what do you think? help please

You'll be fine, check out this article for some peace of mind from all the cries of starvation mode: http://tinyurl.com/starvationmode



"Recently we discussed the myth that dieting can lead to an eating disorders and saw this common dieting myth was in accurate. Another common dieting myth held by people is that they may not be losing weight because they are in the "starvation mode" from eating to few calories. And, in response to the intake of this low calorie level, their body has gone into "starvation mode" and slowed down their metabolism and is holding on to the weight. The usual recommendation to get out of starvation mode and allow the body to lose more weight, is to consume more calories. Eat more calories, to lose more weight.

Really?


Well, for anyone struggling to lose weight, this may sound sensible, but as you will see, it, like most other dieting myths, it is inaccurate. A few things to consider before we get to the "starvation mode."

First, the human body, as is our world, is governed by the laws of physics. Body weight is a product of energy balance. We can not violate the laws of physics and thermodynamics. The energy we consume must go somewhere and to maintain a certain level of weight, and equivalent amount of energy must be consumed and an equilibrium must be achieved.

Second, in regard to metabolism, about >70% of our base metabolism is driven by our brain and other vital organs and is not really effected by food consumption as I discussed in the metabolism blog. We have little impact on this basal metabolic rate.



Third, most attempts to accurately track food consumption under report (intentionally and/or not intentionally) by about 30 and attempts to tract exercise and activities levels over report by up to 50%. Even professionals can be as much as 30% off or more. This is usually part of the problem tat people are not accurately determining their caloric intake and output.

Now, in regard to the "starvation" mode, someone who has extra body weight and body fat is not in any "starvation mode" where they need to 'kick start" their metabolism by eating more calories. You can not "eat more" calories to force your body to "lose weight".

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.

Let's say we look at someone who says they are only eating only 800 calories and not losing weight. A well meaning and good intentioned friend (or professional) has told them they are in starvation mode and in order to lose weight and/or kick-start their metabolism, they need to eat more. But, what if instead of eating more, what do you think would happen if instead they just stopped eating altogether? Would they go further into starvation mode and continue to stay at the same weight or maybe even "gain" weight?

Clearly, they would lose more weight if they stopped eating altogether.


We all know (especially those who are familiar with fasting) that if you were to stop eating completely and just live on pure water, you would start to lose weight almost instantly and would continue to do so.

But according to this theory of the "starvation mode," if you were really in it and you fasted, by its own rational you would lose less weight if any at all, not more. We know this is not accurate.

So, where did this myth come from?

There is a true phenomenon known as the starvation response and it is well documented in the Minnesota Starvation experiments and the Hunger Fasts that have been studied. However, it only happens in humans when they lose enough body fat that they fall below the level of essential fat. In a man, this would be below around 5% fat and in women just above that.

Most humans will look like holocaust survivors at that time. Here is a picture of some of the subjects from the famous Minnesota Starvation experiments from the 1940s. Even at this point, after months of a low calorie diet with heavy exercise, they were not yet in the so-called "starvation mode" where they experienced significant metabolic changes. If you have more weight/fat on you then them, then neither are you


[Picture didn't post, see article]


In addition, when this point is truly reached, the body does make several metabolic shifts to preserve itself and if it is not feed more calories, can cease to exist. It is a matter of life and death. Hence the name.

This is not the same thing that happens when someone who is overweight and has a high percentage of body fat, is not losing weight. Usually it is due to an inaccurate assesment of their energy balance.

Now, it is possible that a medical condition, like hypothyroid could contribute to a slowed metabolism. However, if someone was to have a thyroid problem, it is easy to diagnose and can be easily treated. But, then we are right back to my points above and dealing with an energy balance issue.

So, if you are overweight and/or overfat and not losing weight, the most important thing to do is re-evaluate your energy balance. And the best way to do this is to focus on foods that are low in calorie density (and high in nutrient density) and mantain a healthy level of activity. "

eat more calorie dense foods.... nuts/nut butter, dried fruit, avocado, salmon, whole grains - like quinoa or brown rice, etc...

