Starvation mode

And here's another excerpt that seems interesting:


The hormone leptin is produced in fat tissue, so when a person’s body stores energy as fat, it also produces leptin. Typically, when leptin levels rise, a trigger is tripped telling the body to decrease hunger and burn food as energy. But when a person gains weight and there are continually high levels of the leptin in the body, this system shuts down, Scarpace said.

“If leptin does not work, you will become obese,” he said. “And what’s worse, once you become obese, your susceptibility to gaining even greater weight is increased. The more obese you are, the more difficult it will be to lose weight and the easer it becomes to gain more weight.”

This means that two people can eat the same size piece of chocolate cake and the overweight, leptin-resistant person would gain more weight than the normal weight person, Scarpace said.

“That’s why it’s important to figure out ways to reverse leptin resistance,” he said.

The leptin system also breaks down as humans age, which could explain why adults have a tendency to gain weight as they grow older, Scarpace said. And while there are a few people in the world who are obese because they are leptin deficient, all obese rats and nearly all obese humans have developed resistance to the hormone.

But finding ways to increase how much energy the body burns could be the key to conquering the obesity epidemic, particularly because it has been shown that most people cannot maintain long-term dietary restrictions, Scarpace said.
 
Blancita said:
This article seemed to make a lot of sense to me. What do you all think?



What would you say if you learned that the answer to weight loss lies within the very cells that are making us fat. Not because they are there, that's obvious, but because of what they do. They don't just pad our organs, help us maintain our body temperature, and act as caloric storage units. They function in a specific way that is directly related to our appetites. In persons who are overweight or obese, this function has gone array. Healthy weight- and health improvements which go beyond those bestowed by weight loss alone-can be obtained by restoring these cells to their proper synchronicity.

To simplify a complex conversation, in 1994, scientists discovered that the fat cells in white adipose tissue (or body fat) secrete a hormone that directs appetite, affecting energy balance and metabolism. This hormone has been named Leptin. Until this discovery, glands were identified as specific clusters of tissues like the thyroid, adrenal, and sex glands. In effect, body fat can be conceived of as a large endocrine gland, similar to the skin as a respiratory organ of the bulk of intestinal bacteria as a digestive organ.

Leptin was soon discovered to be involved with insulin, with the cardiovascular system, immune function, reproductive function, stress, bone health, cancer, and inflammation as well as interacting with all our known hormones. ( In fact, fat cells communicate with at least 15 other signals...a much more complex system than previously believed.)

In varying pulses and surges throughout the day and night, leptin sends messages to the brain. When there are problems in this ebb and flow, health conditions can follow. In addition to obesity, these include anorexia, loss of immunity, bone loss, gastrointestinal problems, liver malfunction, heart disease, cancer, cognitive problems and nerve problems.

Leptin functions by gauging our fuel supply. It does this by allowing or restricting energy production. In their remarkable book Mastering Leptin, authors Richards and Richards declare, "Leptin is truly the survival principle of the subconscious mind." When the brain senses that leptin levels are high, we get the message to decrease food intake (our appetite is reduced) and our metabolic rate increases, breaking down fat and supplying us with energy. When it senses that leptin is low, then the brain slows down our metabolism so that we don't run out of fuel and die of starvation. Equally importantly, we will be hungry and want to eat.

Seem straight forward, doesn't it? Here is the paradox. Overweight and obese people have high leptin levels, so why don't their brains notify their bodies to amp up and burn more fat? Basically, this is because our bodies are tuned to lack of food. This is a problem that doesn't exist for most people living in the US. The [problem here is " food everywhere". Constant eating yields constant messaging from fat cells. The brain becomes leptin resistant even though there is more than enough leptin (produced by more than enough fat).

The brain is not receiving the sufficiency signal to turn on fat burning. Instead, it receives the red light on the fuel gauge, slows metabolism, and ramps up the hunger signal. As the Richardses comment, the brain doesn't see the body in a mirror. Instead, it gives an irresistible message of hunger, even of intense hunger.

A sure sign of leptin resistance is being unable to resist eating at night. Once leptin resistance sets in, the pancreas doesn't receive a signal to stop releasing insulin. This encourages the body to store calories as fat. In addition, because fat burning is slowed down, survival signals cause carbohydrates to be stored as fat. Furthermore, in the normal fat burning process, adrenaline is released, stimulating the fat cells to release energy. However, in the presence of leptin resistance, the adrenaline isn't used to burn fat. The fat cells become "numb" to the stimulation of adrenaline. This cause fat to accumulate around the middle. The heightened adrenaline also causes high blood pressure and sleep problems.

