Is the whole "you need at least 1200 calories a day, or you will go into 'starvation mode'" bull?

Seriously. I am personally sick of hearing this rhetorical crap. The fact of the matter is, as long as you are getting a moderate amount of protein (if you want to preserve more lean mass) and vitamins, most people could EASILY survive, with no negative long-term effects, for weeks or even months on a very low or no calorie diet (100-500 calories). The 1200 a day rhetoric is spouted by people that have almost zero experience in the diet/nutrition field and that just repeat something they read on the internet. All you need to do when you finish is to watch your calories to make sure you do not exceed what is needed to maintain weight.