@AnAuthor wrote:
@smoolichen Starvation mode isn't a real thing until you get to VERY low body fat. Your metabolism slows a very tiny amount, but you will still lose weight. If you are gaining weight, the ONLY reason is that you are eating more calories than your body is burning. No matter what else you have going on, medications, PCOS, hypothyroidism... if you are gaining weight, you are eating too many calories.
I think there is a semantics issue here - between "starvation mode" and failing to eat sufficient calories.
Insufficiently fueling your body can cause problems like a loss of muscle mass, failing to lose weight, and damage done to other physiological systems when the body decides to slow them down in an effort to conserve energy.
As far as your link, I have to admit that Ancel Keys is not known for his studies. Well he is, but not in a good way. Cherrypicking data is more his forte.
Ignoring my personal feelings toward Keys, here is what the study found - in addition to the truly horrific side effects noted in the study, I've highlighted the ones applicable to weight loss:
Among the conclusions from the study was the confirmation that prolonged semi-starvation produces significant increases in depression, hysteria and hypochondriasis as measured using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Indeed, most of the subjects experienced periods of severe emotional distress and depression. There were extreme reactions to the psychological effects during the experiment including self-mutilation (one subject amputated three fingers of his hand with an axe, though the subject was unsure if he had done so intentionally or accidentally). Participants exhibited a preoccupation with food, both during the starvation period and the rehabilitation phase. Sexual interest was drastically reduced, and the volunteers showed signs of social withdrawal and isolation. The participants reported a decline in concentration, comprehension and judgment capabilities, although the standardized tests administered showed no actual signs of diminished capacity. There were marked declines in physiological processes indicative of decreases in each subject’s basal metabolic rate (the energy required by the body in a state of rest), reflected in reduced body temperature, respiration and heart rate. Some of the subjects exhibited edema in their extremities, presumably due to decreased levels of plasma proteins given that the body's ability to construct key proteins like albumin is based on available energy sources.
If you want to use Wikipedia again, then here is a quote from the "Starvation response" page:
Starvation mode is a state in which the body is responding to prolonged periods of low energy intake levels. During short periods of energy abstinence, the human body will burn primarily free fatty acids from body fat stores. After prolonged periods of starvation the body has depleted its body fat and begins to burn lean tissue and muscle as a fuel source.
Ordinarily, the body responds to reduced energy intake by burning fat reserves and consuming muscle and other tissues. Specifically, the body burns fat after first exhausting the contents of the digestive tract along with glycogen reserves stored in muscle and liver cells. After prolonged periods of starvation, the body will utilize the proteins within muscle tissue as a fuel source. People who practice fasting on a regular basis, such as those adhering to energy restricted diets, can prime their bodies to abstain from food while reducing the amount of muscle burned.
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