I have dropped from 196 lbs, approximately 20%BF to 174, approximately 12%BF since April. (I had been as low as 168.5)

The past month, I took a hiatus from really tracking my calories while being on vacation, which overflowed into my training for both a 5k and a cycling criterium. I actually think I built some muscle during this time. My crit performance was, and is, my best performance to date.

I think the break was good, but now it is time to get back at it. (By the way, my motivation is bicycle related-- less me, more speed.)

My BMR is around 1900 calories, my calculated maintenance level is 2900 or so. My target is 1860-2360 calories daily with Friday and Saturday lax (but in control). I would like to get down to about 10%bf before I start my new cycling-specific training cycle (mid-October).

Anyway, I have had some success, so my approach is working (and maybe I'm not a complete idiot), but something yesterday brought questions to mind.

Yesterday, 1880 calories, 41% P, 37% C and 22% F (yes, fat was a little high I know). I ran (let me qualify--@65% MHR) for 20 min yesterday morning. I rode as part of a group ride at about 70% last night for 50 minutes (EZ night--avg speed 17). According to Fitday's activity calculator I expended 900 extra calories. Total in: 1880. Total out: 3900.

Will this throw me into starvation mode?

Logic tells me yes. I am neither hungry or tired, so my body hasn't let me know yet. What say you? Thanks in advance, again.

In short...no it won't.

If you would do that every day for a couple of weeks, yes it would. Don't worry about one day, it won't hurt you. The main drop in metabolism is because of muscle (instead of fat) being burned off. You wouldn't be able to make a huge change in one day.

What about three or four days in a row?

What about three or four days in a row?

I say, if you aren't hungry, there is no point in forcing yourself to eat because you think you might starve somehow. You will hear two different answers for this question most likely. Some people will say there is no way you can lose weight without eating more....I think that depends.

I say, you keep doing what you are doing and if your weight loss comes to a halt then change things. If anything, I think you should be giving ME advice because of the excellent progress you have made. Congrats on that!! :tucool:

Well there isn't a starvation mode per se, where a switch is clicked and suddenly your body starts churning through protein. It's all a sliding scale. I will say that i've done well lately at a weight of 180, 12% and 1800calories/day while burnnig a few hundred in cardio. I've lost more weight and my strength is at least as good. This was after a couple of weeks of fairly lax eating. Day in and day out it would hurt my metabolism, but in the short or reasonably short term it's been great for fat loss.