Starvation Mode

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  • leahmthomas95
    leahmthomas95 Posts: 4
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    Oh and by the by...1000 calories is plenty if you feel that you're achieving the necessary protein/fat/carbs. As it has been said above me, focus on nutrient - dense low calorie foods (green vegetables), and try to "eat back" the calories you burn off. But it's achievable and maintainable. For many, many people.
  • LunaStar2008
    LunaStar2008 Posts: 155 Member
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    LOL...I always have to laugh at this discussion; you know that you can go 10 days without any food, but drink plenty of water, without harming yourself or your metabolism? Yes, you may be tired fast and such.....but within that time you can loose up to 10% of your body weight.

    I got this information from a swiss clinic, who teaches children and adults to eat solid food, after they are weaned off a feeding tube (some children are on it since birth and never learned to eat solids). They sometimes use this method and cut them off the tube, after establishing that there is no physical reason anymore to keep them on a feeding tube. Of course this "therapy" is in a clinical (stationary) setting monitored by nutitionists, doctors and psychologists and in an emergency they can be re-connected. But often it is just mental and getting used to taste and texture.

    So, eating-lets say for three weeks 1000 calories will not kill your metabolism, you just will be hungry, grumpy and tired all the time.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    LOL...I always have to laugh at this discussion; you know that you can go 10 days without any food, but drink plenty of water, without harming yourself or your metabolism? Yes, you may be tired fast and such.....but within that time you can loose up to 10% of your body weight.

    Laugh if it makes you feel better, but you will also gain all that weight back once you start eating normally again. And, laugh even more if you want to, but your skin will most likely become "loose" because you choose to "lose" weight so quickly.

    By the way, please share your peer reviewed studies on this.
    I got this information from a swiss clinic, who teaches children and adults to eat solid food, after they are weaned off a feeding tube (some children are on it since birth and never learned to eat solids). They sometimes use this method and cut them off the tube, after establishing that there is no physical reason anymore to keep them on a feeding tube. Of course this "therapy" is in a clinical (stationary) setting monitored by nutitionists, doctors and psychologists and in an emergency they can be re-connected. But often it is just mental and getting used to taste and texture.

    So, eating-lets say for three weeks 1000 calories will not kill your metabolism, you just will be hungry, grumpy and tired all the time.
    Don't believe everything you read on the internet. :smile:
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
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    Following this one
  • xDawnsgrace
    xDawnsgrace Posts: 436
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    no, it's not okay. Eating like that for an extended period of time can bring on eating disorders and bad body images.


    Run away fast from the idea of eating less than 1000 calories a day
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Here's the thing about starvation mode- It doesn't exist, at least as long as you have any body fat to speak of. Starvation mode is what happens when your body has nothing, not even fat to run off of, not just when you're not feeding it.

    Well, one extreme with myths of what it is isn't good.

    But your extreme of when it only happens isn't good either.

    How about merely a 25% deficit for an obese person, lowering their daily metabolism by 20% eventually because of body adapting slower?

    Is that only happening when no fat is left? They had plenty of fat left.

    Might shock you that it can happen easier than you think.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/heybales/view/reduced-metabolism-tdee-beyond-expected-from-weight-loss-616251

    And the why it happens.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i_cmltmQ6A
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Here's the thing about starvation mode- It doesn't exist, at least as long as you have any body fat to speak of. Starvation mode is what happens when your body has nothing, not even fat to run off of, not just when you're not feeding it.

    With your goal weight, you will not EVER have to worry about starvation mode. You could eat 2 calories a day and still be just fine until you got severely underweight.

    1,000 is more than reasonable AS LONG AS you're getting enough nutrients, you're only warned against eating under 1200 because it's difficult to get adequate nutrition at that level.

    Also, if your goal is 1,000 or fewer (or anywhere below maintenance, really) calories it'd be in bad judgement not to eat back your exercised calories.

    Came here to make my first ever MFP post. You are absolutely right and those who are saying you're wrong have literally no concept of how calories work.

    Calories are energy. Fat is stored energy. You can't have fat unless you have energy. Therefore, it should really come as no surprise that hey, there is NO SUCH THING AS STARVATION MODE. You don't get fat where there are no calories. This is basic science and a rudimentary understanding of physics.

