What is starvation mode exactly?

**Fitnfirm** · 02-26-2006, 02:43 AM

I mean its like this, what about those people who have weight loss surgery and can only eat 2 tablespoons of food, they still lose weight.

What about when you just dont have an appetite and you lose weight, I thought starvation mode keeps you from losing too much as a way to preserve.

This doesnt make sense to me, does your body only go into starvation mode is you are truly hungry and dont eat food? OR is it a brain to stomach message as in my stomach is full in my head so I cannot go into starvation mode??????

HELLO?????? This subject just confuses me big time.

**EME** · 02-26-2006, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitnfirm

I mean its like this, what about those people who have weight loss surgery and can only eat 2 tablespoons of food, they still lose weight.

What about when you just dont have an appetite and you lose weight, I thought starvation mode keeps you from losing too much as a way to preserve.

This doesnt make sense to me, does your body only go into starvation mode is you are truly hungry and dont eat food? OR is it a brain to stomach message as in my stomach is full in my head so I cannot go into starvation mode??????

HELLO?????? This subject just confuses me big time.

Starvation mode isn't really a scientific term, it's a term commonly used to describe the state where your body is not getting enough calories to sustain it's vital functions.

Your body has a built in defense mechanism against not getting enough calories. When your body senses, that over time, not enough calories are coming in, it starts shutting down functions.

This is what peope are referring to when they say their "metabolism has shut down".

Your metabolism is really the combination of all the chemical processes that go on in your body. When people discuss metabolism with respect to diet, they are discussing the chemical reactions that have to with your body creating available energy from other sources.. typically food.

When your body senses that not enough calories are coming in over an extended period of time, it starts slowing down, and eventually shutting down the least vital functions first.

When too few calories are coming in, your body begins diverting calories away from functions like the maintenance of your skin and hair, and instead directs the calories to the most vital functions. Longer term deprevation of calories will cause your body to shut down more important functions.

When a persons metabolism becomes "shut down" from consuming too few calories for too long, this means that the body has slowed and/or shut down so many functions, that the body is burning far fewer calories per day than it should be under normal circumstances.

Even this defense mechanism cannot sustain life if the caloric intake is too low. Eventually necessary brain, heart, lung and kidney functions will be shut down from lack of calories and the subject will die from starvation.

Of course, the typical person eating too few calories rarely gets to that point, however, they can certainly get themselves into a situation where there body is burning far fewer calories per day than it should be. This severly limits the subjects ability to burn fat, because the body is trying to hold on to every ounce of stored energy it can.

Patients who have surgeries such as gastric bypass actually have to force themselves to eat, in order to make sure that their surgeries are successful. Although they are unable to consume near the quantity of food they were able to pre-surgery, it is vital that they consume a very specific diet tailored to their individual situation to prevent their body from shutting down due to lack of caloric intake.

Hopefully that helps to explain things. Please let me know if you have any additional questions!

- EME

dton · 02-26-2006, 04:03 AM

How do you have an answer for everything eme? D:

And it always seems so... official!

**skelooth** · 02-26-2006, 04:34 AM

i was thinking along the same lines. And his answers are always 'a step above' and all encompassing. I'm starting to think perhaps EME is not a real person but a top secret government sponsored software program to test out passable artificial intelligence on the internet. The real Michael Elias probably doesn't even own a computer. :scared1:

ZackMurphy · 02-26-2006, 05:32 AM

And to take all that one step further, "starvation mode" can extend to any trying physical situations, whether it be from inadequate food intake, or from physical or mental stresses.

Think of the "being chased by a bear" scenario. And this is what determines in what order bodily systems are shut down or minimized.

If one is being chased by a bear, what do you need most? Reactions, some muscles, some basic mental function, etc.

What DON'T you need? Reproductive system (who needs kids when you're about to be a Scooby snack for a carnivore), immune system (who needs to fight off a cold when....), digestive systems (who cares about the meal you're digesting....), etc.

And that happens to be the order in which systems are typically shut down when we go into severely hypocaloric diets, or over-stressed workout regimens combined with inadequate food intake.

It's why people who under-eat are particularly susceptible to colds and illnesses. It's why women's mentrual cycles can get screwed up/stopped when they undereat or experience severe eating disorders. And there's the stress response/cortisol factor, which is a topic unto itself.

But EME is right that there's no literal "starvation mode" - just different degrees of severity to ill-used diets, and different lengths to which your body will go to keep your basic function afloat, even if it means shutting down some things.

