Is Starvation Mode Actually A MYTH?

[@brianh6273]

You really hit the mark with the lack of sleep and early mornings. I was starting to think that I had just spontaneously become a morning person.

[@rgh622]

Just finished 4 weeks of grinding on a cutting phase so I can spend 2 weeks vacationing and not worrying about what I eat, except for hitting my daily protein goal. Listening to Dr Mike's tips on cutting and bulking makes it so much easier for my brain to absorb what's going on. Thank you RP!

[@AleksandarBanov-tm9ql]

so you just wasted 4 weeks to fuck around during another wasteful 2 weeks? congrats bro

[@maximumbrainrot]

@@AleksandarBanov-tm9ql Oh no 6 weeks wasted nooooo????

[@db19422]

@@AleksandarBanov-tm9qlwhats wrong with him wanting to look good and feel better on vacation? Get off dudes nutts.

[@nippler3343]

@@AleksandarBanov-tm9qlWhats with the negativity lil bro, how about u let him live his life…. Its not like he asked for your input

[@gmddolbaeb2191]

Lazy

[@zerohpc5]

You can get an empirical measurement of diet fatigue by tracking your waking body temperature during a diet. Mine dropped 1 degree (F) over a 16 week diet. 2 weeks of eating surplus raised it back to normal.

[@randyhill4183]

underrated comment

[@AllWordsAreDust]

Problem for women though is that our BBT fluctuate significantly during our cycles (higher post ovulation), so you have to also know your "baseline" for various parts of your cycle to compare properly. Good method though.

[@icebox1954]

@@AllWordsAreDust So that's why women often say they are cold despite the temperature being pleasant for men. Huh, never knew.

[@fyfaenihelvete]

@@icebox1954 correlation does not equal causation.

[@icebox1954]

@@fyfaenihelvete No, but it could still be that reason.

[@M1keDaly]

This video came at a good time for me. 5 weeks into my prep with no problems like this yet, but doing multiple fat loss and maintenance sessions all last year, I ran into these problems. I know I've seen similar information on this channel before, but the way it was presented here really resonated with me. Thank you.

[@codyjohnson9781]

I switched to a breatharian diet, and after subsisting on nothing but air for 2 months I gained 30 pounds.

[@lordlittletoeq8537]

Geez thats alot, I better stop breathing right now.

[@Gorgonzeye]

I drank one drop of homeopathic soda and am now on My 1600 Pound Life.

[@troyii435]

@@Gorgonzeye My 1600 pound life is just untold stories of the er tbh. You are DYING on life support

[@blacaaro]

The shitty sleep is the biggest problem for me. I always struggle with that when I’m going hard. Walking up 3 hours into your sleep sweating and full of anxiety, and rushing to the kitchen to chug a protein shake and start cooking an egg sandwich is not a fun time. I’ve recently learned that over-eating in the evening is better than under-eating, especially after a big workout.

[@CasualLeague]

Dont know if dieting hard allows you to pack a 400-500 middle sleep meal, that a lot if your cuttin hard throug out the day.

[@deathspank9573]

I fast on occassions and find a full day fast spikes my anxiety. I think it triggers a cortisol release.

[@NiekLodewijkx]

@@deathspank9573 It's hunting time!

[@pbc1232]

Needed this. Been starvin lately n' didn't know wtf was goin on. Thanks Dr. Mike

[@GM-kl4jt]

Thinking about studying health science at uni, you have given me the confidence to go for it, loving your work

[@fodaforce90]

I feel really bad that when Dr. Mike said ‘mass starvation’ I heard masturbation and I was like, oh it’s related??😂

[@andrewh3264]

I so thought that too. Glad it was not just me.

[@diogenesbarrel7350]

Glad I'm not the only one here lmao

[@BMTroubleU]

I really hope it's not going away soon...

[@toastbutt2226]

Sammmmmeee I heard that and went straight to the comments

[@leodesgarcons]

😂😂

[@RyanVoight]

I just want to say that I appreciate your approach to sharing information- based in science, studies, provable and repeatable. Thank you.

[@IronOathFitness]

Right! Dr. Mike lays it out so nicely.

[@taggerung_]

he doesnt mention any studies ever.

[@BlakePrescott]

I went through this dealing with an eating disorder. I was eating roughly 9,700 calories a week. I went from 172 lbs to 147 and I swear to god at 147 my weight loss STOPPED. My sleep was so bad I swore I had insomnia. I had brain fog, I couldn't think about anything other than losing weight and looking good. I started simultaneously losing muscle and gaining water weight. It is an absolute mindfu** to gradually watch your weight climb from 147 to 150 when you KNOW you're in a caloric deficit. I knew something was wrong so I quit working out for 3 months. I saw a nutritionist and a therapist and started eating like a normal human being. I started sleeping through the night. My brain felt normal. I stopped looking at my body and checking off a series of physical deficits. Once I got back to it and was eating enough to sustain me, I had the best physique of my life.

