Pants.
Not only am I very compentent at health and fitness issues, I am also a survival specialist!!!!
Regarding your calorie intake (say 2500 for men 2000 for birds each day) it makes no difference if you eat 5 or 10 meals per day or one box of chocolates in one sitting.
You may be getting confused with what dieters argue insofaras if you eat little and often, your natural thermagenics (body heat) is kept up, thus burning more calories. But for mere survival it makes no odds. Also eating 5 meals a day will be psychologically telling you, you are full. Thus eating less and not picking between meals. Yes, I agree, therefore it may work if dieting.
As for Goody saying we can not cope with more thaan 500 calories at a time. That means every meal I eat my body is sufferring?? Pants. Lord knows where you read that from, I strongly imagine it is American or sponsered by a diet company, specialising in low cal meals!!!
As for starvation mode, the average body will survive about 7 weeks without food. Not a healthy option, but tried and tested.
First it will burn carbs (sugars), then some fat. When the body realises it is starving, it will store the remainder of fats and eat away at protein (muscle). Then when proteinous energy has gone whilst still maintaining fuctionality, the last of the fat will burn up.