Starvation mode?

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  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
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    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
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    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: 482 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 694 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    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?

    because EVENTUALLY it will use the fat stores when no other sources of fuel are available. in addition, thermodynamics dictates that something must happen to excess fuel...it cannot vanish into thin air absent caloric expenditure via metabolic processes, exercise or TEF... so it's stored for future use. The problem is that we replenish our energy stores by eating BEFORE the stored fat is ever needed--so you have storage upon storage upon storage. That doesn't mean that the body will preferentially use the body fat in the case of a famine since muscle is more metabolically active and requires more energy to maintain. Therefore, it gets rid of this calorically "expensive" tissue first. Only after the body has basically eaten away its own muscle will the fat stores be targeted (in the case of fuel shortage of course).
  • FinallyFitAce
    FinallyFitAce Posts: 40
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    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.
  • scottc561
    scottc561 Posts: 329 Member
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    Starvation mode occurs when you consume 50% or less of your total calorie needs for an extended period of time. It is not based on your bmr, but your TDEE. In simple terms if you have a bmr of 2000 and a TDEE of 3000 per day. Say you ate only 1500 cal per day that would be a 50% reduction and you would slowly starve yourself. This has been well documented and the posters saying starvation mode doesn't exist need to do some research on the matter before spewing false info. Of course eating at a lower deficit can have the same affects but will take longer to achieve.

    Here's a study that was done on men right after WW2 to help figure out how best to treat all the starving people after the war.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment
  • Need2bfit918
    Need2bfit918 Posts: 133 Member
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    several people seem to say starvation mode will prevent you from losing weight, but in those studies by the end they had little to no fat left. they also had very little muscle left , but their slower metabolism never slowed nearly enough to prevent weight loss ,at least not until they got to almost no body fat
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
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    everyones digressing a little from the topic, which wasnt 'is or is not starvation mode real' but, what are the contributing factors
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    everyones digressing a little from the topic, which wasnt 'is or is not starvation mode real' but, what are the contributing factors

    try this one - http://www.burnthefat.com/metabolic_damage.html
  • scottc561
    scottc561 Posts: 329 Member
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    everyones digressing a little from the topic, which wasnt 'is or is not starvation mode real' but, what are the contributing factors
    i told you what the contributing factor is 2 posts up. Not what you wanted to hear?
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    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

    This is correct.

    Fat is stored because the person consumed too many calories, the excess energy has to go somewhere and if it is not burned off during the day, it will be stored as fat.

    To burn it off, the person needs to move about and the more they move about the more energy they use up until they have no calories left during that day, the body will then start to burn off its reserve supply of energy - namely fat.
  • wiscyproblems
    wiscyproblems Posts: 16
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    People need to be careful when quoting the study in WW2. It is important to note that the subjects only stopped losing weight and started actually catabolizing their lean muscle when they reached a body fat percentage of between 5-10%. It also should be noted that these subjects were taking part in extremely vigorous exercise for long periods of time during the study, while on a severely restricted diet.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    Starvation mode occurs when you consume 50% or less of your total calorie needs for an extended period of time. It is not based on your bmr, but your TDEE. In simple terms if you have a bmr of 2000 and a TDEE of 3000 per day. Say you ate only 1500 cal per day that would be a 50% reduction and you would slowly starve yourself. This has been well documented and the posters saying starvation mode doesn't exist need to do some research on the matter before spewing false info. Of course eating at a lower deficit can have the same affects but will take longer to achieve.

    Here's a study that was done on men right after WW2 to help figure out how best to treat all the starving people after the war.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota_Starvation_Experiment

    So you mean to tell me that if I eat 50.1% of my TDEE I'll be free and clear of starvation mode? SUH-WEET!

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