[@lucycartwright9053]

Really happy to hear you managed to get through this, I’ve had periods of eating disorder and it genuinely is a mental illness.

[@Horpetii]

RP guidelines work I speak from experience. I was newbie for fat loss dieting and could do perfect result for the first try. I watched ton of guides of course. There is overlap among the many videos throughout the years but even for motivation it is worth watching it. Thank you Dr. Mike and RP for the quality and practical content! I keep going on the journey - time to bulk after summer maintenance phase.

[@borutbezgovsek4937]

This is great man, kudos on bringing content out that's typically not public-available.

[@IronOathFitness]

Yeah great info that’s free99

[@Jacob-sb3su]

Hey Dr. Mike! Just wanted to say thanks for keeping me inspired and focused on my fitness goals. I make sure to watch 1-2 of your videos everyday, even if the particular info isn't pertinent to my experience, it helps me keep my eye on the ball. Started my fitness journey on june 13th (my 30th birthday) at an obscene 340 pounds. Currently down to 314 and if I hadnt been building muscle and using Creatine thatd probably be more like 310! Would love to see a video from you where you break down your approach from the perspective of someone who is obese (high body fat and weight). I find myself often having to guess at how your advice would apply to someone in a position like me. Thanks for everything you do man.

[@austinm8127]

Good job & keep up the good work

[@jackgude3969]

Crazy. I also turned 30 on June 13. Happy birthday lol. Congrats on all the progress so far!

[@jasonhernandez3806]

Holy crap. This video came at the perfect time for me. The RP diet app ended my diet early when I gained a bit for 3 weigh-ins in a row. I was feeling a lot of these and was miserable. Thanks much!

[@noloveforthehaters]

Great video. It amazes me how many of these perpetuated fitness myths defy all logic, yet persist over years and even decades.

[@nickdillard8417]

I was 346 now I’m 278 I have been feeling like 5 out of the 6 things you have discussed. Just signed up for your Rp program just moved to Detroit and Ive been setting at 276 for weeks and work out 4 days a week and have stayed the same weight and losing sleep for like 3 weeks this makes total sense thank you.

[@gravoc857]

Congrats on your journey thus far. Get some well deserved rest and calories. Consider that you found a warm tavern in the woods and you’re a weary traveler dropping in for a much-needed R&R. You’ll be on your way to continue your journey soon. But for now, a wonderful stew aroma fills the air & the barkeep asks what you want to drink.

[@thefgcsensei4482]

congrats! thats mad impressive!

[@PAlt-p6y]

It's hard bc I'm at the SAME place. Trying to do more calorie cycling and exercise.

[@nickdillard8417]

@@thefgcsensei4482 thank you

[@snowyperk1588]

Hi Nick! Sometimes we gotta ignore the scale & resort to actual measurements. Same weight but body composition changing. Stay well mate! 😊

[@westralianoffroad]

I’ve been in a 500 cal deficit since I started my meal plan in September last year. The last couple of months my anxiety has been through the roof. Nervous energy running through me. Jittery, what feels like dizziness and weakness, working out is an effort, extremely low energy, poor sleep and waking up every few hours. The feeling is almost like when you’re feeling really hungry. Constantly. And it been giving me anxiety and stress. Thinking to myself that I felt so much better when I ate whatever I wanted and that I’m working out, lost 12kg and eating well why am I feeling like this! Bloodwork is perfect. So I’m hoping that this is the answer. After watching this, in this instant I’m going to start eating like crazy! Thanks Dr Mike - I think this has come just at the right time.

[@thor498]

Do a week of maintanance every 2 weeks you will suffer so much less

[@thor498]

Do not eat like crasy find out what your maintenence calories are probably 200kcal less than it was befor you did the diet

[@kimmoffat6429]

I think one of the key reasons the RP channel has been so successful is because of how well Mikes advice corresponds with our lived experiences. Thanks guys! X

[@Mark-ks9jj]

Another really really good high info video thanks Dr Mike!!!

[@kramerx7518]

I dont comment often on videos but thank god that this video showed up in my recommended. I've been dealing with diet fatigue for quite some time now without knowing what was going on, bw not dropping etc etc. But you explained this very well and clearly so you got a new sub from me!

[@Snake369]

This is such great advice. Not only for body builders but for regular people. If you changed your perspective of dieting from crazy calorie restricted diets or extremely boring diets to regularly cycling between phases of restriction and maintenance, i think far fewer people would fail/fall off and we'd have more successful weight loss programs.

