i cant agree more than this that yes starvation cannot be the answer..i think if someone wants to use fodd reduction as a tool to achieve some goal..better call it self control and high level of awareness..i am sure exxagarated starvation can also make you seriously sick internally or normally referred to as malnutrition. i my self is trying to reduce but through self control and knowledge.how about you!

Starvation mode is completely different from consuming too few calories and the two do have a tendency to get used interchangably.  Hmmm....let's see, let anyone who wants to create an account and post whatever they feel is correct and you'll find that a lot of misinformation gets posted which is up to the user to sort through and research to find the best advice which may or may not be pertinent to themselves...alternatively, pay a certified expert for advice which may or may not be out of date, you'll have to check the dates on their certifications and find out what their personal biases are to see whether or not they may be able to be of use to you.  Both are a bit of a crap shoot to me, but I'll go with the one that doesn't cost me money until I find that it doesn't work and then I'll take my knowlege (such as it is) in with me while I pay to ask an expert.

As someone who has inadvertenly eaten too few calories, I am glad that people do suggest that eating more can help with weight loss (I'm eating 2300 a day to maintain currently).  The simple fact is that too many people start with the 1200 calorie minimum and exercise like hell and then don't understand why it's not working for them.  Of course it's not working, they haven't used the site tools as a guideline or done any personal research on their own. Then there's the extremes, those who are massively overweight and with medical supervision can restrict to a very low calorie diet or those who are underweight and are trying to lose more weight.  If you don't fall within the normal or within about 2 categories of normal, then CC's tools don't work properly for you and most of the information that works for our other members won't work for you.

Original Post by shaikha:

I am sorry I have to say this, and after reading a good amount of post, I want everyone to know: starvation mode is not the answer to everything!

I don't know if it's just me, but I have noticed a lot of useless comments about starvation mode and it seems to be a reply to every question. "Why aren't I losing weight----Oh your in starvation mode". "Why do I have irregular bowel movements---it's cause you are in starvation mode". And you know what else, people are always telling other people that they have eating disorders and are eating to little. Being helpful is one thing, but being disrespectful is another.

When I ask a question, I usually want an answer because I don't know the answer. I'm sick of hearing about starvation mode. If everyone was starving we would all be skinny!

You are quite literally bonkers.   What is it about starvation mode that you don't understand?  When people eat slightly less, they lose weight.  When they eat slightly less than that, they lose no weight or even gain.  And when they eat nothing they die.

Why is this progression not logical to you?

How many people have to come on this board to say that they are burning 2000 calories per day and eating 1500 calories per day but not losing weight?

Five?  Ten?  I don't know about you but I need only one.  Why?  Because I have supreme confidence in the average person without the use of a lab or proper training to create a precise deficit of 500 calories per day.

No.  I prefer to believe all of these people's measurements and therefore conclude the body is drawing energy from thin air or dark matter, or some such thing.  And then I will tell them to eat more.

you will just gain a lot of weight after typing such a long post and creating a huge calorie deficit, triggering a starvation mode - it will make you HUGE and your metabolism will not function AT ALL. you will GAIN on cosmic energy boy:)

Your angry because you are in starvation mode,

Okay, step back from the keyboard and take a deep breath.

It's clear that you're grouchy and hysterical as a result of being in starvation mode.

Get back to us when you're no longer in it.

Original Post by enzyme1:

Your angry because you are in starvation mode,

Damn you, you got it in there before me!

I think some people (ok, a lot of people) didn't properly read your original post.  You in no way stated that starvation mode doesn't exist.  You only said that it seems to be "the" CC answer no matter what the question is. 

I also think you are looking for other possibilities since s.m. isn't the answer to every single problem for every single person.  It reminds me of the girl who live down the street from me when I was a kid.  She was/is as big as a whale.  The family tried numerous diets together, but nothing worked.  After seeing many, many specialists, they finally found that she had a rare disease that made it impossible for her to lose weight.  She was not in starvation mode.

