if your body goes into starvation mode, how long does it take to get out of it?

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slemonfit
slemonfit Posts: 97 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
if your body goes into starvation mode, how long does it take to get out of it?
like say you dont eat much for a week, like 1000 calories
then when you start eating more like say 1500-2000 calories a day
how long will your body take to stop being in starvation mode?
after a few days or will your body continue to be in starvation mode storing the extra calories as fat for a long time?
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Replies

  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    About the time it takes to order one supersized big mac meal with coke from McDonalds.

    If you could even get yourself into that mode.
  • Ash_danielle
    Ash_danielle Posts: 62 Member
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    I've heard that there is no such thing as starvation mode....but I'm some what new to this im sure someone will chime in
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    A person would crave in and eat before starvation takes place. Low calories over a long period of time could result in metabolic adaptation. The body will not starve from eating 1000 calories for a week. You may lack certain nutrients but not starve.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    there is no starvation mode. If there were, it would take more intense conditions than 1000 cals a day for just a week to enter it. When you "come out of it" (as in stop eating so little) you must up your physical activity to makeup for the additional calories or you will either stop losing or maybe gain.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    Starvation mode really isn't what you think it is. If you eat under your recommended calories for an extended period of time, what will happen is that your body will start to break down muscle as well as fat for fuel. Then if you suddenly start to eat a lot more calories, because you have less muscle mass, you will gain fat easier.

    Just read this.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1159755
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    I wonder if even the people that do those 21 day survival shows even get to starvation mode?
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
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    True starvation response is pretty much only seen before death at very low levels of body fat. Adaptive thermogenesis is something else that many call starvation mode but it seems to be somewhat lasting although how much it really affects weight regain and BMR is a matter of some debate.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited November 2014
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    JeffseekingV wrote: »
    I wonder if even the people that do those 21 day survival shows even get to starvation mode?

    I don't think so. It seems that the first documented case was that of the Biodome participants and IIRC it accounted for a 5% drop in BMR. I am on my phone so I cannot link the study very easily but it should be easy to find
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Eating too little is not going to keep you from losing weight. You might lose weight more slowly than expected for the calorie deficit (for other reasons), but the body doesn't decide to retain weight because you aren't eating. But what can happen is that you won't have the energy to perform your regular tasks, so you will end up burning fewer calories than normal. Once you eat, your energy level will begin to increase within a few minutes.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Starvation mode really isn't what you think it is. If you eat under your recommended calories for an extended period of time, what will happen is that your body will start to break down muscle as well as fat for fuel. Then if you suddenly start to eat a lot more calories, because you have less muscle mass, you will gain fat easier.

    This. To lose weight and be happy with the results, the idea is to lose fat while preserving as much of your lean muscle mass as possible. So eating enough to keep yourself going, and exercising properly, is key.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited November 2014
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    I ate 800 calories per day (with measuring to be sure I was accurate) complete with fainting spells, erratic periods, insomnia, frightening forgetfullness and falling-out hair for two years and I can tell you that I began to gain weight THE INSTANT I "started eating" again. As in, that very first month I gained about five pounds.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
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    It takes 2 days 6 hours 23 minutes and 5 seconds from the exact time you intake 1 calorie over 1200 for a girl or 1600 for a guy regardless of your height/weight/age/activity level.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    I ate 800 calories per day (with measuring to be sure I was accurate) complete with fainting spells, erratic periods, insomnia, frightening forgetfullness and falling-out hair for two years and I can tell you that I began to gain weight THE INSTANT I "started eating" again. As in, that very first month I gained about five pounds.

    Now this is interesting. Why did you decide to do this? Measuring it so it's exactly 800 is odd and curious
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    I ate 800 calories per day (with measuring to be sure I was accurate) complete with fainting spells, erratic periods, insomnia, frightening forgetfullness and falling-out hair for two years and I can tell you that I began to gain weight THE INSTANT I "started eating" again. As in, that very first month I gained about five pounds.

    Of course you did. You ate more calories. Did you use a hrm to be sure you burnt those extra calories exactly?
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    There really is no starvation mode in the way people think one exists. Your body will not just slow down and stop burning fuel, it will search out other sources of fuel to compensate for the dramatic reduction of caloric intake, glucose, then fat, then protein. You will likely reduce your TDEE over time because of the reduction in overall bodyweight and lack of quick energy to fuel any physical activity. Your body will slow down and stop burning fuel once your heart and brain stops functioning, not until.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    redundant thread is redundant. We're all on the same page. Is OP even still here?
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    The mode where you undereat for so long that it "crashes" your metabolism and transforms everything you eat into fat (not just weight)?

    If you ever reach that point you should volunteer your body to science. There are a few hundred million starving people on planet Earth right now who undereat chronically and are skeletally thin, who would love to learn the secret of getting/staying fat on a low calorie diet.

    You might be able to help solve the world hunger problem and save millions of lives with your magic body!
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
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    If anyone here actually got into legit starvation mode, I'd be impressed (and concerned).

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