"starvation mode".....

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jenifer7teen
jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
ok. i understand that a person's metabolism is influenced by their overall intake, but i am really confused about the whole concept of starvation mode. it seems like whenever the topic is brought up people bring up anecdotal evidence which is not helpful to me... ex) 'when i was eating less than 1200 caloreis a day, i gained weight". without knowing this person's ability to correctly calculate their intake vs exercise (etc) there are just too many variables; i dont want to base my diet around anecdotes. so if anyone is really educated on the subject i'd love some help with these questions:

1) does starvation mode exist (where your body suddenly holds onto everything you eat and can cause you to stop losing weight/or start gaining inspite of a low calorie intake)?
2) how low of an intake are we talking about... is it really anything below 1200?
3) how does it work if you, say, eat 1300 calories one day, then 900 for 2 days, then 1200 the next..... how long does it take to "kick in"?
4) is this a short term reality, or more of a concern for someone who consistently and in a long term way has maintained a very low calorie diet?
5) i know that your metabolism slows when you arent eating anything (ex... skipping breakfast and fasting til dinner).... but what if you eat/snack consistently (like 8, 100 calorie meals paced out through the day) wouldnt that keep your metabolism strong even if you might be cutting below 1200 total?

ok... that's it for now. I am just really confused.... i don't eat my exercise calories back.... and somedays i eat closer to 800 calories than 1200, and the whole red "starvation mode" thing makes me worry. but i ALWAYS eat if i feel hungry. i believe strongly in listening to your body--- not making it feel deprived! but do i really need to FORCE myself to add more calories when i am trying to lose weight if i am not hungry?!
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Replies

  • Canadien
    Canadien Posts: 122 Member
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    I've been wondering about this too! It's so confusing, everyone says different things.
  • runbyme
    runbyme Posts: 522 Member
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    Wonderful questions Jenifer and I have no answers but question the same as you do. I can't wrap my head around the "eat more food to lose weight" theory. I'll be waiting for an educated answer the same as you! Good luck with your weight loss journey!

    14340662.png
  • rochey1098
    rochey1098 Posts: 285
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    The less you eat, the more you'll lose... and the more your metabolism will try to compensate. You will also burn more than just fat if you try to lose too much too fast. Does starvation mode exist? Does it matter? If you eat your daily calorie allowance you will lose weight healthily, that's all that matters. If you're finding it hard to eat your daily intake then try eating some of the things you ate that caused you to gain weight in the first place, failing that, healthier options include olive oil, milk, cheese, meat, nuts, seeds etc

    As a side note, it would be amazing if the human body could keep its fat reserves while exercising and eating less because this means that a hunter could catch food all day long without ever having to eat more to compensate. We know this isn't true though and most tribes expect their hunters to eat part of what they catch before they even get it home
  • sharoniballoni
    sharoniballoni Posts: 163 Member
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    I don't believe there's any hard evidence of it and there's certainly no set number of minimum calories that would cause it across the board. Everyone has different bodies and metabolisms. My minimum can't possibly be the same as a man's, for example.

    That said, I like to eat. The less you eat, the less you can eat because your body will adjust to getting that number of calories. So if you under-eat to lose weight, you are likely putting yourself at risk for quick regain if/when you start to eat "normal" again.

    Further, when you under-eat, you aren't just losing fat and water. You're also losing muscle. The more muscle you lose, the slower your metabolism becomes. If you work out, you need to feed the muscles. They are what will keep your metabolism up.
  • D446
    D446 Posts: 266 Member
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    I believe it is different for everyone. You can't really say 1200 is a definite number, but I suppose it is a safe guide.

    If you do lower your intake, your metabolism will slow after a while, and once you start eating normally again it will probably take a while to re- adjust. You may also gain weight when upping the calories again, but I found this happened when I went from 1200 calories to say, 1800, which mfp told me I should still be losing.
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,230 Member
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    What I can say is that I was eating about 700-900 calories a day by lifestyle (videogames + (junkfood - skipped meals) + walking stairs between classes) for about 7 years, and I put on 50 extra pounds. I am exercising slightly more than before, eating 1200 a day, and losing it fast (especially from my face). Pretty willing to believe that it exists at this point.
  • lolibunny
    lolibunny Posts: 15 Member
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    I liked this answer from another mfp user

    "First, what is starvation mode? I found this direct answer on netwellness.org --

    A starvation diet does not mean the absence of food. It means cutting the total caloric intake to less than 50% of what the body requires. Using myself as an example, my current weight is 178 lbs. and my bmr is 1450. So, I would have to cut my calories to below 725 per day. However, if I were at my goal weight of 150 lbs., my bmr would be 1129, and so I would have to cut my calories to below 565 calories. This is not borne out by the infamous Minnesota Semistarvation Study (1950), 36 young, healthy, psychologically normal men while restricting their caloric intake for 6 months. Their calories were restricted in various phases, but the least amount of calories they were allowed was 50% of the "normal" maintenance calories. Notice, this was dubbed a "semi" starvation diet.

