Losing weight can be challenging enough as it is, even without worrying about slipping into “starvation mode” if you cut your calories too low.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion out there about whether or not starvation mode really exists, and—more importantly—whether or not there’s anything that you can do to prevent it.
So is starvation mode real? Or is it nothing more than a myth and scare tactic targeted towards dieters? In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the concept of starvation mode, plus some simple strategies that you can use to avoid it altogether.
What is Starvation Mode?
The term “starvation mode” refers to a metabolic response by the body, which is caused by long-term calorie restriction. When you don’t supply your body with the calories that it needs to sustain itself, it slowly starts to adapt by reducing energy expenditure.
Although it’s often referred to as the “starvation mode myth,” it’s a concept that has actually been well-studied by scientists. In fact, there’s tons of literature available in peer-reviewed research journals solidifying the validity of starvation mode, also known as adaptive thermogenesis.
So how does it work?
For starters, your body burns a certain number of calories throughout the day. Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories that your body uses for basic functions like breathing, pumping blood through the veins or even sleeping.
Physical activities like walking, running, biking also burn up extra calories throughout the day, as do other non-exercise activities like shopping, cleaning or even fidgeting.
When you have a higher body weight, your body naturally burns more calories throughout the day. Muscle tissue also burns more calories than body fat as well.
Because of this, losing weight or losing muscle mass can reduce your basal metabolic rate, which causes your body to burn less calories throughout the day and makes it harder to continue losing weight.
This is one reason why many people often have trouble sustaining weight loss as well. When you lose weight, your body starts burning fewer calories, and you have to continue eating less calories to maintain your weight.
Although “starvation mode” is a normal and natural part of weight loss, there are several simple strategies you can use to keep up your metabolism and decrease the effects of adaptive thermogenesis.
Let’s take a look at some of the signs of starvation mode and how you can avoid them.
Symptoms of Starvation Mode
So what happens when your body goes into starvation mode? Keeping your body in a constant calorie deficit can impact several aspects of health, especially when it comes to your energy levels, mood and digestive health.
Here are some of the most common starvation mode symptoms that you may experience:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Decreased sex drive
- Insomnia
- Changes in mood
- Fluid retention/bloating
- Impaired immunity
- Constipation
- Increased hunger
- Low energy levels
- Irregular periods
How to Avoid Starvation Mode
Adaptive thermogenesis, also known as starvation mode, is inevitable pretty much any time you lose weight. That being said, there are several strategies you can use for how to get out of starvation mode, amp up your metabolism and minimize the potential side effects.
1. Eat Plenty of Protein
Protein plays a key role in muscle repair and growth, which is why it’s absolutely essential to ensure you’re getting enough when starting a new training regimen or weight loss diet. Getting enough protein in your diet can help build muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat to help give your metabolism a quick boost.
Although your protein needs can vary based on your physical activity levels, most people need around 0.8-1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That means that if you weight 150 pounds, or 68 kilograms, you should be getting between 54-82 grams of protein per day.
Nuts, seeds, legumes, tofu and tempeh are all awesome sources of protein to add to your diet. Eggs, dairy products and meat can also help supply plenty of extra protein, depending on your personal dietary preferences.
2. Add Resistance Training to Your Routine
As its name may imply, resistance training is a form of physical activity that involves contracting your muscles against some type of resistance to help build muscle mass, enhance tone, boost endurance and increase strength. Weight lifting, resistance bands or body weight exercises are a few common examples of resistance training.
Incorporating resistance training into your workout regimen is an easy way to increase muscle mass and bump up your metabolism in the process. Not only that, but resistance training may also support blood sugar control, improve heart health, strengthen the bones and protect against chronic pain.
3. Enjoy a Balanced Diet
Even when trying to lose weight, it’s important to fill your diet with healthy ingredients that can supply your body with the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that it needs to function and thrive.
Weight loss extends way beyond simply “calories in, calories out.” In fact, what you put on your plate is just as important as the number of calories that you consume.
Fiber, for instance, moves through the body very slowly, which can help keep you feeling fuller for longer. Protein and fat are also digested slowly to help enhance satiety. Refined carbs, on the other hand, are digested very rapidly, causing spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels as well as increased cravings and fatigue.
Loading up on nutrient-rich whole foods can make it much easier to sustain weight loss long-term. Because these ingredients are typically much lower in calories than their processed counterparts, they can also help you lower your caloric intake easily, without the hunger and cravings.
4. Focus on Gut Health
Housed within your digestive tract is a community comprised of trillions of microbes. Also known as the “gut microbiome,” these beneficial forms of bacteria are involved in nearly every aspect of health, from immune function to nutrient absorption and beyond.
Promising research also shows that the health of your gut could also make or break your metabolism. For example, one animal study found that the beneficial bacteria in the gut were involved in energy metabolism, especially in brown fat, which is a “good” type of fat tissue that produces heat and burns calories more efficiently.
Furthermore, several other studies suggest that improving gut health could also help increase weight loss and reduce body fat.
Probiotics—or beneficial gut bacteria—are found naturally in fermented foods, such as tempeh, natto, kombucha and kimchi. Alternatively, you can also try taking a probiotic supplement to boost gut health and enhance your metabolism.
5. Take a Break from the Diet
Interestingly enough, taking a few days off from your diet could be an easy and effective way to avoid starvation mode and ramp up weight loss.
Even just increasing your intake for just one or two days can help regulate some of the hormones that control appetite and hunger, which could be beneficial for preventing starvation mode and promoting long-term progress.
For example, one study conducted by University of Lausanne showed that three days of “overfeeding” (eating more calories than normal) increased metabolism by 7% and enhanced levels of leptin by 28%. Leptin is an important hormone produced by the fat cells in the body that increases feelings of satiety, or fullness.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go overboard and start loading up on junk food just to bump up your caloric intake. Instead, try adding a few servings of healthy, calorie-dense foods to your diet once or twice per week, such as nuts, seeds or avocado.
Conclusion
Starvation mode is a natural metabolic response by the body that is caused by a reduction in body weight and calorie consumption.
While it’s inevitable that your metabolism will decrease slightly with weight loss, there are plenty of simple strategies that you can use for how to get your body out of starvation mode to optimize and sustain long-term weight loss.
Following a balanced diet, fitting regular resistance exercise into your routine, improving your gut health, eating plenty of protein and taking the occasional break from your diet are all excellent ways to increase your metabolism naturally and stay on track towards your weight loss goals.
