Hi Todd!!!

John:
>> This was in April.  I followed Neanderthin religiously
>> from April to November... and lost nothing.

Todd:
> John, I am going to offer yet another heresy.
>
> Neanderthin tells us to reject thermodynamic thinking and so not
> to think about calories.  Up to a point, I believe this is
> correct.  The relation between calories in, calories out, and
> weight is not at all linear.  But that doesn't mean there is no
> relationship at all.
>
> I believe the body seeks to maintain body weight by seeking to
> maintain equilibrium.  If you eat more, it will try to burn more;
> if you eat less, it will try to burn less.  This creates a sort
> of window of calories and activity within which you will neither
> gain nor lose weight.  If you consume a substantial surplus of
> calories, your body simply cannot use them all, so it must either
> store them as fat or excrete them.  Where else can they go?  We
> are not really equipped to excrete very significant amounts of
> fat, and our bodies are programmed to prepare for famine, so we
> tend to store it.  If the diet is higher in carbs, the higher
> insulin levels lower the "store fat" threshold, but even on an
> all-meat diet we are making insulin in response to protein and
> ketones.  And if there is insulin present, we will store that
> fat.

Very Interesting Idea!!!

> Weight loss is as unnatural as weight gain.  It's not something
> that the body was really meant to do.

I wouldn't go that far since during certain time of the Year depending
on the Environment People would put on More weigh because they knew they
would or might be coming to a period of time where food would be more
scare and so Weight Gain and Weight Loss was an is Perfectly Natural.

> When we have a lot of weight to lose and go on a low-carb or
> paleo diet, here is what I think happens:  Because of the
> anorexic effect of the low-carb program, we eat substantially
> less than before, so we lose weight.  As others have pointed out,
> as we lose weight our caloric expenditure drops.  So at some
> point we enter the equilibrium window, as it seems you did in
> April.
>
> Now it gets tricky.  If you start consuming fewer calories, your
> body will oblige by burning fewer, each minute of the day.  There
> is, of course, a lower limit to this, beyond which you cannot go
> without losing weight.  The trouble is, to go beyond this lower
> limit will probably involve hunger, which makes long-term success
> unlikely.

Makes sense.

> What is needed, of course, is a way to achieve a *small* caloric
> deficit without slowing down the rate at which the body uses
> calories.  How is this done?

Maybe.  But that might not be true for Everyone.

> Well, I'm not sure.  I have exactly the same problem as you,
> except I am somewhat closer to my goal weight.  I haven't lost
> any weight since maybe August.  Until just recently.  I think the
> exercise variable is the key.  I have been trying to apply Art De
> Vany's ideas about evolutionary exercise patterns, with lots of
> variation in intensity and duration, to prevent my body from
> settling into equilibrium.  I have finally lost another pound.
> In terms of caloric restriction, I'm working more on the *timing*
> of my eating than on the amounts.  After a meal, I don't eat
> *anything* for at least four hours.  But I'm still experimenting
> to see what works.

Maybe eating more Naturally and what you want could cause an increase in
Metabolism and therefore one could Lost Weight by in fact eating more -
Within Reason of course - Whatever that is though!!! - :) - That's where
I think each Person needs to get in touch with their own Bodies.

Also, of course, Exercise increases Metabolism and that can be helpful.
I guess I'm lucky: I basically sit on my ass all day in front of the
Computer and I eat whatever I want and don't gain or lose any weight to
speak of - I do go up and down about 5 lbs. between about 205 and 210 I
noticed and I guess that's my "Window" so to speak and is Perfectly
Normal and Natural I Feel and would say.  But I also eat whenever I'm
Hungry and follow what I think/feel my Body needs, so I guess I'm in a
State of Equilibrium as you put it I would say.  I have found if I want
to lose weight I just make it an Intention in my Thoughts and Feelings
and my Body does adapt and change Accordingly.  I have heard it called a
"Fat Thermostat" and that it's literally Maintained and changed by your
Thoughts and Feelings.  So people can literally Lose a lot of Weight -
or conversely Gain a lot of Weight - with Just a Thought and/or Feeling
- It's hard to separate them at times - or I guess whatever they have as
their Overall Self-Image.

In fact, I know of a lady who was quite Overweight and in the Hospital
gained around 9 lbs. in about a day or 2 I think while just being on
direct IV Nutrition - So she must have been having some Very Heavy
Thoughts and Feelings so to speak!!! - Her Doctors were just Amazed and
Dumbfounded.  In fact, she's the one who I think I learned the term "Fat
Thermostat" from or it was the Company that came up with the Program she
was on I heard the term from first.

I've also heard that if you Exercise a lot and stop that your Metabolism
slows down and you can gain weight.  So I would expect for those of us
that don't get any Exercise to speak of need to have the Body Naturally
speed up it's Metabolism to match how we eat etc..  So I think a lot of
it has to do with literally Talking with and Feeling your Body and you
should find that Balance within yourself - Well it at least Works for
Me!!! - I also heard that it you get Aerobic Exercise for at least 15
minutes that you get a certain Substance released into your Body for the
entire day that actually Metabolizes Fat for you, and that by Exercising
more than that doesn't not really effect the amount released - Sounds
Pretty Good To Me!!! - I did want to start Roller Skating again and
Trampolining - Which I heard is like the best Exercise for your Body
since it's the only one that really gets the Lymphatic System going
compared to any other type of Exercise; but I would be doing it for that
it's just that I really like it - Both in fact!!!

Well that's all for now All.  I think that this brings up some really
interesting Concepts and Ideas and I'd like to see how this Thread
progresses, and of course any Scientific Data would be Great but as
usual I really also like Personal and Real World Experience from People
when I can get it - Thanks!!!

 - Take Care!!!

 - Gregg!!!