    I would like anyone to explain to me why I'm wrong. Please. Seriously, I want to hear your replies. Educate me on how you can create energy where there is none.

    Who said starvation mode would make you fat?

    You seem to be arguing a term/phrase with no meaning behind it and picking an effect out of the air.

    What makes you fat is the binges when in that mode, because they aren't enough to speed up your metabolism, you just add fat.

    I guess you are speaking to the non-stated comment of "I only eat 1200 and gained 10 lbs in 3 months".

    Never mind the fact that while that was the goal, their metabolism was so low and their adherence to that level was so bad, that the weekend binges eating 3000 calories was truly 1500 in excess each day it happened, and about every 2 times they did it, they gained 1 lb of fat.

    Always adherence problems. But again - no one said anything about your stated claim you are arguing against, I merely bring up an example.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    It takes a long time to go into "starvation mode". Survivors of Auschwitz went into starvation mode after weeks and months of not getting enough food. You won't be "starving" until you burn through a good amount of your body fat and muscle. I think a lot of people use it as an excuse to eat too much. "If I cut any calories, I'll go into starvation mode and gain weight!" Um, no.

    Keeping the fact that starvation mode and starving are 2 different things when used as terms, do you think starvation mode could happen with a mere 25% deficit in 3 months?

    Check out the link in my post above.

    And as other studies show, it's not the eating level, it's the amount of deficit from the level of activity.
  • leahmthomas95
    leahmthomas95 Posts: 4
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    Yes - but the idea of "starvation mode" implies that it's a metabolic response by your body. As though that's a "mode" you went into.

    If you cannot sustain a 1000 calorie a day diet, and have to binge eat 3000, clearly you should up your regular intake to 1200, 1300. Simple.

    But this is not a response by your body, nor is it a "mode" you're in. You're hungry since you're eating too few calories, or have no idea what "true hunger" is. Or again, lack will power.

    If I eat 1000 calories a day, and then binge eat 3000 one day, is that an effect of my body, or my own poor will?

    My own poor will. All bodies work as simply and efficiently as calories in - calories out.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Yes - but the idea of "starvation mode" implies that it's a metabolic response by your body. As though that's a "mode" you went into.

    If you cannot sustain a 1000 calorie a day diet, and have to binge eat 3000, clearly you should up your regular intake to 1200, 1300. Simple.

    But this is not a response by your body, nor is it a "mode" you're in. You're hungry since you're eating too few calories, or have no idea what "true hunger" is. Or again, lack will power.

    If I eat 1000 calories a day, and then binge eat 3000 one day, is that an effect of my body, or my own poor will?

    My own poor will. All bodies work as simply and efficiently as calories in - calories out.

    Well, I was filling in the example I was sure you were talking about, how you gain weight in starvation mode. Because you just commented on something that hadn't been stated yet.

    For the fact that it is a metabolic improvement in efficiency over your whole TDEE, go read the links given and the study links are in there.

    It is a mode - because you can go in to it - and you can eventually get out of it.

    No it does not happen skipping one meal.
    No it does not happen being low one day.
    No it does not hold on to more fat than was going to happen anyway.
    No it does not cause weight gain outside normal fluctuations (but those are easier and bigger with it).
    No it will not stop weight loss if you just keep cutting calories.
    Yes it will improve odds of burning muscle mass as any extreme diet can.
    Yes it will improve chances of not adhering to new even lower eating level.
    Yes it will cause eventual maintenance to be much lower than needed.
    Yes it will increase chances of not adhering to maintenance level and gaining weight back.

    Even more studies on the upwards of 20% suppression.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1077746-starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss
  • systemlayers
    systemlayers Posts: 12
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    There's been many controlled studies on obese people fasting or eating exceptionally low calories over a long time (years even) but you really don't want to try anything like that unless you're being monitored/fed vitamins. There is no fast way, the only 'fast weight' is water weight. You can starve yourself but you'll just be back to a stupid diet in 3 months after you gain it all back. Focus on slow manageable weight loss.
  • emmy724
    emmy724 Posts: 22 Member
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    Laugh if it makes you feel better, but you will also gain all that weight back once you start eating normally again.

