Starvation Mode

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jrobs3
jrobs3 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm wondering, I understand that if you don't get a certain amount of calories your body goes into "starvation mode" and retains a lot of your intake for fuel stored as fat. BUT after what period of time does that happen? I mean, say I know I'm going to indulge one day this week so today, to "pay it forward" I cut calories and bust butt in the gym netting like 600 calories. Does my body go into starvation mode at that point or does that happen over a period of consecutive days?

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  • jrobs3
    jrobs3 Posts: 4 Member
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    Let me clarify something too. I've consumed (or will) 1600 calories today so I'm not starving myself per se. I just plan to do a bunch of cardio to make up for the weekend. Taco Bell is NOT my friend.
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
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    In studies on starvation, it took a long time for the participants to get to the point where their metabolisms had lowered by 40%. I think it was 6 months but it might have been sooner (can't get to my resource materials to look it up). But it was MONTHS not DAYS and certainly not 1 day of lowered calories. Plus, these guys started out at a healthy weight. In studies of starvation done on the obese, it took a lot longer because they had so much fat stored that the body could draw from for its energy.

    However, in at least one study, the participants "starvation diet" was 1600 calories. So the idea that you will go into starvation mode if you eat below 1200 calories is just not true. A starvation diet is defined as 50% (or less) of the calories you burn. If you burn a lot, then you can be eating to a starvation level at much higher than 1200 and, if you are a small, older woman who only exercises moderately, 1200 calories can be pretty close to your maintenance calories.

    That means those folks on The Biggest Loser are eating a starvation diet, btw. Because they exercise 6-8 hours a day burning thousands of calories in exercise a day.
  • jrobs3
    jrobs3 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thank you. That's what made me question. Everytime someone mentions they net less that 1200/day people mention going into starvation mode. Like I said I ate more BAD stuff this weekend than I should have and kinda want to make up for it now but didn't want to shock my system into storing more fat and burning lean muscle. Thanks again.

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