Starve Mode - A Review

No secrets but there is science

One of the themes on this blog recently has been that I am tired of gurus.  I have realised as I get longer in the tooth and a bit more cynical that there are no real secrets in this game.  Movement, resistance training, sufficient sleep, a sensible diet - they matter.  Above all, patience and persistence.  There is no magic diet, no new exercise protocol that will suddenly turn you into a lean super athlete.

With that context however there are still some good products out there - there are still people writing quality material.  There are still things to learn even if there is no magic.  The stuff that matters is the science, the evidence-based material.  Indeed, it is the science that can expose the fabrications of the gurus.

So many of the myths and misdirections are around diet.  The need to eat low carb, or paleo or in certain eating windows.  To avoid sugar or fat.  To think that calories don't count....when they obviously do.  It is not easy, but it is simple.  So many people are messing themselves up with eating too much....or too little.  You need to eat enough to get sufficient nutrients and to support healthy activity levels.

Enter Starve Mode

Which brings me to Starve Mode, the new book by Leigh Peele.  I think I first came across Leigh a few years ago when she was mentioned by Martin Berkhan with an interview.  Her name also cropped up on Lyle McDonald's site too.  More recently she was interviewed on Evil Sugar Radio by Antonio and Scott and that prompted me to buy her new book.

Starve Mode examines the science behind metabolism and dieting.  It cuts through a lot of the rubbish and mythology out there and does so with both common sense, clear writing and solid science.   There is no hype, just straightforward answers to common questions such as

• "Will carbohydrates slow my metabolism?"
• "Why do I gain weight easier as I age?"
• "What gives me true metabolic advantage?"
• "Have I cut my calories too low?"
• "Why do I gain weight at all?!"
• "Can I lose fat even though I have a metabolic condition?"

It is all really well done and not one of those 20 page ebooks which are full of black space.  This is a 200+ page PDF book with over 270 references across 17 Chapters.  What I really like as well is that it comes with a free audio book reading of the whole thing - 9 hours of mp3, perfect for listening to on the way to work.

Anyway, I don't want to add to the hype.  If you are interested, you can check it out in a number of ways:

A Free 30 Page Preview

You can get a free preview of the book from this link

Video about Starve Mode

There is a video here in which Leigh explains more about the book.

Affiliate  -  just to be up front, these links will give me a commission if you buy the book through them.  I have bought the book myself though and am only recommending it because I think it is worth reading.

Leigh's Blog

Leigh's blog - The Clutch Society contains a load of good information.  Her recent post on How we lose fat is a great place to start.