[@PTRT-ShawnBizanos]

For real, needed this. I was so damn close to a more defined six pack, but I was at the end of my cut phase. So, instead of ending the cut like I should have, going to maintenance for a few months, then back, I tacked on another month of cutting. In that time, I saw 4 out of the 6 signs that Mike’s shared. Now, I’ve been battling binge eating for the past month. Where maintenance for me is around 2,500 calories a day, I’ve been eating anywhere from 3k to 5k often. I’m just now starting to get back in my head.

[@nylonstringninja]

I personally had the best luck ketogenic when cutting to very low calorie consumption. This kind of information in this video is great for people trying different approaches to deficits. I've been tracking my biometrics for a couple years with whoop and I have my smart scale history. It is extremely clear to me, and I have graphs to prove it, that there are alternating periods where I am metabolizing and making tons and tons of energy, maximizing recovery and HRV everyday PRing everything and I can barely sleep, and periods when I am struggling a lot and will just store fat. If you know your goals, and work out what kinds of diet/macros works well for you, and you can work with or influence your body's natural performance cycles you can really maximize the progress and minimize the negative effects. We want to work with our body as much as we can and not try to beat it into submission. Awsome video Mike

[@JestaBl1tz]

kETO was a name made up for labellers lol It should not really have a name for easting a lil better I have lost COUNT at the amount of people i know on KETO diets that have never worked and most get fatter, But hay we all do things different

[@nylonstringninja]

@@JestaBl1tz It isn't made up. Ketosis is a real thing. It is when your body doesn't have carbohydrates to burn for fuel. It itself is not any specific eating strategy. You can get fatter eating a hypercaloric fat heavy diet under ketosis the same as any other diet which includes carbohydrates. I've had a lot of luck with extreme caloric deficits under ketosis. Anybody who has a food scale and understands what they are doing will have a 100% success rate with their diet.

[@This_Is_Cade]

Great video as always. Thanks !

[@Antoila80]

Thank you - I absolutely needed to learn this today. Lost over 70lbs through regular exercise and calorie deficit about 2 years ago. Stumbled on Alternate Day Fasting, and apparently I wasn't eating enough as I checked every single starvation mode point you outlined. Resetting as I write this. Thank you again***!

[@lucycartwright9053]

OMG this is such amazing content. I went through this earlier this year when training for an ultra marathon and in theory eating enough but had ALL the signs of diet fatigue and ended up just not being able to run at all, physically it became insanely challenging and it made me cry. I thought it was perimenopause but now that I’m eating more and weight training I feel great. Can sleep, brain works great, don’t feel constantly on edge of tears, looking leaner (even though weighing more), body temperature is normal… maybe perimenopause doesn’t help but I feel so much better. And totally credit Dr Mike for motivating me to start lifting weights again.

[@Dwilson1282]

that made me feel a lot better about my current progress thank you.

[@fdiw]

I needed this video 3 months ago I finally stopped my crazy 1200 calorie diet with working out everyday with runs, because after 3 months I've lost nothing if anything I've gained on the scale.

[@thor498]

You lost a lot of fat but you stressed your self into oblivion

[@tyrincarnate3854]

You and Dr. Layne should do a video going off on all the "calorie is not a calorie" fitfluencers

[@IronOathFitness]

I’d watch that!

[@Pr4Hypertrophy]

Dr. Mike is here to dispel all the things I thought I knew growing up. Doc is out here showing me I don't know shit 😅. Thank you, my man. Honestly, I have come so far with your help.

[@IronOathFitness]

Same man!

[@elicrews1469]

Yeah I just started maintenance last week and because of this video, I realize I'm still recovering from diet fatigue.

[@philcooper7044]

Just discovered your channel about a week ago and I just have to say you give such good information and advice.Yes I know that should be just a given considering your qualifications and yes it’s those that make me take everything you say seriously. Also love your humour, thanks for the great free information it’s much appreciated.

[@chaceclark1467]

Asked this question on different video. Thanks Mike. 👍

[@jessethejames]

Gosh I NEEDED this episode

[@Cheburak-guitar]

Man, Mike is feeling him self in this one. What a G

[@anubhavpatnaik8216]

Talk about timing good god. I have been stuck for 2 months on the same weight

[@olkid]

I'm currently balls deep into a gnarly pre-wedding cut, so this video is serendipitous to say the least. 5 more days to go. (I'm also currently eating 😍)

[@webtoonlord2754]

Good luck hope you look great for the wedding

[@gmddolbaeb2191]

Gl.

