if your body goes into starvation mode, how long does it take to get out of it?

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  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    I ate 800 calories per day (with measuring to be sure I was accurate) complete with fainting spells, erratic periods, insomnia, frightening forgetfullness and falling-out hair for two years and I can tell you that I began to gain weight THE INSTANT I "started eating" again. As in, that very first month I gained about five pounds.

    Well, of course you would. You are eating more calories. You were eating at a calorie level to maintain that current weight an as soon as you deviate from that you will gain. That's how it works. Likewise if you eat less you will lose weight.

    In regards to OP, starvation mode doesn't exist in the sense you are thinking of. And it would take a heck of a lot more time than a week.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited November 2014
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    JeffseekingV wrote: »
    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    I ate 800 calories per day (with measuring to be sure I was accurate) complete with fainting spells, erratic periods, insomnia, frightening forgetfullness and falling-out hair for two years and I can tell you that I began to gain weight THE INSTANT I "started eating" again. As in, that very first month I gained about five pounds.

    Now this is interesting. Why did you decide to do this? Measuring it so it's exactly 800 is odd and curious

    Why I decided to do it: Because I wanted to get down to 100 pounds. I actually got down to 95.

    How I knew exactly: weighed and measured absolutely everything that went into my mouth. I ate all the way up to those max calories, trust me - I mean down to having five left over for the day and having an exact measure of bouillon to eek out those last five. (Pickles were another favorite of mine to get right up to that max level.) I was hungry. :wink: Very very very very very hungry. I was terrified to go over but trust me, I was not about to go under either.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    The same amount of time it takes the Easter Bunny to deliver all the eggs.

    Seriously, though, it is largely a myth. There is some negligible effect on metabolism, but not this massive plateau-inducing stall bogeyman that broscience uses to scare people.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Jennloella wrote: »
    Of course you did. You ate more calories. Did you use a hrm to be sure you burnt those extra calories exactly?

    And this was exactly the point. :) If "starvation mode" exists (I don't believe it does, at least not in the fashion that weight loss gurus like to warn it does), then it must be DARNED low for some of us.

    For all the rest of us...there's just either eating at our maintenance, undereating to lose, or overeating and gaining.

    In my case, "starvation mode" would have had to have been darned low. I mean how low would I have had to have gone to get to it? 700 calories? 500? 200? I just personally feel that (and granted, this illustration was only my personal experience) in order to get to that "metabolism-killing" "starvation mode" that I was "never going to recover from" (or take months/years to recover from) as the urban legend goes, I'd have to have gotten near death's door. :p

    And no, I did not use a heart rate monitor. However, as I said, I was quite young (this was between ages 16 and 19), was (am) 5'1" tall if that matters, walked 2.5 miles each day at a fast pace due to chronic lateness ;) , took PE (gym) each day and worked myself quite hard there, then after school, would do an aerobics VHS (yes, seriously, LOL...this was the 80s), then after dinner and before bed I would do "calisthenics" (do they still call them that any more? I haven't heard the term in quite some time): 50 push-ups (not "girl" push-ups, full push-ups), 100 sit-ups (had never heard of crunches at the time) and 30 leg lifts on each side (those last I felt and still feel were useless).

    Near the end of this phase (about the last year and a little bit, I think?) I added bench pressing to my routine because my boyfriend was into that, but never lifted "heavy": 120 lbs. was my max. I remember that, that number sticks in my mind. I went to his house to do my presses three times a week.

    That was my routine and I NEVER took a day off...it's odd but I can't even recall a single day when I took a day off due to sickness. So although I didn't have a heart rate monitor, I'm pretty confident that I was burning at least 800 calories a day. ;)

    Wow...looking back on all that, I can't believe I managed it. But I did. How is that even possible? If I saw my teenage child attempting this I'd probably freak out. Ah well!

    Anyway, that was probably going OT, but was attempting to answer the question as completely as possible.

    And yeah, this thread is redundant; newer people with their own POVs, as well as long-time members (so it would appear) attempting to inform, seem to both have chimed in.

  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    @lawoman72 thanks. That must have been very difficult. Are you healthier now?
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    lorib642 wrote: »
    @lawoman72 thanks. That must have been very difficult. Are you healthier now?

    Oh thank you...what a kind-hearted thing to ask!

    Well, I did achieve a much happier medium for a number of years in there...ranging from 1200-1400 calories per day to maintain about 115-120 lbs. I definitely felt healthier at that point.

    Unfortunately, I mentally "snapped" (can blame nobody but myself) 12 years ago and gained a significant amount of weight and yes, obviously, due to way too many calories. :) As far as I can tell, I hadn't ruined my metabolism or anything like that...as I said, I seem to have snapped back to pretty much normal (eat too much, gain; eat less, lose) after ALL the crazy things I've done to my body. (The human body is amazing!) It is what it is...I'm getting back on track now.

    Thanks for asking.