However, I also think that s.m. is the first thing that should be considered when you have a seemingly healthy eating pattern going, but you just can't lose any weight.  After that's been ruled out, I'd see a nutritionist and/or doctor.

If any of you want a more expert explantion of calories in and calories out, and weight loss, I strongly suggest you click on the Advice tab in the menu bar.  First read the Q&A section, then browse the Ask Mary Q&A.  Once you've done that, start reading the longer articles by our About.com qualified experts.

Calorie Count has more to offer than great, free, tools and a vibrant, responsive community.  If you'll just do some reading, you'll learn a lot and won't have to depend on the opinions of others as posted on message boards.

udokier and enzyme1 ROTFLMAO

Original Post by shaikha:

Lol ya we are going to get heck for these posts, I am just waiting for someone to go on a rampage and yell at us. But seriously all I am saying is we are freaking ourselves out over "starvation mode".

 I'm not going to go off on a rant and yell. It's your body, treat it however you want to. I only click these threads because sometimes it's amusing to see how steadfast people are about using some stylized form of starving themselves.

Someone mentioned raw foods. I was an active part of that community for a long while. I actually really liked it but stopped associating with most people because they weren't eating raw to be healthy; they were eating raw in an effort to starve themselves thin and the whole community congratulated them for it. "Hey everyone, I was listening to my body (a favorite phrase among raw foodists) and ate about 300 calories for the past week. I just want to say that I feel GREAT!" This would be followed with 6 posts patting the person on the back for listening to their bodies and not forcing food down into it.

UM OK!

I am not going to get frustrated over comments made by random people on the Internet that do not know who I am. But in my defense cause I am allowed to have the right to defend myself when I am being attacked. The majority of you have either misread my original post or are desperately lacking mental abilities.

1. I am well aware of what starvation mode is. This is not a post about whether it exists or not or what it is, I know what starvation mode is and I know that is exists. OK I get it, I am AWARE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT EAT LESS THAN 1200 CAL. Thanks for your concern but I already know this but it was never what I was trying to debate.
   
2. I never said that I support starving, or support eating disorders, or fad diets, I am not a recovering anorexic or a bulimic and also I am not starving I have a daily caloric intake of 1700. So I am not in starvation mode and I am unaffected by it again, my eating habits was not what I was trying to debate and I am not trying to justify anything.

What I did say, and I will state again (simplified version so everyone can understand) is that when ever some has a question on this website, people tend to respond immediately by saying that the person is in starvation mode.

OK let me rephrase that once again, here on "CC" people use "starvation mode" as an answer to almost every problem/question they encounter. And OK it maybe a good explanation but it does not apply to every problem people encounter when dieting. Instead of looking for other reasonable answers like vitamin deficiencies and such...people use starvation mode. For example (this is a made up situation so please I don't need answers to this question, I made this question up and these user are made up and this is just an example trying to emphasize my point):

Bubblebunny: Hi, guys I have been sleeping a lot lately I don't know why, can anyone help me understand why this is happening to me?

Zebahr: Oh well maybe you are in starvation mode and you need to increase your caloric intake.

Gehjkl: YOU HAVE AN EATING DISORDER! You shouldn't starve yourself!

There are many other reason apart from starvation mode that can explain why a person is sleeping to much, lack or iron? Depression? Whatever it is, all I am saying is that people exaggerate starvation mode a little to much and jump to the conclusion that the poster has an eating disorder (I can now use myself as a perfect example, because all of you seem to think that I am starving)

Now if you didn't understand that, than I am really sorry because I don't know how to explain this any clearer. Thank you for you insight, and I appreciate it no matter how unrelated it is. Honestly this posting just justified my point. And I am well aware that the majority of you are not dietitians or nutritionist, so I forgive you. I hope this has helped clear up understanding. Have a nice day

Original Post by shaikha:

 I'm sick of hearing about starvation mode. If everyone was starving we would all be skinny!

To use your wording, let me put this in simple terms so you can understand. Starving is not starvation mode.

Is "starvation mode" thrown around pre-maturely, often without enough information? Absolutely!

