The Myth of ‘Starvation Mode’
I’ve started using MyFitnessPal and was intrigued by the suggestion by that app that very low caloric intake would induce something called “starvation mode”. I’m familiar with much of the scientific evidence regarding various diets, and I’ve never encountered this particular term in the scientific literature.
I Googled “starvation mode” and was astounded by the amount of misinformation out there. The basic idea is that a starved body will undergo a metabolic adaptation to conserve energy and thus prevent weight loss or even cause weight gain despite an extremely low caloric intake.
Look at any group of people who have literally starved over a long period of time, and you will not find any obesity. Some of those people may have a hormone problem of one sort or another (eg, underactive thyroid), and all have undergone metabolic adaptation to starvation, but none are able to pull off the miracle of obtaining or maintaining body fat despite a lack of adequate caloric intake.
In fact, patients who undergo weight loss surgery are routinely expected to endure what MyFitnessPal calls “starvation mode”. It’s part of the plan. Of course, they are closely monitored medically in order to ensure adequate nutrition (including vitamins/minerals) and monitor for known risks (eg, gallstones). There are risks associated with a very low calorie diet, and those risks must be weighed against benefits. Without a doubt, such a diet would be very harmful to a normal or underweight individual and should only be considered by a very overweight/obese individual (with proper medical supervision).
Here is a great post by a layperson about “starvation mode”: http://fattyfightsback.blogspot.com/2009/03/mtyhbusters-starvation-mode.html. In plain terms, the author explains that while there is some underlying truth to the concept (ie, the body does adapt to low caloric intake and weight loss by reducing resting energy expenditure), the common conception of “starvation mode” is a myth.
Struggling to decide: iPad 2 vs Xoom
I’ve set aside some money for a new tablet, and it’s come down to the $499 Wifi-only iPad 2 or the $599 Wifi-only Motorola Xoom. Either way, I don’t need much memory, and I don’t need a data plan since I can tether via my Nexus S on T-Mobile.
In favor of the iPad 2:
- Thinner, lighter, nicer build, slightly better battery life
- Lots more apps - Wife and kids would almost certainly enjoy it more than they would a Xoom. I would like to have Netflix, which is currently available on the Xoom only by way of an awkward workaround
- Cheaper (since in either case I’m going for the cheapest model)
- I already have an Android tab (rooted Nook Color), so this would be something new
In favor of the Xoom:
- I like to root for the underdog
- Black is more subtle, and the device is less commonly associated with “fun”. I feel like I could bring this thing to a meeting or conference, whereas I’d be embarrassed to bring an iPad 2.
- I don’t like Apple’s approach: Weaken the potential for full-featured web apps (by excluding Flash and similar technologies), thus pushing users to buy iOS apps, which are subject to Apple approval and 70/30 revenue split. In the long run, it’s not good for us users who have to pay more for Apple to get its 30% while getting more and more locked into a platform.
- Most of my use for the tab will be web browsing. The Xoom seems a bit better for that with tabbed browsing, Flash support (as of today in beta), and wider aspect ratio all contributing to this.
In favor of neither: I like the small size of the Nook Color. Not sure how much I’d use a 10” tab.
Already have an iPad 2 on order but thinking about canceling…
One of the Worst and Best Things About Android
One of the worst things about Android is that we are at the mercy of the manufacturers when it comes to updates for our operating system. Lately Samsung and T-Mobile have come under fire for announcing a new Vibrant Plus running Froyo (2.2) while current Vibrant owners have been waiting a long, long time for this update.
One of the best things about Android is that we are not at the mercy of the manufacturers when it comes to updates for our operating system. 3rd party developers are bringing the latest Android versions to tons of devices with little delay, adding great features at the same time.
Having just rooted and customized my Nook Color running 2.1, I was thinking of upgrading to Froyo (2.2) and was delighted to learn that CyanogenMod 7 (2.3 with improvements) is in development for the Nook. I’m running an unofficial alpha version of CyanogenMod 7 on my Nexus S and find it to be rock stable with many improvements over the stock OS. Can’t wait to get it on my Nook!
