The 1200-calorie/Starvation Mode Myth

unfortunately, like any system that is broken, you can't just say "Eat when you're hungry" to an obese person any more than you can count on a broken thermostat in a house to regulate heat correctly.

the body has an enormous capacity to adapt. And there many studies done that prove this concept out.

So while I agree that for a healthy person, it's generally acceptable to "listen to your body", that's not necessarily the case for someone who has issues with over eating or under eating. There is a concept called metabolic adaptation that occurs during prolonged periods of under or over feeding, for someone who chronically under eats you can't just tell them to "eat when you're hungry". Likewise, as the body very slowly reduces it's RMR to account for under-nutrition, most people never recognize when they are feeling sluggish or have a lack of energy (at least not unless they are looking for it or measuring it). Similar to theory of a frog and a slowly boiling pot of water (and yes, I recognize that this is a myth, it's here for insight only not direct comparison), you don't realize you're in danger until well into the process if that process is slow enough.

Cited studies:

http://www.ajcn.org/content/89/3/801.full.pdf+html?sid=2f6841ba-c49b-4533-8fee-5d6166710164

http://www.ajcn.org/content/51/2/309.full.pdf+html?sid=1b56c0fa-7a4e-4d28-9866-08d978de9a98

http://www.ajcn.org/content/49/5/745.full.pdf+html?sid=1b56c0fa-7a4e-4d28-9866-08d978de9a98

I agree with most of this post with the exception that it is quite possible to have a nutrient deficit and not know it. Some nutrient deficits will send your body a message (Fat makes us feel more full than Carbs, lack of Iron can make you lethargic, lack of Fiber can make you constipated, etc). However, not getting enough Calcium (which is true of most women) may not send you a signal until your bones start becoming brittle.

I use MFP mostly to track my nutrients, since my weight loss is not an issue. When I began doing MFP, I was surprised how low my calcium intake was. As well, my Protein intake was half of what it should be for my level of activity and body type (which was determined by how relatively easy it was to grow/maintain muscle when I increased my lean protein intake).

MFP is valuable in that it educates us by getting us into a conscious tracking mode where we pay a great deal of attention to the numbers and measurements. However, at some point, we should be able to find where our body operates best and is getting the nutrients it needs. As long as my nutrient levels are healthy and I am getting enough protein, I don't pay attention to my carbs or fats (except to make sure I am getting healthy fats which MFP doesnt track).

I agree that its okay to go low or high on something for a short term. The body isn't that fragile. I also think that the purpose of MFP as a tool is to educate us to the point where we are doing this monitoring almost unconsciously... and then leave the tool behind.

But before you can be good about "listening to your body", you need to know what your body needs and what it is saying. Many people receive hunger signals, not because they are hungry, but because they are depressed or in an anxiety state. Being able to ascertain this and address it in a more healthy manner (exercise to release stress, talk to a therapist or good friend, use Cognitive Behavior Therapy or other simple tools to reframe your thought patterns) is far better than putting simple carbs into your mouth because you think your body is giving you a message.

Establishing consistent patterns at the start allows us to reach a settle point where we can begin to get in touch with how we feel. It also starts to equalize our nutrients and hopefully address deficiencies. Once we are settled in this place and get a better feel for where that point is, I think its a good idea to start moving off of the plan... because the plan isn't suited for all body and activity types. We can make adjustments and pay attention to how we feel and what signals we are getting (and ask ourselves why).

This is when we should throw out the door the sweeping rules which state "never" or "always"... and find what works for us as individuals.

In sum, I agree that the 1200 calorie Starvation Mode CAN be a myth... it can also be a truth for someone. The same with low fat diets or too much protein. This is why MFP gives you the ability to customize your own levels. There will be days that your body needs more or less because of hormones or activity type... or some nutrient that MFP doesn't track (I would love my own dream version of MFP which tracks far more nutrients).

The function of MFP and so called "rules" should be to give us a starting point. Much like learning to read and write. Then, as we become proficient at this process and in listening to our needs, we should move beyond the rules to what fits our self and start to write our own story.

As I posted in another thread on the topic:


Being 'not hungry' does NOT mean you have taken in adequate nutrition.

In some cases, it can simply mean your ghrelin hormone levels have adjusted to the lower calorie intake and since ghrelin controls your hunger, you feel less hungry. Ghrelin also promotes fat storage during low (food) intake periods. The problem is, once you begin to eat normally again (after you've lost the weight), your ghrelin levels will increase, as will your hunger. Subsequently, 95% of dieters who lost more than 10 pounds will, within 1 year, regain all the weight they've lost.

So, eating enough food to fuel your body helps maintain the delicate balance of metabolic hormones.

Healthy, long term, sustainable weight loss IS more than just calories in/calories out.

http://themonterydiet.com/ghrelin_and_leptin.html


Also, on bodybuilding.com, the women who are working to lose weight are eating 1600-2000 calories, and doing so very, very successfully (that includes exercise calories). Why do people here think that they have to eat 1200 calories to lose? It's unnecessary for most, in my opinion.