Starvation Mode?

Has anyone ever felt they weren't losing weight because they ate less than the recommended 1,200 calories a day? Personally, I think it's a bunch of crap but what do I know! If I eat really healthy foods, I can go on 800 calories without feeling hungry. Maybe I just have a slow metabolism? I don't know. What are your thoughts/experiences with losing weight on a low calorie diet?

Wed. Apr 30, 1:31pm

All the calculators say I should be eating around 1500 cal a day and I've been eating about 1200 and not losing weight so I don't know.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 1:34 PM

There was another thread about this topic a while ago that I thought was interesting. Just thought I would share in case anyone wanted to read it.

Link

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 1:42 PM

hi

I'm the OP of the other "starvation mode" thread...

so on the one hand (from the other thread) - I'd say that starvation mode - going below 800 and your weight loss stoping is a myth because the reality is that you WILL continue to lose weight, but at a slightly lower rate...HOWEVER

-going below 800 is almost unsustainable I tried 1100 w/ heavy workouts for a while as a guy which is probably the same as 800 for a girl and I ended up being weak, not myself, losing muscle, not being focused at work, and even semi- binging a few times. Just not worth it...

but if someone drops below 800 your argument of why they are being stupid are more along the lines of what happend to me above rather than "you won't lose weight 'cause of 'starvation mode'" - becasue that is just not accurate in the strict sense. It isn't your metabolism slowing down that you should be worried about at that point - it is the many OTHER reasons that that is an unhelpful and unhealthful approach.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 3:26 PM

oh please dont start this thread again. the last one got realy nasty. people were geting really hurtful with their comments

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 8:02 PM

Why make yourself miserable

I think if you can lose on 1200-1500, why not? It seems like something that you can do eating really healthy with occasional splurges and still meet your goal , while developing long term changes for a healthier lifestyle. I have been doing this and losing while no longer wanting to completely throw in the towel and losing control completely. I have mini breaks which are not usually enough to gain back more than , say 1 lb.
Good luck to everyone on the board

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 8:07 PM

I'm a woman who can and has gone for weeks at a time with eating one meal a day. Not on purpose, but just by virtue of being busy. I can easily forget to eat.

However, I've never lost weight when I do that.

I konw many here will disagree, but when things like stress, lack of sleep, and hormones affect weight, that means the applied theory of calorie in, calorie out doesn't always work.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 8:18 PM

Of course, with the American diet, you can easily get one day's worth of calories in a single meal! ;)

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 11:19 PM

How much do people eat after they do gastric bypass? It's a pretty low amount, isn't it? And they drop weight like crazy. As a general rule it's probably not a good idea, but the way people talk you'd think we start packing on the pounds the moment we go 3 hours without eating or dip under 1200 calories for the day. Look at our society - I don't think undereating is our issue :)

Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 11:33 PM

"I konw many here will disagree, but when things like stress, lack of sleep, and hormones affect weight, that means the applied theory of calorie in, calorie out doesn't always work. "

I definitely agree.

Thursday, May 1, 2008, 12:19 PM

not scientifically possible...

"starvation mode" = a SLOWING of the metabolism below 800 calories a day, not a stoppage of the metabolism
I have yet to hear anyone on PT state that they ate (for example) 750 calories a day for an exteneded period and did not lose weight.
People dance around and give their theory, but no one would gain or even stay steady for long on that. That is like ONE McDonalds cheeseburger happymeal (with a medium coke) per day. fugettaboutit.

The BMR for a 4'1" 100 pound female who lies in bed all day would be 1202.8 calories so there is just no way.

...case closed kids - move on.

Thursday, May 1, 2008, 1:57 PM

pp, if you're metabolism slows due to lack of food, that obviously means your 4'1 100lb woman wouldn't need those 1200 calories you allege because her metabolism has slowed.

And personally, I have an intolerance to wheat- it causes bloat, and slows my metabolism. So I guarantee you, I could lower my cals incredibly low, but if I'm routinely eating pasta, I'm not losing. And you can do the "well that's because you have a problem" but how many people out there have a prob and don't know it? Took me 26 years to discover my intolerance...

Thursday, May 1, 2008, 3:31 PM

One bowl a day ?

3:31 so you are saying on one bowl of spaghetti w/ sauce a day only you wouldn't lose weight - I don't think you are hearing what I am saying - seven hundred and fifty calories !

I'm not "allegeing" anything, I am saying a TINY little woman burns 1200 just doing nothing and even if her metabolism slowed by 25% (not likely) she would still burn through 750 calories very easily even in bed all day. Very few people are even that small... 750 calories of pasta isn't "routinely eating pasta" it is starving to death....

Can you honestly tell me you have eaten 750 calories a day for a MONTH and not lost weight....

I am not mad or anything, I just think it is misinformation when people allege that going below 800 calories a day will STOP your weight loss. You should never do that because it is unhealthy, but you will definitely lose weight. At 1000 calories a day I drop weight faster than a bowling ball on Jupiter

-1:57

Thursday, May 1, 2008, 5:16 PM

calories and wheat allergies are two separate issues.

Thursday, May 1, 2008, 7:19 PM

ok baring any medical issues ...

OF COURSE you don't gain weight eating that few calories ... it's when you CAVE TO YOUR HUNGER and actually start eating again and your body is in storage mode from all the time when YOU WEREN'T EATING ENOUGH that you start packing it back on at a rapid rate. :S

The reality is that you need to eat JUST enough, not too much, not too little or you don't do your body any favours! Trying to "beat the system" and lose as fast as you can by not giving your body what it NEED is setting yourself up for failure or more problems ... LATER!

If a person hits a plateau, reducing your calories is not always the answer!

Our bodies are smarter than we give them credit for!

Thursday, May 1, 2008, 7:46 PM

Random Question

If I am eating 1200 calories a day and working out at the gym each day burning 500 calories am I putting myself at risk for this type of starvation mode weight loss slow down trouble? Should I be eating 500 calories more to make up for what I burn? Does that not defeat the purpose of working out?

I've been eating 1200, burning 500 regularly and I'm seeing results but I often wake up at night hungry and have a healthy snack so I can get back to sleep which I realize is an unhealthy habit...

Saturday, May 3, 2008, 10:14 AM

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