Is Starvation Mode Real?

Kimmer,

I would like to know if there is such a thing as "not enough calories" cuz I guess it goes against everything I've ever been taught. Even Atkins tells us that if u don't eat enough your body will go into a starvation mode and you will not lose.

Is that wrong cuz there are times when I am just not hungry but I'm scared if I don't have at least a little something I'll stop losing.

PLZ PLZ explain.

... Kimkins member, Diana76


Hi Diana!

First, read this blurb from the blog about Are You Afraid To Lose Fast?

Second, consider that the very purpose of gastric bypass type surgery is to limit calories severely. Patients are expected to live on 500 calories a day for months. Doctors are OK with it and so are tight fisted insurance companies.

Third, consider countries where food is scarce and citizens very thin. Why aren't their bodies holding onto fat? Isn't that supposed to be what happens in starvation mode? Remember holocaust victims who survived on very, very little. Both groups lost weight quickly on very low calories.

Fourth, consider Optifast & Medifast. Their original plans from the 1970s were 500 calories of 4 shakes per day. The very purpose of Optifast/Medifast was very fast weight loss for morbidly obese patients. These programs now are available for home use and are gunked up with snacks, foods and "meals".

Dr. Atkins did not say to eat. Read his original 1972 book. The "new" Atkins is totally different and now allows more veggies, earlier introduction of fruit, sugar alcohols (Dr. A had once written -itols were "evil" until his company started selling them), fiber subtraction, counting "net" carbs, etc. IMO this was so they could sell their new food products: bars, shakes, cereal, pancake mix ... the list goes on. They wanted to remove the controversy about Atkins and they wanted to sell products and frozen dinners.

Yes, you've been cautioned against low calories. But you've also been cautioned not to lose more than 1-2 lbs a week. Now, if that interests you there's always Weight Watchers -- but for my money, it's old, old, old rhetoric: 1200 calories and 1-2 lbs a week should be enshrined in an antiques museum.

I much prefer the super fast weight loss at Kimkins.com!

Look at the big losers at Kimkins. People who are losing 16 pounds in a week! At least 5 who have lost 100+ pounds in 5-6 months! That doesn't happen by forcing yourself calories.

Ketosis removes your appetite and you eat much less. Ketosis is a gift. Think of it as gastric bypass without the surgery.