On Tue, 6 Oct 1998, Gregg Carter wrote:

> On Tue, 6 Oct 1998, Todd Moody wrote:
> >
> > The trick [to weight loss] is to arrange just a modest caloric
> > deficit, without causing loss of muscle and metabolic slowdown, and to
> > do so without also causing an unacceptable hunger response.
>
> That is a major problem with caloric restriction as a route to weight
> loss-- the body's lowering of its base metabolism, making desired results
> more and more difficult to attain.  One theory is to confuse the body by
> restricting calories for several days then have a "binge" day (500
> calories or so greater than the daily rate of the preceding 3 or 4 days).
> This fits with Art Devany's depiction of the caveman lifestyle as
> nonlinear.

Yes, this works.  From an evolutionary perspective, body fat is a
valuable resource, and so the body tries to keep it.  Under
conditions of actual famine, it is the difference between life
and death.  Incidentally, this in itself suggests that famine
could not have been all that rare, or there would not have been
enough selection pressure to bring this about.  To the great
annoyance of dieters, we tend to conserve fat, apparently by
adapting to current dietary conditions.  If those conditions
change often enough, it is harder for this adaptation to occur.
The lowering of metabolism is the body's way of making more
efficient use of the food that's coming in.  But if we want to
lose fat we want the body's use of food to be inefficient, not
efficient.  This is why weight loss is basically unnatural.

Todd Moody
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