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So far in 2018 I have had one ~1300-1500 calorie meal per day for all except maybe ten days (where I have gone out for drinks or have extra food late in the eve
by drewblaisdell 9y ago
So far in 2018 I have had one ~1300-1500 calorie meal per day for all except maybe ten days (where I have gone out for drinks or have extra food late in the evening with friends).
The strangest thing so far is how much my body has adapted to this - I skip breakfast and lunch every day, yet don't feel particularly restricted (save socially), hungry, or weak.
I am just one person, but I now intuitively feel that whatever passes for a "reduced-calorie diet" these days is what used to pass for normal. It feels normal, at least.
- bowmessage 9y agoHow were the first few days though?
- drewblaisdell 9y agoTough. I stopped eating breakfast (for the most part) a couple years ago, so this time it was just skipping lunch and eating an early dinner. Still, it took less than a week for this to become normal for me, and it has not been difficult to maintain (except socially).
- pknopf 9y agoI have a similar diet. In the morning, I drink a slimfast. The high protein helps keep my hunger quenched. I'll eat a small bar for lunch. Then, I'll have a normal dinner. Also, I've cut out all soda and sugar from my diet. I've lost almost 50 pounds so far. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and since changing my diet and losing weight, by blood sugar is that of a normal healthy person. Being diagnosed has blessed me with the motivation to not just "go on a diet", but to change my life.
- elcapitan 9y agoTaking out the bulk of the sugar you take in regularly is a helpful preparation for that kind of diet. Sugar creates short spikes and constant appetite. When you get rid of that, the longer distances of not eating become much less of an issue.
- chrischen 9y agoI skio brrakfast and eat a single larger lunch. If feel it’s easier to skip dinner this way since I get hungry right around when I go to to bed. No acis reflux this way either.
- snrji 9y agoHow much weight have you lost? Were you somehow obese? Were you fit? Have you lost muscle mass? Sorry if I'm getting too personal, genuinely interested.
- drewblaisdell 9y agoI have lost ~10lbs, but I was not overweight (on the high side of normal BMI, but I also lift weights). My muscle mass seems unaffected (or even slightly greater) - these days at the gym I only aim to maintain what I have, and my lifts have even improved slightly.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- workenergythrm 9y agoI have a few questions to put this in context: How often do you work out and at what intensity? Do you have a desk job? How many hours do you sleep per day?
- drewblaisdell 9y ago(sorry for this becoming an AMA) I lift weights three times a week to medium-low intensity (squat/deadlift/bench). I sit/stand and code full time. I sleep at least eight hours a day (sometimes more).
- Kenji 9y agoHow do you even deal with that? I'm on the lower end of BMI (still in the normal/healthy range). I am constantly in a state of starvation. My body burns through food like it's nothing. I have to eat 2 main meals per day to even sustain myself properly. The thing about low calorie intake increasing your lifespan freaks me out.
- jiri 9y agoSimilar for me, doing low calorie intake for most days and it feels norm now. Inconvenient downside I feel more in social domain than in physical domain.
- episteme 9y agoYou must either be quite short or female. The average healthy male would be losing weight very quickly at such a large deficit.
- drewblaisdell 9y agoI am 5’8, and if you are familiar with studies of someone similar doing the same thing, I would love to see them. :)
- krzat 9y agoI imagine you are still losing weight? Otherwise eating like 1000kcal below maintenance would be defying thermodynamics.
- croon 9y agoWhat are you basing this assumption on? The point of the study was that reduced calory intake seems to reduce metabolism, which is already vastly varied between two individuals. If you're basing your assumption on internet TDEE calculators those are often wildly misleading, and generally overestimate values. But on the other hand it's extremely hard to know how many kcal you eat, so if he's basing his intake on labels, those are usually too low (within regulation guidelines) because manufacturers want to sound "healthier" than they are. But to my main point: If you keep as even intake as you can for a few weeks, and you don't lose weight, that is your maintenance, no ifs or buts.
- filleokus 9y agoI have recently started doing something similar. One longer-term concern for me is non-macro nutrients (i.e vitamins/minerals). Have you had any thoughts about doing supplements? I'm also somewhat worried about the bioavailability of supplements...
- chillwaves 9y agoCouldn't you just eat more nutrient dense (but low calorie) foods at your one meal? Veggies are a prime example.
- stevesimmons 9y agoI had a same experience... decided at the start of January to cut out almost all sugar (and the nutritionally empty foods that delivered it). Once I decided that, it was surprisingly easy to say 'no danish mid-morning, KitKat after lunch, or candy mid-afternoon'. When the hunger pangs came, I'd go for a 5 minute walk or head up to the work gym for a quick 30 minute session. Then in the evenings, I found I was still much less hungry. Dinner was 2/3 the size as before, and no desire for dessert afterwards. I was surprised how my body felt this new routine was perfectly fine! I lost a steady 2 lbs a week through January and February, and am now back to the weight I had 25 years ago. Whether or not this qualifies as a "reduced-calorie diet", it feels great!
- symbolepro 9y agoIn India, there are monks who live without any food (and water as well) for more than a month or so. Initially, I did not believe but then I confirmed from many people and it was true. They basically do meditation during that period and gain their energy from nature.
- 55555 9y ago> gain their energy from nature. lol
- croon 9y agoThat would be the only 10 hour youtube video I would pay for. A timelapse of anyone doing that.
- symbolepro 9y agoSome proof for down voters: 1) https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Jain-monk-completes-423-days-of-fasting/articleshow/49616061.cms https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Jain-monk-co... 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahlad_Jani https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahlad_Jani
- harperlee 9y agoYour second link points to: > Prahlad Jani (Gujarati: પ્રહલાદ જાની), also known as "Mataji", (born Chunriwala Mataji, 13 August 1929) is an Indian breatharian sadhu who claims to have lived without food and water since 1940 Since 1940? This link just substracts credibility from your initial post.
- gliptic 9y agoIt's going to take more than some news article and some heavily criticized studies to establish such an improbable claim.
- symbolepro 9y agoWatch this documentary and see what people say. Hey HN folks, Sometimes science does not explain everything. http://www.lightdocumentary.com/ http://www.lightdocumentary.com/ Trailer: https://youtu.be/Ul82-jaDmlY https://youtu.be/Ul82-jaDmlY
- robodale 9y agoThis calorie amount cannot possibly apply to everyone. For example, if I spend an hour weight training and then later in the day go for a 1-hour job...I'd be in a calorie deficit for that day.