[@dealwolfstriked272]

@@JayKay-bb5qp post wedding bulk for a decade and they push their crazy food addiction on you so you can both be fat and happy?

[@olkid]

@webtoonlord2754 thank you very much, that's very kind of you to say.

[@olkid]

@@JayKay-bb5qp aaaaaaand that's exactly what this woman will be doing 🧏‍♀️

[@justinbaawo2566]

This is really a great video and it came at the perfect time for me..... Thanks, Dr. Mike

[@corruptedhooman3268]

12:35 , man thats so true I've been keeping my diet the same and weighed in today and i saw an extra kilo gained it demotivated the hell out of me , still frustrated with no lower belly fat and lovehandles fat loss

[@parhwy]

I could cry with how timely this video is. I have just gone thru a week of binge eating, shitty sleep, severely dropped mood and motivation... After 190 days of eating the same three meals (10,000kJ on a 50 carb, 20 fat, 30 pro split). I thought I was having a mental breakdown. Went to the doctors and everything. Nope. I'm just effing sick of caloric deficit and my body fully rebelled.

[@chemistress293]

Really good stuff, thx Dr.Mike!!! 😍😍😍

[@williambreeze2659]

Thanks DR Mike!

[@jonathanreyes-tt7ws]

Thank you for answering my question I posted on one of your community post kinda ❤

[@flammungous3068]

Thanks Dr Mike! That explains why I have been feeling off for literally 2 months. I haven't consciously gone into a fat loss diet but I have slightly adjusted my diet while also started biking to work around 3 days a week (13km x 2) plus started training for a half marathon and doing strength training. When I bicycle I paddle on like if there is a pack of wolfes chasing me. That is to say, the exertion is high. I have been sleeping like shit for weeks, no sexual interest at all, everyday things are pain to do and feeling slightly foggy. Seems like I have been pushing myself a tad to hard and need to eat more. Instinctively I would have just eaten for a surplus for a day or two but now I know we are talking a couple weeks. Thanks for the information!

[@rusty7830]

This video helped me a lot, thank you!

[@ChrimsonChin]

Thank you mike.. awesome timing for this video. I'm one week into fixing my diet fatigue already and this made me feel like I'm doing the right thing and you described exactly what I was going through. I need to stay strong and give and at least 2 or 3 more weeks.. or 4? Gotta stay strong

[@SippyCup_Official]

This was very helpful. I’ve been diet fatigued for a few days now. Storing water, not losing weight, can’t sleep, too tired to get up, hungry for crap I don’t like. Gonna come up from 1100 calories to probably 1600 for a few days to see if that helps. Almost to goal weight but I’ve been at a standstill for a few days not making any progress.

[@dariodenotaristefano1291]

Hey Mike, if you or Scott the video guy are reading comments from time to time and I'm lucky enough that this comment is actually read, please make a video on the following: for which exercises and/or muscle groups does it make sense using 1. Lifting shoes and 2. Lifting belt? That'be great. 😅🙏

[@blammela]

🤯 do you know how many weigh loss stall giggly water phases I have experienced w crash dieting in my past…. I would cry that I was “getting gigglier!” Always such great content Doc

[@davidramirez3428]

Currently on 12 weeks on diet down 25lbs on 1500-1700 calories 10k+steps, 2 pounds lost on average, when feeling really really bad. I relax a day or two and go up on calories to just below maintenance. Sleep has been normal. Method of diet chosen: fasting till after noon. I estimate 2 lbs lost per week on average. All muscles taken to maintenance for volume 4-8 sets max per week. No noticeable strength losses. I would avise, train the least possible and focus on going day to day.

[@PAlt-p6y]

Great job. Keep it up!

[@charambe9945]

Thanks so much dad. I needed this for my extreme deficit that I won't stick to

[@ItsFist]

Jan through March i lost like 10kg and I'm only now noticing that for the past 2-3 months I've been feeling MOST of these. Damn. Thx Doc

[@joshuasharrock466]

As a subscriber for many years and a friend hope you're doing ok Mike. Got a lot more than just muscle on your shoulders lately

[@CinemaTeacher]

What’s up with Dr. Mike? I hope he’s okay.

