Let’s play a game: I will tell you a word, and you will
close your eyes for a few minutes and let your brain paint a vivid picture
associated with the word. Here’s the word - ‘starvation’. Now, I’m sure what
popped up were images of misery, suffering, pain or even death! Nonetheless,
many people starve themselves in order to lose weight, doing themselves more
harm than good.
Weight loss is not simple, but it is also not so complex
once you use science to understand the human body! In this article, we look at
what happens to your body when you starve for a long period, and a healthier
strategy to shed that extra weight!
What is Starvation?
In layman’s terms, starvation can be defined as prolonged
deprivation of essential nutrients. Now, this can mean extended periods without
food or with significantly limited food intake. Typically in the context of
weight loss, most individuals resort to the latter, wherein they restrict their
food intake and consume calorie’s way below the body’s requirements.
This huge calorie deficit can not only lead to unsustained
weight loss, but also make way for nutrient deficiencies, slows down your
metabolic rate, and impair biological functions. So, the question arises - to
what extent can restricting calories be harmful?
How much of a calorie deficit is too much?
Calorie deficits are popularly associated with the ‘CICO’
diet that stands for ‘Calories In Calories Out’. Since there is no definite
standard as to how much of a calorie deficit one can introduce into their diet
plan, people usually key in a random figure of their choice. Some opt for a
100-calorie deficit, while some get polarised and go for a 500-calorie
deficit.
A deficit as small as 100 calories may not create a huge
impact on your metabolic rate. Conversely, 500 calories is a huge deficit for
any average adult human being. It is very likely to impair your metabolism and
result in nutrient deficiencies even if you choose to eat healthy.
Then there are low-calorie diets that lie at the other
extreme. These diets involve consuming 1200 kcals at the most and can go
anywhere as low as 500 kcals. Giving your body just 1200 kcals for a sustained
period can make you severely undernourished and pose severe health risks.
What happens when you starve?
Let’s consider the calorie consumption of someone before
they kick start their weight-loss diet. More often than not, it is likely going
to be way more than their TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). TDEE,
represents the overall amount of calories required by the body, determined by
the energy usage. In simpler terms, energy expenditure encompasses a) your
activity levels, including both exercise and non-exercise activity, and b) the
calories a body naturally burns at rest.
So, when people start consuming fewer calories than before,
they also see rapid weight loss as the body uses stored glycogen for energy.
What is glycogen? The body breaks down most carbohydrates obtained from food
and converts them to glucose. Glucose is the main source of fuel for our cells.
When the body has excess glucose, it stores it in the liver and muscles as
glycogen. When the body needs a quick boost of energy or when the body isn't
getting glucose from food, glycogen is broken down to release glucose into the
bloodstream to be used as fuel for the cells.
When stored glycogen is lost, it goes along with water
molecules present in the body so we also see a loss of water from the body. As
glycogen is depleted and water is released, it leads to the initial weight
loss. After your body has used up glycogen, it then goes to burn some of the
fat to meet your energy needs. This leads to fat loss and numbers on the
weighing scale start to move down and that makes one feel better. When this
happens, people think they are becoming healthier and getting closer to the ideal
body they have always dreamt of!
Isn’t that a good thing, you ask? Let me tell you why it’s
not. In addition to fat loss, you also lose some lean muscle mass because your
body also breaks down muscle mass to meet your energy needs. Now, any common
person would lack the means and methods to figure out how much of the weight
that you’ve lost was fat, water, and lean muscle.
As much as there is the possibility to lose more fat and
less muscle, there is also the chance to lose more muscle and less fat. You
wouldn’t know what has happened unless you have been tracking your body changes
with a body fat analyzer.
Regardless, when you lose lean muscle mass your body loses
muscular strength. You will also experience reduced mobility, loss of strength
in joints, and reduced bone density. On top of this, starvation also impacts
your hormones which is more pronounced in women and can affect your metabolism
and other physiological processes like lead to irregular menstrual cycles,
unexplained fatigue, mood swings, etc.
Your body’s ability to burn fat also declines significantly,
so eventually you will see your scale stay stagnant - what is popularly called
the ‘weight loss plateau’. In some cases, it can even lead to weight gain. When
you have starved yourself for a significant period of time, your metabolism
slows down, and your body starts storing the food you eat instead of burning it
for fuel which leads to weight gain. So, starvation even for a very short term
can prove to be highly detrimental.
Impact of Starvation on Mental Health
Your metal health is dictated by your metabolic health. If
your brain does not get its supply of nutrients, it can have a significant
impact on your mental health. Nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin
E, choline, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc, selenium, calcium, and copper have a
profound impact on the brain.
Studies
have shown that the effects of starvation on an individual’s mental health can
vary. Categorically, starvation can impact an individual’s emotions and
cognition and lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, decreased
enthusiasm, lack of motivation and willpower, obsessive thoughts, reduced
alertness, need to isolate, etc.
Many people who use starvation as a method to lose weight
are victims of body shaming and find the need to fit themselves to societal
stands of beauty. You can look within to understand where your body goals stem
from — personal growth or external validation.
Apart from changing your perception around your reasons to
lose weight, it is also important to have a healthy relationship with food. Eating
mindfully will not just help your mental health but also support your body in
processing the food.
Healthy strategies to lose weight
Before you venture on a weight loss journey it is always
good to establish a baseline of what the current state of your health is. Some
of the key things that need to be paid attention to are your current body
weight & height, lean muscle mass: body fat ratio, healthy history, and
underlying health issues.
The first step to losing those stubborn pounds is to
eliminate all toxic and inflammatory foods such as gluten, fried foods and
sodas. Then you need to get your blood work and advanced tests done to rule out
any underlying causes that might be sabotaging your weight loss plans. Some of
these include an underactive thyroid, insulin resistance, hormonal imbalances,
nutrient deficiencies, gut issues and toxin overload.
Apart from food and nutrition, it is important to have a
healthy lifestyle that includes restful sleep, no chronic stress, exercise and
mindful practices such as meditation and breath work. If all of this feels
overwhelming, you can always sign up with a functional nutritionist to hand
hold you through your journey towards a healthier you!
References