"starvation" mode

It puts a strain on your body and it makes it way easier to gain back once you stop it, it sucks tho, I wish I could do it just once to get all the weight off i need to then never do it again lol!

Problems with extremely low calorie intake (most of this stuff doesn't happen right away, but later down the road...its kind of like how some smokers end up with emphysema or lung cancer and some don't):

- Malnutrition

"Inadequate caloric intake can lead to malnutrition over time. According to MedlinePlus, malnutrition occurs when the diet does not allow the intake of a sufficient amount of nutrients. A diet with extremely low calories does not allow for adequate consumption of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants the body needs to perform its daily life processes. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to various problems, including fatigue, impaired wound healing and extreme weight loss." *1*

- Slower Metabolism (takes a while, but does happen)

"Metabolism is the rate at which the body burns fuel for energy. The basal metabolic rate is the minimum number of calories necessary to perform daily basic functions such as breathing, growth, cellular repair and digestion, according to MayoClinic.com. When calories are restricted over a long period of time, the body will compensate by holding on to the few calories that are consumed. Instead of burning calories freely, the body will perform basic life processes more slowly to conserve fuel. This can actually lead to weight gain." *1*

- Physical Changes

"A decrease in caloric intake may cause positive physical changes at first, especially in individuals with extra weight to lose. However, an extreme decrease in caloric intake can cause negative physical changes over time. Once individuals lose excess weight, calorie restriction can cause various physical problems. The Calorie Restriction Society indicates that decreasing daily calories too much can lead to reduced bone mass, fatigue, sensitivity to cold temperatures and food obsession due to extreme hunger. The CRS recommends gradual calorie reduction over a period of at least six months to avoid some of the side effects of low caloric intake." *1*

-Side Effects:

"Let’s look at some of the uncomfortable side effects of very low calorie diets:

Dry mouth
Headache
Dizziness
Fatigue and weakness
Cold intolerance
Dry skin and nails
Menstrual irregularities in women
Hair loss
Constipation/diarrhoea
Irritability and confusion
Inability to concentrate
Muscle breakdown
Problems with nerve and muscle function due to an imbalance in minerals and electrolytes
Conditions such as osteoporosis, anaemia, gout, gallstones, clinical depression, heart problems, renal failure, and liver disease" *2*



References:
*1*
http://www.livestrong.com/article/277053-what-are-the-dangers-of-low-caloric-intake/
*2*
http://www.dietriffic.com/2009/05/14/very-low-calorie-diet/

I was put on a VLC by a weight loss doctor awhile back. I can tell you yes, you can lose as much as 6-7 pounds a week... but I definitely had some of these side effects:

Dry mouth
Headache
Dizziness
Fatigue and weakness
Dry skin and nails
Hair loss
Irritability and confusion
Inability to concentrate

And those were just the things I could see or feel. No telling what happened on the inside!

Definitely not worth it -- now I'm back on the 1200 calorie a day plan - which in itself is pretty low. But it's working for me and frankly, I believe it works waaaay better in the long run.

Ann

the big misconception on this site is that starvation mode stops weight loss.

In fact, it does not. It SLOWS the ability to lose weight by changing how your body uses energy by shutting down/slowing certain processes. Stopping/slowing these processes is not the healthiest thing to do, but from your body's point of view, its better than dying and from a survival standpoint, it give you extra time to find a food source.

Understand, that under NO circumstances can you NOT lose weight if you are truly in a caloric deficit. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is estimate activity levels and food intake, so those are hard to measure.

First of all: you're still watching Survivor? That is very retro.

Second: The last time I watched Survivor, which was the Australia one back when I was in Middle School, I noticed that everyone loses weight on the show, but then at the finale they've all GAINED a bunch of weight. So yes, their bodies went into starvation mode, they lost weight (and some hair, if I remember clearly) but then as soon as they started eating again their bodies were like "SWEET! FAT! DELICIOUS FAT I'M NEVER LETTING THIS GO AGAIN"

It's science.

[/quote]The show is not reality.

Reality is when you turn off the TV.
[/quote]


Brilliant

Remember, if you are not getting the proper nutition to support the critical systems of the body, your body will start breaking down your lean body mass. This leads to skinny-fat where you hit your weight, but you still have a lot of fat on your body. You can do a VLC diet IF it is properly balanced. I was speaking to a woman who fasted for the week, and then ate on the weekends, she started gaining weight because her body started holding on to everything she ate to get through the lean times.

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

but like I said it seems to work on the TV show "survivor".....I didn't see them "gaining" weight

Walking off a cliff without falling also works on TV.

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

Yes you can most likely eat more. You can do a search for IPOARM (In place of a road map) threads that will show you how to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and eat about 20% less than that.

OR...you can manually change your goals on MFP and up the calories yourself. Go to 1500 and see how that works for you.

Question regarding what calorie intake or lack of it counts as starvation mode????? Currently struggling on 1200 as recommended by this site 5 ft 7 fairly active, usually exercise at least 4/5 times a week and eat back calories. Current weight 141llb so not tiny, and within bmi. Period stopped. Not pregnant! Think about food constantly and very grouchy, someone please tell me u can eat more without having to exercise more.

Yes you can most likely eat more. You can do a search for IPOARM (In place of a road map) threads that will show you how to calculate your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and eat about 20% less than that.

OR...you can manually change your goals on MFP and up the calories yourself. Go to 1500 and see how that works for you.

Putting yourself into starvation mode is not exactly the ideal way to lose weight. But, being acquainted with people who purposely starve themselves, I know it works. But they constantly do it by choice. They aren't stranded on an island or trapped in some vehicle. But as others have said, if you starve yourself to lose weight, you get it all back (and then some) if you eat more later on.

Personally, I don't think starving is safe. I know that's like a HUGE "DUH" statement, but some people don't understand the severity of attempting such tactics to lose weight. The best way to go is to do something safe you can do forever. Balance your personal caloric intake/activity levels to lose weight slowly and steadily. You'll gradually lose weight that will be easier to keep off.

Good luck to you.

I tried starving myself for 4 hours and it didn't work, however I went straight HULK mad and evil and then ate like a crazed Miss Piggy