[@joshuasharrock466]

@@CinemaTeacher he recently quit bodybuilding. Not too long ago he released a video on gear talking about how when you're heavy on gear your brain gets like a brain fog... Now I only have a bachelors in life science from OSU and I'm not employed with my degree I own solar panel so this is just an opinion but the way he talks lately, the way he acts lately I'm wondering if he's.. Healthy

[@JestaBl1tz]

@@joshuasharrock466 Wondered this for ages, and im just a healthy viewer, JUICE is fucking terrible and if everything WRONG with GYMS

[@joshuasharrock466]

@@JestaBl1tz it is terrible. I've never touched it myself and I do believe you're like me we don't shame them for doing it at this point we feel sorry.. Well some of them are a little arrogant but doctor Mike is always been a nice guy

[@Mcsnoogans]

So far ive dropped about 24kg or 53 pounds from the 1st of May till current. Through maxs shred system thermo preworkout and eating about 250g chicken at lunch doing 6 days of training resistance training and 30mins of cardio. Eating chicken breast spinach and eggs my strength through repetition has exploded

[@lilybird7066]

Thank you for this video.

[@remish7717]

I was bulimic for years- wouldn’t eat for 2-3 days and then would eat 2x or more of my bmr in one day. All of the signs of diet fatigue are so accurate. It took me weeks of maintenance to feel close to normal again

[@lucycartwright9053]

Well done for getting through this - I used to do this as well and I think it took me years to develop a saner relationship with food and my body

[@seattlegrrlie]

Perfect timing. I just finished a 6 day stretch of no gym and eating at maintenance. It was amazing to not want to kill people for broccoli

[@PinkJupiterRoses]

Thanks for explaining this. I’ve been experiencing this for more than a week. Today was the first day I was too exhausted to workout and the scale jumped up 5 pounds despite me eating around 1600- 1700 cal plus a workout at for an hour and a half daily…. Damn. I need a hard reset. Thanks again for the knowledge!

[@ahnilatedahnilated7703]

I have done dieting during the winter months and I can do about 10lbs/month without feeling this but I am right at the limit. Mind you, I am currently 6'4" and 235lbs. I do 1800-2000 calories and a high protein diet, low to almost no carbs. For exercise I lift and walk. I don't expect to gain muscle just limit the loss while dropping weight. Then once I get to where I want to be, go back to maintenance mode for 2 weeks. From there I start ramping up my exercise and lifting with more calories in.

[@Matatabi6]

Oh my god your legit description of starvation symptoms is so spot on, although when you have eating disorder involved which in the western world it usually is it complicated things

[@grenade8572]

I try to lose weight. Everyone recommends to learn to eat only when we're hungry (and not when we're bored or anxious). I realized I never felt hungry since my childhood (I just felt: "this looks tasty, I have still enough room in my stomach to eat it"). So, I decided to make an experiment: fasting, and waiting my body tells me I'm hungry to eat again. I didn't eat for two days (because I felt no hunger). On the third day morning, I felt dizzy, but still not hungry. Obviously, I ended immediately the fasting (beginning with fast carbs in order to stop the dizziness, wich worked). So, my body would prefer to let me go sick instead of telling me I should eat...

[@foxbritten]

Scott the video guy saying “Jesus!” And dr mikes laugh made my day

[@sinan1909]

Timestamp?

[@dubot4076]

I’m currently hard stuck on 1600 kcal + 15.000-20.000 steps + 3x20 min cardio. Not losing any weight. Hallo Koi. As man. Stuck on same weight for 2 weeks

[@evanmiller5150]

You're missing calories in oils and sprays.

[@dubot4076]

@@evanmiller5150 i weigh my avocado oil whenever i use it.

[@____________AAAAAAA36]

Not to cast aspersions, but are you weighing your food? It’s very easy to be off with your calories by using actual tablespoons and cups.

[@dubot4076]

@@____________AAAAAAA36 I weigh my food + oils and use MyFitnessPal with the macros on the actual product. Casual 30.000 steps yesterday and a 30 min run (not included in steps) plus gym session ended the day on 1500 kcal and 150g protein. Another common response online is that I do not gym, but my deadlift is 190 kg, OHP 70kg 1rm (62.5kg for 8 reps).

[@iaretzeee]

really needed this video - been on a 1500kcal/day cut for the past 10 weeks, and down around 10kg, but the sleep the past few days have been absolutely terrible, i think its time to refeed for a week or 2 before continuing

[@berkaycicek9191]

Hey, I was also on a like mostly 1500 day cut for 2 months when my BMR (without counting the exercise n shit just basal metabolic rate) was 1700 or so and I lost 8 kgs along the way while gaining muscle as well, but last weeks no muscle gain, no fat loss is what its like, but I dont have the signs in video, Should refeed like you for sometime? or slight calorie surplus?