Although leptin resistance syndrome becomes a significant barrier to weight loss after age 30, increasing overweight among young persons indicates that leptin issues are now becoming common much earlier.
Follow The Rules

From their indepth study of current leptin research combined with personal experience and feedback from clients, Richards and Richards have developed the Five Rules. The bottom-line of the rules is to restore the body's sensitivity to leptin. Happily, this automatically leads to weight loss, particularly weight loss from the midriff. However, the most important aspect of following the rules is that the body reestablishes the ability to efficiently produce energy from food.

When it comes to natural balance, timing is everything. The rules put the body back in sync. They are not rules for losing weight; they are rules to live by. Not only will following them normalize weight. doing so protects those without weight problems from gaining weight as they grow older.
bullet The Five Rules

Rule 1: NEVER EAT AFTER DINNER.
Rule 2: EAT 3 MEALS A DAY, and DO NOT SNACK.
Rule 3: DO NOT EAT LARGE MEALS.
Rule 4: EAT SOME PROTEIN AT BREAKFAST.
Rule 5: REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CARBS EATEN.
Click to expand...

This book is loaded with a lot of bullshit.
 
Yeah Steve, I'm sure you're right. Why would these people know how to deal with this leptin problem, they're not even scientists so how they're coming up with theories on complex chemical bodily happenings I dunno. Do you believe they state the problem correctly, the leptin resistance or is this just some new faddy thing? If there is such a thing, how would you think might be a way of counteracting it? I do think you're onto something with the significance of the leptin, but its unclear how this information can be useful.
 
Starvation mode is not a myth but it is greatly exaggerated. It only kicks in at very low calorie points and is not permanent. These very low calorie points must be maintained...it is a myth that it happens when you eat 500 calories one day, 2500 the next...etc..

Defined, starvation mode is when your body burns less calories than it would normally given standard indices of muscle mass, bone density, hydration, age, weight, and weight. It is specific to you and you only. The response is only to your resting metabolic rate, and rarely exceeds a 20% alteration in your metabolism.

Michael
 
Right....

I like to modify *my* definition a bit; in that anyone who is dieting is in starvation mode. The longer or 'harder' you diet, the more pronounces the characteristics associated with the starvation mode will be.

But the take home point is, in controlled settings a metabolic slowdown associated with prolonged dieting has never been greater than a the caloric deficit itself.

For example, if your maintenance intake is 2000 and you are eating 1200. Your metabolism is never going to downregulate to a point where you are gaining weight eating the constant 1200 calories.
 
Steve said:
But the take home point is, in controlled settings a metabolic slowdown associated with prolonged dieting has never been greater than a the caloric deficit itself
Click to expand...

Does this mean a person should never hit a 'long term' plateau if they aren't cheating?
 
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This means that if you're in a caloric deficit, you'll lose weight. There's no other option.

People will undoubtedly hit plateaus. But if they are 'long term,' depending on your definition of long term, something is off calorically speaking 99 times out of 100.
 
That's what I thought, but I've read so much about starvation, plateaus, deficit etc. that my head is starting to spin. I think I've used more energy than it's worth trying to take it all in :).
 
I think people who have less to lose don't realize that once the deficits per day get down to 300 calories that it's going to be nearly two weeks before you lose a pound. Given weight fluctuations due to water/waste retention it's tricky to have a good idea if you're making progress unless you are super specific with your caloric intake (and have a similarly good idea of your expenditures during the day).

People who really have hit the gym hard stop realizing how more efficient the body will become at handling that exercise...resulting in a lower total energy expenditure for the day.

Michael
 
ExercisePhysio said:
I think people who have less to lose don't realize that once the deficits per day get down to 300 calories that it's going to be nearly two weeks before you lose a pound. Given weight fluctuations due to water/waste retention it's tricky to have a good idea if you're making progress unless you are super specific with your caloric intake (and have a similarly good idea of your expenditures during the day).

People who really have hit the gym hard stop realizing how more efficient the body will become at handling that exercise...resulting in a lower total energy expenditure for the day.

Michael
Click to expand...

Plus the increase in volatility of variables associated with the starvation mode once you get down to relatively lean levels.... this coupled with the fact that losing weight is a lot slower, and you've got yourself a recipe for frustration wrt those who don't understand.
 
ExercisePhysio said:
Starvation mode is not a myth but it is greatly exaggerated. It only kicks in at very low calorie points and is not permanent. These very low calorie points must be maintained...it is a myth that it happens when you eat 500 calories one day, 2500 the next...etc..

Defined, starvation mode is when your body burns less calories than it would normally given standard indices of muscle mass, bone density, hydration, age, weight, and weight. It is specific to you and you only. The response is only to your resting metabolic rate, and rarely exceeds a 20% alteration in your metabolism.
Click to expand...

