Starvation Mode

Djbass728
Djbass728 Posts: 71 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So I enter my food intake daily and I keep getting the box that tells me I may not be getting enough nutrition and may go into starvation mode (working on improving those numbers and getting closer to 1200 calories per day). How long does it take to go into starvation mode - will it happen after just a couple of low calorie days or does it take a couple of weeks? I am losing weight at a great pace and don't want to sacrifice this by slowing my metabolism down. Thanks for any info =)

Replies

  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
    My trainer said within 2-3 days of insufficient nutrients, your body will begin the starvation mode.
  • Fattack
    Fattack Posts: 666 Member
    I've read a mixture of info on this, so I could be wrong, but I thought it was 48 consecutive hours of undereating for your body to go into starvation mode (which is why people can Zig Zag their calories without being dangerous).

    By eating less than 1200 calories you probably are slowing your metabolism down as the weight that you are losing at a great pace is actually muscle, as well as fat. Lean muscle tissue increases your metabolism, losing it decreases your metabolism. If you are losing more than 1lb a week and not exercising at your weight, you're probably losing muscle which you're not rebuilding.
  • ❤B☩❤
    ❤B☩❤ Posts: 634
    Good question with GREAT answers. Good to know! Thanks for asking the question!
  • onlyJoanna
    onlyJoanna Posts: 20
    I often have -ve calorie days, or days when I eat under 400. I don't have scales so every so often I put the weight I think I've lost in bodymass. But I've been doing this for nearly a month and I show no signs of plateau.

    I think it'll be different for anyone.

    What I know from experience is that when you get there if you have a one or two day 'binge' then go back to restricted calories the weight starts dropping again.

    Either way, as long as you're getting nutrients/eating veg etc. then lower calories aren't so bad.
  • luppic8
    luppic8 Posts: 580 Member
    The human body goes into starvation mode after three days of fasting (no food at all) I don't know why that message comes up, it really freaks people out! I live by caloried in, calories out. I have had much success with that and i am still eating healthy, just burning more calories than I take in!
  • marathonmom72
    marathonmom72 Posts: 191 Member
    I've read a mixture of info on this, so I could be wrong, but I thought it was 48 consecutive hours of undereating for your body to go into starvation mode (which is why people can Zig Zag their calories without being dangerous).

    By eating less than 1200 calories you probably are slowing your metabolism down as the weight that you are losing at a great pace is actually muscle, as well as fat. Lean muscle tissue increases your metabolism, losing it decreases your metabolism. If you are losing more than 1lb a week and not exercising at your weight, you're probably losing muscle which you're not rebuilding.
  • marathonmom72
    marathonmom72 Posts: 191 Member
    So when you are zig zagging, do you go below the 1200 on your down days, since you will increase your calories in a couple of days?
  • wvmark41
    wvmark41 Posts: 124 Member
    yes, in a couple of days.... in the mean time your metabolism starts slowing down the first day.

    The body does adjust to the different situations. I've gone 4 days without food. The first two days sucked, the 3rd & 4th weren't really all that bad. You just don't want to yo-yo between high calorie days and no-calorie days, if at all possible. Be consistent. You're body will like that.

    Personally, I recommend the 500-fewer calories per day to lose 1-pound per week or 1000-fewer calories per day to lose 2-pounds per week. I wouldn't go beyond that.

    I'm a moderately active male, so I started with a base of about 16 calories per pound of my weight. It's working.

    Good luck.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    The truth is whenever you have a calorie deficit (Diet and Exercise) your metabolism will slow down. It's doesn't matter if you have a 500 calorie deficit or a 2,000 calorie deficit. It's still a deficit,
    The bigger the deficit, the larger the decline.
    Normally the slow down is gradual and in the short-term it's nothing to be afraid of. So no need to panic if you are low for a day or two. I'm very happy MFP has this warning, starvation mode is very real and everyone needs to know about it.

    Starvation mode is the reason I struggled for so long with weight loss, it's the culprit for my yo-yo dieting. This is why I Spike. One day a week of a calorie surplus spikes your metabolism back up to avoid the long-term slowdown. Now I've lost 130lbs and I eat more than ever before.

    Metabolism is the key to fat-burning, and normal diet and exercise slow it down. This is why I do everything I can to spike metabolism and keep it strong.
    For short-term weight loss, pretty much everything works but for long-term weight-loss, spiking is the best.
  • littlemili
    littlemili Posts: 625 Member
    What is misleading about the MFP message is that if you have your calories set at 1200 and eat 1199, you get told off, but if you eat 1200 and exercise off any amount it doesn't count it as a problem. At least not for me. Which seems to suggest they do not advocate eating back exercise calories! Mixed messages or what.
  • Djbass728
    Djbass728 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks to all of you for the great widom and advice - I am committed to this as a lifestyle change - I would like to lose a couple more pounds, but I am happy with the size I have achieved. I love keeping the food diary and how much healthier I am eating now. Life is good! Good luck to all of you in your journey to be healthier!!!!!!!!!!!
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