I’ve been struggling with this topic for quite awhile now, trying to find a way to describe why starving yourself to a fitter you is just not logical. I hope this time, my attempt makes sense. This time, let’s play with some numbers and facts. Let’s take a scenario where we’ll assume our typical dieter is a guy who weighs 200 pounds and has 18% body fat and has set a goal to lose 20-25 lbs.
Pre-diet Stats:
Bodyweight: 200 lbs
18% body fat
36 lbs. fat
164 lbs. lean body mass
Now, our poor victim immediately assumes that starving himself is the best way to lose bodyfat, so he restricts his calorie intake to a mere 1500 calorie per day diet and factors in some exercise.
Week 1
He loses 5 lbs and is of course, thrilled with the results
Week 2
He loses 4 lbs
Week 3
He loses 3 lbs
Week 4
He loses 3 lbs
Week 5
He loses 3 lbs
Week 6
He loses 3 lbs
After 6 weeks, he has lost a total of 21 lbs of weight. Well done! Is this really possible? Of course it is… Our victim now weighs 179 lbs and he lost weight steadily without hitting a wall/plateau, although there was a slowdown in weightloss towards the end, which is okay and normal.
So, he did succeed in his goal. Or didn’t he..? Let’s take a closer look.
Post-diet Stats
Bodyweight: 179 lbs
14.8% body fat
26.5 lbs. fat
Lean body mass 152.5 lbs.
Total weight loss: 21 lbs.
Fat lost 9.5 lbs.
Lean body mass lost: 11.5
If you judge his success from the angle of fat/muscle composition and not his weight, then he has certainly FAILED because 55% of his weight loss came from lean body mass. This drop decreased his metabolic rate and his body is now utilising fewer calories everyday than when he started… and this is what sets him up for his downfall… this is why you should never starve! Read on..
Now that he’s off his diet, even if he were to simply go back to his normal eating again, his body won’t burn calories as efficiently as before. The number of calories that used to maintain his weight previously will now cause him to GAIN weight instead! What a slap in the face! As time passes by, the weight gradually comes back on until he finally gains back all the fat he lost. This WILL happen:
American Journal clinical nutrition 1997. Dulloo “post starvation hyperphagia and body fat overshooting in humans.â€
American Journal Clin Nutrition 1989, Elliot et al. “Sustained depression of the resting metabolic rate after massive weight lossâ€
Quote:
“Resting metabolic rate of our obese subjects remained depressed after massive weight loss despite increased caloric consumption to a level that allowed body weight stabilization.â€
and Dulloo 1998:“The reduction in thermogenesis during semistarvation persists after 12 weeks of restricted refeeding, with its size being inversely proportional to the degree of fat recovery but unrelated to the degree of fat free mass recovery.â€
6 weeks after the diet ended:
Bodyweight: 200 lbs
20.5% body fat
41.1 lbs. fat
Lean body mass 158.9 lbs.
Now he is right back at 200 pounds where he started, with only one difference:
He has LESS MUSCLE, MORE FAT, and a SLOWER METABOLISM than when he began. He has damaged his metabolism and it will now be harder than ever to lose weight.
Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Your friend and coach,
DM
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Ok, so let’s say I am that guy in the example who gained back all that weight. what are my remedy actions to lose weight again, considering I have very very little time for exercise?
then please use your “very very little time” to do your own exercise
A lot of people be it man and women put all other priorities above health. Din, I think you are one of them. You have no time for your health but you have time for other stuff. But, once your body breaks down because of health issues. It will be too late.
Starving yourself to lose weight as what DM said is a lousy proposition. It is because they want to look beautiful. They refused to exercise and it is ok to go on a starvation diet. Sacrificing health for beauty.
Well, we’re all here to learn.. isnt it? Din, gimme awhile to come up with a good description of the right approach to dieting and fat loss. Until then, have a great weekend.