[@iaretzeee]

@@berkaycicek9191 good job bro, i would say take a refeed week just like me, and get back on the cut the following week till you hit your ideal bodyweight :-) good luck bro 🫶🏽

[@iaretzeee]

@@berkaycicek9191 im planning to eat at maintenance (2000kcal) for a week after, and continue cutting for a week or 2 at 1500kcal after

[@RuthWagstaff]

@@berkaycicek9191

[@berkaycicek9191]

@@iaretzeee Thanks for answering, I will try to do like you suggested, it seems like the best route. Good luck to you in your journey as well bro

[@PatrickHughes-z8g]

Best book to buy on nutrition I'm 56 trained most of my life boxing and weight training but would love soon some advice on losing body fat and gaining good body tone with some muscle love the channel you always give great advice

[@Nothisisrj]

Can you talk about FRC training? Me and my brother have been debating it for some time and you being an expert would settle the debate once and for all

[@picantejaguar5994]

Would love a video on what you consider to be the best machines available and what to look for in various machines. You seem to be at very into gym equipment and no doubt have some great knowledge and insight. Would love to learn some of it

[@Chronis_Christoforakis]

Hey there. May I ask what applies when you have been diagnosed with thyroid? And you also have been eating hypocaloric for several years. Thanks in advance.

[@stellaglodek]

Damn this is so helpful... I just finished a 16 week cut, this makes so much sense. Will keep all this in mind for next time!

[@Badddieeesss]

Thank you doc

[@docutains]

Mike this video may be the gamechanger for me. I starter TNT 3 months ago and have been on a absolute regime of a strict diet the whole time. Im showing every sign in extremity and was losing all confidence and drive for it. Seems like a taking a bit off may be for the best.

[@nickwilkin9845]

This is in someway hitting a note with me. I however am gaining muscle while still in a maintenance phase. I went though these symptoms as you described and just wow, at least I'm not going mad. However, I went into an excess for about 3 weeks and then went back to a "maintenance" phase about 2 weeks ago. But I cant stop gaining muscle. I am slowly reducing my food intake but F me its like I cant stop the gains. Some background. Was 86 kg at 10% fat. This was my happy place. Started gaining fat and going into this starvation fatigue as you described in this vid. For about 1 & 1/2 years and gained kg up to 92kg (at 16% fat) while constantly ravenous. Gave up and starting eating more protein and carbs about 3 month ago. Went down to 89kg and then just started gaining again. But, it was OK because... muscles right. I then decided to back off on the food intake again because I felt good and full of energy again. But the muscle just keeps coming. I'm now at 95kg and 15% fat. But feel I'm at a just lower than maintenance food intake. Like WTF? Would be neat if you could explain this? Not that you have all the details. It just seems crazy at the moment.

[@Daz555Daz]

My fondness for real ale and pies, combined with me quitting sports due to age and injury in recent years has seen my weight slowly creep up - to a point where I wasn't happy with it. So, I've been shedding weight for about 9 weeks now - I'm typically under 800kcal most days and I'm doing 45 mins of moderate weight training about 4 times a week. What I have found is that a sort of low level diet fatigue has kicked in about every 3 weeks and I find I lose some energy. When that happens I've just been having a day or two off from the gym, have a few more carbs for a couple of days, some wine with dinner etc and I find I feel fine again almost immediately. I'm 5'11" and started out at 220lbs in freedom units. Today I'm 188lbs.

[@BMulligans]

Great video

[@LocoBeeFPV]

I love the motorcycle gas tank analogy. Thats definitely how i regulate myself. I run the tank down to fumes before allowing myself to refill. Single digits bf almost all year round.

[@keadonyelich3159]

I’ve lost half my body weight (200 pounds) in the last two years. Anecdotally, I think there is some truth to it existing. The only time I’ve struggled to lose weight was when eating at too extreme a deficit for a prolonged period. I’ve had insane success fasting, specifically alternate day fasting, but spent 3 weeks eating 1500 calories or less and the scale stopped moving, I had extremely low energy and felt like shit. I went back to fasting and the weight returned to flying off, my mood and energy went back to normal. Can’t recommend ADF enough to anyone, purely anecdotal as well but I think it hugely boosted my testosterone, I could barely grow facial or armpit before but both started coming in after I started that regimen on top of very quick recovery from working out, zero soreness while making big strength gains, pushing to failure every set, etc.

[@brittanyhamilton3410]

So how many calories do you eat on your eating days? Do you double it so your body doesn’t think it’s starving?

[@keadonyelich3159]

@@brittanyhamilton3410 I typically eat at a 25-50% surplus if I’m working out quite hard, otherwise I’ll eat at maintenance. At no point have I struggled to lose weight doing this, whether I was eating extra calories or not, so I don’t think you need to worry about your body thinking it’s starving

[@channingpass]

Hi Dr. Mike. Can you set up a podcast/conversation with Layne Norton. This would be huge for both sides.

