Anyone else not believe in "starvation mode?"

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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    In the context of how it is often used here on MFP, no....it is miss-used and not understood by most of the people who talk about it. You cannot for example put weight on while in a calorie deficit due to "starvation mode"...

    That said, it is a real thing...

    But really, the danger to VLCD, especially when done without supervision is a substantial lacking of nutrients. Most people who do this here on MFP, aren't under the supervision of a dietitian or other medical professional and know little to nothing about actual proper nutrition.

    What is worse is that it is often some young female who maybe has 5-10 cosmetic fat Lbs to lose who are all over these boards severely under-eating and malnourishing themselves. There is a substantial difference in what is appropriate calorie consumption for someone who is morbidly obese vs someone who really just needs to go work on some body re-comp and that seems to get lost on a lot of these young girls and even older women here.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
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    yes, it's not really a real thing. There was a great article about it somewhere, talked about the Holocaust and a Minnesota experiment among other sources. Basically said, if there was a "starvation" mode wouldn't you have seen photos of normal looking chubby people in concentration camps? You've got the gist of the argument, there is indeed some slowing of metabolism but to a much smaller degree than most people think, AND you have to be approaching level of base-body fat % to really get an effect from it.

    Yep. Starvation mode exists but it is not what people in most health forums THINK it is. Most people that talk about starvation mode on here have never read the original studies and have no idea what they are talking about.

    Exactly. Starvation Mode is a real thing. However, it's a misapplied concept to anyone is a western society. When I think starvation mode, I think concentration camp, walking across Siberia type stuff. Slowing motabolism because you've cut a few calories? In general terms, No.

    What does walking across Siberia type stuff have to do with starvation mode?

    I get what you are trying to say but you should mention the concentration camps in Siberia and other countries
  • Peachygirl14
    Peachygirl14 Posts: 46
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    From the article:

    Most people’s definition of starvation mode goes something like this:

    To lose weight, you need to consume less calories. BUT, if you consume TOO few calories, your metabolism slows down so much so that your body enters a state where weight loss stops completely.

    And technically, fiberous food has less(not totally devoid of) calories right?

    Enter the proportion of carbs, protein, and fiberous food.

    And 1200 calories is not really bad or low unless you only get your calories from carb.
  • Peachygirl14
    Peachygirl14 Posts: 46
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    yes, it's not really a real thing. There was a great article about it somewhere, talked about the Holocaust and a Minnesota experiment among other sources. Basically said, if there was a "starvation" mode wouldn't you have seen photos of normal looking chubby people in concentration camps? You've got the gist of the argument, there is indeed some slowing of metabolism but to a much smaller degree than most people think, AND you have to be approaching level of base-body fat % to really get an effect from it.

    Yep. Starvation mode exists but it is not what people in most health forums THINK it is. Most people that talk about starvation mode on here have never read the original studies and have no idea what they are talking about.

    Exactly. Starvation Mode is a real thing. However, it's a misapplied concept to anyone is a western society. When I think starvation mode, I think concentration camp, walking across Siberia type stuff. Slowing motabolism because you've cut a few calories? In general terms, No.

    What does walking across Siberia type stuff have to do with starvation mode?

    I get what you are trying to say but you should mention the concentration camps in Siberia and other countries

    Did the people in the Siberian camps eat protein and fiber or merely simple carbs?
  • dfeinblum
    dfeinblum Posts: 3
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    It's been proven to be a myth. That's why it's unbelievable.

    Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    oh hello again starvation mode myth thread..

    starvation mode from eating 1200 cals a day or skipping snack 23 out of 24 = NO

    Starvation mode from eating zero calories for a prolonged period greater than 72 hours = YES

    /end thread
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
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    Me for one. Having watched my friend's daughter starve herself to almost skin and bone over a period of about a year I would say that there was no point when this poor little soul was "in starvation mode", "turning all the calories into fat" or "skinny fat".
    If it was something that truelly occurs then famine in third world countries would be less fatal. Possibly just a first world condition.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    I for one do not believe hat starvation mode is the way to loose weight. It does more harm than god when you deprive yourself of the needed nutrients to be healthy--I have always felt that portion control is the way to go!!!! I am walking proof that it works!!!

    ummm, not sure I understand this...
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    Here you go, this shows what the biological adaptive response commonly called "starvation mode" is

    http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.physiol.68.040104.105739
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    Me! I loathe that term.
    Starvation occurs when your body has exhausted its reserves and must now break down vital tissue (such as heart muscle) in order to keep you alive. It would be a very painful mode, indeed. It would take a LONG time to get to that point.
  • Justifier
    Justifier Posts: 336 Member
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    “The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”

    dr-neil-degrasse-tyson-3.jpg?w=726
  • roshilp
    roshilp Posts: 1
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    ha ha.. yes there is such a thing called "starvation mode" - i am sure it kicks in sometime after months and months of being starved - like in a prison or something..
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
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    People using the term incorrectly doesn't mean that the biological process doesn't exist. The body strives to keep you alive no matter what, and in prolonged nutrition deficiency your body will automatically slow metabolic processes.
    I agree with this, what I don't agree with is the often touted view that weight loss will reverse - just bonkers!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    The evidence does not show that the majority of overweight dieters will enter 'starvation mode' as the term defined scientifically.

    Belief have nothing to do with it, though you wouldn't know that on these bbs the way the term is tossed around and folks cling to it like any other urban myth.
  • Peachygirl14
    Peachygirl14 Posts: 46
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    Does zero calories exist in real whole foods? Maybe only in processed food where calories are "isolated"

    Even vegetables and fruits do have some calories.

    Boils down to the quality of food. Better to chow on white rice for calories than on refined sugar!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    “The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.”

    dr-neil-degrasse-tyson-3.jpg?w=726

    Haha! Great minds and all that...
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Does zero calories exist in real whole foods? Maybe only in processed food where calories are "isolated"

    Even vegetables and fruits do have some calories.

    Boils down to the quality of food. Better to chow on white rice for calories than on refined sugar!

    Boy, you really have trouble staying on topic, don't you?
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
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    yes, it's not really a real thing. There was a great article about it somewhere, talked about the Holocaust and a Minnesota experiment among other sources. Basically said, if there was a "starvation" mode wouldn't you have seen photos of normal looking chubby people in concentration camps? You've got the gist of the argument, there is indeed some slowing of metabolism but to a much smaller degree than most people think, AND you have to be approaching level of base-body fat % to really get an effect from it.



    Yep. Starvation mode exists but it is not what people in most health forums THINK it is. Most people that talk about starvation mode on here have never read the original studies and have no idea what they are talking about.

    Exactly. Starvation Mode is a real thing. However, it's a misapplied concept to anyone is a western society. When I think starvation mode, I think concentration camp, walking across Siberia type stuff. Slowing motabolism because you've cut a few calories? In general terms, No.

    What does walking across Siberia type stuff have to do with starvation mode?

    I get what you are trying to say but you should mention the concentration camps in Siberia and other countries

    Did the people in the Siberian camps eat protein and fiber or merely simple carbs?

    I dont know but what Im saying the way I read that persons post didnt come across as to making sense...yes Siberians were in concentration camps therefore suffered from starvation mode
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I for one do not believe hat starvation mode is the way to loose weight. It does more harm than god when you deprive yourself of the needed nutrients to be healthy--I have always felt that portion control is the way to go!!!! I am walking proof that it works!!!

    ummm, not sure I understand this...

    I like the idea of 'hat starvation' (always hated hats) and that it causes more harm than God!

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