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Old 01-31-08, 11:49 PM   #2 (permalink)
torialeigh
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 41

Weight Statistics

January 6, 2008
Start Date:
182.2 lb
Start Weight:
180 lb
Current Weight:
135 lb
Goal Weight:
-2.2 lb
Weight Loss:
August 15, 2008
Goal Date:

Body Mass Index
29
BMI Start:
28
BMI Current:
22
BMI Goal:
Re: I lost 22 lbs. in 7 days

Although I am glad you are losing weight, I really think that you should change your plan because it is EXTREMELY unhealthy and I don't think you understand what calories are and how they work...

The word calorie is just a unit (like inches or oz., ect.) that is used to measure energy. Food calories are use to measure the amount of energy that the food will provide. Our bodies then take this energy and use it as fuel (hence the phrase burning calories) to do pretty much everything from walking to running to thinking; basically living.

The problem comes when we take in more calories (energy) than our body needs for fuel. Then, because our bodies are designed to keep us alive, the body stores the unused energy as fat in case we need it later (famine for example).

This is why when we want to lose weight, we reduce the number of calories we eat so that we not only prevent new fat from being made, but also if we burn more calories the body needs to run, we will (in a nutshell) begin to burn some of the fat it has stored up.

Based on this information people assume that the less they eat, they more fat they will burn. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!

When you drastically cut the number of calories you eat to a very small amount (500) for example the body goes into what's called Starvation Mode. It goes something like this:

Stomach: Brain!
Brain: what?
S: He's not feeding me anymore!!! There must be a food shortage because he's not eating!! Quick! Go into starvation mode so that he doesn't die!!
B: Okay!! I'll get rid of everything that isn't nessesary and save as much energy as I can so we will survive the food shortage!

Your brain then starts to prioritize what is important for survival, decides that it is energy, and that the best form of stored energy is fat. So it decides that it better keep every little bit of fat it can. It still needs energy to run, however, but since it regards fat as too important to burn at the moment, your body offers up your muscles instead. Your muscle tissue gets broken down and used for energy, and the breaking down process results in water which then exists your system via the bathroom.

And this loss of muscle and water accounts for the weight loss.
And your fat is still there.

Besides not being heathy, this process ultimately kills any dreams of physical activity since your destroying your muscles. I don't know about you, but one of the reasons that I want to lose is to improve my leval of physical activity.

The basic fact is you NEED a certain number of calories to live healthily, and your body will only give up fat when it is certain that you aren't about to starve to death.

PLEASE go online and find a Calorie calculator and see how many calories you need. Many calculators will even concider the fact that you want to lose and adjust you number accordingly.

Also please keep us updated on how you are doing. Weight loss takes time and that is why this group is here! To keep each other supported and motivated!

Good Luck!
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