  • slemonfit
    slemonfit Posts: 97 Member
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    I read through the replies, thanks for the responses. When I said starvation mode, I just meant if your metabolism slows down a little because you're not eating enough, then you start eating normally again how long does it take for it to go back to normal? Is your metabolism permanently affected? For a while I ate 1300 calories (im 5'1 small framed, female) and im always afraid of not eating enough and its affecting my metabolism, sometimes at this calories level im hungry, i dont know if its ok or i should eat more if my body wants more food and i dont eat more if that will affect my metabolism. like is it bad to feel hungry a lot? i didnt go under 1200 but even at 1300 calories i would feel hungry a lot, lately ive been eating more like 1600 calories a day and i wonder if my metabolism is the same or if it is more now and less before because i ate less before
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
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    No, your metabolism will not be affected.
  • BeeUtifullyUnique8459
    BeeUtifullyUnique8459 Posts: 3 Member
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    Ugh all these replies are WRONG!!
    STARVATION MODE IS REAL!
    Rare but REAL.
    IT DOES NOT HAPPEN FAST.
    I have a team of doctors treating me right now for this!!
    I lost the feeling of being hungry or thirsty. & I work a lot, my kids are grown so no one else to feed... over time i just didnt think about it.
    It wasnt on purpose...
    I was hospitalized in march with concerning but not really figured out gut issues & bloodwork.
    No real answers over the next couple months- they even thought possible cancer.
    Symptoms progressed.
    I started gaining weight RAPIDLY in my belly after I jumped the curve. (50lbs in 20 days,May to June)
    36" waist to 49" waist.
    My hair was falling out in handfuls.
    My left eyebrow retreated.
    My whole body aches(your body starts sucking your muscles & bones dry).
    Brain fog. Dizziness. --this was most scary personally, as I've NEVER been one to lose my keys or forget where my car was in a parking lot etc.
    Skin super itchy & feels like sandpaper.
    Headaches.
    Always freezing. Daily temp was 95-96
    Thyriod & blood sugar imbalances but not contributed to any other diagnosis.
    Etc etc.

    **I am currently on IV INFUSIONS & fluids every week from STARVATION MODE! **
    I was put on this app so they can track my intake & make sure I eat.
    It's getting a little easier,as now I can SEE it, but still makes me nauseous to eat & I'm only up to drinking around 22oz of water per week without getting sick.

    I HATE that theres NOTHING about this disorder except a bunch of dieting crap! I cant find REAL answers because so many posts have false info.

    I have always been very active, inside & outside of work(Id blow through 22,000 steps at work, avid hiker, etc). & eat super healthy. But when I actually had to log my calories,my issue became clear. I also wasnt eating CARBS unintentionally. I'd eat a handful of frozen veggies & a little diced chicken breast each evening after work, salads.... & a Gatorade- which apparently at least kept my electrolytes survivable & I've been told to continue.

    I learned I can add some black beans to my veggies for more iron, which isnt a huge daily change since I like them.
    My calories have been raised from 1200-1400 per day to more than 1700. I'm still at a deficit 8 days in, but getting better.
    (Stupid step counter keeps ADDING more daily calorie need lol!)
    Supposedly if I eat more, I will lose weight but I'm not seeing that yet. And my brain just CAN'T believe it!

    But I'm also on week #5 of 7 of the IVs & they say i probably wont see/feel a change until weeks AFTER the 1st 7 weeks are complete! :-(

    But my hair IS starting to grow back! My eyebrows too. I feel a little better.
    Temp is back up to 97-98 & they didnt need to wrap me in heated blankets during my infusions today.
    But I'm bruising easier. But maybe that's a sign I have red blood cells again?? I have no clue.

    I was hoping to find an answer about how long til I'd see weight loss... but I guess I'm stuck with the "you probably wont feel much different for weeks later, if your body holds onto these nutrients "...

    But starvation mode is REAL!! It doesnt happen in a day or a week...
    I'm 40 & hope I'm able to refuel my body & get my metabolism working again soon and heal my organs.
    Theres still a chance I wiped out my gut & my galbladder from not eating enough. My red blood cells were super shriveled up. Idk how much longer I wouldve had & didnt realize it...

    EAT EVERY DAY FROM ALL FOOD GROUPS! & eating enough is important.
  • BeeUtifullyUnique8459
    BeeUtifullyUnique8459 Posts: 3 Member
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    I definitely gained weight by not eating enough.
    220lbs. 5'3".
    Your body will hold the fat.
  • BeeUtifullyUnique8459
    BeeUtifullyUnique8459 Posts: 3 Member
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    Heck the 1st GI doctor I saw after the fast weight gain said "you're just eating too much. That's why you're gaining weight."
    He flat out refused to look at/believe what I was actually eating. Thank God I didnt drop my intake even more. Took the oncologist to run the proper bloodwork & start the IVs.

    But it's still hard for me to believe that if I eat more I will lose weight. It just mentally doesnt make sense. Only time will tell.
    But I certainly doubled in size quickly once my body crossed that threshold.
  • brianpperkins131
    brianpperkins131 Posts: 90 Member
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    Would the person who keeps disagreeing step up and identify themselves then highlight what they disagree with?

    For full disclosure, I have zero expectation they will. That would be a mature and logical approach that would also require them to rationalize and justify their repeated clicking of a button.
  • brianpperkins131
    brianpperkins131 Posts: 90 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    brianpperkins131 wrote: »
    Would the person who keeps disagreeing step up and identify themselves then highlight what they disagree with?

    For full disclosure, I have zero expectation they will. That would be a mature and logical approach that would also require them to rationalize and justify their repeated clicking of a button.

    The whole point of the disagree button was so that people could indicate they disagreed with a post without having to have multiple posts explaining why they disagree. Do you really need justification of why people disagree that eating too little will cause the body to store the energy that it doesn't have?

    Looking at how many disagreements are to posts saying that starvation mode doesn't exist ... yeah. Notice how the only people that step up are the logical ones that grasp that "starvation mode" is a fallacy?

    The ones disagreeing to posts saying "Eating too little is not going to keep you from losing weight" (yep, someone disagreed to that) ... "there is no starvation mode" (also disagreed with) ... "The mode where you undereat for so long that it "crashes" your metabolism and transforms everything you eat into fat (not just weight)? If you ever reach that point you should volunteer your body to science." (again, someone found issue with that) ... and all without a shred of reasoning as to why.

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