I've read, both on these forums and elsewhere, about how the body goes into starvation mode when you have too large a calorie deficit. I understand the concept, but have a question about it. When your body goes into starvation mode, and you're continuing to exercise and in a calorie deficit, where does the body get the energy from if it's not burning fat tissue to get it? Muscle tissue? What if you're weight training and working your muscles?
Question About Starvation Mode
- Thread starter jayawhite
- Start date
it burns fat and muscles and if you are really starved it will eventually go for the organs. Think of your body consuming itself. That is starvation mode.
Maybe I'm not thinking of starvation mode then. I've read posts about having too large a calorie deficit...like maybe 800 calories instead of the common 500. And how, if you have too large of a deficit, your body will hold on to the fat because it thinks it's being starved and it wants to hold on to the fat for energy stores.
The reason I'm asking is because I think I routinely have a daily deficit of more than 20%, although that was my original goal. It's probably not much more than 20%--maybe like 25%. I've been making good progress, however...I've lost 15 pounds since February 24, and I think it's almost all been fat.
I'm just wondering if I should try to adjust my deficit slightly, or just keep plugging along as I have been.
Thanks.
The reason I'm asking is because I think I routinely have a daily deficit of more than 20%, although that was my original goal. It's probably not much more than 20%--maybe like 25%. I've been making good progress, however...I've lost 15 pounds since February 24, and I think it's almost all been fat.
I'm just wondering if I should try to adjust my deficit slightly, or just keep plugging along as I have been.
Thanks.
The term "starvation mode" generally means that the body has become extremely "efficient" (or making the most of) the amount of calories one is consuming (normally really low calories "particular" to the person), and will attempt to protect its fat tissue stores. In general, the body attempts to lower its metabolic rate in the face of long term very low calorie deficits. Despite the low calorie deficits, the body will not be able overcome it even though its adjusting and adapting (dependent on how low the calorie intake is), and tissue will continue to be lost, even it takes longer or does in fact slow.
If starvation mode "prevented" tissue loss (I mean all tissue), then the jews in the concentration camps would not have been near bones. If calorie deficits are servere, and LONG ENOUGH, though the body will adapt and attempt to overcome it, eventually it will succumb to it. I may mention though, that since most want to maintain as much muscle as possible and lose fat tissue, it does make our situation different but the body reacts in the same "like" manner.
This is one of the reasons (among many others), I firmly believe in "calorie manipulation and exercise manipulation" to facilitate fat loss while attempting to perserve and/or build muscle.
Here is a link of interest:
Best wishes,
Chillen
If starvation mode "prevented" tissue loss (I mean all tissue), then the jews in the concentration camps would not have been near bones. If calorie deficits are servere, and LONG ENOUGH, though the body will adapt and attempt to overcome it, eventually it will succumb to it. I may mention though, that since most want to maintain as much muscle as possible and lose fat tissue, it does make our situation different but the body reacts in the same "like" manner.
This is one of the reasons (among many others), I firmly believe in "calorie manipulation and exercise manipulation" to facilitate fat loss while attempting to perserve and/or build muscle.
Here is a link of interest:
Best wishes,
Chillen
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Chillen is on the dot.
Your body would lower its metabolism and try to survive with the least amount of energy while burning less energy during it normally would when you exercise
But if you lower it far enough and long enough the body has no choice but to start using tissue for energy.
Your body would lower its metabolism and try to survive with the least amount of energy while burning less energy during it normally would when you exercise
But if you lower it far enough and long enough the body has no choice but to start using tissue for energy.
To add to my other post in this thread:
Calorie manipulation means many things (IMO), but an example of calorie manipulation at work would be:
Varying deficits at scheduled intervals, eating over MT line at scheduled times (and for certain lengths), eating at MT Line, and allowing exercise to draw the deficit, etc, etc.
For some persons this type of calorie activity can jump start or maintain consistant fat loss while attempting to work with bodily adaptions.
While one can "work in" calorie manipulation within a 24 hour day with frequent meals (with the frequent meals being the medium by which the calories are consumed---be it 3 meals or 6 meals per day).
Frequent meals ARE NOT what I mean by manipulating calories NOR does it improve metabolism.
In other words, one eating 3 meals per day and one eating 6 meals per day is a very "minor" difference in the metabolic sense, it is the total calories consumed that is important between the 3 and 6 meal examples (NOT the number of meals).
Again, I am NOT undermining the important "functional role" frequent meals can play within a diet and fitness goal (as I have mentioned before on the forum many times). What I am saying, it has little if "any" impact on metabolism--despite what you read on the net, and what others may think--but this is my opinion.
One should not underestimate the power of the "almighty calorie manipulation".
IMO, if one is healthy, and "fully grasps" this importance and implements a plan of attack with putting calorie manipulation to work, they will be successful with their tissue loss.
How this is implemented depends on the person and their personal "position" in their goal of tissue loss.
Best regards,
Chillen
Calorie manipulation means many things (IMO), but an example of calorie manipulation at work would be:
Varying deficits at scheduled intervals, eating over MT line at scheduled times (and for certain lengths), eating at MT Line, and allowing exercise to draw the deficit, etc, etc.
For some persons this type of calorie activity can jump start or maintain consistant fat loss while attempting to work with bodily adaptions.
While one can "work in" calorie manipulation within a 24 hour day with frequent meals (with the frequent meals being the medium by which the calories are consumed---be it 3 meals or 6 meals per day).
Frequent meals ARE NOT what I mean by manipulating calories NOR does it improve metabolism.
In other words, one eating 3 meals per day and one eating 6 meals per day is a very "minor" difference in the metabolic sense, it is the total calories consumed that is important between the 3 and 6 meal examples (NOT the number of meals).
Again, I am NOT undermining the important "functional role" frequent meals can play within a diet and fitness goal (as I have mentioned before on the forum many times). What I am saying, it has little if "any" impact on metabolism--despite what you read on the net, and what others may think--but this is my opinion.
One should not underestimate the power of the "almighty calorie manipulation".
IMO, if one is healthy, and "fully grasps" this importance and implements a plan of attack with putting calorie manipulation to work, they will be successful with their tissue loss.
How this is implemented depends on the person and their personal "position" in their goal of tissue loss.
Best regards,
Chillen
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Thanks for the replies! Since around the middle of March, I've been counting calories, eating smaller meals more frequently, and maintaining, on average, about a 22% daily calorie deficit (through a combination of eating a little less and exercising). I've lost 13 pounds since February 25.
I'm thinking maybe it's time to try mixing things up a little in regards to calorie manipulation, such as cycling calories as Chillen talked about. I guess it's a psychological thing--wanting to always take in fewer calories than expending in a day. But from everything I've read, it can help to once in a while to change this up and to take in as much, and sometimes more, than what you use in a day.
I'm thinking maybe it's time to try mixing things up a little in regards to calorie manipulation, such as cycling calories as Chillen talked about. I guess it's a psychological thing--wanting to always take in fewer calories than expending in a day. But from everything I've read, it can help to once in a while to change this up and to take in as much, and sometimes more, than what you use in a day.