The Starvation Mode Myth...again.

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  • catsdogsh
    catsdogsh Posts: 130 Member
    Not everyone is the same. If I eat over 1000 calories a day I won't lose weight. I have all kinds of metabolic issues, and I'm 5 feet 2 inches tall. I can eat 500 calories a day and lose lots of weight for a long time without going into starvation mode. Lifting weight makes a huge difference in my weight loss and is the only reason some days I can eat at 1200 calories. I have been told that our bodies will use our own fat as fuel for a while before swapping to this starvation mode. So I highly doubt some fasting here or there will harm someone who has a lot of weight to lose.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    bump
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    edited May 2016
    proannna wrote: »
    I definitely agree with this post and especially with this part
    However, let’s look again at the Minnesota study for further compelling evidence why semi-starvation is not a good idea for long-term weight loss. In the latter half of the Minnesota Starvation Study the men were allowed to eat ad libitum again. Researchers found they had insatiable appetites, yet never felt full, these effects continued for months afterwards. Semi-starvation diets don’t work long-term for this simple reason – under ordinary pressures, when eating resumes, people put the weight back on and oftentimes, gain more.

    I know this from personal experience, I entered this so called starvation mode by consuming about 300-400 cals a day and I'm sure we all know a normal human can't function like this forever, yes I did lose weight (about 10kgs), but I eventually started eating normally again aka 1,200-1,500 cals again and I had that insatiable appetite and I could eat ALL of the food and I never felt full no matter what I had, I could've just kept on eating and eating and all I thought about was food! And yes, it did continue for months and because of my appetite which could never be satisfied I eventually gained the weight I had lost with a couple of extra kilograms.. :#

    Yep, that's what binging is after severe restriction. Sorry to say, but I'm a little concerned as this is your first post and you clearly suffered from an eating disorder which I hope you learned from. However, your name is proannna which I highly doubt is just a coincidence and alludes to you being pro-anorexia.
  • z4oslo
    z4oslo Posts: 229 Member
    jjjsroach wrote: »
    I was a 280 pound male age 49 who lost 90 pounds by eating 900 calories per day for a year. No ill effects. Feel great now and run 15-20 miles per week. Exercise won't do it. There is NO starvation mode. Limit your calories in and you will lose weight. Period.

    Good luck to everyone out there trying to lose. It is not easy.

    Its certainly not easy if you try to eat only 900 cals a day for a year ....
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    edited January 2017
    catsdogsh wrote: »
    Not everyone is the same. If I eat over 1000 calories a day I won't lose weight. I have all kinds of metabolic issues, and I'm 5 feet 2 inches tall. I can eat 500 calories a day and lose lots of weight for a long time without going into starvation mode. Lifting weight makes a huge difference in my weight loss and is the only reason some days I can eat at 1200 calories. I have been told that our bodies will use our own fat as fuel for a while before swapping to this starvation mode. So I highly doubt some fasting here or there will harm someone who has a lot of weight to lose.

    I do IF and work out fasted all the time. It has worked well for me. I can bonk after a 19-hr fast if I try to lift heavy or run more than 40-minutes. In those cases, I can get by with eating a little something before I go do the exercise. I make sure I get adequate protein in my 3-4 hour eating window. I eat about 1800-2500 calories in my eating window (that is what I used to do but I haven't logged for a long time but I expect it is about the same).
  • farrell16
    farrell16 Posts: 49 Member
    I think the term starvation mode is often just a generalized term not meaning the same to all. To me starvation mode is a term not referring to gaining wait while calorie deficit... that simply isn't possible. Starvation mode to me has been more about the effect on metabolic rate with long periods of dramatic calorie deficit, and the affect that will occur if you go back up to normal healthy eating levels and proper calorie intake.

    Fad dieting where people eat less than 1400 calories for an extended period of time is not healthy and it does affect the endocrine system higher levels of cortisol and lower levels of leptin both of which are well documented to affect weight gain and adipose cells specifically.

    People warning about "starvation mode" are likely trying to give an analogy to tell people do not eat insanely low amounts of food it is not healthy for you... especially when exercising. This is without a doubt fact. Whether you refer to it as starvation mode or not is neither here nor there... bottom line eating too low calories is not an efficient or appropriate way to approach long term health and fitness.

    Lets all agree if you eat too little you will not gain weight but you will potentially cause a variety of other health issues from nutrient deficiencies.... and if you then go back to eating normally you will undoubtedly gain that weight back and often more so. Having a deficit of around -500 calories a day is a healthy weight loss, that combined with increasing lean tissue will assist in burning more calories.

