starvation mode bunk?
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sed484
Posts: 69
This blog makes a really good case as to why starvation mode is just a myth. Please read/ Plus the first paragraph about MFP people is so true, it's funny. http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
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Good stuff.0
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i suggest anyone who reads the article, read a number of the comments to. they round out the article nicely. and i do agree with the article in general. my body is very smart in it's signals to me. if i'm eating to lose weight, i go to bed feeling a touch hungry. not uncomfortably or disruptively so..just a feeling i'm not "full". if i'm not eating enough for the days physical challenges, i get a dizzy moment and know i need to eat something. not the same for everyone i'm sure but..only time i've ever dramatically lost weight (3 lb per week say) is by eating about 1400-1500 cals less than i take in. the math works. ps- when i lost 86 lb, i noticed no loss of muscle mass. largely elliptical, some weight bearing exercise throughout.0
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think you are doing people a huge disservice with this article and encouraging a very bad and dangerous habit, that ruins 99.99999% of diets. You claim you are going to dispel a myth, then admit the "myth" is true. You admit that your metabolism does slow at low caloric amounts.
YOU ARE TELLING PEOPLE IT'S OK TO DESTROY THEIR METABOLISM BECAUSE THEY'LL LOSE WEIGHT ANYWAY.
In other words you completely missed the point. The point is that even though you will still lose weight the amount of calories you need to maintain the weight loss will go down. Why do that to yourself? even a 20% slowdown is no joke. If poison made you lose weight would you drink it? And I speak from personal experience as some1 who tried both ways, and trust me, it takes a hell of a lot more discipline to lose weight the healthy way, making sure you eat just enough, make sure your not losing your lean muscle, have the right balance of cardio and weights, than to go the way of the anorexic and eat a celery stick a day. You guys are the ones looking for the easy way out, and trying to justify an unhealthy habit.
You say you'll still lose weight if you eat 500 calories a day. Well, after their done with their diet, 99% of people go back to eating as they did before. Now that they have their shiny new -25% metabolism, what do you think is going to happen? That's right, they put on MORE weight than they had before because their metabolism is slower. I have personally experienced that. And from what i've seen in myself and others, when you're body is starving, it packs on the weight FAST. Almost every1 who i've seen fail at dieting is for this reason. Then what do they do? That's right, they starve themselves again, wrecking their metabolism again, and again, and again. This is something your article doesn't discuss, the effect of doing this to yourself multiple times. And what are you left with? A bunch of overweight Americans who don't understand why starving themselves is not working. Not only that but they've probably done all kinds of weird things to their body that wont manifest itself until much later.
And even if they don't gain the weight back, for one they wont be able to go back to eating the same amount of calories they used to. This is something the person above who claimed starvation worked for them failed to mention. I wonder whether she has to eat less calories now to maintain her weight.
Also, muscle is expensive- it costs more calories than fat to maintain. You say it doesn't make sense for your body to break down muscle but it actually makes a lot of sense. Breaking down muscle is one of the ways your lowers it's metabolic rate. That way it gets energy and lowers the amount of energy it needs at the same time.
As for me? I finally learned how to lose weight right, and now I can actually eat MORE than I could before and not gain weight back because my metabolism is actually more efficient now. You guys go ahead and yo yo diet while your body eats itself. Because you'll still lose the weight right?
July 6, 2010 12:23 AM
I'll copy this post from the comments.
Ultimately I only really tell people to try eating more if they're not losing and asking for help. I don't know enough about the science to say one way or the other whether it's true. I'll keep eating my 1600 calories a day and continue to lose weight.0 -
The writer of this blog was on here for a while. Unfortunately a lot of the info on the blog is false or misleading.0
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This blog makes a really good case as to why starvation mode is just a myth.
I remeber reading on the forum rules that we aren't supposed to write anything that encourages people to starve themselves into anorexia (or any other eating disorder). This kinda belongs into that category.0 -
Totally disagree with this article.... I think the word Starvation mode when used on here is used more loosely than what its actual meaning is. I think people hit Plateau's and weeks with no weight loss and the Starvation mode words are thrown around loosely. Now as far as the eating more to lose weight theory, it is spot on (atleast for me and quite a few other people on this site by what I have read in these forums) You Can Not run high caloric deficits (sure you can get away with it in the beginning but if you do it over long periods of time it could screw up you metabolism permanently and not to mention you are going to sacrifice lean muscle mass. Each person responds to weight loss according to their on make up and what works for one may not work for another. I know for me, My BMR is currently 2450 and that is with a built in 500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week and I consume 3200 calories a day ( eating back 85% of my exercise calories) and I am losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week and have for the past 31 months. Do I hit Plateau's (of course) and to break through them I up my calories (Yep that means a eat more to lose weight) by a couple hundred calories and it jump starts my system and I am back to losing weight. So again you need to read the info that is out there and do what works best for you, I have been under the care of doctors and working with a dietician since I started and they have always backed the way I have been losing. Slow and steady wins the race, and yes it takes longer to get the weight off but it is the healthy way to do it, both mentally and physically......
