Starvation Mode (based on truth, but stretched too far)

I've read this on MFP over and over again, "starvation mode". I've eaten peanuts, almonds, walnuts, avocados, etc... just to prevent it from happening to me. However, I noticed on the weight loss reality shows, these folks are not eating all their calories they would need to prevent starvation mode. So I did a little research. I suggest you Google it yourself: "Starvation Mode, Myth or Fact" and read all the articles you can about it. The one that sticks most in my mind is a simple statement from the National Health Association (as follows):

"In regard to metabolism, if you are overweight/overfat, you can not cause your metabolism to decrease below a level needed to lose weight while you have extra weight/fat on you, and you can not "lose more weight by eating more calories/food." This is a misunderstanding of the principles of metabolism that does not apply to overweight people trying to lose weight."

Please note: Starvation Mode does exist... It was proven by a group of men in an experiment in MN in the 1940's. But the men were subjected to half the calories they burn at a resting rate, and it didn't happen until they had lost a substantial amount of weight, months into the program. In other words, they really were starving... showing all the bones in their chest, etc... when their metabolism took a nose dive, to help their bodies survive.

I am not saying we should eat less than our 1200 cals a day.... You need a min of around that (not really a magic number, but an average) to get the nutritional vitamins and minerals you need. But don't think you are doing your body a favor by eating a brownie at night, to keep from going into starvation mode.

Please research the information you get so you know why you may be struggling with breaking a plateau, or no longer losing at the rate you had banked on, etc. Oh yes, and if you are struggling to lose weight and yet you are already in the "healthy" BMI zone... It's very important that you get the nutrition you need... not from vitamins, but from food. Your body absorbs the vitamins and minerals from whole foods in a much higher percentage than the supplements which are often just passed through your body. So if you are taking supplements thinking you are getting all you need... think again. Most of what you think you consumed, may have gone right through you.

Hoorah!

I'm on a purposeful calorie restricted diet and have received comments about friends being worried about me going into "starvation mode". There are studies showing links between reduced caloric intake and longevity, i.e. mice that eat fewer calories live longer.

I had done a lot of research before changing my habits and I'm glad others have too!

Hoorah!

I'm on a purposeful calorie restricted diet and have received comments about friends being worried about me going into "starvation mode". There are studies showing links between reduced caloric intake and longevity, i.e. mice that eat fewer calories live longer.

I had done a lot of research before changing my habits and I'm glad others have too!

This may be so but with so few pounds left to lose you risk burning a large % of lean muscle instead of fat, unless you eat enough calories. Is your goal to lose weight, or lose fat? The answer to that should give you your goal intake, if your goal is to lose fat you should be set up to lose 0.5 lbs/week for the last 10-15 lbs.

Hoorah!

I'm on a purposeful calorie restricted diet and have received comments about friends being worried about me going into "starvation mode". There are studies showing links between reduced caloric intake and longevity, i.e. mice that eat fewer calories live longer.

I had done a lot of research before changing my habits and I'm glad others have too!

This may be so but with so few pounds left to lose you risk burning a large % of lean muscle instead of fat, unless you eat enough calories. Is your goal to lose weight, or lose fat? The answer to that should give you your goal intake, if your goal is to lose fat you should be set up to lose 0.5 lbs/week for the last 10-15 lbs.

Yes, but I've read that strength training prevents that.

Hoorah!

I'm on a purposeful calorie restricted diet and have received comments about friends being worried about me going into "starvation mode". There are studies showing links between reduced caloric intake and longevity, i.e. mice that eat fewer calories live longer.

I had done a lot of research before changing my habits and I'm glad others have too!

This may be so but with so few pounds left to lose you risk burning a large % of lean muscle instead of fat, unless you eat enough calories. Is your goal to lose weight, or lose fat? The answer to that should give you your goal intake, if your goal is to lose fat you should be set up to lose 0.5 lbs/week for the last 10-15 lbs.

Good post. I would like to point out that is anyone is on a 1200 calorie diet, there is no room for junk food and such a low intake. If you eat junk, you will miss something else as at 1200 calories it is already difficult to get the required nutrition even eating clean. So for those on a 1200 cal diet, look in your diary, if there is anything unhealthy you are probably lacking adequate nutrition. If you up your calories to 1400 or so, you will have some room to fit in some unhealthy food, but at 1200 you need to make every calorie count.

But you CAN'T put numbers out there like they apply to everyone. My wife is 5' tall and 115 lbs. when she was trying to lose 1 lb. a week her daily goal was 1200 cals. If she went over, it was bad. If she was under, she got a WARNING saying she was going to go into starvation mode. So she's supposed to eat EXACTLY 1200 calories a day? Oh yeah, that's totally realistic.

Dear god, community justified anorexia here we come.

I can understand your issues with how often people use that term, and how it is blown out of proportion. However in order to be healthy, one must eat a reasonable amount of food. When exercising the necessary amount goes up. A person with an empty stomach will store more fat than a person who routinely eats proper amounts. Further a person with no outside calories remaining in their system still has to function, the body turns on itself for fuel and while it will burn some fat it also burns muscle and bone for this fuel.

So regardless of your views on this subject one MUST eat properly or you will cause more damage than good. Do I believe you have to eat back every calorie you burn? well I seldom do. However choosing to not eat and think it's okay. Will cause damage.

AMEN Mr Brown... while reading this post all I could think was that people were justifying and ok'ing other people's lack of caloric intake. The problem is that we are taking this entire thing entirely too literally. OBVIOUSLY none of us are STARVING. That's absurd. Especially those of us in The US- ha! The intended use of "starvation mode" is simply the idea that your body requires X amount of calories to function based upon your lifestyle, activities, exercise etc. and feeding your body less than required can lead to retention. I believe this is part of the basis for "zig-zagging" technique that some use to break a plateau - a method that to my understanding is quite helpful to many people. However, justifying eating under 1200 calories, or saying "I was under 100 calories today, but it's okay I was really full" is a joke. There is no way that you are "full" on under 1000 calories per day and as a community it would be a great injustice if we all accepted that this was acceptable because "starvation mode is a myth." This is borderline eating disorder behavior and I for one don't slap high-fives to people who are consistently under their calorie goal. We seem to lack the concept of moderation. Weight loss is not just about transforming our bodies, but it is also about transforming our thoughts. It is just as unhealthy to underindulge as it is to overindulge. Moderation should be practiced and learned through modification in behaviors. There IS room in our diets for "junk" foods at times, not every day, and not in huge portions - learning the balance is part of the journey. Practicing unhealthy thinking habits will do you a great disservice - even if your body looks fabulous. Finding your center of peace and balance requires both the mind and body to be harmonious and that takes more than the willpower to keep your calories under 1200 every day. Let's not be absurd and justify each other's unhealthy THINKING - just as much as we encourage each other to break unhealthy physical habits, we should encourage each other to break unhealthy thinking habits as well. :-) PEACE!