I like this… (Y)
DM, this is an excellent topic, zeroing in on how we need to target FAT loss instead of WEIGHT loss. A salient point to note might be that most of us have no accurate means of obtaining our body fat percentage and thus depend on the scale readings of our respective weights as the sole indicator of progress.
Chong: Agreed with you. If i am the one who been ask for it. I would prefer to say using more extreme example. I would like this, “Usually people will take care of their house and car. Make sure the car and house is good condition and clean. However, they are willing to abandon their body, one of their most valuable asset. They are WILLING to ALLOWED their internal body clog by those body fat due to those unhealthy lifestyle and causing all sort of diseases”
well, a lot of ppl think that once they lose weight, they are fitter, the same goes to those fake/misleading slimming ads where they make us mortal (esp girls) looked like some obese fuggers.
losing lean body mass is not a good thing…you should lose fat, not body muscle mass.
Great post. Totally agree with it. Exercise is always the best option for healthy approach to lean body.
Yesterday I passed by a weight loss center and saw an obese lady reading through the brochure. My mind suddenly began to wonder, why would they want to go for this option? Why they never think of having a balanced exercise and diet? I wish I could have inform her on her mind that: This is not the way it should be. Go exercise.
Yeah..I’ve been through it once. Starved, lost a lot of weight easily only to gain it back because I went on an eating binge (hungry, mah!).
Talking about wrong ways to get slimmer, a few days ago, a popular company which sells massage chairs had a promotion in a shopping centre- they were promoting among other things this belt which vibrates and supposedly makes your tummy trimmer. I wonder who actually buys that crappy idea. It’s all pure hogwash! I wonder if any scientific research has been done proving the effectiveness of that device. Anyway, I feel we should only take advice from relevent experts in sports science/nutrition/fitness/sports physicians, etc not some salesmen wearing some tummy-jiggling belt.
Hi all, I felt that for obese individual going for extreme weight lost program is one of their options since they might need to lose em fast due to health conditions. And yes those slimming centre should also try to instill in them a healthy mind set in losing weight, like exercising and proper diet. I feel that most people understand this part. Losing weight thru extra help can be quite tempting, even if u exercise regualrly coz it does gives u that extra boost to lose more easily than say just exercise and diet alone. Consider it to be an AFTER-BURNER if u will. Yes, I felt that company which came out with that triming belt and COWGIRL riding machine is a joke. It is as if they launch this items to MOCK the slimming gadget industry AND themselves. ALSO, I recommend you guys to watch SUPER SIZE ME, it will definitely make u stay off fast food if but for a while. :)
dc8585: Yes, exactly! Thats where the problem lies. Most of us don’t have a way of measuring bodyfat when actually, thats SO important. People who sign up for Personal Training sessions will realise that they always get the bodyfat readings taken, as its the accurate way of determining your success, and not rely on changes on the weighing scale.
amirfuadh: Yeah that damn belt. Its such a joke. Now there’s some sorta weird horsey chairs too! A friend of mine said he got pretty turned on watching one of the salesgirls on it. Geez.. I need to take a closer look at this wicked creation and what on earth its supposed to actually accomplish besides hardening muscles at the wrong area.
steveneleven: There’s another show on TV, ‘The Biggest Loser’ which is pretty interesting too. They don’t starve, they alter their diet, and exercise.
DM -the biggest loser might be a good show, conceptually, but it’s made for TV…and the producers will keep/maintain whichever person, which might not be righfully still be in the game.
but that old chap damn good, at least during the role reversal day, he did ran with his trainer…kudos to him!
wow the hot topics..DM can you give me the tips how to lose weight without skip taking dinner at night.
dailymuscle: You can get the personal body fat tester. A good one is Accu-Measure Fitness 3000 Personal Body Fat Tester. You can get it from ebay and ship it to your doorstep.
bjay: To sum it all into one sentence: Eat healthy meals, watch your portion sizes, and exercise.
ano: Thanks.
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