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"Starvation Mode, Metabolic Damage, and how much can I cut calories before weight loss stalls?
Starvation mode and metabolic damage are two terms which truly need to be struck from health and fitness writer’s vocabulary, not because they do not exist, but because what they are in reality are FAR removed from the definition that has been adopted to describe weight loss plateaus.
This is starvation mode(picture of emaciated child). It bears little resemblance to a well-fed westerner complaining about not being able to drop those last five pounds. (Child with Marasmus)
True starvation is a clinical condition where the body simply does not receive enough nutrients to support life- basic systems begin to shut down, the body begins to shed all skeletal muscle and consume even essential bodyfat, and the eventual result is organ failure and death. What health and fitness writers describe as “starvation mode” is something else entirely- their argument is that the body’s metabolism slows due to constant dieting, and the body then begins to “hold on” to weight (and fat) by becoming more efficient. This is an explanation that many have when their low calorie diet has resulted in no net weight loss for several weeks or months.There is one major problem with this concept- it just isn’t true. The body DOES have several systems in place that can slow metabolism somewhat- studies done on moderately hypocaloric individuals on extended diets show a moderate decrease in thyroid hormone production, changes in leptin/ghrelin levels (two hormonal mediators of food intake and metabolism), and slight changes in androgen/estrogen levels. However, clinically speaking, these changes tend to reduce the basal metabolic rate by LESS THAN 10%. The body cannot simply reduce the amount of energy it takes to, say, walk a mile or power basic brain functions.
So what is really going on? First, if calories are low, peripheral activity levels will slow. Well-fed individuals may be far more “sprightly” and active, even while sedentary, than those on low calories. A reduction in “fidgeting”, a lower likelihood of getting up from the couch, a tendency to avoid excess movement- these daily reductions in overall caloric burn can end up being quite significant. Another possibility is that extended dieting has substantially reduced muscle mass, which can lower daily caloric requirements significantly, which is why strength training while dieting (for ALL individuals, even endurance athletes) is so crucial. Also important to note is that the individual is also no longer synthesizing significant new muscle tissue, which can reduce energy needs quite a bit. However, the MOST likely reason for stalled weight loss (and one that the author has seen most frequently) is that the individual is simply totaling their calories incorrectly. The author recalls one individual who swore he was eating fewer than 2000 calories a day, but an inspection of just his lunch salad revealed that it was over 400 calories higher than calculated- the true dietary intake of this individual was closer to 3000.
“Metabolic damage” is another concept that is now in vogue- it is the idea that extended dieting will somehow cause permanent changes to one’s metabolism (in line with the “starvation mode” idea above), but this can be avoided through either eating frequent meals or one big meal (depending on what side the article author falls on), engaging in HIIT (high intensity interval training), taking in branched chain amino acids, or using corn starch as a dietary supplement (Yes- there is a fairly well known USA Triathlon coach and speaker who fully endorses corn starch as the next amazing supplement that will moderate insulin levels and make one’s metabolism more efficient). Again, the main problem is that this is not true. Changes to an individual’s metabolism are transient and reversible- and also impossible to avoid when dieting. Again, look to actual activity level and true caloric intake to determine why one is no longer losing weight. True “metabolic damage”, where basal metabolic rate and hormonal functions are permanently altered, is nearly always a function of severe malnutrition, chronic and long term vitamin or mineral insufficiency, or disease.
These two concepts, therefore, are completely scientifically bankrupt when it comes to dieting and the typical well fed westerner, but bring up one very good question- how low can I reduce my calories before weight loss stalls? The answer- as low as you want. Gastric bypass surgery is nearly 100% effective in aiding weight loss in even the most morbidly obese patients, and even the most dramatic types of bypass surgery (where calorie intake can be reduced reduced by 80-90%) do NOT cause weight loss via reduction in absorption, they do so via portion control. As long as the body is taking in fewer calories than it burns, weight loss will continue- there are few anorexic individuals or starving Sudanese children who manage to maintain a healthy weight or find themselves reaching “weight loss plateaus”.
