that ol starvation mode.
fishshark
Posts: 1,886 Member
im not sure if this article has ever been posted but its one of my favorite pieces written on "starvation mode". There are funnyish parts and some bad word so count me in! (article pertains to SM not existing) there are some mentions of adaptive thermogenesis which is real.. but so slight it almost doesnt exist. losing weight is hard... but blaming a deficit is kinda funny.. It took me 4 years to gain the 16 (i could have lost about 4 pounds or lowered my bf% when i weighed 116(i am 5'2). in fact it took 2 years to put on the last 5ish. Weight loss isnt going to be fast. Either way sorry for the rant this is a pretty cool read for those blaming that pest "starvation mode" its long but i enjoyed it.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
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The article was funny and informative. I like the direct and simple nature of the article, even though I can see the author has some in depth and understanding of a complicated topic area. I actually used this article to link me to the suthor's note on plateau and I got the answer I was looking for for myself.
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This article is brilliant... should be a sticky that says MUST READ!!!
Now we also need one for detoxes 
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This was amazing.0
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I was in WW about 10 yrs ago and on their forums this nonsense was everywhere. I tried to point out how it wasn't logical but OMG they adament. But interesting to see if they are still clinging to it.0
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This needs a sticky!0
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Very informative read! Thanks for posting.0
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Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.5
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I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
Next you'll tell me there is no Santa Claus.4 -
That is terrific! Going back to read the "Muscle Weighs More Than Fat" link.0
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If I remember correctly there is another article in this site about weighing solids vs measuring....
Or maybe the gambit of excuses people use for not losing weight...good site with good info.0 -
Someone posted this article yesterday, it became my current favorite (cursing and correct information), I passed it along to my friends on my wall as well.
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This is perfect! It honestly made me feel better because when I tell everyone I've been stuck at the same weight, they always make excuses for me! It motivates me to know that it is within MY control and MY caloric intake. Obviously it's something I'm doing, not "gaining muscle" or "at a plateau". Thanks for the share! 4
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I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
i knooow haha it's frustrating. I personally never believed in starvation mode.. maybe i payed attention in history to much to see what it looks like when people starve. I think for most people starvation mode is just a mix of misinformation, frustration, and excuses. Which isn't help'n no one!1 -
KorvapuustiPossu wrote: »This article is brilliant... should be a sticky that says MUST READ!!! Now we also need one for detoxes
right?! i feel like when someone starts a weight loss journey it should be like.... CICO... dont need to cut anything out, but u can... starvation mode isnt real... be patient.0 -
That was an awesome read thanks for sharing this!!
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im not sure if this article has ever been posted but its one of my favorite pieces written on "starvation mode". There are funnyish parts and some bad word so count me in! (article pertains to SM not existing) there are some mentions of adaptive thermogenesis which is real.. but so slight it almost doesnt exist. losing weight is hard... but blaming a deficit is kinda funny.. It took me 4 years to gain the 16 (i could have lost about 4 pounds or lowered my bf% when i weighed 116(i am 5'2). in fact it took 2 years to put on the last 5ish. Weight loss isnt going to be fast. Either way sorry for the rant this is a pretty cool read for those blaming that pest "starvation mode" its long but i enjoyed it.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
Loved this article! Thanks for sharing!0 -
kristinajeang wrote: »This is perfect! It honestly made me feel better because when I tell everyone I've been stuck at the same weight, they always make excuses for me! It motivates me to know that it is within MY control and MY caloric intake. Obviously it's something I'm doing, not "gaining muscle" or "at a plateau". Thanks for the share!
Just curious, did u find a way to break the plateau?
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kristinajeang wrote: »This is perfect! It honestly made me feel better because when I tell everyone I've been stuck at the same weight, they always make excuses for me! It motivates me to know that it is within MY control and MY caloric intake. Obviously it's something I'm doing, not "gaining muscle" or "at a plateau". Thanks for the share!
Just curious, did u find a way to break the plateau?
a plateau means you are eating at maintenance...eat less or exercise more or both.0 -
Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.0 -
cerise_noir wrote: »Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.
They say "Well all I know is what worked for ME!!! I ate more calories and started loosing again!!!!"
(starvation mode enthusiasts always seem to misspell 'lose')5 -
I_Will_End_You wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.
They say "Well all I know is what worked for ME!!! I ate more calories and started loosing again!!!!"
(starvation mode enthusiasts always seem to misspell 'lose')
i always feel like a jerk when i correct someone on loose lol.0 -
And that makes me loose my mind.I_Will_End_You wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.
They say "Well all I know is what worked for ME!!! I ate more calories and started loosing again!!!!"
(starvation mode enthusiasts always seem to misspell 'lose')
*snort*
"It worked for meeeee"= I am special pretty little snowflake.
It's usually followed by rollerposting on facebook about how people are SO MEAN!!!111 and a million "aww, I'm sorry *hugs*
" and a bunch of selfies and 'inspirational' posts.
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cerise_noir wrote: »
And that makes me loose my mind.I_Will_End_You wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.
They say "Well all I know is what worked for ME!!! I ate more calories and started loosing again!!!!"