[@mr.giraffe5818]

Thank you so much mike. I had all these signs a while ago but i knew i watched your videos and had all the best info at my hands and i was able to easily reverse all them with a slight surplus

[@theFatTubist]

I’ve lost 200+ lbs, and this is my entire existence. At my lowest I was at 167 and now I’m at 190. I feel a little better, but I’ve never felt like I recovered from lots of the symptoms.

[@treygilbert2666]

I watched this and now realize I had been in this mode for weeks and was wondering why I woke up feeling so sleepy and drained. Thank you Dr.Mike gonna up the calorie intake.

[@lokevidu3161]

Thank god one of the more informative videos. The reaction ones were getting old, same advice “slow on the way down and milk the stretch”.

[@TumblinWeeds]

The weird thing is that people on appetite suppressants (like Ozempic) never seem to go into starvation mode…even though they suddenly eat peanuts. They lose weight with no seemingly slowed metabolism

[@truthwillprevail.7213]

Good point, can anyone fault this logic?

[@jessicahowell632]

Ozempic slows digestion and mimics the release of leptin hormone that makes you feel full. So maybe if your body thinks it’s getting enough, there is no extreme stress response.

[@Ktctwin]

I went 1 whole year dieting, running, and lifting. Went from 327 lbs to 166 lbs. During that year I experienced every single one of these things. The worst was the sleep schedule. Jolting waking up, and panicked for one reason or the other. Now I'm back to normal since I'm not going so hard-core.

[@brianclancy3565]

I AM A WEIGHT LIFTER /POWER LIFTER I TOTALLY AGREE ! ABOUT THE STARVATION MODE I HAVE HAD TIME WhEN MY APPITITE IS VERY LOW YET I LOOK LEANER AND STRENGH IS NORMAL AND THEN SOME DAYS I VANT STOP EATING

[@Marco-wz5vo]

Thank you for this

[@VANNO.]

Dr. Mike, if I do more cardio, can I eat more and still lose weight?

[@ZulousOG]

Ive never had a good diet since ive been an adult but recently started meal prepping in the last 3 months and eating really well and ive honestly never felt better mentally or physically. I never realised how insane the difference is when you eat good healthy food.

[@JasonTheOneAndOnly]

Glad you covered this, Kurzgesagt recently put a video out with some bad info about this kind of thing and they have a big audience.

[@TheRealPat316]

You mean the one about rethinking exercise ? Yeah, just watched it and they basically said that someone working out 5h a day will in the end burn the same amount of calories as someone sitting on his ass all day. Make it make sense.

[@alexj-t2331]

That channel is often putting out bad info

[@dangallagher6176]

Yeah everyone seems to be misinterpreting the studies showing sedentary western people burning the same calories as hunter gatherer tribes. This exact topic is a good explanation - hunter gatherers are in 'starvation mode' whilst sedentary westerners' bodies are working double time to burn off some excess calories

[@raven-19x]

@@TheRealPat316oof. They should stick to doomsday scenarios.

[@hannesgranlund8838]

@@TheRealPat316dr Mike talks about this too though, he even made a video about it, the phenomenon is called "non-exercise activity thermogenesis"

[@iamtheiconoclast3]

Some people (me) experience obvious signs _way_ earlier than what you're describing. About seven weeks into my last diet, I woke up one morning and just didn't have a lot of energy, mentally or physically. Weight loss ceased immediately even though I was eating the same amount and doing the same amount of activity. I felt cold and lethargic, but my cravings for food were only moderately above baseline. My point is only that the subjective experience of dire hunger and catastrophically low energy doesn't need to be reached before weight loss stops; for me it was just incrementally more annoying to not eat chocolate bars, and I felt fairly sluggish and crappy.

[@yuordreams]

This sucks. I'm a woman who's been chubby since childhood. The only time I was thin was when I went vegan, or when I went on a 500-cal/day diet. I've been dieting hard since I was a teen and I'm 34 now. I feel so messed up.

[@DanielReyes-hz1qk]

Something's gotta be awry. If you're still trying to lose weight and be healthier, I hope you've found your way 🙏

[@ravoress]

I thought this would be about fasting.. Instead It turned out to be directly what I believe has been ailing me lately lmao. Weightscales been jumping up and down(in a day).. My energy at gym is lacklustre.. ('heavy feet'/less energy). Cold(but it IS winter), Waking before alarm. yeesh..

[@HavasiP]

Dr Mike, you should do a video on your work with Kurzgesagt and the Workout Paradox. It's a very interesting topic with some new research and getting your take on it would make a great video.