    Fad diets are awful, the scale is not the only guideline for health and fitness.... everything in moderation and nothing in the extreme and you'll do just fine!
  • HollyRutledge
    HollyRutledge Posts: 250 Member
    Thank you SO much for this information!!! I sometimes find myself at a slight deficit, which triggers the "starvation mode" pop up. Thing is, I've just done a really good workout and I'm just not hungry at the end of the day. Occasionally I've been adding a yogurt/banana or something to fill that slight deficit, but sometimes I really just DONT want to eat. I've gotten so many mixed answers with no research to back them up. When I was younger, I suffered from anorexia nervosa and I sometimes feel like it is trying to come back. I really got concerned the first time I saw the starvation mode pop up that I was in trouble with it again. Once again, thank you SO much for sharing this!!!!!
  • SweetCakes100
    SweetCakes100 Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks for setting this straight! Its irritating when i see people saying this and that about starvation mode and they really have no clue.
  • JaxxieKat
    JaxxieKat Posts: 427 Member
    edited February 2020
    The reality is that your body reaches a point where is doesn't want to let go of any more fat. There is a point where your body starts to think it needs to lower its BMR to meet you where you're at, calorically speaking. Case in point, you're losing weight eating 1700 calories a day. At some point your body gets really comfortable with that and you're no longer in a deficit at 1700 calories. Starvation mode isn't really a thing, but metabolic slowing is a thing when you're in a deficit (or your weight zig zags up and down frequently) for an extended period of time. That's just human biology. Chronically underfeeding your body leads to lots of issues long-term, so it's better to eat more, eat a smaller deficit, and be okay with taking it slowly. Otherwise you will reach a point where your body won't want to let go of fat, despite eating 1300-1400 calories a day, which for most lightly active folks isn't sustainable.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,978 Member
    SweetCakes100 wrote: »
    Thanks for setting this straight! Its irritating when i see people saying this and that about starvation mode and they really have no clue.


    umm, it was set straight years ago, thread trickled on between 2014 and 2017 and you need to be set straight in 2020 ???? - not sure point of posting to say so now. :s

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
    With the frequent posts on "starvation mode" I, too, think this is helpful. I saw that it was an old, old post but I re-read it and it's extremely well done. Hope the newbies read it, so tired of explaining starvation mode.
  • JaxxieKat
    JaxxieKat Posts: 427 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    SweetCakes100 wrote: »
    Thanks for setting this straight! Its irritating when i see people saying this and that about starvation mode and they really have no clue.


    umm, it was set straight years ago, thread trickled on between 2014 and 2017 and you need to be set straight in 2020 ???? - not sure point of posting to say so now. :s

    Or you could, ya know, scroll on if you see something you've already read. Sheesh, people on these forums need to eat a snack and check their attitude.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,978 Member
    JaxxieKat wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    SweetCakes100 wrote: »
    Thanks for setting this straight! Its irritating when i see people saying this and that about starvation mode and they really have no clue.


    umm, it was set straight years ago, thread trickled on between 2014 and 2017 and you need to be set straight in 2020 ???? - not sure point of posting to say so now. :s

    Or you could, ya know, scroll on if you see something you've already read. Sheesh, people on these forums need to eat a snack and check their attitude.


    Sorry if you think pointing out that this an old old thread from years ago is 'attitude'

    I dont see any point in posting in now dead threads replying to people who posted 5 years ago :*


  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
    tinkerbellang83 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    SweetCakes100 wrote: »
    Thanks for setting this straight! Its irritating when i see people saying this and that about starvation mode and they really have no clue.


    umm, it was set straight years ago, thread trickled on between 2014 and 2017 and you need to be set straight in 2020 ???? - not sure point of posting to say so now. :s

    I saw this as just a thanks to the initial writer, there's still plenty of people who are misinformed on this subject. I don't think PP meant it as being set straight themselves.

    This is one of the "Most Helpful" pinned posts, so there's not harm in a comment bumping it up.

    I hate old threads--usually. This thread is very helpful and well written. Bumping it now and again is a good idea (my opinion). Since it's already a pinned post let's give it the attention it deserves. PP you are the voice of reason on here. I read your posts with pleasure. B)
  • BartBVanBockstaele
    BartBVanBockstaele Posts: 623 Member
    swanny320 wrote: »
    Bottom line, you should do adequate research and dietary analysis to ensure you are getting the best nutrition you can for your calories.
    Indeed. While weight loss and health are not the same, they *are* related.

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