Weight Loss Myths – Starvation Mode
Posted by LD on May 13, 2010 under Weight Loss | 
9 Comments to Read
This will probably turn into a series of articles. I don’t know if myth is a good work since starvation mode does actually exist. Like most of these there is a grain of truth to the claims, but for most people in most situations Starvation Mode is a myth. Do you need to worry about Starvation Mode? The short answer is no. For anyone who is overweight or even a healthy weight starvation mode will not be a factor. If you are underweight starvation mode could affect you but you shouldn’t be dieting anyway.
I've got nothing related to this topic, so here's a picture of my puppy.
What people think starvation mode is
It isn’t hammered down, but people think starvation mode kicks in if you consume less than 1200 calories per day. It causes your metabolism to slow to a crawl. Your body stops burning calories, and you stop losing weight, some people even believe you can begin gaining weight if you eat few enough calories (something that violates the laws of physics).
What starvation mode actually is
Starvation mode is what happens when your body runs out of fuel to burn. Your body will feed on 2 things as long as they are available: food you eat and your fat reserves. If these 2 calorie sources are depleted then your body has no choice but to slow down. People become lethargic. They have trouble concentrating, They are laterally running on empty. With no where else to get energy the body will consume muscle and organ tissue to keep going. Body temperature is no longer regulated properly and people can get very cold. Their metabolism does slow to a crawl but that is because there is no more fuel for the fire. I want to hammer this point home. The body doesn’t choose to slow metabolism to conserve energy. Energy is depleted so the body is forced to slow down. This is real starvation and it is probably hell to go through.