Starvation mode: real, fake or a matter of opinion

Matter of opinion completely. No one person on here will know your body, your medical issues or weather or not you get enough or are lacking in something. Even we sometimes can't tell when our body is lacking in certain things

When it comes to LCDs getting a doctor on board is the smartest thing anyone can do as they will make sure you are getting what your body needs and they will be looking out for you! That's why I trust my GP over the opinions we see here. And I always will.

If you trust a GP for your nutritional and exercise advice, then you're ignorant. They know next to nothing about the subject. Good luck with that.

That's why they are General Practioners. They do come in handy for all sorts of health advice and treatment though. I am working with mine to monitor my bloods and other doctory stuff. He is quite happy that I know more about nutrition and exercise than he does....

I really wouldn't call anyone ignorant for trusting their GP over anonymous know alls on an internet site. Some people are woefully ignorant and spout all sorts of tut wot they have read....

Aside from the metabolic changes that occur with chronic under feeding there are other health concerns and significant risks of VLCDs: gallstones (1/4 people but not always a concern), cardio issues including sudden death from ventricular tachycardia, hormonal damage to the adrenal/pituitary system, hair loss, etc... Such a large deficit cannot meet micronutrient needs of muscle repair from your exercise - you also increase the risk of exercise injury and reduce the overall benefits from your practice.

Some people here think that a Very Low Calorie Diet is 1200 calories. A VLCD is defined as 800 calories or less.

Some people look at the whole picture of total weight loss and net calories - a negative net of over a thousand calories with weight loss of close to 4 lbs a weeks is likely a VLCD.

I too think there's some confusion here. "Starvation Mode" Is a well understood physiological response to prolonged (and dangerous) energy deficit whereby the body will start metabolising lean muscle tissue as an energy source.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response

However, note the extreme circumstances by which the mechanisms are called in play. Only realistic for someone with a serious eating disorder.

If people are talking about fasting for periods, again there's a lot of published research, recently culminating in the notion of having two days a week where one consumes less than 500/600 calories a day, has a positive impact on health:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html
http://www.closeronline.co.uk/2013/07/the-5-2-diet-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work-plus-recipe-ideas
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lxyzc

I can't tell if this is real or if you're doing a Lewis Carroll. lol (in response to the Shatner's Bassoon thing)

27 lbs in 55 days - thats over 3 lbs a week.

Sounds like a "if it aint broke, dont fix it" situation to me. Keep going with what is working until it isnt working yet. Once you get to or close to a weight you happy with, you can worry about maintenance.

agreed, u r doing most excellently, keep up the good work! u r AWESOME!

A diet you can't maintain for life is a fad diet. Any fad diet is starving the body of one thing or another. Calorie restriction included, unless someone is morbidly obese and needs to lose weight urgently.

WOW. Clear, concise and kind. Thanks. I have enjoyed reading this thread (with a *couple* of snarpy exclusions) because I see a lot of obviously successful (ie hot) people giving thoughtful advice in a rational and kind manner.

As for this quote, this is perhaps the Dalai Lama of dieting advice for me. I have been scared to death that the minute I *stop* doing what I am doing, I will gain it all back. I will be fearful of that until I have done this long enough to know that my current efforts are habit. But, since I have been fat my whole life I expect that maintenance will be a life long process as much as the weight loss phase is a long process. I do believe that as long as I am aware of what I am going and making a conscious effort, I can maintain this. I am exercising, eating delicious and nutritious foods and having all of my favorite foods. Just not all of them all of the time. Thank you for this comment above, and this thread. Good advice herein, given in a good manner.

Kids in Africa are on starvation mode where one pound its a matter of life or dead..we are on diet lol

Starvation mode does exist but not the way ppl on here describe it to be. Serious malnutrition is what it is over a period of time. See your dr or a nutritionalist if any concerns.