(starvation mode enthusiasts always seem to misspell 'lose')
*snort*
"It worked for meeeee"= I am special pretty little snowflake.
It's usually followed by rollerposting on facebook about how people are SO MEAN!!!111 and a million "aww, I'm sorry *hugs* " and a bunch of selfies and 'inspirational' posts.
what kind of blows my mind are the people that actually have metobolic issues... adrenal thyroid pcos ext things that CAN not alway CAN have an impact on your CO... and they are like but i cant lose im special it wont work for me but i have to eat more ect ect ect... no one argues that your output may be slower or lower then the average person but that still doesnt change cico. if i do school all day meaning i sit around fitbit has averaged my daily burn at 1375. that is sooo low. If i eat 1200 that is such a low deficit.. doesnt mean its not working means its gonna take a while (i usually am active and burn around 2000 a day but i have those slow days)
edit because i got 3 hours of sleep and cant be bothered with spelling.1 -
cerise_noir wrote: »
And that makes me loose my mind.I_Will_End_You wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.
They say "Well all I know is what worked for ME!!! I ate more calories and started loosing again!!!!"
(starvation mode enthusiasts always seem to misspell 'lose')
*snort*
"It worked for meeeee"= I am special pretty little snowflake.
It's usually followed by rollerposting on facebook about how people are SO MEAN!!!111 and a million "aww, I'm sorry *hugs* " and a bunch of selfies and 'inspirational' posts.
what kind of blows my mind are the people that actually have metobolic issues... adrenal thyroid pcos ext things that CAN not alway CAN have an impact on your CO... and they are like but i cant lose im special it wont work for me but i have to eat more ect ect ect... no one argues that your output may be slower or lower then the average person but that still doesnt change cico. if i do school all day meaning i sit around fitbit has averaged my daily burn at 1375. that is sooo low. If i eat 1200 that is such a low deficit.. doesnt mean its not working means its gonna take a while (i usually am active and burn around 2000 a day but i have those slow days)
edit because i got 3 hours of sleep and cant be bothered with spelling.
My friend with low thyroid has lost more weight this year than I have! And she was already at a healthy weight when she started! Sure it's taken a while for her to get her meds adjusted properly, she suffered through some VLCDs in the past when that was the only way she could lose weight, and works out like crazy for many hours a day....
But here I was with no metabolic issues and just eating too many M&Ms to be honest. So yes it frustrates me when I see people whine about slow metabolism. It can definitely be overcome if you get treatment for it and practice control over your eating habits.
I think most of the "am I eating too little" threads are people looking for excuses to eat more. Sometimes it's perfectly fine, and they SHOULD be eating more. But I don't know why they feel they need people's approval for it.0 -
I_Will_End_You wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »Great article.I_Will_End_You wrote: »Sad thing is, people can read this and STILL insist that starvation mode is real. Palm? Meet face.
And when you ask these people to explain anorexia, they ignore the question and keep beating that poor old dead horse.
The stupid is real, people.
They say "Well all I know is what worked for ME!!! I ate more calories and started loosing again!!!!"
(starvation mode enthusiasts always seem to misspell 'lose')
I used to be one of those people. If you go back to my early posts from years ago, I was all over that "eat more when you plateau" stuff. Because it worked for MEEEEE!!!1! Or at least I thought it did.
What I didn't realize until later was that 1. I was tracking my intake very badly at the time (no food scale, a lot more eyeballing as some diet fatigue was setting in). 2. I was phoning in my daily workouts and cutting them short because my low intake made me tired. And 3. I was far more likely to cheat or treat at the time, which wasn't helping my weekly deficit.
Upping my calories a bit gave me the energy I needed to track my intake better, stick to the plan, and actually do my workouts. In that way, it did help me a bit. But it wasn't starvation mode. I was just seeing my diet through the wrong lens at the time (the "but I'm doing everything riiiiigggghhhhtttt" lens). It's something I wish the current starvation mode/eat more proponents would differentiate between.2 -
Bump!0
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I think people believe starvation mode is real (i did too at one point) even though it makes no sense, is because they think weight loss is linear. They get on the scale and see they didn't lose after working their butts off only eating at 1,200 cals. And they get mad and start looking for any excuse as to why. And i think that's why it's still a popular theory.
Though some of the facts that go along with starvation mode is real. Crash diets don't work, most people gain it all back and even more than they originally had. Not because they put themselves into starvation mode, but because they didn't learn how to properly eat.
But that's off topic, obviously. I do find it weird when you up your calories it does seem to help. For whatever reason having such a low calories deficient really does do negative things to you. Get more tired, so you're more lazy and your workouts lack. Again i think that's another reason why people believe in starvation mode so much. There are all these little pieces that make it believable, when it's more or less, crash diets don't work. Slow and steady wins the race 0 -
Thanks so much for posting this. I definitely bookmarked it. Very enjoyable read. This needs to be posted in response to every "eat more, you may be in starvation mode!" posts.0
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If you read the MFP stickies at the beginning of the forums this is already addressed here in the community so no need to make it a stickie.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1084912/good-starvation-mode-article0
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