May2009 @ 560 lbs.
January 2012@ 267lbs.
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You look amazing Ed and I loved your post. I have to agree that the OP is very skeptical, however I have to admit that MFP has as many viewpoints as there are members.
I do think this post is giving permission to eat a VLCD, I did my research also after someone else wrote one of these you can eat 800 calories a day and it won't hurt you but consistently the research says if you are working out and eating a VLCD (under 1,000) then it must be under a doctors care. How many people will read beyond the first paragraph where the OP does eventually say that if you want to do a VLCD it needs to be under Medical care. Most will read the first sentence and say YAY I can starve myself, lol.
I had to up my calories to get my weight loss rolling, still eating a bit under my BMR but finally losing.0 -
What happens when you eat more than 800 calories a day? What is the maintennance plan after you reach your goal? What stops from you ballooning after you reach your goal? Are you going to maintain the level of exercise needed to burn the calories over 800 everyday?0
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What happens when you eat more than 800 calories a day? What is the maintennance plan after you reach your goal? What stops from you ballooning after you reach your goal? Are you going to maintain the level of exercise needed to burn the calories over 800 everyday?
Questions like these are why I strongly advocate MFP's plan (eating exercise calories back). Yes, weight loss is slower, but you don't have the transition woes of going from a very restrictive diet to maintenance.0 -
I couldnt agree more I am 64 and tried every diet and lost and gained my way to 367 lbs before I changed my way of life I eat all my meals and consume over 2100 calories a day minimum depending of exercise and since may 2008 I have lost steadily and now have approximately 50 to go over the next year keep it up0
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If you eat too little calories for the needs of your body, it compensates by doing less work, hence expending less energy. That's why cutting calories doesn't guarantee a caloric deficit and associated weight loss.0
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Extremely low calories is a diet. I am trying to adopt a lifestyle that I can maintain. I am not on a diet.0
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Totally disagree with this article.... I think the word Starvation mode when used on here is used more loosely than what its actual meaning is. I think people hit Plateau's and weeks with no weight loss and the Starvation mode words are thrown around loosely. Now as far as the eating more to lose weight theory, it is spot on (atleast for me and quite a few other people on this site by what I have read in these forums) You Can Not run high caloric deficits (sure you can get away with it in the beginning but if you do it over long periods of time it could screw up you metabolism permanently and not to mention you are going to sacrifice lean muscle mass. Each person responds to weight loss according to their on make up and what works for one may not work for another. I know for me, My BMR is currently 2450 and that is with a built in 500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week and I consume 3200 calories a day ( eating back 85% of my exercise calories) and I am losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week and have for the past 31 months. Do I hit Plateau's (of course) and to break through them I up my calories (Yep that means a eat more to lose weight) by a couple hundred calories and it jump starts my system and I am back to losing weight. So again you need to read the info that is out there and do what works best for you, I have been under the care of doctors and working with a dietician since I started and they have always backed the way I have been losing. Slow and steady wins the race, and yes it takes longer to get the weight off but it is the healthy way to do it, both mentally and physically......
May2009 @ 560 lbs.
January 2012@ 267lbs.
wow!!!!! congratulations !!!!!0 -
Well said!Extremely low calories is a diet. I am trying to adopt a lifestyle that I can maintain. I am not on a diet.0 -
:grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :noway: *FACEPALM* They'll learn :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble:
at this point, I may explode if I see another starvation mode posts, lol
weight loss is about the simplest concept on Earth, move more, eat less.
