never have been, so the cake really does only happen if it's somebody's birthday at work and they brought cakes in.

I'm struggling a little bit to reach my 1200 a day, but I'm doing it (even if it does mean 'some' chocolate!), and I've lost 2lb in less than 2wks. Crazy...

"But Some People Claim You GAIN Weight in Starvation Mode?
Starvation Mode itself will not cause weight gain. However, a combination of starvation mode, binges, and carb loading, can cause weight gain. Once the metabolism decreases, your energy requirements are lower. So you have to eat less just to maintain your current weight. The body has become more efficient at using and storing energy. But most people have a hard time maintaining a very low intake consistently for long periods. So if your typical intake is 1000 (just an example), but you have occasional binges of 3000 and the binge is mostly carbs, the body can’t use all of that at one time anymore. So the body shuttles it to fat storage. This won’t be a huge gain, but a lb or two a month maybe. It’s not dramatic, but if someone lives this way for years, they can gain a decent amount of weight. "

Bumping to keep. Thanks for bringing this info back to the top.

this is a wonderful post. thanks, OP - people need to read this.

It's highly unlikely that anybody is in starvation mode, as it's not going to happen as long as your body has excess body fat (meaning that if you're over 4-5% body fat, you will not enter starvation mode).

This was proven back in the 1940's by Dr. Ancel Keys with the Minnesota Starvation Experiment at the University of Minnesota. Science wins (yet again). Please stop spreading the misinformation. If you've reached a plateau and you're not losing weight, eat less and exercise more.

BUMP!

very useful and helpful info! thanks for posting that

I'm not sure if you're still an active member _ but your article is me to a tee! I've been told I have been hypo-caloric for so long now, that my body has shut down and stores everything and anything. Your mention of anorexia made my jaw drop... because I have asked my doctor... "if I'm eating too little, isn't that what anorexics do? and they lose weight? why aren't I?"
I'm on an information quest now... and have had my RMR rechecked and am going to give eating 5x/day and about 500 more calories a day a try... scared to death, I literally have been eating 1200 or less for decades... that I now do it without even really trying... so this is gonna take a lot of effort.

If you're still out there... I'd love to hear from you, and see if there are other posts you have to share on same or similar topic.
thanks! :grumble:

I'll offer up my services if interested.
PM me for details.

bump

I'm sorry if that has been asked before in this thread, but if there any recovery from starvation mode? Or will you have a damaged metabolism forever? If there's a way to recover, how do you do it?

I'm sorry if that has been asked before in this thread, but if there any recovery from starvation mode? Or will you have a damaged metabolism forever? If there's a way to recover, how do you do it?

Http://www.biolayne.com

Google reverse dieting or PM me and ill help you figure it out.