**Fitnfirm** · 02-26-2006, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelooth

i was thinking along the same lines. And his answers are always 'a step above' and all encompassing. I'm starting to think perhaps EME is not a real person but a top secret government sponsored software program to test out passable artificial intelligence on the internet. The real Michael Elias probably doesn't even own a computer. :scared1:

You almost have me convinced

**MurphMan** · 02-26-2006, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelooth

i was thinking along the same lines. And his answers are always 'a step above' and all encompassing. I'm starting to think perhaps EME is not a real person but a top secret government sponsored software program to test out passable artificial intelligence on the internet. The real Michael Elias probably doesn't even own a computer. :scared1:

I have trained him well. Next step is to replace his damaged shoulder with a robo-replacement! :nosthumbs

**EME** · 02-26-2006, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelooth

i was thinking along the same lines. And his answers are always 'a step above' and all encompassing. I'm starting to think perhaps EME is not a real person but a top secret government sponsored software program to test out passable artificial intelligence on the internet. The real Michael Elias probably doesn't even own a computer. :scared1:

LOL.

I just like to write.

I have at least two or three books in me ( including a mystery thriller and a line of children's books ), if I can ever find the time to sit down and crank them out.

- EME

**MurphMan** · 02-26-2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EME

LOL.

I just like to write.

I have at least two or three books in me ( including a mystery thriller and a line of children's books ), if I can ever find the time to sit down and crank them out.

- EME

Maybe if you cut your post down from 5,000 words a piece, you just might find the time!

**Sholiz** · 02-26-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MurphMan

Maybe if you cut your post down from 5,000 words a piece, you just might find the time!

Maybe he should just compile a book with all of his posts? LOL

**DJSTARER** · 02-26-2006, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sholiz

Maybe he should just compile a book with all of his posts? LOL

Your body likes to "hord" extra energy when two few kcals are coming in. I addition, it also likes the idea of using muscles as its next meal. Hence: the really skinny soft person.

Don't forget your multi

mrmoose63 · 02-26-2006, 05:51 PM

So... if you've been in a HUGE caloric deficiet (ie crash dieting) for a long time and not getting results, its because your body has shut down certain metabolic processes and your BMR dropped substainally?

So is this why a long term cut becomes less and less effective and a week or two at maintance will rejuvinate your "metabolism"?

-Moose

**skelooth** · 02-26-2006, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Children's Book by EME

Little Tommy wanted to go to bed without taking his multi, but Jay cutler came in, ripped him up out of his bed by his throat and screamed, "You little bastard you will never be a bodybuilder if you don't take your multi!". Little Tommy took his multi every night after that, and always hit the weights hard

:scared1:

serious question (i know, gasp):
How does EME/ZackMurphy's explaination help explain a fat loss (or weight gain) plataue?

**MurphMan** · 02-26-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmoose63

So... if you've been in a HUGE caloric deficiet (ie crash dieting) for a long time and not getting results, its because your body has shut down certain metabolic processes and your BMR dropped substainally?

So is this why a long term cut becomes less and less effective and a week or two at maintance will rejuvinate your "metabolism"?

-Moose

Yup. But you can combat the whole process by incorporating cheat meals, or 1 cheat day per week. :nosthumbs

**EME** · 02-26-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelooth

:scared1:

serious question (i know, gasp):
How does EME/ZackMurphy's explaination help explain a fat loss (or weight gain) plataue?

Generally, people hit a fat loss plateau when they have lowered their calories so much, that their body simply won't let loose of it's fat stores.

The Hypothalamus, through its control of the pituitary and every endocrine gland in the body, is the ultimate master over whether or not you burn fat.

If the Hypothalamus signals the body that the necessary calories to sustain bodily functions aren't coming in, it sends signals to all the systems of the body to shut down, or divert their resources elsewhere.

The hypothalamus controls thyroid function via the Pituitary gland with Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. This is just one of many ways it can control your overall metabolism.

Obviously, the Hypothalamus can't keep you from losing weight if your intake is too low, i.e. true starvation. But, in a case like that, your body will actually canabalize it's own organs for energy, eventually leading to death.

As stated earlier.. it doesn't get to that point for most people dieting.

However, if the hypothalamus isn't happy, you won't be burning fat.

Weight gain plateaus are a bit different matter.

