The Truth About "Starvation Mode"

td_ssam
td_ssam Posts: 32
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone, just wanted to share this with you in case you haven't seen it already. I found it pretty interesting to read through myself.

http://caloriecount.about.com/truth-starvation-mode-ft28742

I'll say this about the "Starvation Mode". Don't do it. You can lose weight without starving yourself, so why even put your body through the stress? You take care of your body and it will take care of you. Don't take of your body and... You get the picture.

Happy eating / calorie loss / exercising everyone!

Sam

Replies

  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
    Not sure if you researched further into the study done in Minnesota that was referenced in the article. But reading about that study and what it did to the men psychologically, made me never, ever, ever want to go on a very strict low calorie diet. I don't care how fast it promised weight loss! For me, the only sane answer is a slow and steady lifestyle change. Avoid empty calories, manage portion size and exercise...

    good luck to you on your journey! =)
  • Sporty98
    Sporty98 Posts: 320 Member
    Excellent link! Thank you so much for posting! I don't eat my 1200 calories/day, and was catching a lot of flack about it. However, when I did try to eat 1200+ calories, I GAINED almost 5 lbs.! Clearly my body doesn't require that many calories....and I won't worry about starvation mode because I do eat more than 50% of my maintenance!
    Thanks!
  • angisnee
    angisnee Posts: 236 Member
    Very interesting article. I loved the part about how lean individuals lose fat-free mass with highly restricted diets, but obese individuals retain more lean mass.

    "But when you think about it, doesn't that make fat storage sense? Why would our Maker create us with the ability to store fat if it couldn't sustain us and preserve our lean mass in cases of extreme want?"

    BUT, I also liked how the author pointed out that doesn't give an obese person a reason to starve themselves.

    Thanks for posting!
  • td_ssam
    td_ssam Posts: 32
    As long as this link helps you out and makes you aware, then awesome, I did my job as a 'MFP helper guy person dude'. haha

    @watkinsc: I didn't read what it did to the men psychologically, but I'm interested to know about it now that you said something about it.
  • watkinsc
    watkinsc Posts: 177 Member
    Definitely google it.. Even though it was a 'controlled study,' the men that were put on severe caloric restriction had a high percentage of the group develop eating disorder traits later on. Very sad actually. I don't think the researchers had any idea that they would be psychologically endangering these men like that. If I remember right though, I think the men in the study joined as an alternative to being drafted into the armed services or something... what a nightmare ....
  • Katz85340
    Katz85340 Posts: 206 Member
    Hey everyone, just wanted to share this with you in case you haven't seen it already. I found it pretty interesting to read through myself.

    http://caloriecount.about.com/truth-starvation-mode-ft28742

    I'll say this about the "Starvation Mode". Don't do it. You can lose weight without starving yourself, so why even put your body through the stress? You take care of your body and it will take care of you. Don't take of your body and... You get the picture.

    Happy eating / calorie loss / exercising everyone!

    Sam

    Thanks for the link. I'll check it out!
  • btrflyflutter
    btrflyflutter Posts: 68 Member
    Question: Did it recommend eating your BMR cals for your desired weight instead of your existing weight as long as it's not a 1000 cal deficit? Or did I read that wrong....
  • td_ssam
    td_ssam Posts: 32
    I would assume it depends on a little bit of both, yes? That's a pretty good question.
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