Starvation mode hysteria

Agreed! The most over used term in the diet communities. If you're not losing weight, eat less or move more.

I disagree, respectfully.

I am very active and my body is very smart. I was eating 1300 calories a day and burning 1300 calories a day. So, I was moving plenty and eating less. Guess what? No weight loss.

Your body doesn't know you're on a diet. It thinks that there's a food shortage. So, yeah, starving kids in Africa are skinny but because the body is so smart they are alive. Their bodies are using the few calories they get extremely efficiently. The body wants you to survive. If I kept at 1300 calories a day, I would eventually lose weight. Muscle is "active" tissue so it's the first thing my body would want to stop supporting. Fat doesn't need much to keep it on you.

For people who think that starving their bodies of food is the right way to lose weight, I just flat disagree. Yes, you need a calorie deficit to lose weight, I get it. But a combination of moving and slight calorie deficits are, in my opinion, the best way for permanent fat loss.

Oh, and after increasing my calories to 2000 I broke through. I guess you can call me a convert

If you're not losing weight, eat less or move more.

The problem is this blanket statement doesn't apply to all situations (the inherent danger of blanket statements). While I think there is a bit of hysteria revolving around "starvation mode" and exercise calories on MFP, I think the most dangerous thing someone can do is drop blanket statements everywhere on the message boards.

If you aren't losing weight the only solution is to eat less.

You absolutely need to eat more to lose.

Never eat your exercise calories.

Always eat your exercise calories.

No wonder newbies here are overwhelmed. I prefer to take a "hey, this works for some, but it may not work for you" approach. There is no one size fits all when it comes to weight loss. These boards would be a little more friendly if people were a little less opinionated and a little more open. People lose a couple of pounds and suddenly we are all weight loss and nutrition experts.

I think the term is used for lack of a better word.... No one is using the term starvation mode in the context of not eating food for days on end, or some sort of famine diet..... They are basically using this term in the form when you run a large caloric deficit for sometime that it eventually will cause your metabolism to slow to the point that your weightloss stalls and you hit weeks of plateau's. That is the way I have used the term in the past and will continue too for lack of a better one....... And I don't use it because I eat to much but through trial and error I can tell you for me now I have to eat more to lose weight. I am in the camp of eating to fuel my workouts and I am losing a pound a week 32 months and 302 lbs. lost into this journey..... Just my 2 cents.......

I completely agree and HOLY CRAP. Phenomenal weight loss, you are an inspiration!

Wow Ed! Congrats on the weight loss. I love to hear from people with experience and thanks for the info!

I love your rant and think your on tghe money with this one :happy:

I think the term is used for lack of a better word.... No one is using the term starvation mode in the context of not eating food for days on end, or some sort of famine diet..... They are basically using this term in the form when you run a large caloric deficit for sometime that it eventually will cause your metabolism to slow to the point that your weightloss stalls and you hit weeks of plateau's. That is the way I have used the term in the past and will continue too for lack of a better one....... And I don't use it because I eat to much but through trial and error I can tell you for me now I have to eat more to lose weight. I am in the camp of eating to fuel my workouts and I am losing a pound a week 32 months and 302 lbs. lost into this journey..... Just my 2 cents.......

WOW! You are SUCH and inspiration! Congrats on your weight loss and your journey to get healthy! :-)

I think the term is used for lack of a better word.... No one is using the term starvation mode in the context of not eating food for days on end, or some sort of famine diet..... They are basically using this term in the form when you run a large caloric deficit for sometime that it eventually will cause your metabolism to slow to the point that your weightloss stalls and you hit weeks of plateau's. That is the way I have used the term in the past and will continue too for lack of a better one....... And I don't use it because I eat to much but through trial and error I can tell you for me now I have to eat more to lose weight. I am in the camp of eating to fuel my workouts and I am losing a pound a week 32 months and 302 lbs. lost into this journey..... Just my 2 cents.......

^^^^ When this guy speaks up, I tend to listen.

If you're not losing weight, eat less or move more.

The problem is this blanket statement doesn't apply to all situations (the inherent danger of blanket statements). While I think there is a bit of hysteria revolving around "starvation mode" and exercise calories on MFP, I think the most dangerous thing someone can do is drop blanket statements everywhere on the message boards.

If you aren't losing weight the only solution is to eat less.

You absolutely need to eat more to lose.

Never eat your exercise calories.

Always eat your exercise calories.

No wonder newbies here are overwhelmed. I prefer to take a "hey, this works for some, but it may not work for you" approach. There is no one size fits all when it comes to weight loss. These boards would be a little more friendly if people were a little less opinionated and a little more open. People lose a couple of pounds and suddenly we are all weight loss and nutrition experts.

HAHAHHAHAHAHAH AWESOME and to the point

Oh and the huge tummy, that's Kwashiorkor's disease caused by lack of protein in the diet Poor kids