“Starvation Mode” - A Diet Fallacy
Question: I love the idea of a “diet” being more of a lifestyle. I like the idea of the warrior lifestyle, and have done it before. My problem is not losing body fat when I am on it, but I know why (food choices). My biggest problem before I start it seriously is the whole idea of “starvation mode”. I have always struggled with the fear of losing hard-earned muscle. I guess I have played right into the hands of those who oppose this type of eating style. Can you give me the low down on this starvation mode? Will your body go into starvation mode in a few hours or does it take days, and does starvation mode really exist?
The so-called “starvation mode” is one of the most misleading concepts among mainstream nutritionists. The idea that the body shifts into a starvation mode after a few hours of fasting is preposterous. If this concept were true, the human species would not have survived the primordial conditions that existed thousands of years ago. The truth is quite the opposite. When food intake is low the body will try to compensate for the lack of food by triggering an anabolic mechanism that inhibits protein breakdown in the active muscles while recycling protein from old tissues, broken muscle fibers, and damaged or sick cells into new tissues. There is growing evidence that humans can substantially benefit from periodic fasting and surprisingly rejuvenate tissues. Protein utilization in the muscle, after fasting or undereating, increases by twofold. In the Warrior Diet and the Anti-Estrogenic Diet, we take advantage of this survival mechanism via our recovery meal plan, and thus maximize protein utilization for muscular development - after exercise, as well as after the main nightly meal. Note that the cycle of undereating and overeating is critically important. Chronic or prolonged fasting (over 24 hours), as well as chronic low calorie diets, may cause adverse symptoms of a metabolic shutdown.
Ori's Warrior Diet principles are some of the most cutting edge and useful strategies I am aware of for rejuvenating your muscles and your brain. Ori's unique perspective and keen insights on integrating nutrition and fitness will catalyze your ability to optimize your health. I have personally used it with great success to rapidly increase my lean body mass, and I consider it a crucial component to successfully achieving your ideal weight.
I read your article/blog on recovery meals. I have also read the anti-estrogenic diet. 1) In your recent blog, you seem to say that after heavy exercise consume the recovery meal with 30 minutes and after intense drilling wait at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. Am I getting that right: when I lift, I can have the drink right there in the gym right after the last set, but after pounding the heavy bag, wait 30 - 60 minutes?? 2) You recommend combining fast proteins, slow absorbing proteins, simple carbs and complex carbs with good fats. Question: Is it OK to have a fast protein and simple carb solution right after the last set, have a fast protein and low GI carb about 45 minutes later and eat a protein (food)/fat/ vegetable meal an hour or 90 minutes after that - before bed? 3) I elsewhere read that the GH increase from heavy lifting can last for a while after the workout but as soon as one ingests the simple carbs, the GH shuts off. That got me waiting the 30 minutes for the whey hydrolozised/maltose-dextrose drink I use instead of right after the last set - to keep the fat-burning going but still make the 30 minute window. Is that a good approach? 4) Last question - promise: Naturally, I want to increase muscle and decrease fat. But, right now the emphasis is on fat loss. I have a friendly competition with a buddy (really with myself) over who can get the lowest body fat by Monday (a professionally done computer assisted caliper system) and a week later at a local college for hydrostatic weighing. I have been working out 2X per day for 4 months (fasted cardio in the AM and fasted lifting in the early evening) In this last week, I went to three workouts a day (early morning cardio followed by a 2 hour wait before eating, an afternoon drilling session followed by an hour wait before eating and a early evening heavy lift followed by a 30 wait before two recovery meals (fast pro and fast carb - fast pro and slow carb) and then a protein/fat dinner. Would it be advisable to cut the first one out to keep the GFH going a little longer to max fat loss? (I have been cutting my calories over the last 4 months at each wall/plateau I hit: six 500 cal meals; six 400 cal meals; six 350 cal meals; six 300 cal meals to 4 350 cal meals.) Depending on what home system I use (accumeasure, slimgard or tanita electrical impudence scale) I am between 2 and 9%. (its the accumeasure that has me at 9. But the same skin fold for a 20 year old kicks out a 2-3% - not fair - I’m 50) Oh - one more question: Can the process discussed in your blog (the window - the IGF1 - GH ando increase etc) be repeated more than once a day? If not is there a limit to how many times a week it can be executed?