Here is an explanation from Lyle McDonald on metabolism slowing down in response to dieting and also clarifies why are bodies are not like "gas tanks":

Leptin is one, if not the, primary hormone which signals the brain to
slow metabolic rate when you are dieting. Now, there are certainly
others, ghrelin and peptide YY from the gut and intestine
respectively also signal the brain, so does blood glucose and insulin
but leptin sort of sets the 'tone' of the brain and how it responds
to the other signals.

The short course on leptin goes something like this: leptin is
released primarily from fat cells (stomach and muscle also produce
small amounts) in relation to two things
a. how much fat you have
b. how much you're eating

So when you go on a diet, leptin drops very quickly. As you lose
fat, it continues to drop. It also goes up fairly quickly when you
overeat and more slowly as you gain/regain bodyfat. Basically it
'tells' the brain how fat you are and whether you are in positive or
negative energy balance. This lets the brain, which is ultimately
very concerned with your survival, know what's going on (and again,
other hormones play additional roles).

Unfortunately, the brain tends to response to a drop in leptin far
more than an increase which is why dieting is harder than gaining
weight as a general rule. Basically, leptin exists primarily as an
anti-starvation hormone, slowing metabolic rate, making you hungry,
crashing hormones, etc. when you diet. It just doesn't do as much
when you increase it except under very specific circumstances.
 
Claudia, glad to see you are reading up on Lyle!

I forgot to tell you, when you are reading Lyle's perspectives, keep in mind that 99.9 times out of 100 he's talking about lean individuals.
 
Steve, I was just thinking this morning how motivating and enlightening you've been. Many people simplify the whole process and I think when there's a lot of weight to be lost its easy to do that, but we all know how hard it is to get down as we get closer to our goal weights and also how hard it is to keep it off. There are "bodily" scientific reasons for this that dont have just everything to do with calories in vs. out.
 
That's a very true statement. The 'machinery' of the body doesn't like being lean. Couple this with the fact that weight loss is slows to a crawl to begin with when you are relatively lean, looking to get leaner, and you've got a bumpy path. Bumpier for some than others.

It is calories in vs. calories out for those with weight problems.

For those without weight problems, while the simply calorie equation still holds very true, the waters are much muddier.
 
Steve said:
That's a very true statement. The 'machinery' of the body doesn't like being lean. Couple this with the fact that weight loss is slows to a crawl to begin with when you are relatively lean, looking to get leaner, and you've got a bumpy path. Bumpier for some than others.

It is calories in vs. calories out for those with weight problems.

For those without weight problems, while the simply calorie equation still holds very true, the waters are much muddier.
Click to expand...

On your bolded comments above , is the ' set point ' theory ( i.e our ' normal ' weight is genetically determined and we're pre-disposed to a certain weight range ) relevant to this in some way ?

Actually ( given I have no academic background in this ) is the ' set point ' theory still even considered valid in your view ?

Welcome your thoughts.... as always.
 
Wrangell said:
On your bolded comments above , is the ' set point ' theory ( i.e our ' normal ' weight is genetically determined and we're pre-disposed to a certain weight range ) relevant to this in some way ?

Actually ( given I have no academic background in this ) is the ' set point ' theory still even considered valid in your view ?

Welcome your thoughts.... as always.
Click to expand...

Where the hell have you been?

:p

No, all I meant by the bolded statement was, for example, a ballparked number for weight loss per week is 1%, right?

Well, I'm working with a 500+ lb woman at the moment... she could stand to lose 5+ lbs per week.

Someone who is relatively lean looking to get leaner though, things take a hell of a lot longer; think of a 120 lb woman.... she could expect to lose about a lb per week if everything is right. However, keep in mind that the body will fight against this more than the 500 lb woman. So not only is weight loss slower, it's also harder.

The setpoint theory is very real IMO. It's not something that's written in stone, however. It's just a faction of the big picture. A biological tendency if you will.
 
How many calories = starvation mode?

Hi guys, I'm new so allow me to say hello to everyone, Hello!

I have a question about calories, I have read that if you starve yourself your body goes into what is called starvation mode as a means to survive famine and holds onto anything you eat as fat.

OK. My question is, is there an amount of calories that you have to consume before this does NOT happen? I mean, if I eat several times a day and only consume 1,000 calories will my body still think that it is starving and go into protect mode?

I understand that everyone is different and metabolism and what not.....I am just looking for generalizations.

Thanks!
 
I've heard that men should never go below 1500 and woman, 1200. I know that 1000 is way too low!
 
1500 really? Well, I hope thats enough to keep my metabolism up, I eat several times a day so I think that it will.

Thanks!
 
There is no set level of caloric intake that triggers the "starvation mode." That's b/c it's not an event..... it's a process.

Said process will occur no matter how steep the caloric deficit.

Do a search for "starvation mode" posts made by me, "steve"

I've discussed this in detail around here.

I remember one particular thread where me and "exercisephysio" had a great discussion.
 
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