>From:    Wade Reeser <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: Caloric requirements

>>Interesting, how the energy needs for an average active male, about the
>>same body weight, goes *down* to about 1,800 - 2,000 cals/day.  We are
>>talking need here, not whatever you feel like.  Some people feel like
>>eating 3,500-4,000+/day, about twice the *need*.
>
>What do you mean by "*need*."  Are we talking about the bare minimum?
>What do you regard as an average?  Athletes eat alot more than this
>otherwise they lose lean body mass.  How are you justifying you remarks?

Need means need.  What a person needs to continue normal, healthy activity, both mental and
physical.  My remarks are reflected from my library research into the issue.  As I mentioned in
my previous message my sources are on loan and not available.  Check out "The 120 Year Diet" by
Dr. Roy L. Walford to find the reference to the study I referred to.  Who said anything about
lean body mass?  I'm talking about calorie needs of active people (presumable h/g) and activity
level.

>>There was one study that looked at work output in Indonesian farmers and
>>correlated it to calorie intake.  It was found the the more active
>>farmers that got more work done consumed less calories than the less
>>active farmers.

>This would be interesting, but perhaps a bit off topic as this seems to be
>addressing farmers.
Farmers are people, hunter gatherers are people, the subscribers to this list are people.  The
topic was "caloric needs" and activity level.  This means caloric needs and activity level in
people.

>It is commonly known that football players during
>training will consume in excess of 6,000 calories a day and just manage
>to maintain body weight.
Interesting.  However, I didn't say anything about maintaining body weight.  The Indonesian
farmer study, along with the Biosphere study, and numerous animal studies show reduced calories
do not interfere with normal or even reasonably increased levels of activity.  The Biospherians
performed 3-4 hours on the average of heavy labor every day, for a period of two years.
They were extremely healthy.  However, the subjects in these studies were on calorie
restriction, which does cause a marked drop in body weight.  Although, if a person is doing
super elevated levels of activity, like running marathons on a regular basis, they probably do
need to increase their caloric intake.

>>I believe there is a built-in appetite control mechanism that people
>>have, that tells us when we are satiated.  People (h/g's) are normally
>>active, gathering, hunting, walking around alot.  If we are sedentary
>>(watching alot of TV, or otherwise not active) this interferes with our
>>normal calorie input/output appetite control mechanisms.
>
>If you want to be big and strong you are going to eat alot.
If you want to be healthy and live a long time, you are going to eat a little. :)


James Crocker
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"Violence is the last refuge of the
 incompetent." - Salvor Hardin
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