The whole "calories in" vs. "calories out" theory is pretty self explanatory, but the equation doesn't seem to be working out exactly for me. Ok, I guess you could say I need a little advice. This is a bit of a confusing question and a math problem all in one, because it's the only way I can think to express it in a sensical way. Here goes:



This is based on 3,500 calories = approximately 1 pound.



Person A usually eats 2,000 a day and maintains her weight. "A" goes on a diet and cuts her calories down to 1,500 a day. In theory, A should lose 1 pound per week, without exercising, because she is eating 3,500 less calories per week... so far, right?



Now Person B is a habitual binge-eater and normally eats around 4,000 cals/day, and maintains for the most part but gains about 5-10lbs per year. "B" goes on a diet and cuts down to 1,500 cals/day. Since "B" is eating 17,500 less calories per week than she used to, shouldn't she lose 5lbs per week?



For the record, I am Person B and although I am losing a little weight, it definitely isn't at the rate of 5lbs/week. Yes, I know that 5lbs a week is a little much to be healthy for most people, but is it really too much for me, proportionately? Kind of like how it would be normal (proportionately) for an 800lb person to lose like 20lbs a month from gastric-bypass...



I am just worried about my metabolism. Even though 1,500 cals/day is a reasonable amount for most people, does my body think I'm "starving" because it's used to eating SOOO much more? The last thing I want to do is stall out my metabolism when I've been doing so well with my eating habits lately. Sorry this was so long and confusing!! Any advice or insight would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

in a short answer, my conclusion would be that such a drastic cut in calories would make your body want to store fat rather than lose it. in other words, your body is panicking and is holding on to what it can.



I don't think that our bodies are meant to lose that much weight per week.2 lbs a week is max unless you are obese (and I mean really obese,not the way the obese word gets thrown around) and under DR. supervision.



also,are you sure you are really eating that much? most people greatly under/over estimate the cals they are taking in.



track what you eat for a week,(that amount that maintains your weight)then create a 500 cal deficeit(in exericise or food) for a 1 lb a week loss. trust me, the slower it comes off the longer it will stay off and your body won't retataliate by gaining it all back.



i hope this answered you question.



you can use this tool as well:

:http://www.preventdisease.com/health...icles/bmr.html

don't forget to scroll down and add your activites in as minutes (not hours)

I'm no expert, but I'm inclined to agree with purrpelle. When you join programs like Weight Watchers, they have you ramp your calories down gradually, because a sudden, drastic decrease in intake shocks your body into hanging onto all the fuel it has left by slowing down metabolism. How to get your metabolism back up? Exercise, and exercise some more.

exactly. the problem with WW is they drop your cals down so drastically you lose a ton a weight, pay them more cash, then plateau because you can't physically eat any less. that's how they hook you.



slow and steady wins the race.

I agree, and I'm also convinced that slow and steady wins the race.



I'm currently working on learning to eat 1800 calories a day rather than the 2000-2100 I've been used to. If I do well, I can lose about 1 pound a week. But I feel like I'm teetering on a precipice. If I mess up even a little, like I have two bad eating days in a week or a week where I only exercise a couple of times instead of every day like I'm supposed to, bloop! a pound, or more, comes right back! It's very frustrating! But I have no intention of restructing calories more until I get pretty good at eating 1800. I don't think I'll ever go below 1600.

that's prolly a good way to go if you want to lose weight. don't forget, If you have an intense workout certain days- those days you should eat a bit more.



I don't have any links for this info I am about to post, but I attended a seminar and there is some anecdotal evedence that if you change your calorie intake from day to day it helps stoke your metabolism.



for instance, if you maintain 1800 per day (12600 weekly) and one day eat 2000 and the next day eat 1600 .... still getting in your 12,600 a week it can help fire up the metabolism.



it makes sense to me when i think about it and also allows for those days when you feel hungry or you want to out to dinner. just a thought.



everyone has to play around with their diet and find what makes them feel the best.

Actually, I learned the same principle from Bill Phillips, author of Body for Life. He advocates having a free day once a week both to make it psychologically easier to be good the other 6 days, and to remind your body that yes, there's plenty of food, it's OK to burn that fuel! It's having more than one free day that screws me up.



BTW, I don't know if any of this is helping Katt with her original problem... sorry if it's not.

I like Body for life. it's one of the few "diet" books that makes some sort of sense.



I do cheat meals instead of days, because that fits my lifestyle better.that way I get a big Sunday Breakfast, Lunch with the girls and Dinner with a date and not feel guilty.

Wow, thanks so much guys! This all makes sense.



I have been tracking my food intake over the past 2 weeks or so on fitday, and I know it's not 100% accurate but at least now I have a better idea of how much I'm eating than I did before (this is how I figured I used to eat about 4000 cals/day compared to what I'm eating now).



I like the alternating calories day by day theory... that seems reasonable. I guess I forgot to mention in my original post that I've been taking an appetite suppressant to help me cut my calories (I know, I know.. diet pills are BAD!) but in years it's been the first and only thing that helps me to not eat like a machine all day long. I don't feel like I'm starving, I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full and make the healthiest choices I possibly can. It's just that the A.S. works so well that I actually feel physically satisfied on about 1500 cals/day, whereas before that would probably just about cover breakfast and I'd STILL be hungry. My appetite was really, really out of control....



But anyway, thanks again!

you are quite welcome. just don't forget to eat more on the days you work out... feel free to PM me too. I like what i do.



and this is all I am saying about the diet pills: they will turn around and bite ya in the butt eventually.....

it depends on your age, height and weight. 2000 calories might be too much or too little.




I don't know if anyone has said this yet because I haven't read the whole thread but your calculations might be a little off. Burning 3500 calories will cause you to lose one pound but that must be after your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is accounted for. You can google basal metabolic rate calculator and find a calculator that will help you figure out what you BMR is + what you normally spend per day. For example, my BMR is around 1400 calories/day without any activity. 1400*7= 9800; To lose one pound in one week; 9800-3500=6300/7=900/day. That aint gonna happen lol! I usually eat around 1700 cal/day which is probably a bit too much for me (even with my activity) since I would like to lose a few pounds.



I see that purpelle linked a bmr calc. I think calorie counting is the easiest way to go when trying to lose weight unless I'm super active like in the summer. Then I don't even worry about it.

yes, and the BMR calculator has a AMR calculator, (scroll down!!!)which accounts for your daily activity... sitting, reading, driving, brain function, digestions, etc, etc.



so gaya, if your BMR is 1400, plus 8 hour of desk job, plus one hour of gym exercise, you end up at 2550 AMR. to lose one lbs a weel just create a deficiet of 500 cals through diet or exercise or both.



1700 is not that much, but I don't know how much you weigh or anything.



my stats are this: I am 5'2", 125 lbs, exercise anywhere from 1-3 hours per day and my job is considered moderate activity. I eat about 2500+ cals to maintain my weight. ( I am a easy gainer: I don't tend to drop weight quickly)

Katt Fink says she's using Fitday, which has a BMR and AMR built in. You plug in your age, sex, height, and weight, and it tells you your BMR, then you plug in a general description of your lifestyle, and it tells you how many additional calories you probably burn every day due to that. Then you plug in your actual exercise daily, and it will give you a daily total calories burned figure. You can then create reports to show whether you're burning all the calories you eat and whatnot. cool!

Stop weighing yourself.