your body is going into starvation mode rubbish at slimming clubs. .am I the only one who thinks this is utter nonsense!

[deffonamechange]

I have joined a slimming club. Stuck to it . I do loads of exercise anyway. Been doing it 4weeks..have lost 2lbs and tonight put 0.5lbs on!!
Leader said I am not losing because I am not eating enough!
Drives me insane this theory!
If I eat more I will be eating the same as I ate before joining!
How does anorexia work?
Why do laws of physics say less calories in and more exercise lose weight?

So frustrated! !! Argh!!!

[Purplebluebird]

What rubbish! My lady at SW said no such thing. She kept firm that you had to eat less/exercise more.

[Thefitfatty]

In your case it is likely to be related to AF. While 2lbs a week is the ideal, you have to expect fluctuations. Before AF you can gain up to 10 lbs in a day in excess water. That's life.

Starvation mode is NOT bullshit, it's just misunderstood. If you met a bunch of holocaust survivors 10 years after they were rescued the majority would be fat. That's because their bodies held onto every calorie it could get. While they were starving it wasn't an issue, no matter what they weren't getting enough calories to function. When they started getting normal amounts their body reacted by turning it into fat. That's starvation mode. That's why many recovering aneorexics become overweight. It does eventually sort itself out, but our bodies to re act to PROLONGED starvation by creating fat.

[SanityAssassin]

weren't many fat people in Belsen or Aushwittz.....

Plus the eating too little to lose weight .......... If I eat less I lose weight

[BakeOffBiscuits]

No, she's talking crap.

The only sensible way to lose weight is to drop your calories. If you do that, you will lose weigh.

It really is that simple.

[2kids2dogsnosense]

What state of your menstrual cycle are you at?

You retain water more at certain times of the month. Also - if you've been eating salty/spicey food, that also causes you to retain water.

This "starvation mode" crap is absolute bollox.

[MsJudgemental]

What beccabanana said.

[ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe]

Or maybe they just ate more because they were free to do it and wanted to enjoy something they were deprived of, TheFitFatty?

[Smartleatherbag]

It's utter bollocks. I'm a former anorexic. I kept losing weight. My organs shut down. I got better. I'm still slim.

[ChickenVindaloo]

Yes. Similar theory to "you need to eat often to keep your metabolism up". No. You. Don't. 3 meals a day is enough.

No-one ever starved to death between meals. A little hunger is no bad thing.

She says. Whilst getting her fat arse up to steal more christmas chocolate from the presents cupboard and promising to replace it.

Must be the same band of folk who claim shaving makes your hair thicker. If only balding men knew this!

[StealthPolarBear]

I've said this for ages op there doesn't seem to be any science to back this up but it is presented and accepted on here as fact.

[Thefitfatty]

chardonney no. It's not that simple. I'm not saying everyone who diets for 2 months suddenly ends up in "starvation mode" I'm saying long term starvation victims/anorexics ultimately fuck up their metabolism. That really shouldn't be shocking. Our bodies are designed to hold on to fat.

[MaQueen]

I can easily gain 3-4lbs over a weekend if AF is due, and my wedding rings feel tighter because my fingers swell with fluid retention.

[Champagneformyrealfriends]

It's bollocks. Work out your TDEE and eat at a calorie deficit based on that. Barring a few very rare conditions you will lose weight. It's maths.

[WalterWhitesNipple]

your body doesn't go into starvation mode however by eating under 1000 calories a day for a long period of time will most likely result in binge eating.

[2kids2dogsnosense]

Just what the fuck do you think your liver and kidneys do, exactly?

Well, mine are gently marinading in alcohol . . .

[Pisssssedofff]

I do think you get very tired with less calories and too many, you have to find your own sweet spot I guess

[Smartleatherbag]

Thefit, is that based on anything or just anecdotal? Just struggling to think of any other former anorexic pals from my yoof who are plump. We're all still slim, and trust me, I eat ample!

[2kids2dogsnosense]

What does AF stand for?

[Thefitfatty]

scientifically speaking yes bodies do go into starvation mode!!! Is the Op likely to be in starvation mode? no. But please stop disputing something that has been well documented among victims of actual starvation!

[MaQueen]

It's akin to cosmetic companies who add magical, Harry Potter-ish ingredients to their skin creams e.g. "Our new night cream contains bio-silkenessendum with phyto-radian particles for a fresh morning glow"

Oh do fuck off...

[SpuriouserAndSpuriouser]

TheFitFatty is right, periods of actual starvation can change your metabolism for ever. The classic example is Dutch hunger winter of 1944-1945. Babies who were in the womb during this period of starvation (specifically in the first trimester) but later were well fed, were more likely to be obese as adults. Not only that, but the lack of food caused actual changes in their DNA, so their children were also more likely to be overweight and obese.

However, "starvation mode" because of a few days eating less calories? Nah

[unlucky83]

Another one saying if I skip breakfast I don't feel hungry until the early afternoon - say 1.30-2pm.
If I eat breakfast (even though I'm not hungry) I'll want elevenses and lunch at 12 and an afternoon snack and still eat everything else I would have normally later too.
The best way for me to lose weight is to skip breakfast - its a meal less but also elevenses and big lunch and afternoon snack less.
I read that the research about breakfast being the most important meal of the day for children was sponsored in part by Kelloggs. The research did show that if some children had breakfast they concentrated better at school -but the children were ones who didn't get enough to eat anyway - ones who were usually hungry.

[Smartleatherbag]

But starvation mode is when organs start shutting down. It's nothing to do with the speed at which one gains weight during recovery, AFAIK. What metabolic processes are implicated? Which hormonal processes? I'm interested, as it's a subject I studied at UG level.

[squoosh]

Contestants on the biggest loser were found to have really messed up their metabolism through the show's encouragement of super low calorie

I read that article in the NYT. Their metabolisms really fought against the massive weight losses and all but ground to a halt in order to try and regain some weight.

[MaQueen]

Binge eating only occurs when you stuff waaaaay too much food down your throat. And I can do that whether I've been on 500 or 5000 calories a day.