Starvation Mode

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Replies

  • teresadutton
    teresadutton Posts: 217 Member
    I'm living proof that starvation mode exists.

    The first time i really tried to lose weight in was in 2007. It started out as a result of having swallowing problems, but then I realized that as a result of not eating much I had started to lose weight. Weightloss was always really hard for me because I was born with medical conditions that make it more difficult.

    Once I realized I was losing, i thought okay...why not? So I started limiting myself to eating 1 large boston market mashed potatoes a day OR a 1/2 of a 6" Veggie delite subway sandwich. Any other calories came from 100% apple juice. I did this for about 8 or 9 months and I lost 40lbs. I'd imagine I'd have lost more had I been doing it in a healthy way, but I digress.

    The more I lost, the more fragile I felt, but nothing could stop me. I was encouraged by those around me. When my cousin (14 years older than me) asked me how I had lost weight, I told him I don't eat and he said "That's great, Keep it up!"

    I had very little muscle tone after the 9 months.....I felt weak, but I convinced myself that since I was losing weight I was really getting stronger. I had lost a lot of hair due to being malnourished. My body was eating away at itself. Vanity made me stop doing what I was doing. I would try to put my hair up and it looked patchy and thin....like there were sections missing. It frightened me, so eventually i forced myself to start eating.

    Yea but see that is a very bad example of this. You didnt not only starve yourself you were feeding yourself bad food. A person can not live off of mashed potatos and apple juice...duh of course you were starving and weak!!
    I do not believe in the starvation mode thing either WHEN you are eatting healthy, good food. I tend to only eat 600 to 850 calories a day of good, healthy, whole foods. I am not weak, sick, light headed or starving!! I have my blood pressure taken weekly and it is perfect! I lift weights and excersize daily. I feel healthy, have lots of energy, look better, my nails and hair have never been healthier. I have been living this way of life now for almost 2 months and I have yet to have a professional tell me anything negative. So IMO...starvation mode does not exsit. If it did how would you explain anarexia (sp?).
  • mphlab
    mphlab Posts: 187 Member
    Obviously this is a topic that people are passionate about so this is my experience only that I am sharing. Eating above your BMR and up to your TDEE-15% is helpful in that you can lose weight ( it is slow) but because you do not feel constantly deprived, it tends to not push you towards bingeing. Yes Very Low Calorie Diets work as long as you maintain them but for me if the goal is to be healthy and make permanent changes that I can maintain, 850 or even 1200 calories is not going to get me there. Different things work for different people - I just remember always going to bed feeling hungry & cranky and I don't wish to do that to myself anymore. If it is working for you and your doctor says that you are healthy - good for you!
  • BeckyLH
    BeckyLH Posts: 117 Member
    I'm living proof that starvation mode exists.

    The first time i really tried to lose weight in was in 2007. It started out as a result of having swallowing problems, but then I realized that as a result of not eating much I had started to lose weight. Weightloss was always really hard for me because I was born with medical conditions that make it more difficult.

    Once I realized I was losing, i thought okay...why not? So I started limiting myself to eating 1 large boston market mashed potatoes a day OR a 1/2 of a 6" Veggie delite subway sandwich. Any other calories came from 100% apple juice. I did this for about 8 or 9 months and I lost 40lbs. I'd imagine I'd have lost more had I been doing it in a healthy way, but I digress.

    The more I lost, the more fragile I felt, but nothing could stop me. I was encouraged by those around me. When my cousin (14 years older than me) asked me how I had lost weight, I told him I don't eat and he said "That's great, Keep it up!"

    I had very little muscle tone after the 9 months.....I felt weak, but I convinced myself that since I was losing weight I was really getting stronger. I had lost a lot of hair due to being malnourished. My body was eating away at itself. Vanity made me stop doing what I was doing. I would try to put my hair up and it looked patchy and thin....like there were sections missing. It frightened me, so eventually i forced myself to start eating.