Starvation mode is not TRUE starvation. Starvation mode refers to CONSERVATION MODE where your metabolism simply becomes efficient from SLIGHTLY under-eating and reaches equilibrium with your caloric intake/expenditure.

FACTS: Large caloric deficits that lead to weight loss result in: lowered thyroid output, loss of lean body mass (muscle), decreased digestion (digestion can be upwards of 20% of one's metabolism), and the body shutting down non-vital processes to compensate for the lack of fuel AKA calories.

People under extreme starvation circumstances, like Anorexics, Holocaust victims, stranded in the desert, etc. lose weight when they body has no choice but to use what it has. Absolutely. But slightly under-eating for one's weight/height/age/activity level is NOT the same thing as starvation and "starvation mode" is not a permanent condition; you cannot "break" your metabolism.

A lot of people unwittingly overestimate their exercise and/or underestimate their caloric intake and portions, but there are many others that have no idea that they COULD BE under-eating when they believe they are doing everything properly. After all, it's been drilled into our heads for years that you have to eat less to lose weight. But how much less? Well, that's an individual formula that only you can find to be useful.

Telling someone to "eat more" when they are believed to be in starvation mode isn't a suggestion to go to McDonald's and order the biggest value meal they have. It's simply sound advice to eat ENOUGH to fuel one's body and mind. Under-eating, whether intentional or not, can be just as bad for one's health as overeating and while the Internet has sensationalized "starvation mode" and makes people panic over the latest fad, it's a real condition that is just simply misunderstood because of the name it was given.

Original Post by spirochete:

Original Post by shaikha:

I'm sick of hearing about starvation mode. If everyone was starving we would all be skinny!

To use your wording, let me put this in simple terms so you can understand. Starving is not starvation mode.

After writing a huge essay I didn't think that anyone would still be confused. Ok One more time....Thanks for your concern but I already know this, my knowledge on starvation mode and starving or whatever was never what I was trying to debate. 

Original Post by j3nn_dot_net:

Is "starvation mode" thrown around pre-maturely, often without enough information? Absolutely!

Starvation mode is not TRUE starvation. Starvation mode refers to CONSERVATION MODE where your metabolism simply becomes efficient from SLIGHTLY under-eating and reaches equilibrium with your caloric intake/expenditure.

FACTS: Large caloric deficits that lead to weight loss result in: lowered thyroid output, loss of lean body mass (muscle), decreased digestion (digestion can be upwards of 20% of one's metabolism), and the body shutting down non-vital processes to compensate for the lack of fuel AKA calories.

People under extreme starvation circumstances, like Anorexics, Holocaust victims, stranded in the desert, etc. lose weight when they body has no choice but to use what it has. Absolutely. But slightly under-eating for one's weight/height/age/activity level is NOT the same thing as starvation and "starvation mode" is not a permanent condition; you cannot "break" your metabolism.

A lot of people unwittingly overestimate their exercise and/or underestimate their caloric intake and portions, but there are many others that have no idea that they COULD BE under-eating when they believe they are doing everything properly. After all, it's been drilled into our heads for years that you have to eat less to lose weight. But how much less? Well, that's an individual formula that only you can find to be useful.

Telling someone to "eat more" when they are believed to be in starvation mode isn't a suggestion to go to McDonald's and order the biggest value meal they have. It's simply sound advice to eat ENOUGH to fuel one's body and mind. Under-eating, whether intentional or not, can be just as bad for one's health as overeating and while the Internet has sensationalized "starvation mode" and makes people panic over the latest fad, it's a real condition that is just simply misunderstood because of the name it was given.

Btw, thanks for putting this up, this is very useful information. I also want say posts like this are very helpful because they convey important information without being negative or attacking anyone. Hope to hear more from you

Original Post by shaikha:

After writing a huge essay I didn't think that anyone would still be confused. Ok One more time....Thanks for your concern but I already know this, my knowledge on starvation mode and starving or whatever was never what I was trying to debate.

Why are you so snarky