We all have powerful biological mechanisms that activate when we don’t consume enough energy (calories) from food. When we don’t get enough energy, our bodies can go into a mode called “starvation mode,” where they try to increase calorie intake and slow down metabolism.
This is the opposite of what people want to achieve when they’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
In addition to the psychological effects of low-calorie diets like the CICO diet, such as anxiety and depression, your mental capabilities and mood can suffer when you’re in “starvation mode.” Reduced energy intake can lead to fatigue, anxiety, depression, feelings of isolation, and an obsession with food.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a psychological model that ranks human requirements, supports this idea. According to Maslow, our basic physical needs, including food, must be met before we can focus on more complex goals like social connections and career aspirations.
What is Starvation Mode?
Starvation mode refers to the metabolic and physiological effects that result from chronic dieting and over-exercising, which can negatively impact metabolism, hunger levels, and body weight. The body has a built-in mechanism that triggers when it needs more energy (food), promoting rest and food-seeking behaviors. Many people override these important signals to lose weight quickly.
While strict weight loss diets may lead to temporary weight loss, they can actually hinder metabolism, making it harder for women to lose weight in the long term. Research has shown that drastic weight loss and severe calorie restriction can reduce metabolic function as the body tries to conserve energy due to food scarcity.
Starvation mode typically occurs when you consistently consume too few calories over an extended period, like several weeks or months. One theory suggests that low levels of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the chemical energy that powers cells, trigger a series of signals to the brain that indicate an energy deficit.
Normally, when you eat enough food and get adequate rest, your body uses a combination of nutrients from your diet and stored body fat for energy. The liver stores excess glucose as glycogen for use when food is scarce.
However, when your body detects a lack of calories, it may resort to using lean tissue and muscle for energy instead of stored fat or glycogen. This results in a slower metabolic rate and makes it harder to maintain weight loss.
Starvation mode can also increase appetite and cravings, particularly for carbohydrate-dense foods, as the hormone neuropeptide Y (NPY) becomes more active. NPY levels are naturally high in the morning after a night without food, and reduced calorie intake can further elevate NPY levels, leading to cravings for high-carbohydrate foods.
People in starvation mode often experience intense cravings, especially for foods high in carbohydrates. This is due to the rise in the hormone neuropeptide Y, which stimulates appetite, particularly for carbohydrate-rich foods. This can result in a cycle of overeating and weight gain, further exacerbating the issue.
Moreover, low-calorie diets can also negatively impact your mental health, leading to feelings of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and isolation. This is because the brain relies on a steady supply of nutrients to function optimally.
A lack of essential nutrients can affect neurotransmitter production and signaling, contributing to mood disturbances.
In addition, overexercising can compound the negative effects of chronic dieting, leading to increased stress levels and muscle loss. As your body prioritizes survival, it may break down muscle tissue for energy, further slowing down your metabolism and making it harder to lose weight.
Overall, the concept of “starvation mode” highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced and sustainable approach to weight loss.
Severely restricting calories or overexercising can have detrimental effects on your metabolism, appetite, and mental health. Instead, focus on nourishing your body with nutrient-dense foods, engaging in regular physical activity, and prioritizing your overall well-being.
Finding Your Body’s Natural Weight Range
The concept of the body’s “set-point theory” suggests that there’s a natural weight range that our body strives to maintain, regulated by various factors including hormones, neural pathways, and neurotransmitters.
Our bodies use a feedback control mechanism to regulate metabolism and hunger levels, with the hypothalamus serving as a key decision-maker.
When individuals diet or cut calories excessively, they can disrupt this natural mechanism, causing the body to enter “starvation mode.” This can lead to an increase in hunger, a slowing of metabolism, and feelings of fatigue. In the long term, dieting can make it more difficult for individuals to maintain weight loss and may even result in weight gain.
Research, including the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, has shown that severely restricting calories can lead to obsessive thoughts about food, mood swings, and even eating disorder-like behaviors.
So what can you do if you’re caught in a dieting cycle or concerned about your weight? The first step is to recognize that your body has a natural set point and that healthy eating and regular exercise are the best ways to support your overall health and well-being.
Here are some practical tips:
- Prioritize self-care: Taking care of your mental and emotional well-being is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Find ways to manage stress, get enough sleep, and engage in activities that bring you joy.
- Listen to your body: Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues, and eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. Avoid eating out of boredom or in response to emotional triggers.
- Focus on balanced nutrition: Rather than cutting out entire food groups or severely restricting calories, aim for a balanced diet that includes a variety of whole foods. This will help ensure you’re getting the nutrients your body needs to function optimally.
- Seek support: If you’re struggling with disordered eating or body image issues, it’s important to reach out for support. This could be from friends, family members, or a mental health professional who specializes in eating disorders.
- Find joyful movement: Exercise should be enjoyable and sustainable, so choose activities that you enjoy and that fit into your lifestyle. This could be walking, dancing, biking, or anything else that gets you moving.
Remember, it’s normal for your weight to fluctuate slightly over time, and it’s possible to maintain a healthy weight without resorting to extreme dieting. By focusing on nourishing your body, listening to its cues, and prioritizing your overall well-being, you can support your body’s natural set point and live a healthy, balanced life.
