Starvation Mode? True or False and why?

[dawnmh22]

Wondering your thoughts on Starvation Mode? Is it true for some and not for others? A while back I would run 40 miles a week,lift weights and eat only 1200 and not lose no weight. The only thing I can think of I was at my current weight already and had nothing to lose. But I was always around 120 and went up 8-10 pounds so what went on? I had ate like this for years. TY!

 

[Fit_mommy]

Starvation mode is definately true though I do believe it varies from person to person.

My best friend always floated around a size 12-14 when she was at her "normal" weight until one day she basically stopped eating all meals but a heavy dinner around 8pm. Consequently she gained ALOT of weight which landed her shopping in plus size stores for several years. When she finally decided to do something about it and started slowly re-introducing breakfast, lunch and snacks into her diet as well as taking her large heavy dinners down a notch along with exercise, she lost the weight.

Her sister, on the other hand was always very thin. She has trouble gaining weight. She does not have a large appetite to begin with and when she gets stressed she eats even less and ends up losing weight.

So there you go. 2 people who get very different results when they stop eating. Starvation mode definately kicked in for my friend but it doesn't for her sister. I have no idea why though.....

 

[dorothyrd]

Your cells need a constant source of fuel just to maintain your body, to breath, pump the blood all that. If you do not give the body the fuel, it will defend itself, and that mechanism is to slow the metabolism down. I think some people have more trouble with this than others. The friend who starved herself all day and then ate at night taught her body to slow down and conserve calories all day. Then at night, right before the lowest activity time of the day, she ate. The body said, oh, I have to conserve these calories, and hence she gained weight.

Also, it takes energy for the body to digest and distribute the fuel. That is why small meals through out the day keeps the metabolism up. You are constantly using energy to digest food, the body is getting fuel and is happy.

Another thing that the body does if it does not get the fuel is again defend itself. It does not like to use protein for fuel, but it will, so it will go after muscle and break it down to use it for fuel. So the skinny person who never ate, may not gained weight, but she probably did herself no good with her muscle mass and in the future may pay for it with a weakened body.

 

[icumom]

Well, I remained bone skinny for decades only eating an apple at breakfast,maybe a yogurt and banana for lunch and a dinner of no more than 600 calories....about 1000/day with killer workouts....it was spartan,full of deprivation, but apparently enough calories not to go into starvation mode......and true "starvation mode" is measured by ketones in the urine, and a drop in serum albumin,visible in thinning hair,dry skin, loss of menstruation,etc... - truly rare in america unless one is really not eating....

 

[dorothyrd]

Maybe starvation is the wrong term, since one is not really starving. However there is a point that someone eats too low and it stalls their metabolism and they cannot lose weight because of it. There are too many people finding that eating more and more often helps them lose. Perhaps it is a body type that has that, those of us who are prone to being overweight, not those who naturally are thin.

 

[teddy16410]

Maybe starvation is the wrong term, since one is not really starving. However there is a point that someone eats too low and it stalls their metabolism and they cannot lose weight because of it. There are too many people finding that eating more and more often helps them lose. Perhaps it is a body type that has that, those of us who are prone to being overweight, not those who naturally are thin.

This is exactly what I think. When I read / hear people compare the starvation mode we talk about in terms of exercise & storing body fat with starvation mode as in anorexia / starving children in the world etc.... I think its two entirely different things.

Dorothys point about "there is a point that someone eats too low and it stalls their metabolism and they cannot lose weight because of it", is accurate, has been experienced by most of the yo-yo dieters (including myself) & it is scientifically documented so those who say its a "load of cr*p" or other such things isnt thinking outside the mainstream definition. (all imo of course!)

 

[dawnmh22]

Thanks!!!

Maybe starvation is the wrong term, since one is not really starving. However there is a point that someone eats too low and it stalls their metabolism and they cannot lose weight because of it. There are too many people finding that eating more and more often helps them lose. Perhaps it is a body type that has that, those of us who are prone to being overweight, not those who naturally are thin.

Thanks!!!
I notice also when I'm sick or go on vacation and dont exercise I lose weight but when I eat and exercise I dont lose weight at all. Just wondering whats going on here. My measurements are about the same when I was 120 except a bit snug in the butt and thighs.

 

[dawnmh22]

DR OZ

I seen Dr Oz had mentioned this in his book........ Caveman Genetics Our body insists on storing fat , to protect you from drought, famine,charging wildebeests, and other prehistoric threats to your well-being. Even though you're centuries removed from your inner caveman, your body doesn't really know it -- so it remains a fat storing machine. The cavemen would hunt for days and weeks with very little food and stavation mode was are way of surviving! I agree though...... some people dont keep track of calories and blame it on Starvation mode.