Interesting reading all of this! I am one of those people as well. I worked out 5 days a week before joing this site, and didn't see the scale budge at all! Once I started logging my calories I realized I wasn't eating enough each day. Once I started making sure I hit at least 1200 calories a day the weight started coming off. If I am really far under, I eat some peanut butter with an apple or whole wheat toast to make up for it!

I don't even know what to say to this. Please eat at least 1200 calories a day... Lemme put it to you this way.... when you eat less... your body try to preserve every ounce of fat you have left because its thinking there is famine and it wont get any energy from now on...


.... you might lose weight in short term, but you'll gain it back....

Let me be clear, I'm not endorsing purposefully eating under 1200, or under 1000 or whatever other low amounts of calories for extended periods of time. The point that I was trying to make is that people around here throw around the term "starvation mode" so much it's starting to become a total fear factor/go to answer for everything.

Not losing? Starvation Mode!
Plateau? Starvation Mode!
Gaining? Starvation Mode!
Losing too fast? Starvation Mode!
Ate less than 1200 calories for day? Uh oh, you're going to send your body spiraling into, dun dun dun...Starvation Mode!

Yes, everyone's needs are different, and that's part of makes weight loss so difficult and even more difficult to maintain. But it takes a lot to make a body actually get into "starvation mode" . Here's a another article I found while researching this awhile back, the english is mildly broken, but the point is clear: http://ezine.pk/?The-myths-about-weight-loss&id=683

Here's an excerpt: "2- You are in starvation mode: OK, so this one was my favorite. If you eat more, you gain fat, if you eat less, you get into a so-called ‘starvation mode’. From many forums and users I saw information such as ‘never eat below your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate which is the amount of calories needed for the vital functions only)’, never eat below calorie requirement x or you will be in the dreaded starvation mode. While everyone seems to be throwing around the jargon they know, no one seems to comprehend that starvation mode occurs when the body is starving, not when you provide it a 1000 calories less than usual or when you skip dinner. If our bodies were this weak, we would have become extinct a very long time ago. Plus if you dont move much and keep on eating your bmr, you are not going to lose an ounce, so good luck.
3- You slowed your metabolism: Related to the dreaded starvation mode. So someone comes in with 1000-1200 calories, the gurus deem it too low, and suddenly the person is in starvation mode and has slowed his/her metabolism, so their body clings to fat. There are so many things wrong with this view point that I dont know where to begin. As mentioned previously, the dreaded starvation mode occurs when you are really starving for days at a stretch. There actually has been scientific evidence that a fast of upto 72 hrs actually causes your body to use more calories than usual. Secondly, metabolism, while having the ability to slow down, cannot slow down infinitely. The body can only change its BMR which, if you are remotely active, counts for 50-70% of your total expenditure anyway. Calories spent while moving or exercising are dependent on your total body weight. Laws of physics are universal and demand that to calculate total work done, you use the body’s mass. Unless you changed that (by losing weight), you will be spending the same amount of calories performing an exercise (given intensity and other factors are constant). Furthermore, even the changes in BMR are small. If the body could shut down your metabolism because it is not getting enough food, no one will ever die of starvation. Humans will just shut off their metabolisms and go on living for years without food. Furthermore, the idea that when you provide body with less food, it clings to fat, is downright stupid. The body stored that extra fat to use in case of food scarcity to begin with. If it is not going to use fat as a preferential energy source when faced with that scarcity, that means there is something terribly wrong with our understanding of why body stores fat to begin with."

I just want people to not be so scared that a few days of calorie mistakes or even a few weeks worth is not going to destroy their bodies like people around here seem to like to try to instill in folks.

Check out this website: eateverythree.com. Never starve yourself. Always be mindful of what you are eating and what you are going to eat. Avoid dairy and peanuts if you can, they cause an inflammatory response to the body. When I decided to skip dairy I immediately lost 5 pounds. Also, try to leave a daily calorie deficit.
You are doing great, it's not supposed to be easy or quick. Be patient and you will meet and keep your set goals. Do something (stay active) everyday, even on your off day.
Take care.
V