    Yes, their metabolic rates were significantly lowered -- to something like 40% below baseline. Yet at no point did the men stop losing fat until they hit 5% body fat at the end of the study.

    Please go to this link and read. Do some studying, There is no STARVATION MODE here in the USA! Go to third world countries then you will see what starvation mode really looks like!
    http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/ lyle.htm This is a link from a scientist, very good paper.
    Truth of it is, the less you weigh, the less your body needs in calories to fuel it!"
  • sullivann
    sullivann Posts: 199 Member
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    It's very simple. Your body needs fuel to function.

    shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/230930-starvation-mode-how-it-works

    Read those for more info.
  • smartal5
    smartal5 Posts: 27 Member
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    Here are some informational links about the topic:

    http://caloriecount.about.com/forums/weight-loss/truth-starvation-mode
    http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response
  • lilojoke
    lilojoke Posts: 427 Member
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    Thought this article explained it well

    http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ladyhawk00/view/starvation-mode-how-it-works-98802
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    ok. i understand that a person's metabolism is influenced by their overall intake, but i am really confused about the whole concept of starvation mode. it seems like whenever the topic is brought up people bring up anecdotal evidence which is not helpful to me... ex) 'when i was eating less than 1200 caloreis a day, i gained weight". without knowing this person's ability to correctly calculate their intake vs exercise (etc) there are just too many variables; i dont want to base my diet around anecdotes. so if anyone is really educated on the subject i'd love some help with these questions:

    1) does starvation mode exist (where your body suddenly holds onto everything you eat and can cause you to stop losing weight/or start gaining inspite of a low calorie intake)?
    2) how low of an intake are we talking about... is it really anything below 1200?
    3) how does it work if you, say, eat 1300 calories one day, then 900 for 2 days, then 1200 the next..... how long does it take to "kick in"?
    4) is this a short term reality, or more of a concern for someone who consistently and in a long term way has maintained a very low calorie diet?
    5) i know that your metabolism slows when you arent eating anything (ex... skipping breakfast and fasting til dinner).... but what if you eat/snack consistently (like 8, 100 calorie meals paced out through the day) wouldnt that keep your metabolism strong even if you might be cutting below 1200 total?

    ok... that's it for now. I am just really confused.... i don't eat my exercise calories back.... and somedays i eat closer to 800 calories than 1200, and the whole red "starvation mode" thing makes me worry. but i ALWAYS eat if i feel hungry. i believe strongly in listening to your body--- not making it feel deprived! but do i really need to FORCE myself to add more calories when i am trying to lose weight if i am not hungry?!
    You are your own case study.

    You are sure to fail given what you just disclosed about your diet.
    Let us all know how it works out a year from now after you gain all your weight back and then some.

    I don't mean to be unkind, but you are intellectualizing away your own health.
    Until somebody offers evidence supporting the many virtues of the starvation diet, I'd err on the side of caution.

    It's your health.
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
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    I believe in the starvation mode. I use to only 800 to 1000 calories a day for months, I ended up putting weight back on that I had lost. I was also tired a lot during that time. Now that I eat 1200 cals a day or more I keep losing, and have actual energy and not tired.
  • JarrodFit4Life
    JarrodFit4Life Posts: 24
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    "Starvation Mode" is a simple way of saying that your metabolism slows and your food intake drops because you are losing muscle as well as fat and water weight. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you lose, the fewer calories you burn (you still burn calories, just not as quickly). A calorie deficit will cause weight loss, whether its a HEALTHY DEFICIT or an unhealthy deficit.

