Christine
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 31, 1999
Yes, exactly. You put a lot more detail into the post than I had. When I say go into "starvation mode", what you have above is exactly right. Of course, someone who actually truly starves themselves, like an anorexic, will lose weight. But as you said, it'll be muscle and your body shifts to trying to protect itself. But people who just do a deficit and stay with that non-stop get that law of diminishing returns, due to exactly what you described. At first, weight loss can be rapid if a person is really heavy, but then it'll grind to a halt over time.
Very well said. Muscle burs a lot of calories. Weight training is a fantastic way to help stay lean. Nothing at all wrong with yoga...except that I'm about as flexible as a steel rod. It just won't do a ton for weight loss.
Glad you see it that way also! It amazes me when I read the forums on MyFitnessPal how many people buy into the literal interpretation of "starvation mode" and believe that an overweight person got that way because he/she restricted themselves too much and can't lose weight so they use that as an excuse not to go into a calorie deficit.