Virtually anyone can gain weight by eating enough above their ABMR.
The real question involves plateaus reached when trying to gain muscle.

There are many, many factors involved here which include training methodologies, nutrition strategies, supplementation, age and natural hormone levels of the subject in question, metabolism, training history, etc, etc.

Almost anyone can continually gain muscle at some rate by using periodization training , a proper nutrition and supplementation strategy, and by building a plan focused on their particular physical situation. Not everyone can gain at the same rate obviously.

Keeping muscle gains coming is mostly about listening to your body and continually adapting your training and nutrition plan according to your individual situation.

- EME

**EME** · 02-26-2006, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelooth

:Originally Posted by Children's Book by EME
Little Tommy wanted to go to bed without taking his multi, but Jay cutler came in, ripped him up out of his bed by his throat and screamed, "You little bastard you will never be a bodybuilder if you don't take your multi!". Little Tommy took his multi every night after that, and always hit the weights hardscared1:

LOL

My first children's book is actually going to be called:

"Bulldogs can't tie shoes"

I'm working on it right now.

- EME

**DJSTARER** · 02-26-2006, 07:29 PM

Cheat meals are fine.... quality carb-ups at night are good to. I like to do a load of fiberous greens followed by like 120 grams of oats+ protein when I do this. It is a lot of carbs, slowed by the greens, and at night, one can ensure they do not use much of it readily for energy.

02-26-2006, 02:43 AM	#1
Fitnfirm Spanky Doodle ! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Muscle Land Posts: 1,821 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 47	What is starvation mode exactly? I mean its like this, what about those people who have weight loss surgery and can only eat 2 tablespoons of food, they still lose weight. What about when you just dont have an appetite and you lose weight, I thought starvation mode keeps you from losing too much as a way to preserve. This doesnt make sense to me, does your body only go into starvation mode is you are truly hungry and dont eat food? OR is it a brain to stomach message as in my stomach is full in my head so I cannot go into starvation mode?????? HELLO?????? This subject just confuses me big time.

02-26-2006, 04:34 AM	#4
skelooth eh heh heh Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Behind you Posts: 7,205 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 158	i was thinking along the same lines. And his answers are always 'a step above' and all encompassing. I'm starting to think perhaps EME is not a real person but a top secret government sponsored software program to test out passable artificial intelligence on the internet. The real Michael Elias probably doesn't even own a computer. :scared1: __________________ R I P

02-26-2006, 07:29 PM	#17
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 4,165 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 116	Cheat meals are fine.... quality carb-ups at night are good to. I like to do a load of fiberous greens followed by like 120 grams of oats+ protein when I do this. It is a lot of carbs, slowed by the greens, and at night, one can ensure they do not use much of it readily for energy. __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

02-26-2006, 04:03 AM	#3
dton Pro Stature Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 222 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 6	How do you have an answer for everything eme? D: And it always seems so... official!

02-26-2006, 05:32 AM	#5
ZackMurphy IronMass Donator Join Date: May 2005 Location: Folsom, CA Posts: 547 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 9	And to take all that one step further, "starvation mode" can extend to any trying physical situations, whether it be from inadequate food intake, or from physical or mental stresses. Think of the "being chased by a bear" scenario. And this is what determines in what order bodily systems are shut down or minimized. If one is being chased by a bear, what do you need most? Reactions, some muscles, some basic mental function, etc. What DON'T you need? Reproductive system (who needs kids when you're about to be a Scooby snack for a carnivore), immune system (who needs to fight off a cold when....), digestive systems (who cares about the meal you're digesting....), etc. And that happens to be the order in which systems are typically shut down when we go into severely hypocaloric diets, or over-stressed workout regimens combined with inadequate food intake. It's why people who under-eat are particularly susceptible to colds and illnesses. It's why women's mentrual cycles can get screwed up/stopped when they undereat or experience severe eating disorders. And there's the stress response/cortisol factor, which is a topic unto itself. But EME is right that there's no literal "starvation mode" - just different degrees of severity to ill-used diets, and different lengths to which your body will go to keep your basic function afloat, even if it means shutting down some things.

02-26-2006, 05:51 PM	#12
mrmoose63 New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 2 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 0	So... if you've been in a HUGE caloric deficiet (ie crash dieting) for a long time and not getting results, its because your body has shut down certain metabolic processes and your BMR dropped substainally? So is this why a long term cut becomes less and less effective and a week or two at maintance will rejuvinate your "metabolism"? -Moose