Comments on: The Magic Diet Number: How Many Calories to Cut if You Want to Lose Weight

By: Deb

Deb — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:40:30 +0000

I completely disagree with the calorie in/out approach. Shaun did get it right in that if you cut too many calories your body’s metabolism will slow down. It’s really about the quality of the food we eat and not the quantity (calories). I’ve coached people in a lifestyle system for the past several years that is scientifically based and effective. It’s really about fat loss and not weight.

By: Vida

Vida — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:45:26 +0000

I also use an online food diary to track my food intake. It also calculates my MER (Metabolic Energy requirement) for me, which is a bit more accurate than you BMR because it estimates your requirements when you are awake. Very interesting to see the difference between MER and BMR!

By: karla

karla — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:58:04 +0000

I would. Why? I’ve been overweight/obese since I was 8. I’ve spent time with the best of the best.. Pritikin, Duke, Green Mountain, Canyon Ranch, etc. Had a personal trainer and have worked out consistently for over 20 years. I’ve also been through two bariatric surgeries. Know what? I’m still obese. But I probably know a heck of a lot more about nutrition and exercise than you do because I’ve been researching this field for 30+ years now. Figuring out this disease, especially so I can help my kids avoid it, is one of my major goals in life. I’d probably never gotten over a BMI of 30 if I’d never dieted in the first place… but that’s another post.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:13:09 +0000

I’m doing the same thing and so far have lost 17 pounds by cutting back calories and working out 5 – 6 days a week. My biggest loss was last week of 7 pounds by increasing my cardio from 30 – 45 mins. I love it!

By: Shaun Chavis

Shaun Chavis — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 02:38:05 +0000

I should have also included in this post another very important number: My resting metabolic rate (RMR). That’s an estimate of the number of calories my body burns if I were to sit around doing nothing all day – the calories needed to breathe, pump blood, and so forth. Using the calculators at the websites I mentioned, my RMR is 1,671.

The reason it’s an important number is because I don’t want to cut my caloric intake lower than my RMR of 1,671 calories. Doing so slows my metabolism and can be a health risk.

I frequently get email or questions from women who are dieting and starving, or dieting and working out without losing weight. Again, I’m not an RD or an exercise physiologist. But many times, if women are otherwise healthy, they’re not losing weight because they’re not eating enough calories to support basic body functions.

My RMR will go down as I lose weight (not fair, I know!), and as I age. Exercising, including strength training, will help keep it higher.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:14:18 +0000

Shaun has another post, “I’m a 225-Pound Weight-Loss Editor. Get Over It.” that you may find interesting.

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:26:45 +0000

I’m following the same method. Works well for me, too. Slowly, you’re right, but I’m not starving, so I don’t binge. As long as I’m going down and not up, I’m happy!

By: Phil E. Drifter

Phil E. Drifter — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:25:30 +0000

Just cutting food won’t do it, you need to get at least a little active. Your body constantly readapts itself for a loss of calorie intake. You end up losing muscle instead of fat tissue.

Think of your body as a car, with sweat as the exhaust. If you’re 200 lbs 5′6″ you’re carrying about 40-50 pounds of fuel. The only way to use that fuel is to do aerobic exercises to burn through that fuel.

You don’t have to go nuts with it, but dust off your bike or go for an hour long walk each evening or 3x/week or whatnot.

By: donny most

donny most — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:25:09 +0000

You have a potty mouth phil.

By: Cody

Cody — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:30:24 +0000

Maybe she’s still in the process of losing weight.