My Body Screams – “Save My Ecosystem”
This weekend I gained some practical knowledge about the term “starvation mode” and weight loss.
Starvation mode basically means that your body thinks that you’re trying to kill it, so it stops listening to the weight loss signals you’re giving it – like eating less, exercising more etc – and starts to consume muscle and store fat. It makes since when you think about it. If your body has to survive why keep muscle that uses more energy when it can be used for energy now? So you begin to cannibalize yourself. Pleasant. At least it doesn’t use a fork and a knife!
By losing muscle and preserving fat your body can make sure that you go 30 days without eating food. Which is a pretty amazing feat when you think about it. So you will lose weight – but it will be all the wrong stuff. Muscle first – fat last. And the metabolism slows down so anything you do consume gets stored in favor of burning muscle. Not exactly the way you want to go.
Saturday I ate too much pizza (Conner’s birthday party), then I did a true fast for 24 hours, and the end result is Monday my weight is basically unchanged – but my body fat percentage has gone up. I can correct that easy enough, so I am not disappointed. This is just another experiment for me to figure out. But now I know how things work a little better by my own experience.
Cleansing on the other hand allowed me to eat less food, but food that was good for me, and lose more weight -while at the same time just dropping the fat. Seems like a good deal to me!
On my goals.
I succeeded on the miles one. I put in just shy of 15 miles. So I feel good about that one.
I drank lots of water. I did not measure it as well this time, but taking into account the true fast on Sunday I feel that I did good here.
As noted above – my weight loss goal was not met. But it was part of an experiment as well, so I’ll mark it up as a success, because I did accomplish something here (knowledge wise). Just not 100% what I wanted.
And I failed miserable with sleep. I’ve been trying to help get some products launched with work, and there are been some extenuating circumstances that have contributed to me getting even less sleep than I usually do. So, I went backwards on this one. Not good. Sleep is critical to weight loss. So I will HAVE to do better on this if I’m going to keep losing the right kind of weight.
I’d give it about a B in performance for the weekend.
How did you all do? I’d love to hear your success (and struggles even) as well. We’ll all work on it together.
Make it a great week!
Matthew Stearmer
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Comments
After a long work out this morning things were looking a little better. I lost a little more weight than I expected after working out.
Typically I measure after working out, and I fluctuate about 2 lbs – glycogen and water loss of course. But that thing that surprised me was the change in the body fat percentage. That moved about 3% down. The way that I understand it is that the electrical impedance test measures resistance. Fat resists less than lean body mass. But if you've consumed a lot of salt (like in my store made pizzas) then the higher sodium and throw off the result because the salt will conduct the electricity better.
So after working out, drinking a lot, and sweating out all the salt I got a better measurement.
Bottom line is straight fasting is not quite as dramatically different than cleansing, but there is a difference (1% vs 3% on the lean body mass percentage). And any measure you can take over just a few days is quite dramatic in its own right.
I just had to clarify that point. And upgrade the weekend score to a B+. I should have been better on the pizza and sleep. But overall I'm generally pleased now.
Ahhh, birthday parties. Since our kids don't really eat cake, we do donut cakes, which are basically several dozen donuts of some variety piled on top of each other to resemble a cake. The donuts at Conner's party barely made it to the table before the ravening hoards of young boys pounced on them – pizza could wait, donuts were here! So we didn't actually get a cake tower made out of them, but a good time and much feasting was had. And Matt did order one veggie pizza so he did not totally succumb to naughty pizza in all its cheesy glory. It was not really a health- friendly day for any of us, but there was a lot of walking.
I'm not sure the veggie pizza qualifies as “healthy” in any way. But it does add a little more roughage, which has got to help a little.
I found a website about BIA (which if I understand from your blog is what you use to figure body-fat percentage — your scale, correct?). This was interesting to me, and I know you like numbers and stuff so… http://nutrition.uvm.edu/bodycomp/bia/
One thing I am curious if you take into account is your hydration levels and not just the salt levels. If you are drinking a lot or sweating a lot, that changes your hydration levels too. More water = higher conductivity and lower impedance and give a low and inaccurate body fat composition.
I'm not being critical here… you're just making me learn stuff again, man!
/sigh
I do not feel that you are being critical at all! The basic answer is yes.
This is a good question. I try to always measure after I have exercised. I
drink while I am working out, but I cannot drink as fast as I sweat. So my
hydration levels will be near their lowest levels of the day. I will drink
48 oz of water generally during a long workout in the morning. I try to keep
things consistent so the tests are as accurate as possible. So if anything I
am over estimating my body fat this way. But regardless the main point is
the consistency.
Based on the site it would be best to test myself in the evening after
working out instead of in the morning. And a couple of hours after eating or
drinking.
I will be sure to do that to see what the difference is. But I will have to
continue to measure after my workouts as well, so I can stay consistent with
all of my data so far. Also the scale that I have apparently only measure
the lower part of my body best. So it might not be taking into consideration
the fat still around my middle.
