Starvation mode?

ebony__
ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is starvation mode solely about calorie intake?
Does food quantity and nutritional values play a part?
I would think there are more than 1 factor, but I dont know.
Do you?

Genuine answers please, everyones opinios of people eating to few calories have already been posted a million times. Just curious about other factors in play.
Cheers
«1

Replies

  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    mm maybe ill just have to do some research
  • iqnas
    iqnas Posts: 445 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.
  • jenken99
    jenken99 Posts: 564 Member
    i would assume it would factor in on what u eat and an how much you are eating...
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    it is a matter of energy balance so i'd say there are not other factors aside from expenditure and intake .you can be malnourished whilst eating 2000+ calories of junk but not in starvation mode. you can also get all of your nutrients through supplements and 100% natural/whole foods but have too great a deficit and impair your metabolism as a result ("starvation mode").
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.

    more details?
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
    I would guess that the only factor leading directly to "starvation mode" would be number of calories, because starvation means that your body doesn't have enough energy (calories) to adequately fuel itself.

    I think nutritional value of your food contributes to other types of diet-related disorders/issues. For example...scurvy, iron deficiency, anemia...those are just some examples off the top of my head that have to do with the types of food you eat, but most tend to be in drastic cases, similarly to starvation mode.

    I can't really back any of this up with scientific fact, but that is my answer based on what I have learned.
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    it is a matter of energy balance so i'd say there are not other factors aside from expenditure and intake .you can be malnourished whilst eating 2000+ calories of junk but not in starvation mode. you can also get all of your nutrients through supplements and 100% natural/whole foods but have too great a deficit and impair your metabolism as a result ("starvation mode").

    Great answer.
  • HerBravado
    HerBravado Posts: 392 Member
    I don't think nutrition plays a big part in starvation mode.
    If one were eating strictly organically/healthily,
    but not eating enough--
    their body would still be starving, despite it being good food.
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.

    more details?

    I was amazed to hear the Endocrinologist tell my husband that he could survive of 800 calories or less.
  • crimznrose
    crimznrose Posts: 282 Member
    There's a lot of opinions on starvation mode but it is very real. In short version, your metabolism slows down to conserve your body fat when you don't eat enough calories. You can avoid it by finding a healthy calorie deficit based on your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and active metabolic rate (AMR). Most say no fewer than 1200 calories a day no matter what. I was eating 1500/day and stuck at a plateau for months.There's many online calculators to help you figure your "magic" number out, but the general rule of thumb is 3500 = 1 lb of body fat. Create a 500 calorie per day deficit to lose a pound per week.

    As for the nutritional aspect, simple carbs and fats aren't going to help you lose, so focus your diet on complex carbs high in fiber and lean protein. They're harder for your body to digest so they won't be converted to glucose (which is stored as body fat when not immediately used) as readily.

    Hope that helps!
  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,728 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.

    ^^This
  • discodaddy61
    discodaddy61 Posts: 161 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.

    more details?

    I was amazed to hear the Endocrinologist tell my husband that he could survive of 800 calories or less.
  • crimznrose
    crimznrose Posts: 282 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.

    more details?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth.

    No. It's real, it just doesn't happen if you skip one meal - it's a gradual condition that results from regular undereating and downregulation of your metabolism.
  • cjpg
    cjpg Posts: 433 Member
    Is starvation mode solely about calorie intake?
    Starvation mode is a term used to describe when you're body is being supplied with insufficient calories and your metabolism slows right down to conserve what little energy it is getting. However,
    Does food quantity and nutritional values play a part?
    Food quantity is important but food quality is what you're focus should be on. Malnutrition can also cause your body to hit a starvation mode. If you eat the wrong foods to meet your caloric needs, that doesn't mean you're getting the right fuels.
    I would think there are more than 1 factor, but I dont know.
    Do you?
    I think it's important to consider that your exercise levels inherently affect the amount of calories you need to eat. The more you exercise, the more fuel you need to keep your metabolism at a normal level. If you do not put back the fuel into your 'car', it can only run on 'fumes' for so long. Eventually you will need to replenish your supply.

    I lost 20 kg's and then hit a MASSIVE plateau. My body would not push any more weight. I looked at how I got to that point and found that I wasn't fuelling my body enough consistently.
    I've now gone well into eating back all of my exercise calories and I've found my body is THANKING me for it. Given the right fuels to the body, my metabolism kick-started with such a force that the weight just starting dropping again.

    Hope this helps.
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    But does quantity not factor in. yes if your eating all your calories in junk .. or making up all your nutrients with suppliments I would assume thats basically terrible...

    but what about quantity..

    If your eating really healthy foods you can eat a huge amount in a day and be extremely full and still have very low cal (foods like broccoli, cauliflower, fresh beans zucchini and such as the bulk of the meals. )
  • akjmart2002
    akjmart2002 Posts: 263 Member
    Starvation mode is a myth unless you are actually *starving*.

    http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/starvation-mode-why-you-probably-never-need-to-worry-about-it/
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    Is starvation mode solely about calorie intake?
    Starvation mode is a term used to describe when you're body is being supplied with insufficient calories and your metabolism slows right down to conserve what little energy it is getting. However,
    Does food quantity and nutritional values play a part?
    Food quantity is important but food quality is what you're focus should be on. Malnutrition can also cause your body to hit a starvation mode. If you eat the wrong foods to meet your caloric needs, that doesn't mean you're getting the right fuels.
    I would think there are more than 1 factor, but I dont know.
    Do you?
    I think it's important to consider that your exercise levels inherently affect the amount of calories you need to eat. The more you exercise, the more fuel you need to keep your metabolism at a normal level. If you do not put back the fuel into your 'car', it can only run on 'fumes' for so long. Eventually you will need to replenish your supply.

