Starvation mode

is Starvation mode  real or a myth ,

is there any legitimate scientific  studies on it

 my surgeon, pcp and nut   all say it is a myth, that your body will not go into starvation mode if you have fat to burn

But you see it every where ,even myfitnesspal.com  warns you that you are eating to little and will go into starvation mode

Here's my understanding.  Disclaimer - I am not a scientist!

Eating very low calories WILL eventually slow down our metabolic rate, causing us to lose weight more slowly than at the beginning.  BUT, and this is a big but, for obese people, this doesn't happen until all the fat stores are used up.  And we'll still lose more weight at those calories than we would at higher calories even if our metabolic rate has slowed.  Which is why it's a myth.

Now, that being said, at a very low calorie rate (the 400-800 a lot of us do), it's hard to get the nutritional requirements in, which is why supplements are so important for us.  Plus, we need to consume enough calories to enable us to move without taking naps all the time.  The more exercise, the more calories needed.

Starvation mode as most people think of it is crap. Total crap. If you are eating fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. Especially if you are obese. 

Your metabolism will slow down if you are on a very low calorie diet for an extended period. The most famous study, the Minnesota starvation experiment, showed about a 15% reduction in metabolism, but none of those subjects were obese to start with. But even those men, at less than 5% body fat, continued to lose weight on a calorie deficit. 

Weight loss is not a straight line. You won't see losses on the scale every day, or every week. But eating at a deficit, over time, you will lose.

15 % is probably the most an overweight person can call starvation mode, but likely much less.

I personally think it's crap also...... 

Our program stress's consistency vs. wig wagging.

The bad thing that happens with this term is that a lot of people use it as a cop out...... "I'm in starvation mode..... I need to up my calories"

When you have a lot of weight to lose....... and someone tells you to up your calories......that should be the red flag........

Maximum protein, minimum cals with a controlled carb count, fluids and exercise will get you there....

frisco

I'm glad to see this discussion.  I have had the same question.

Me too!  Thank heavens for this site....it helps one keep a level head on this journey...gotta stay focused!

Not a professional here either - but I think it is a load of crap as well. I ate myself up to 353 lbs because I never wanted to be in starvation mode. I think diet and exercise will get you there and I ate under 800 calories a day for over a year and exercised and I think my metabolism is working pretty good now. I average 1400 calories a day over the course of a week, some days I eat more and some days I eat less and I am still losing weight, slowly but still losing. I am trying to hit maintenance. So for eating so low for probably 16 months I think my metabolism is pretty good. No ill effects.

"Starvation mode", as I understand it, is bro-science, in other words, locker room talk for the meatheads and justification for the overeaters to keep overeating. ("NOM NOM NOM I must avoid starvation mode - please pass me another one of those cinnamon buns!" I have never said that. Nope, not me!   )

The guys who've done the hard science say that you can lose some muscle mass along with your adipose tissue (fat), but not as much as some people believe.

If you lose too much adipose (fat) your body WILL start cannibalizing its muscle tissue, including your organs and heart muscle causing them to fail, which is why people with anorexia suffer just as many health issues as people with obesity.

I have read on the Minnesota starvation experiment and the theory is that your fat cells fill up with water, and then will release tha****er periodically - which is why people experience plateaus followed by periods of weight loss.

I have a science background and I DO NOT think starvation mode is crap - but, I do think it has less to do with total calories being reduced vs. waiting extended periods in between meals. I think this is the reason why many obese people who often skip meals remain obese - coupled with the fact that they tend to overeat when they do eat. The body adapts and does learn how to do things efficiently with fewer and fewer calories. The same is true in the reverse - the body adapts to medication, for example, and higher dosages are needed over time.

On a personal note, I have never used the starvation mode theory as an excuse. It actually irritates me when people assume this is the case. I am meticulous about all of my numbers and I am pretty darn consistent too. However, my weight loss eventually slowed to a crawl, despite the same calorie deficient and low carb diet. In my opinion, my body has become very efficient at living on these reduced calories. Some might call that starvation mode - I am not hunger and I feel satisfied, so at the end of the day there is no need for me to change things at the moment. In reality, I should be able to maintain at 1500 to 1700 calories. I am currently at 1200 calories and maintaining with no problems. Clearly, my metabolism is not functioning in an optimal manner.

Don't know about starvation mode, but I do know about vitamin deficiencies.  Right now I have a vit D & vit b12 & anemic.  I had a lot of complications that prevented me from eating.  I lost 70 lbs in 3 mos & am now battling to get back on track as far as vit deficiencies that causes hair loss, cognitive impairment, and low energy.

So I don't think the argument should be about starvation mode, but the consequences of not getting enough vitamins.