    No matter what diet or eating plan you try, if you were fat before ( eating more than your body can use) and go back to that ,you will get fat again. Also define eating normally. Normal for who? The 6'5 linebacker or the 5'2 secretary? Every time someone falls off the wagon it isn't because their diet is bad or wrong. Its is because they went back to their old habits or perhaps " started eating normally again". I think what you meant to say was " The water weight which you initially lost will come back just as with any and every calorie deficit plan known to man. Also if you consume about 3500 more calories than your body can use, you will gain a pound of fat no matter which diet you are following.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    Laugh if it makes you feel better, but you will also gain all that weight back once you start eating normally again.

    No matter what diet or eating plan you try, if you were fat before ( eating more than your body can use) and go back to that ,you will get fat again. Also define eating normally. Normal for who? The 6'5 linebacker or the 5'2 secretary? Every time someone falls off the wagon it isn't because their diet is bad or wrong. Its is because they went back to their old habits or perhaps " started eating normally again". I think what you meant to say was " The water weight which you initially lost will come back just as with any and every calorie deficit plan known to man. Also if you consume about 3500 more calories than your body can use, you will gain a pound of fat no matter which diet you are following.
    It seems to me you're gong on a tangent with my words. :wink:

    I'll give you an example. Right now, I am maintaining my weight. Well, if I do a fast or to eat 1,000 calories a day for two weeks when I normally eat around 2,000 or more, I will most definitely lose weight, but it will be very little fat, if any, and mostly/all water. Once I start eating at maintenance again, I will gain most if not all that "weight" back.

    If you're already fat, 1,000 calories will make you "skinny fat" if you eat like that for awhile.
  • LunaStar2008
    LunaStar2008 Posts: 155 Member
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    If I find the link to the Medical TV show, which followed a child, which had been on a feeding tube since she was born. She was about 4-5 years old when she was weaned off.

    Also, I am not advocating low calorie diets/lifestyles it is just amusing to see the broad meaning/understanding of "starvation". WWII prisoners, POW and concentration camp survivors are examples of starvation, but not when we today deprive our bodies over a certain period of time of those calories.

    Have one of you ever considered that our food has more nutritiens, energy and such then it had when our parents were children??? Genmanipulation has corn, wheat and other food plants produce higher energy levels, then they did in the 1960' and 1970'. Not only hormons and other supplement make our farm animals produce more and faster meat. It is also the higher energy in the plants (I lived for a while with a dairy farmer and he explained that to me.) So, these high energy food plants are also in our food chain. The bread from today has more energy then it had for our parents and grand-parents. So, grand-pa had more physical labor and less energy rich food - he stayed in shape. We are compared to that don't have so much physical labor (machines are taking the tasks) but more energy rich food available. So we need to eat less to cover the same amount of energy and nutrition.

    Just a thought.....you don't have to agree.
  • Chrysalid2014
    Chrysalid2014 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Well, I'm fed up (no pun intended) with reading everywhere about starvation mode and whether it does or doesn't it exist, so I'm going to try it for myself. Here is a link to an NHS article about very low calorie diets.
    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/very-low-calorie-diets.aspx
  • LunaStar2008
    LunaStar2008 Posts: 155 Member
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    Good and interesting article!
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Laugh if it makes you feel better, but you will also gain all that weight back once you start eating normally again.

    No matter what diet or eating plan you try, if you were fat before ( eating more than your body can use) and go back to that ,you will get fat again. Also define eating normally. Normal for who? The 6'5 linebacker or the 5'2 secretary? Every time someone falls off the wagon it isn't because their diet is bad or wrong. Its is because they went back to their old habits or perhaps " started eating normally again". I think what you meant to say was " The water weight which you initially lost will come back just as with any and every calorie deficit plan known to man. Also if you consume about 3500 more calories than your body can use, you will gain a pound of fat no matter which diet you are following.
    It seems to me you're gong on a tangent with my words. :wink:

    I'll give you an example. Right now, I am maintaining my weight. Well, if I do a fast or to eat 1,000 calories a day for two weeks when I normally eat around 2,000 or more, I will most definitely lose weight, but it will be very little fat, if any, and mostly/all water. Once I start eating at maintenance again, I will gain most if not all that "weight" back.

    If you're already fat, 1,000 calories will make you "skinny fat" if you eat like that for awhile.

    7000 calories of energy will all come from water?? Muscle, maybe, but that energy has to come from somewhere.

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