    I lost 20 kg's and then hit a MASSIVE plateau. My body would not push any more weight. I looked at how I got to that point and found that I wasn't fuelling my body enough consistently.
    I've now gone well into eating back all of my exercise calories and I've found my body is THANKING me for it. Given the right fuels to the body, my metabolism kick-started with such a force that the weight just starting dropping again.

    Hope this helps.

    I love when people give posts like this, non judgement and not highly opinionated but just honest! thanks
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    But does quantity not factor in. yes if your eating all your calories in junk .. or making up all your nutrients with suppliments I would assume thats basically terrible...

    but what about quantity..

    If your eating really healthy foods you can eat a huge amount in a day and be extremely full and still have very low cal (foods like broccoli, cauliflower, fresh beans zucchini and such as the bulk of the meals. )

    energy balance is the bottom line--you can"Stuff" yourself by drinking a gallon of water--there are no calories in water...you'd still starve even if you took vitamins to get the nutrients you need.
  • harliquinnraver
    harliquinnraver Posts: 58
    disregard.
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    interesting. lots of mixed responses and also research to back up both sides of the argument.
    I gues when it comes down to it, as with anything else, people should just do what is right for them
  • akiramezu
    akiramezu Posts: 278
    Hey there,

    I will give you a simple explanation on this starvation mode.
    It's a very poorly worded term.
    It's more of a super high adaptation state, because our bodies are so well
    at adapting, that it's almost completely stupid. When you're on a certain low
    calorie deficit, whether it be 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600 etc. You're body will
    soon be able to adapt to this caloric intake and it will become normal.
    In other words, the 1000 calorie intake for example, will become the norm for
    your body, it will find other means of getting energy through normal organ function.
    Your body might release more of a certain hormone, your body might break down muscles
    for energy use etc.

    So basically, starvation mode isn't a myth per se, it's just an extremely poorly worded phrase.
    Our bodies are amazing machines capable of adapting to any situation, and in this case
    a low calorie deficit, it will adapt to this low calorie deficit. And the moment you eat above the
    deficit, your body will cease to stop all current activities that it was doing to keep your body functioning
    properly at this calorie deficit, so that is why, people on low calorie diets, when they eat again, gain weight
    or cease to lose weight.

    Hope this is a proper explanation about a very stupid worded term
  • chachadiva150
    chachadiva150 Posts: 453 Member
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response
    Starvation RESPONSE is NOT the same as what people call starvation mode. Yes, when given fewer calories, the metabolism will slow down. However, that DOES NOT mean that the body will stop losing weight. You will still lose weight as long as there is a deficit.

    Link: http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    The best analogy I have would be oil starvation in an engine. One may fill the engine with the highest quality oil, but if the quantity isn't adequate, oil starvation will occur and the engine will blow. In the other hand, if poor quality oil is used, but the adequate quantity is poured into the engine, it may not function at its optimal capacity, but oil starvation will not occur.
  • JayByrd107
    JayByrd107 Posts: 282 Member
    There's a lot of opinions on starvation mode but it is very real. In short version, your metabolism slows down to conserve your body fat when you don't eat enough calories.

    If your body doesn't want to burn fat when it's starving, then what does it store fat for?
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    I read somewhere online that 'starvation mode' only effects people at their critical low body fat mass. You have to be in a massive deficit and already at your critical low body fat level. However, most of us have body fat to burn so we shouldn't ever really have to worry about that. I'm not a professional by any means, just something I read.
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    The best analogy I have would be oil starvation in an engine. One may fill the engine with the highest quality oil, but if the quantity isn't adequate, oil starvation will occur and the engine will blow. In the other hand, if poor quality oil is used, but the adequate quantity is poured into the engine, it may not function at its optimal capacity, but oil starvation will not occur.

    great analogy, I love it.

    But does make me wonder... and not putting an opion out there because im basically swayed on this topic but just the thought,
    What about factors like thyroid function
    Lymphatic function
    Foods that actualy have metabolism stimulating properties?
    muscle/body fat percentage

    thats assuming that most people are reffering to 'starvation mode' as basically a low metabolic rate?
  • janeite1990
    janeite1990 Posts: 671 Member
    I know NOTHING, but, I would guess that timing would count, depending on how you did it. For example, a person I live with and love dearly will eat nothing all day and then eat a huge dinner. He has gained weight this way. I figure that his body is in starvation mode despite the number of calories consumed because it has no fuel throughout the day. I think calories throughout the day might help keep from starvation mode...to a point anyway.

    I'm not saying this as a justification for some crazy 500 calorie thing, just eating them 10 at a time (like a TicTac diet or something?). I just think we have to stay fueled throughout the day to lose.

    The End.
  • ahubbard134
    ahubbard134 Posts: 61 Member
    Things that decrease metabolism:
    Eating fewer calories
    Burning fewer calories

    Things that increase metabolism:
    Eating more calories
    Burning more calories

    Since your metabolism's job is to keep your weight the same, it's going to try to compensate, especially if you are netting under BMR. But I bet a person who works out and nets 900 will be less likely to hit a plateau than the person who doesn't work out and nets 900.
  • Need2bfit918
    Need2bfit918 Posts: 133 Member
    is it your metabolisms job to keep your weight the same? my understanding is your body is made to store fat for later use, not just to keep

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