    It is impossible for your body to hold on to everything that it consumes. Think about all the malnourished people in third world countries out there...They would be prime candidates for starvation mode, yet they continue to die of starvation!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I would like to see some more recent studies done on this-- the 1950s study is quoted in all the links I read, but nothing more current.
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    Absolutely it exists! Starvation mode is most likely to kick in when you go long periods without eating anything habitually. The body gets used to this, and when it knows it's only getting that say, 400 calorie lunch, it begins to save it up, knowing that it's not getting anymore for another day.
    There's no set calories that trigger this. It's more about the habit of things. Think of it this way: When you eat, it's like putting gas in the engine. If you wait until the tank is 100% empty, it's a lot harder to start it up again than if you fill it when you're at a 1/4 tank. It takes more energy and effort to get the metabolism going once you allow it to stop completely... The easiest way to keep it going is to keep fuel pumping throughout the day.
    That being said, if you fall into this state, you gain an absurd amount of weight if you begin eating "normally" (as happened with me, I was nearly anorexic and then began eating meals randomly, I gained over 100 lbs in a year).
    It's not really something that's going to happen over a few days, not to get you into a permanent state anyway. It takes a little while but it always takes quite some time to get out of it. I was on thyroid hormones for 6+ months after my diagnosis, and still have to be pretty careful... So take it from me, food is an important fuel and it's better to eat extra and work it off than to not eat enough and deal with the consequences!
  • tennillewade
    tennillewade Posts: 49 Member
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    I don't quite understand the science myself, I would think the same thing as you do. if you eat 8 100 cal meals thoughout the day seems you would still be boosting your metabolism because you body will always be using the energy it gets from the food you are eating. I will say this its not how much you eat necessarily, its what you eat. Your body gets more energy from health vegetables and whole grains and fruit. Those foods also give you a fuller feeling for long. So my advice to you would be to try changing up your diet and trash processed foods, if you eat them and start filling up on fruit veggies whole grains and see if that helps boost your energy and metabolism. and improve you weightloss. you have probably heard this before :-/
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
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    ok... i havent read them all but those are some GREAT LINKS. thanks everyone!!!

    i LOVE being a physically strong woman and would not want to lose weight at the expense of losing my muscles. from what i have read so far i feel like my diet/exercise program is sound. the truth is i am measurably getting stronger and faster and GAINING muscles, and my body still has plenty of fat to burn even if my calories are under the MFP recommendation sometimes. and once i reach my healthy goal i know i will have to slowly increase my daily intake as to not regain. ok.... i will go read some more. :)
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
    Options
    ok. i understand that a person's metabolism is influenced by their overall intake, but i am really confused about the whole concept of starvation mode. it seems like whenever the topic is brought up people bring up anecdotal evidence which is not helpful to me... ex) 'when i was eating less than 1200 caloreis a day, i gained weight". without knowing this person's ability to correctly calculate their intake vs exercise (etc) there are just too many variables; i dont want to base my diet around anecdotes. so if anyone is really educated on the subject i'd love some help with these questions:

    1) does starvation mode exist (where your body suddenly holds onto everything you eat and can cause you to stop losing weight/or start gaining inspite of a low calorie intake)?
    2) how low of an intake are we talking about... is it really anything below 1200?
    3) how does it work if you, say, eat 1300 calories one day, then 900 for 2 days, then 1200 the next..... how long does it take to "kick in"?
    4) is this a short term reality, or more of a concern for someone who consistently and in a long term way has maintained a very low calorie diet?
    5) i know that your metabolism slows when you arent eating anything (ex... skipping breakfast and fasting til dinner).... but what if you eat/snack consistently (like 8, 100 calorie meals paced out through the day) wouldnt that keep your metabolism strong even if you might be cutting below 1200 total?

    ok... that's it for now. I am just really confused.... i don't eat my exercise calories back.... and somedays i eat closer to 800 calories than 1200, and the whole red "starvation mode" thing makes me worry. but i ALWAYS eat if i feel hungry. i believe strongly in listening to your body--- not making it feel deprived! but do i really need to FORCE myself to add more calories when i am trying to lose weight if i am not hungry?!
    You are your own case study.

    You are sure to fail given what you just disclosed about your diet.
    Let us all know how it works out a year from now after you gain all your weight back and then some.

    I don't mean to be unkind, but you are intellectualizing away your own health.
    Until somebody offers evidence supporting the many virtues of the starvation diet, I'd err on the side of caution.

    It's your health.

    you are "sure to fail given what you disclosed"??? are you "sure"? if so, than why? i dont think i am intellectualizing my health by asking for reasons. i am trying to be wise. asking for science is better than relying on myth without evidence.
  • jenifer7teen
    jenifer7teen Posts: 205 Member
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    I would like to see some more recent studies done on this-- the 1950s study is quoted in all the links I read, but nothing more current.


    good point. regardless- there may be more recent studies, but how thorough/relevant/unbiased/or extensive? it has always felt a bit like a myth to me. i mean if you're talking 1950's studies think of the inane ideas that were generally accepted facts around that time?!!! black people are less human; woman don't really have sexual needs or orgasmic possibilities.

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