But again, the point for me is consistence within itself. I know that if I
keep my conditions and scale the same it will at least be accurate to
itself, even if the overall % is off.
Thanks for the comment and the link. I learned a few more things.
How do you determine your rate of perspiration during your workouts?
The point about consistence made sense. Even if it the number is not 'accurate' in the strictest sense of the word, it should give you a relative comparison in how you are doing.
To be honest I have no idea. I try to stay as hydrated as possible. I drink
A LOT of water during the day (which does help aid in fat loss). And I can
really tell if I even begin to get dehydrated a little. But I honestly have
no idea what my hydration level is exactly other than how I feel. And then
based on that “feeling” trying to be as consistent as possible.
I figure that over time I cannot beat the system if I am constantly drinking
over about a gallon a day then I will constantly be hydrating myself
sufficiently and over time I will see real weight loss, where as in any
given day I may see just water loss, or water miscues given to the scale.
But that is something hard to cheat over time. You can only let your body
lose so much water without detrimental results, or showing weight gain when
you start hydrating properly again.
Fun conversation and thoughts. Thanks for posting as always!
Just found this site too:
http://coachlevi.com/training/how-to-determine-...
I can't vouch for the author's level of knowledge, but it seems a logical way to determine water loss during exercise.
In my opinion he is missing several things – or at least under estimating
their value. I soak my clothes well before the workout is over and just drip
onto the pad. Its disgusting really. There is no way to account for that.
And in Utah's dry climate – evaporation is a huge issue.
But that is just part of it. On a long ride or run you will use up much of
the glycogen stores in the muscle. This energy molecule makes up to 1/3 of
the muscle volume and contributes considerably to the weight of the muscle.
So in a long ride you could lose a pound of that as well.
I can fluctuate about 3 lbs before and after workouts but I do not think
that I could consider that my water loss rate.
Just my opinion:) I'm never short on those.
I'm curious if in the case of your daughters if they would be dumbelles?
Not sure if there is any spelling protocol on this. 
No! That could be construed as sexist, and you know where I stand on that
sort of a thing.
I did think that it was a fun title. I've been trying to get more
creative about those. I also need to get a good closing line. Some type of
over and out, make it a great day, etc… something catchy to close each
post.
Any ideas?
thanks for inspiring me to have another cleanse day. And to put my health goals on the line. Thanks for all that you are sharing. it definitely helps with perspective. and I love all your science and stats.
I just like to know what I'm talking about. I think that knowledge breeds
confidence. The more that I test the more evidence I can see that this
really does work. It is easy to stand behind a product that I personally can
see working. I hope that it helps someone else. Some have the gift of trust.
I hope by providing the evidence I'm able to help others speed up the
process a little. Doing all the testing means that I find some less
effective ways to do it. Oh well. It is all part of the game and I enjoy it
all.
Thanks again for the post.
Nice write up and blog , Thanks for sharing all those good info
My Best regards
Moris
http://xtonlinegame.com
Hi there, thanks for the comment. I appreciate you taking a look at my
site. I post everyday, but if there are questions you would like me
research I'd be glad to do that for you.
Thanks again for the comment.
Matthew Stearmer
Starvation is not the way to lose weight. As you've rightly mentioned that your metabolism adjusts to your new dieting.
I usually go for a veggie diet and avoid fatty foods, beverages, alcohol, pizzas, burgers, butter and cheese. I go for a brisk walk for about 2 Kms everyday. That way I keep my weight under control.
Eating lesser calories than burning will have a positive effect on weight loss.
Kalavani
Very interesting! I found another effective way of weight loss from this post. But I wonder if starvation is the best way to weight loss. So far I knew from various sources that Dieting is the very common way to loose your weight among woman. Anyway, I have a question regarding drinking of water everyday. Nowadays, I don't drink too much and I sweat a lot as it is Summer here (India). I have noticed that I feel very sleepy after coming from the office. Is it due to dehydration? I have been struggling for few months to reduce my belly. I walk a lot but still don't find it useful to reduce my belly. Can you please help?
This is a good article.Now a days so many people suffaring from this.this is very useful to whose people trying to weight loss.this above article mention some tips if follows this tips change in our body.thanks stearmer
Thank you for sharing your results in your blog. It saves me from making the same mistake. Too often people say that if you just starve yourself for a day or two you will lose weight. You have shown that not only do you not lose weight but you can damage you body. I am having trouble with the walking part of my weight loss. I get bored too easily when I am walking. What do you do to keep from being bored?
This is a nice article give us idea about Cleanse and weight loss.By reading this article we can reduce our weight by following Diet trips . I am doing this presently .
I've heard of this cind losing weight before, that sound good. Tnx for sharing the experience, I have been on starvation and seen the same results as you describe. Not to mention the starvation bad for your health and anorexy problems can start.
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