if you are hungry you need to eat, forget about how many calories you've already counted and eat
or pass out, either way you get what you deserve0 -
I appreciate your response. I believe waht you have said to be true. I have a hard time eating all those calories and trying to work up to it gradually.Totally disagree with this article.... I think the word Starvation mode when used on here is used more loosely than what its actual meaning is. I think people hit Plateau's and weeks with no weight loss and the Starvation mode words are thrown around loosely. Now as far as the eating more to lose weight theory, it is spot on (atleast for me and quite a few other people on this site by what I have read in these forums) You Can Not run high caloric deficits (sure you can get away with it in the beginning but if you do it over long periods of time it could screw up you metabolism permanently and not to mention you are going to sacrifice lean muscle mass. Each person responds to weight loss according to their on make up and what works for one may not work for another. I know for me, My BMR is currently 2450 and that is with a built in 500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week and I consume 3200 calories a day ( eating back 85% of my exercise calories) and I am losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week and have for the past 31 months. Do I hit Plateau's (of course) and to break through them I up my calories (Yep that means a eat more to lose weight) by a couple hundred calories and it jump starts my system and I am back to losing weight. So again you need to read the info that is out there and do what works best for you, I have been under the care of doctors and working with a dietician since I started and they have always backed the way I have been losing. Slow and steady wins the race, and yes it takes longer to get the weight off but it is the healthy way to do it, both mentally and physically......
May2009 @ 560 lbs.
January 2012@ 267lbs.0 -
Totally disagree with this article.... I think the word Starvation mode when used on here is used more loosely than what its actual meaning is. I think people hit Plateau's and weeks with no weight loss and the Starvation mode words are thrown around loosely. Now as far as the eating more to lose weight theory, it is spot on (atleast for me and quite a few other people on this site by what I have read in these forums) You Can Not run high caloric deficits (sure you can get away with it in the beginning but if you do it over long periods of time it could screw up you metabolism permanently and not to mention you are going to sacrifice lean muscle mass. Each person responds to weight loss according to their on make up and what works for one may not work for another. I know for me, My BMR is currently 2450 and that is with a built in 500 calorie deficit to lose a pound a week and I consume 3200 calories a day ( eating back 85% of my exercise calories) and I am losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week and have for the past 31 months. Do I hit Plateau's (of course) and to break through them I up my calories (Yep that means a eat more to lose weight) by a couple hundred calories and it jump starts my system and I am back to losing weight. So again you need to read the info that is out there and do what works best for you, I have been under the care of doctors and working with a dietician since I started and they have always backed the way I have been losing. Slow and steady wins the race, and yes it takes longer to get the weight off but it is the healthy way to do it, both mentally and physically......
May2009 @ 560 lbs.
January 2012@ 267lbs.
Congratulations on the weight loss!
I have to disagree with this though. I have gone through starvation mode and I know it isn't just a myth.0 -
:grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :noway: *FACEPALM* They'll learn :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble: :grumble:
at this point, I may explode if I see another starvation mode posts, lol
weight loss is about the simplest concept on Earth, move more, eat less.
if you are hungry you need to eat, forget about how many calories you've already counted and eat
or pass out, either way you get what you deserve
Its really not that simple though. In fact its so complex, that scientists can't even agree on what goes on under the hood. The only thing that they pretty much agree on is that a caloric deficit is needed to lose weight.
But the key to successful weight loss is putting the mind and the body in synch such that the person eats the right amount and does the right amount of exercise to lose enough fat to maintain a healthy weight. This is an art because every body responds differently to changes.0 -
No thanks. Nowhere in that study was body fat tracked, so for people trying to retain muscle, this means BAD NEWS.This blog makes a really good case as to why starvation mode is just a myth. Please read/ Plus the first paragraph about MFP people is so true, it's funny. http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
When we restrict diet, our bodies react. Of course they "lost weight", but what was the quality of that weight loss?
They lost more muscle which is why this fact is never mentioned. That's reality.
And having gone down that road personally, I lived it.
And it took me 6 months eating to maintenance and still gaining weight to reset my body.
I went from 265 to 211, then OOPS - back up to 232.
My fruit from that philosophy was stifled metabolism and weight gain.
And what happened after that?
I lost 1 lb per week - sometimes less.
Today I weigh 195 and holding to maintenance going on 4 weeks now.
Again, I am giving my body time to re-feed, catch up - whatever.
And starting next week, I begin the final drive to lose the last 10 lbs.
I plan on this taking 3 months.
None of us are in a race, but if you want to try the crash diet, starvation route, be my guest.
Eat 800 calories per day; let's see you get all the nutrients your body needs for optimal weight loss.
COUNT ME OUT!0 -
Really? You advocate a diet under 1200 calories and a 40% stifled metabolism ?Good stuff.0
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