|
Author: LeeV
Date: 09-01-04 14:59
Found this explanation on another weight loss site about allowing yourself 1-3 high-calorie days in order to 'trick' your body into believing it's not starving so your metabolism doesn't go into permanent 'starvation' mode. I was wondering if anyone else agreed with this and if any of you have comments -
"You must have a deficit to lose fat, but what you don’t want is a large deficit for a long period of time. The way to “outsmart” your body’s starvation response is to avoid prolonged calorie deficits. You simply drop into a calorie deficit for a brief period of three days, then – before your body has a chance to decrease your metabolic rate– you raise your calories back up to maintenance level (or even above maintenance) for one to three days. You then repeat this process until you reach your desired body fat percentage.
When your calories are kept in a large deficit more than three days, that’s when your metabolic rate starts to dip. By raising your calories every fourth day, you spike your metabolism and the starvation mode never fully kicks in."
220/175/130
Began New Lifestyle June 18, 2004
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: miranda
Date: 09-01-04 15:21
I've heard about this one many times, but have never been able to find any scientific backing for it. Even under extreme circumstances, like long-term anorexia or thyroid conditions, your metabolism only varies by 10-15% anyway. Also, I have spent long periods of time at the 1000-1100 daily calorie level, and never experienced any unexplained slowdown in my weightloss whatsoever. So, there may be some mental benefits to having high-calorie days, but I don't think there are any physical benefits.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
miranda
230/169.5/145
"I don't need to compromise my principles, because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway."--Bill Watterson, "Calvin and Hobbes"
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: Don
Date: 09-01-04 17:51
Yes, this is pretty much what I did. I didn't go crazy, just ran very low calorie intakes for three days (700 - 1000), then bumped it up to 1,500 - 1,700 for a couple of days. From what I've read about metabolism, the starvation mode only counts for about 10% of your total metabolism. It isn't a great affect, but it does exist. Some "experts" I believe overstate it.
Don
Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely
in a well preserved body, but rather to skid-in-sideways,
totally worn out, shouting... "holy **** what a ride!"
232/166/166
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: Ed Smithers
Date: 09-01-04 19:20
LeeV,
You'll hear lot's of people tell you that there is no such thing as 'starvation mode' or that your metabolism doesn't really change to any real measurable degree.
But here is what I can tell you beyond any doubt.
The 3-low days - 1-high day method of losing fat, is the way MANY, MANY bodybuilders cut-up for a contest. They'll do this anywhere from 12-20 weeks and burn off up to a whopping 60 pounds of pure fat without sacrificing any of their hard earned muscle.
And it has nothing to do with the fact that they are bodybuilders. It has everything to do with how the body burns fat most effectively... no matter who you are.
So...
You can listen to people who... constantly struggle to lose the fat; people who continually fall off the wagon because they don't see results fast enough; and people who are much too cynical for their own good.
Or...
You can listen to the people who have dedicated their life to building and understanding the human body.
Just like everything else... it's your choice.
Ed
Post Edited (09-01-04 19:25)
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: Doug
Date: 09-01-04 20:59
Well, 98% BS anyways.
As the other posters have stated I have never seen any real medical study showing more than a 10% decrease in the number of calories burned each day and that was only under extreme conditions.
One such extreme condition is body builders with a single digit body fat number. Your body associates a very low body fat percentage with starvation. Only famine victims have lower body fat than body builders. They are much more likely to lose muscle when dieting since they have so little fat that their bodies have a hard time making up a calorie deficit by just burning fat. They end up burning muscle tissue because to paraphrase Willie Sutton, “that’s where the calories are”. This is also why body builders are such big believers in eating a lot of small meals. A calorie deficit is probably going to cost them some hard earned muscle and keeping their blood sugar as level as possible helps prevent this.
What works best for a body builder will not necessarily work best for the rest of us. Most people needing to lose weight have more fat than muscle and their body will not need to burn muscle or resort to extreme measures like reducing your body temperature to save a few calories. If you want to look like Mr Universe ask a body builder for advice. If you want to lose a lot of fat ask the people here that have done exactly that how they did it.
I lost over 110 pounds and have kept it off for over 2 years without trying any scheme to manipulate my metabolism. I do believe in splurge days since they make it easier to stick with a diet in the long term. But I think it is important to recognize that a splurge day is exactly that instead of trying to rationalize it as a “metabolism booster” that will increase your weight loss.
Losing weight is simple but hard. Anything that helps you stick with eating less in the long run is worth doing. I use splurge days as a crutch to help me do this and see no need to apologize for it. Instead of bouncing from diet to diet and trying a bunch of tricks to “boost your metabolism” I concentrate on eating less and exercising more. Most people that have lost a lot of weight and kept it off have will tell you the same thing, as will most doctors.
Doug 272/164/170
Post Edited (09-01-04 21:02)
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: Ed Smithers
Date: 09-01-04 21:51
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Narrow-mindedness and lack of awareness represent
a closed mind, and a closed mind is an empty, lonely mind."
-----------------------------------------------------------
I haven't thought about that quote in a many years Doug.
I'd like to thank you for bringing it back to the surface
of my mind this evening.
Ed
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: Ken
Date: 09-02-04 01:00
first..who the heck is the Ed guy?
You know where we need to get a real answer from..a doctor.
-------------------------------------------------------
I was born an American; I will live an American; I shall die an American.
Daniel Webster (1782 - 1852)
working to do a little bit of good in this world.
Started May 1, 2003
367/314/250
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: LeeV
Date: 09-02-04 06:50
I like getting opinions from all sides on these issues. I read that yesterday and was very skeptical. However, it MAY work for some people, it's hard to tell. I have no plans to do it because technically I already have a high-calorie day and that's Sunday. We eat a sizeable Sunday dinner and it's the ONE meal a week where I allow myself to eat and enjoy it without rushing to my computer to log in every ounce of food I just ate. That's my day off.
220/175/130
Began New Lifestyle June 18, 2004
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Author: Lady
Date: 09-02-04 09:11
Oh you remember him don't you? He used to go by the name John Christopher. I guess he thinks he can fool us by using a different name. But I'm on to his game! :) lol
Anyway, I welcome his information, I think it's great to get different sides to every situation, but I really don't like his negative comments towards people. Theres no reason to put someone down just because they disagree with you.
Lady
|
|
Reply To This Message
|
|
Click here
for a great cookbook
with quick & healthy
recipes
Weight Lifting
For Absolute Beginners:
Illustrated Guide
CLICK HERE
|