4 Effective Ways to Avoid Starvation Mode
- Eat Regularly
To avoid the cycle of binging or overeating, it’s crucial to consume enough calories to support basic bodily functions, such as heart function, body temperature regulation, breathing, and brain function.
Failure to provide enough calories can trigger biological processes that may leave individuals susceptible to binging or overeating and feeling physically and psychologically unwell.
Contrary to popular belief, overeating or binging is usually not due to a lack of willpower, but rather as a result of biological drives that are induced by restrictive dieting or a drastic reduction in calorie intake.
The powerful and intense nature of these biological eating signals is a testament to their primal nature.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that dieting and the pursuit of weight loss through caloric restriction and increased exercise can actually have counterproductive effects. Restriction can alter brain chemistry, causing an increase in the body’s hunger signals.
Research has also shown that food deprivation can lead to increased salivation and higher levels of digestive hormones before and after meals, prompting the body to consume larger quantities of food at once.
While individuals may be able to ignore signals of increased hunger and fatigue temporarily, eventually most give in and end up overeating. This can lead to feelings of shame, guilt, and frustration, making weight-loss efforts even more challenging.
Instead of depriving oneself and ignoring the body’s natural need for sufficient food intake, it is recommended to eat regularly. This includes consuming three well-balanced meals a day and possibly incorporating snacks based on individual needs and level of activity.
For those who need a more structured approach, time-restricted eating can be considered.
The goal is to avoid the yo-yo dieting cycle, where one alternates between periods of strict restriction and overeating, leading to feelings of frustration and ultimately abandoning efforts to prioritize one’s health.
- Eat Enough Calories
If you find yourself constantly cutting down on calories, disregarding your natural hunger signals, and practicing yo-yo dieting, it is imperative that you change your approach to weight loss. These methods are unhealthy and are not effective in the long term.
The first step to rectify this situation is to ensure that you are consuming enough calories to sustain your metabolism and avoid entering starvation mode. For many, this means focusing on nutrient-dense foods rather than constantly counting calories, macronutrients, or calories burned during workouts.
The key to escaping starvation mode and revving up your metabolism is to reassure your body that it is receiving sufficient nourishment and is not at risk.
Your hunger signals are an essential part of your body’s mind-body connection and are largely determined by how your body perceives its surroundings.
Your body naturally strives to ensure that you do not experience a famine or life-threatening situation, so when it senses a reduction in calorie intake, it reacts strongly. Slowing down the body’s calorie utilization or hindering muscle tissue development are consequences of starvation mode, both of which should be avoided.
Determine your body’s caloric requirements based on factors like your gender, current weight, and level of physical activity, and aim to fulfill these needs every day. If weight loss is necessary for health reasons, take a slow and steady approach and be realistic about the time it takes to achieve your goals.
Rapid, unhealthy weight loss methods are not sustainable and often lead to a rebound effect where the weight lost is quickly regained.
While it is possible for significantly overweight individuals to lose weight rapidly without causing significant damage to their metabolism, most experts recommend a gradual weight loss of one to two pounds per week for most adults through a balanced combination of exercise and moderate calorie reduction.
One diet that has the potential to push you into starvation mode is the Military Diet, which should be approached with caution. There is also the vegan Military Diet and you shout be cautious about both of them, making sure you get enough food to avoid health issues.
- Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Focus on making progress rather than striving for perfection. While consistent eating, adequate calorie intake, and sufficient rest can all help manage the biological processes that affect your hunger and metabolism, it’s also essential to consider the psychological impact of past starvation periods.
Studies have shown that severe calorie reduction and strict food restrictions can lead to increased cravings and an obsession with restricted foods, even among adults and children.
It’s crucial to prioritize real, whole foods and minimize processed foods as much as possible. However, striving for the “perfect diet” can lead to stress and feelings of guilt, making healthy eating more difficult.
Recognize that nobody is perfect, and rather than aiming for an unattainable ideal, focus on better body acceptance and overall health improvement.
Avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” Instead, prioritize unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods, but allow for occasional indulgences and flexibility in your diet. This approach can lead to increased satisfaction with every meal and reduce the need for guilt.
Many people find success with the “80/20” rule, where about 80 percent of their diet consists of nutrient-dense foods, and the remaining 20 percent allows for enjoyment of occasional treats and social eating.
By accepting that you won’t always eat perfectly, you can foster a healthier relationship with food and avoid food-related anxiety, binge eating, or overeating.
- Do Not Overtrain
The chemicals that regulate appetite are also connected to your activity levels. Thinking you can keep increasing your energy output by exercising more while also taking in less fuel can be misleading. If you don’t provide your body with enough fuel, you might experience a decrease in motivation, mood, energy levels, mental state, and the quality of your sleep.
It’s important to fuel your workouts by eating throughout the day, and consider having pre-workout snacks and post-workout meals if necessary. Make sure to take rest days when needed and avoid overtraining, which can leave you feeling tired, moody, and even depressed.