    Yea but see that is a very bad example of this. You didnt not only starve yourself you were feeding yourself bad food. A person can not live off of mashed potatos and apple juice...duh of course you were starving and weak!!
    I do not believe in the starvation mode thing either WHEN you are eatting healthy, good food. I tend to only eat 600 to 850 calories a day of good, healthy, whole foods. I am not weak, sick, light headed or starving!! I have my blood pressure taken weekly and it is perfect! I lift weights and excersize daily. I feel healthy, have lots of energy, look better, my nails and hair have never been healthier. I have been living this way of life now for almost 2 months and I have yet to have a professional tell me anything negative. So IMO...starvation mode does not exsit. If it did how would you explain anarexia (sp?).

    Can I ask how much you've lost in those 2 months pls? I might try and do similar :D
  • teresadutton
    teresadutton Posts: 217 Member
    I'm living proof that starvation mode exists.

    The first time i really tried to lose weight in was in 2007. It started out as a result of having swallowing problems, but then I realized that as a result of not eating much I had started to lose weight. Weightloss was always really hard for me because I was born with medical conditions that make it more difficult.

    Once I realized I was losing, i thought okay...why not? So I started limiting myself to eating 1 large boston market mashed potatoes a day OR a 1/2 of a 6" Veggie delite subway sandwich. Any other calories came from 100% apple juice. I did this for about 8 or 9 months and I lost 40lbs. I'd imagine I'd have lost more had I been doing it in a healthy way, but I digress.

    The more I lost, the more fragile I felt, but nothing could stop me. I was encouraged by those around me. When my cousin (14 years older than me) asked me how I had lost weight, I told him I don't eat and he said "That's great, Keep it up!"

    I had very little muscle tone after the 9 months.....I felt weak, but I convinced myself that since I was losing weight I was really getting stronger. I had lost a lot of hair due to being malnourished. My body was eating away at itself. Vanity made me stop doing what I was doing. I would try to put my hair up and it looked patchy and thin....like there were sections missing. It frightened me, so eventually i forced myself to start eating.

    Yea but see that is a very bad example of this. You didnt not only starve yourself you were feeding yourself bad food. A person can not live off of mashed potatos and apple juice...duh of course you were starving and weak!!
    I do not believe in the starvation mode thing either WHEN you are eatting healthy, good food. I tend to only eat 600 to 850 calories a day of good, healthy, whole foods. I am not weak, sick, light headed or starving!! I have my blood pressure taken weekly and it is perfect! I lift weights and excersize daily. I feel healthy, have lots of energy, look better, my nails and hair have never been healthier. I have been living this way of life now for almost 2 months and I have yet to have a professional tell me anything negative. So IMO...starvation mode does not exsit. If it did how would you explain anarexia (sp?).

    Can I ask how much you've lost in those 2 months pls? I might try and do similar :D

    I am actually in my 7th week and I have lost 28 pounds and last I checked (almost a month ago) I have lost 22.5 inches...starting weight 215.8...current weight 187.4 and went from a size 18 us to a size 12us
  • BeckyLH
    BeckyLH Posts: 117 Member

    I am actually in my 7th week and I have lost 28 pounds and last I checked (almost a month ago) I have lost 22.5 inches...starting weight 215.8...current weight 187.4 and went from a size 18 us to a size 12us

    That's great! Well done :) I've done similar in the past and intend to again! I lost 42lbs in about 5 months when I was 21 then went on to lost another 50lbs, I was 147lbs at my smallest and maintained just a little over that for about 5 years but I've gained 46 back in the last couple of years :(
  • kelsafish
    kelsafish Posts: 39
    That is not how our metabolic pathway works. When it comes to the chemical reactions of metabolism, fat is always consumed before muscle. Our body works on the resources we give it (i.e. calories) and then works it's way down to stored energy (i.e. fat) and then muscle. But out bodies will save using muscle for energy last because that means it's also consuming the muscles that make up our organs. It's not that simple of course but it's been some time since I've been in college biology.
  • Sapratt
    Sapratt Posts: 1 Member
    There is such a thing, you would just have to consume less than half of your bmr for it to go into effect. For further reading... http://www.possibility.com/wiki/index.php?title=EffectsOfSemiStarvation

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