[@Shadowlief]

This explains a lot. For a very long while, I was on an insane diet doing about 1000 calories per day. I noticed all the signs you mentioned, including the weight stagnation. My weight was at approximately 200lbs for a month like this, then one day at work, they had a dessert day, and I had a couple of items. I was really worried about it, but I lost like 5 lbs the next morning. I didn't like the games my body played while I was on these diets. I also spent about a week on vacation shortly before that, and I went and enjoyed. Came back literally about 20lbs heavier. It worked long term because I didn't give up. I had low energy, brain fog, lack of motivation, and bad sleep. Even lowered sexual function a couple of times. On this diet, I did cheat every now and then, but not crazy cheating. Didn't stop until I started getting lightheaded from getting up too quickly. I fainted once, but that was linked to girlfriend throwing up and my body thinking about it during that. I knew that what I was doing was doing was stupid and it was eating disorder levels of stupid. Would never do it again like this. Only did it because I was confident that I could slow it down or stop completely any time I wanted. I also went hard wanting to just get it over with.

[@mikevbushy]

Awesome video I hit a wall I think the last few weeks where I started retaining water and looking fatter even though I was cutting calories and training harder…I probably triggered the diet fatigue I need to probably rest more and not overdo it, sucks but at 41 trying to get to 10-15 body fat is hard

[@Alykar98]

I didn't watch full video yet, but i want to comment what i experienced while in deficit, and see if it is the case, and Mike talks about it in video. So on third month of slight caloric deficit (around -500 cals and lost 8-10kg so far) and weight training 3d/w for 5 exercises at one session, also no cardio, i start having - Sleep issues, for shit can't go to bad before 2-3am, can't wake up before 12 or 1pm. constantly waking up at fucking 4-5-6am. (i don't know why) - Lack of energy, on last weeks i start to want to "miss" gym, performance dropped for last few weeks. Also i can't bring myself to do any routine activities like dishes, or f-ng !!SOWER!! Like is this level bad. constantly tired, constantly don't want to do anything, but watch yt videos. So i took a week off. But it was erratic, so no plan at all. Didn't really helped me, so i took another week off, but with a meal plan so i don't overeat. I did a job, but not well, and not much. So in the end of second week i decided that i WANT some junk food, like a lot of it. I ordered McDonalds for like 3-4k calories. And next day.. I slept like angel, I went to bed at 1am (a bit later, than i want to, but still ok), instantly fell asleep, didn't woke-up in the middle if the night (my roommate works till 1-30 and comes home at 2am, also didn't noticed it) woke-up at 9am on alarm, and didn't go instantly to bed (my alarm is away from it, so i need to go to it, to switch it off. And for last month, after i turn it off i just turn around and went back to sleep). So yeah. Right now its like 4th day from this refeading, and i really feel ok, and energized. idk whats the deal, but now i know that this kind of thing exist and it works well (not sure how long will effect last, but still), and prb will do this every month or so, to avoid this energy drainage and sleep f-ery (but less calories so its not 4-5k per day but somewhere around 3-4k, so anyway above my maintanance)

[@Alykar98]

ok, i was right, it was the diet fatigue. And yes all signs are there. Also not much visual change, and also for 5 days straight, my weight stayed exactly the same, no joke. I hate when it happens. But it kinda sad, because it seems, that this one-day re-feeding thing, wouldn't work, and i need to go to bulking or maintenance for a few weeks or maybe a month. I already scheduled January to be a gym and diet off month. But it SO tempting to continue the grind, because i want that end-of-the-year low scale number. (fuck if u know why) AS always - great advice, and no bullshit, thank you for your work, and DAMN 2m subs! When did that happened? You had like 100k on Will Tennyson colab, when i joined...

[@GaryLiseo]

My old boss used to always encourage us (staff/crew) to have dinner together on nights we'd have planetarium shows. This was for a few reasons, two of which being comradery and brain fuel. He would often cite NASA studying critical thinking and hunger. Short version is NASA found out hungry brains have (basically) one thought: where the next meal is. We formed almost a family through regular dinners together and I'm still close with quite a few people I met through there (left 5 years ago). I've also noticed personally, when I'm hungry my critical thinking drops to about that of a small child

[@qballj4716]

My issue is that I know my diet fatigue is super super high to the point where I would eat anything out in front of me. But I’m also 3 weeks out from my goal and the thought of gaining a ton of body water scares me, so I’m conflicted on whether to push through and hit it hard these final weeks or to take a break, recharge, and then lose it super easily later

[@geoffreyrodgers5373]

Yeah.... Im suffering from this. My work has been suffering, thank God im eating back to normal tonight.

[@IsaacMason-id2ly]

We need RP merch!!!!

[@joebro4650]

Currently just got done being sick for 3 weeks, worked really hard in the gym for over a year but now i feel very out of shape. Need some motivation to get started again