Starvation Mode

Well I was eating around 800-1200 calories a day for 1.5 years. I lost weight and lost a lot of muscle with it. After losing 150 lbs, working out 6 days a week, feeling completely worn out , and not losing anymore fat I upped my calorie in take to a healthier level (wish i had done that from the beginning). My body DEFINITELY told me the too low cal diet wasn't working for me. The transition to a few hundred more calories a day was tough on my body and though I still work out 6 days a week and still eat below if not around my BMR I did gain about 10-15 lbs.(not muslce you don't develop muscle that quickly.. pretty much ever). I've been sticking with it and after about a month-month and a half my body is FINALLY starting to respond again.
You can find a billion articles anywhere to support any theory really. It does make sense that you're body adapts to work more efficiently. Our bodies are meant for survival and if it means surviving on less it will make it work, however, it DOES and I know from experience freak out when you change anything. If you drastically cut calories you will lose weight for a time your body is used to running on more. If you eat more it won't process it as quickly it's used to running on less. It does take a little time to adjust, but eventually your body can adjust to anything.
The key in general is listen to what your body is telling you. Calories in calories out doesn't work. Everyone's body is different. If what you're doing isn't working change it. If it's working then great you've got it figured out.

I've seen the starvation mode concept debated here in many threads. I don't intend to test out what happens to my body if I don't eat enough to sustain my daily needs and activities. I tend to enjoy having enough energy to move, walk, breathe, and have a heartbeat.

i agree with there are debates on both sides of this matter. i just listen to my MD who says, "eat healthy & exercise". not a difficult concept, just make better choices & listen to YOUR body (it will tell you what to do).

I would never listen to an MD about weight loss. They're pretty much idiots. Plus, eating healthy is objective. Okay....MD says to eat healthy...WHAT is healthy? I think that's where the debate lies.

I have found that fasting once or twice a week for 24 hours helps me. I can eat 1800-2000 calories every other day, and I'm losing weight. No, I'm not losing muscle. I am strength training 3 times a week, and I keep seeing more definition. I feel amazing.

So.....to each his/her own!

I agree, it is a myth and one I ignore, I eat well below my BMR, I have energy, I lose weight and I am happy.. So why change what I'm doing. Thanks for posting this

Completely agree with Nikki, i hardly ever meet my calorie goal but i eat 3 meals and snack and continue to lose at a steady speed plus exercise 5-7 times a week so why change wot i know works?x

^ ^ ^ speaks much sense xoxo

Having never been much into calories I now largely believe everything is calories in/ calories out = surplus, deficient

Also having done some 1000 cal diets, that fail, I will never eat more than 500 under my maintain for fear of muscle loss (which has happened on 1000 cal diets)

Currently I'm more into Macros... Trying zero carb, which puts my fat up to a scary level. However, the theory here that lack of carbs for excercise energy meant you body goes directly to fat does seem to be working at the moment (though the jury is out)

I get so frustrated with all the Do's and Don'ts of dieting. I start something and then people say " oh dont do that you'll DIE" and then I try something else and someone says " oh dont do that you'll loose all your muscle and somehow the 150 pounds of fat on you will be all thats left!" I sit here with 3 egg whites and a half an orange in one bowl and a bowl of cheerios and skim milk in the other wondering what the hell to eat. LOL! It just gets frustrating, I just know the 260 pounds that I am isnt healthy either....

Eat sensibly, log your food and drink, stick to your calorie allotment, do your exercise.

Does it work for you? If yes, stick to it, regardless as to what other people profess is the be all and end all of losing weight.

Rule of thumb: Never try to fix something that is not broken.

Many people come onto MFP, do very well and then because of all the "info" on the forums, they figure they must be doing it wrong and then go and change it all! Why?? It was working, regardless how some people said it would not or they would plateau later on.

Hell, worry about now, not later on, deal with that plateau (if it ever appears) when you come to it, do try to cross that bridge before you actually set foot on it, you will fall in the water :laugh:

Seriously, if it works for you, stick with it, if it doesn't work for you, change something within it.

Beautifully said. This is what I try to explain to people who want to try new diets. To lose weight you need to cut calories - that's how your body works. How you do that should come down to what works for you. Of course trying to meet your macro and micronutrient goals is quite important, but deprivation diets don't work because people can't stick to them in the long term. People are impatient in the weight loss game though, and want to try the quick fix way rather than make the adjustments that are sustainable but probably will lead to a more gradual weight loss.