Is there such thing as "Starvation Mode"

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oXGetFitBabeXo
oXGetFitBabeXo Posts: 341 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What is the least amount of calories someone can have a day without the body storing fat? Just a question..

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  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    There's no SET number. Every body is different. And it's not so much that the body will just all of a sudden start storing fat. From personal experience, I was fine as long as I didn't eat, but whenever I started eating normally again, or had something with a little extra fat in it, my body would immediately hold on to it, and it would be MUCH harder to get off.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    Oh no not this, but it depends on the person activity level size ect ect but they say the minimum amount is 1200 sedetary for females and 1600 sedatary for males for your body to get the energy it requires to function properly. As far as your post goes in referance to "Starvation Mode" do some research and come up with your own conclusion many different opinions but generally speaking you really dont need to be worried about this until your BF ration gets to below certain percentage (Some will disagree). Many different posts about the subject on this forum.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

    And in order to build muscle you need to eat a surplus cant have one without the other again how much depends on many factors.
  • oXGetFitBabeXo
    oXGetFitBabeXo Posts: 341 Member
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    Thanks, I'm not planning on "starving myself" but i was wondering if it was something to factor in if i eat for the day & i'm not hungry and my net doesnt equal up to 1,2000.. each day is different.. some day i'm over others i'm under... then i have days where i dont even count at all!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    What is commonly called "starvation mode" should really be called metabolic slow down. Your body will slow to match what you are giving it. The hormones that regulate hunger will be affected, eating less causes you to not be as hungry, eating more causes you to be more hungry. This is a survival mechanism, in times of famine bodies slowed down to survive, in times of plenty bodies had to be able to eat all it could and store it. Eating too little also causes excess stress hormone which prevents fat loss.

    This is why typically people will end up losing weight and gaining weight, sometimes multiple times, because they have suppressed their metabolism and when they begin eating what should be a normal amount of food for their body and activity, they gain weight.

    Whether 1200 calories is enough for you is another question. Just because MFP gave you that amount does not mean it is correct. If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you should not choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week".
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    What is commonly called "starvation mode" should really be called metabolic slow down. Your body will slow to match what you are giving it. The hormones that regulate hunger will be affected, eating less causes you to not be as hungry, eating more causes you to be more hungry. This is a survival mechanism, in times of famine bodies slowed down to survive, in times of plenty bodies had to be able to eat all it could and store it. Eating too little also causes excess stress hormone which prevents fat loss.

    This is why typically people will end up losing weight and gaining weight, sometimes multiple times, because they have suppressed their metabolism and when they begin eating what should be a normal amount of food for their body and activity, they gain weight.

    Whether 1200 calories is enough for you is another question. Just because MFP gave you that amount does not mean it is correct. If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you should not choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week".
    THIS.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    What is the least amount of calories someone can have a day without the body storing fat? Just a question..
    Zero.:bigsmile:
    Yeah, I was being a smart alack, but that is the correct answer. There is always some storage and retrieval going on.
    As others said, metabolism slows as you eat less and there was that famous study done where wacky things happened once the body fat % dropped to 5 or so. But no study has ever found a point at which lowering calories consumed does not increase the calorie deficit. As your metabolism slows, you won't get as much deficit gain from each consumption reduction, but you will always get one.
  • nbell120
    nbell120 Posts: 17 Member
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    Very insightful, Thanks!
    What is commonly called "starvation mode" should really be called metabolic slow down. Your body will slow to match what you are giving it. The hormones that regulate hunger will be affected, eating less causes you to not be as hungry, eating more causes you to be more hungry. This is a survival mechanism, in times of famine bodies slowed down to survive, in times of plenty bodies had to be able to eat all it could and store it. Eating too little also causes excess stress hormone which prevents fat loss.

    This is why typically people will end up losing weight and gaining weight, sometimes multiple times, because they have suppressed their metabolism and when they begin eating what should be a normal amount of food for their body and activity, they gain weight.

    Whether 1200 calories is enough for you is another question. Just because MFP gave you that amount does not mean it is correct. If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you should not choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week".
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
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    In another thread someone used the term "storage mode". I think that is a much better term and would love to see it substituted for "starvation mode".
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
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    Thanks, I'm not planning on "starving myself" but i was wondering if it was something to factor in if i eat for the day & i'm not hungry and my net doesnt equal up to 1,2000.. each day is different.. some day i'm over others i'm under... then i have days where i dont even count at all!
    If you look at the whole week as a single unit instead of each day, it looks better. I go by an average per week - which means on the weekends or particularly stressful nights, if I have an extra beer or glass of wine, I'm not gonna kick myself. Ditto if I simply don't eat that many calories for the day. It all averages out in the end.
  • pomeraniamania
    pomeraniamania Posts: 9
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    "Starvation Mode" is a myth. Here is an article by a doctor explaining it.

    http://www.healthscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=512:are-you-in-the-starvation-mode-or-starving-for-truth&catid=102:jeff-novicks-blog&Itemid=267
  • scoculuzzi
    scoculuzzi Posts: 2
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    What is commonly called "starvation mode" should really be called metabolic slow down. Your body will slow to match what you are giving it. The hormones that regulate hunger will be affected, eating less causes you to not be as hungry, eating more causes you to be more hungry. This is a survival mechanism, in times of famine bodies slowed down to survive, in times of plenty bodies had to be able to eat all it could and store it. Eating too little also causes excess stress hormone which prevents fat loss.

    This is why typically people will end up losing weight and gaining weight, sometimes multiple times, because they have suppressed their metabolism and when they begin eating what should be a normal amount of food for their body and activity, they gain weight.

    Whether 1200 calories is enough for you is another question. Just because MFP gave you that amount does not mean it is correct. If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you should not choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week".

    BEST explanation I have ever heard (or read)! Thanks so much
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    What is commonly called "starvation mode" should really be called metabolic slow down. Your body will slow to match what you are giving it. The hormones that regulate hunger will be affected, eating less causes you to not be as hungry, eating more causes you to be more hungry. This is a survival mechanism, in times of famine bodies slowed down to survive, in times of plenty bodies had to be able to eat all it could and store it. Eating too little also causes excess stress hormone which prevents fat loss.

    This is why typically people will end up losing weight and gaining weight, sometimes multiple times, because they have suppressed their metabolism and when they begin eating what should be a normal amount of food for their body and activity, they gain weight.

    Whether 1200 calories is enough for you is another question. Just because MFP gave you that amount does not mean it is correct. If you don't have a lot of weight to lose, then you should not choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week".

    BEST explanation I have ever heard (or read)! Thanks so much


    Agreed....it's like saying 1 lb of muscle weighs more then 1lb of fat...:tongue:

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