Expert: Meg - 12/22/2003

Question
I have just found out that friend of mine is anorexic.  She would never allow herself to eat more than 700 calories a day and she would work out a few days a week.  Now, my understanding has always been that if you restrict yourself to under 1,000 calories a day, your body goes into starvation mode and stores fat.  How does someone lose so much weight so fast?  I am just trying to understand this so it makes sense to me and I can help her- she has lost 30lbs!  I just can't understand how it happens if the body stores fat, etc.....

thanks in advance,
Donna :)  

Answer
Hi Donna-

I'm probably not the best expert to give you a scientific analysis, but I will do my best to answer your question.  Also, you might want to try the www.something-fishy.com website which has a lot of information as well as if you want an even more scientific analysis, try doing a search on www.pubmed

In any case, yes, when a person heavily restricts calories, the body does indeed go into a starvation/survival mode and does hold onto calories and fat as a mechanism for survival.  However, generally it requires at least 1200 (usually even a lot more) for basal metabolism-which means for basic functionality and then more if the person is active as it sounds your friend is.  Ultimately, even if its not an optimal state for the body to lose weight, with so few calories being ingested and the body burning more with just being alive as well as the working out-the person will lose weight.   That said, often the type of weight lost in this way is muscle and can be very dangerous as it can deplete vital muscles such as the heart.  

I hope that your friend can get some help and that you can take care of yourself as well.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you, happy Holidays and be well :)

Meg