However, this is not ideal- so what is the BEST way to lose weight?
First things first
Once a caloric baseline is established (as above), the most critical next step is making sure that the basic nutrients are in place. The most important of these is essential fat (not protein)- the individual should make certain that he or she is taking in at least 25-35 grams of high quality fats, whether these be from fish, nuts, flax, olive oil, or the like. Essential Fatty Acids supplements are highly recommended here, as we are discussing HIGH QUALITY fats (Omega 3/6/9s, and the like). The higher FDA recommendation for overall fat was developed primarily based on an assumption that, if an individual takes in ENOUGH fat, chances are a certain percentage of those will be the quality kind. We assume better in our athletes.
The second most important is dietary protein. As mentioned in other articles, protein requirements for even active individuals are not quite as high as many writers may state- 1.5g/kg is quite frankly sufficient for 99% of ATHLETES, and please note that this does NOT increase while dieting. There are no mystical systems in your body that tick on while dieting that increase the need for dietary protein… however there are certain changes to protein intake that are recommended in severe dieting (more on this later).
The third most important is pre- / peri- / and post-workout carbohydrates- the individual should ensure that he or she is taking in enough carbohydrate around planned activity to fuel high quality workouts and ensure adequate recovery. For most individuals, 0.5g/kg of carbohydrates before and after a workout is sufficient, with an additional 0.5g/kg of carbohydrate per hour of activity beyond the first.
With these three basic targets put into the framework, the rest of the diet then becomes flexible.
Low to Moderate weight loss
If one’s goal is rather moderate- say 1-3 pounds a month, the guidelines are simple- find one’s set point above, and reduce calories by 10%. Where should these calories come from? Quite frankly, they can come from any source as long as the three basic items listed in the previous section are not removed.
With regards to additional activity, we do NOT endorse the introduction of high intensity interval training for weight loss. Though superior to steady state cardiovascular exercise alone, it is INFERIOR to a combination of steady state cardio and weight training for optimizing body composition. Interval training seeks to combine both cardiovascular conditioning and strength training into a single workout, but as a result optimizes neither. For a proposed routine, read part two of So you want to run and be strong, and choose a mix of objectives that match your schedule. If you are an athlete, do NOT introduce any additional activity, as this could compromise your sports-specific programming. Changes to body composition for in season or peaking athletes should be made strictly via diet.
Generally speaking, a dieting individual’s biggest emphasis when it comes to additional activity should be on weight training to prevent skeletal muscle loss- the body adapts to imposed demand, and if the body is being told that the presence of skeletal muscle is critical to its survival, it will certainly hold on to as much as possible. If cardiovascular activity MUST be introduced (and we do recommend it for general health), it should be low intensity enough to NOT negatively impact weight training sessions or potentially cause injury."
https://completehumanperformance.com/2015/12/27/properly-lose-weight/
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3673 kcal
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Fat: 155.80g | Prot: 188.03g | Carbs: 414.48g.
Breakfast: Fairlife Chocolate Nutrition Shake, Sugared or Glazed Doughnuts, Quest Cookies & Cream Protein Bar, Pringles Sour Cream & Onion Potato Crisps, Swiss Cheese , Navels Oranges , Oranges , Carl Buddig Thin Sliced Honey Ham, Ole Extreme Wellness High Fiber Low Carb Tortillas. Lunch: Nestle Kit Kat (Fun Size), M&M's Milk Chocolate (Fun Size), Snickers Snickers Bar (Fun Size), Buttered Popcorn Popped in Oil, Orange, Sweet Baby Ray's Buffalo Wing Marinade & Sauce, Wing-Time Buffalo Wing Sauce, Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce, HEB Chicken Fried Steak Strips, Apples. Dinner: 1% Fat Milk, Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar. more...
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