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Metabolic Advantage - my test results



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 15th, 2004, 08:55 AM
Doug Lerner
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Metabolic Advantage - my test results

Intro
-----

I would not have easily believed it if I didn't actually measure it myself
on my own body, but there does seem to be a definite, measurable, obvious
metabolic advantage on Atkins.

I am willing to share my data with anybody who wants to double-check my math
on this, because this really is an important issue and is actual physical
evidence of an important natural metabolic phenomenon that can really help
obese people who are trying to lose weight.

Diet History for this test
--------------------------

2/19/2003 through 3/1/2004

On 2/19/2003 I started Atkins and lost weight regularly until the fall
of last year, when my weight loss slowed to nothing. In February of this
year, my weight actually started to gradually creep up again. I believe I
was eating both too many calories and simultaneously letting my previously
rigorous counting of carbs get lax, and so was experiencing carb creep.
According to periodic lab results, I had apparently dropped out of ketosis
as early as 3 or 4 months into Atkins.

3/2/2004 through 3/26/2004 (Low cal diet)

From 3/2/2004 through 3/26/2004 I followed a low-calorie diet without
specific carb limits but "trying to maintain low carbs as much as possible".
Over those 25 days I lost 7.7 lb. My average daily intake was 1675 calories
and 72.2 carbs. I experienced relatively high hunger and cravings throughout
this period.

3/27/2004 through 4/14/2004 (Low carb diet)

Then, from 3/27/2004 through 4/14/2004 I switched to a very low-carb
diet of less than 20 carbs per day, with no particular restriction on
calories. Over these next 19 days I also lost 7.7 lb. My average daily
intake was 1797 calories and 12.9 carbs. Ketostix also showed me to be in
ketosis 3 days out of the 4 days I tested during this period. From the 4th
day of this period, except for one day, my appetite was kept in complete
control with no cravings.


I have a journal of everything I ate from 3/2/2004 through 4/14/2004 with
detailed calorie and carb counts and would be glad to share it.

As a side-note, I had no sugar alcohols or foods with glycerin or other
controversial "carbs that don't need to be counted" during this period. I
did subtract fiber from total carb count. I had cheese almost daily,
including cottage cheese. I ate no fruits during the low-carb period, but
did during the low-cal period. I also ate no nuts because of a lack of real
consensus about their total carb counts. I may try small amounts in the
future.

I drank mostly water and green tea during this period. I would say half and
half of each. I had two 500 ml bottles of diet coke during the total period
and one alcoholic drink - a gin and tonic.

Exercise included daily workouts of about 10 minutes using a Bullworker and
doing light calesthenics each morning, plus two or three 30-40 minute walks
with my dog each day.


Doing the math
--------------

Over both test periods - low cal and low carb - the weight loss was the same
- 3.5 kg = 7.7 lb. The period of time was different, though, as was my
average weight during those periods.

Assuming that a calorie deficit of 3500 calories is equivalent to 1 lb of
weight loss, the total calorie deficit for both tests was 3500 x 7.7 =
26,950 calories. This comes to a calorie deficit of:

Calorie Deficit Per Day
-----------------------
Low Cal: 26,950 calories / 25 days = 1078 calories/day
Low Carb: 26,950 calories / 19 days = 1419 calories/day

Adding these values to the average calories I actually ate during these
periods, tells me the average number of calories I actually needed on both
diets in order to maintain my current average weight.


Calories Needed to Maintain Average Weight per Day
--------------------------------------------------
Low Cal: 1078 calories (deficit) + 1675 calories (eaten) = 2753 calories (to
maintain)
Low Carb: 1418 calories (deficit) + 1797 calories (eat) = 3215 calories (to
maintain)


My average weight during the low-cal period was 255.75 lb and my average
weight during the low-carb period was 248.05 lb. This means that the number
of calories per lb that I need to maintain my weight on both diets is:


Calories per lb to maintain weight
----------------------------------
Low Cal: 2753 calories / 255.75 lb = 10.8 calories/lb of body weight
Low Carb: 3215 calories / 248.05 lb = 12.96 calories/lb of body weight


Conclusions
-----------

This shows a clear metabolic advantage of over 20% by eating very low carbs.
Like I said, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't calculate it myself on
my own body, weighing and counting everything myself. To the best of my
ability to do accurate measurements and keep an honest log of everything, it
really does appear to be true.

So, can we say this shows that "a calorie is not always a calorie"? The
point is subtle, but I don't think we can actually say that exactly. I
believe that for a given set of carbs per day if I had eaten more calories I
would have lost less weight. So in that sense, a calorie is still a calorie.
But everybody knows that different people have different metabolic rates and
the same amount of calories eaten by one person causes a different weight
change than it does in another person of a different metabolism.

I believe that is what is happening here. Lowering carbs seems to
effectively raise metabolism - at least as far as calories and weight loss
are concerned.

At what point does this occur? Atkins said it was at the point that your
body is in ketosis. And he also said that one of the best measures of
ketosis was when your appetite felt obviously supressed and your food
cravings went away. From this test, I have no reason to doubt what he
claimed all along and in fact am now inclined very strongly to agree with
his basic thesis.

As a final note, I was suprised to see that the number of calories I ate per
day on the low carb test was not too much higher than what it was when I was
trying to strictly control calories - 1797 calories vs 1675 calories. But
the math clearly shows that my weight loss was not just due to appetite
suppression, but also due to a metabolic difference that took place.

Doug Lerner

  #2  
Old April 15th, 2004, 11:28 AM
Penelope Baker
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Metabolic Advantage - my test results

"Doug Lerner" wrote in message
...
snip lots of detailed data

The problem is that when you went into ketosis, you dropped a lot of water
weight, not fat unlike the low-cal diet which was probably most real tissue
loss. So your results might not be what you think they are...

--
Peace,
Pen
--
Pawbreakers - The Candy for Cats!
http://www.pawbreakers.com


  #3  
Old April 15th, 2004, 11:37 AM
Roger Zoul
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Metabolic Advantage - my test results

Interesting...

Now was there a study that said the metabolic advantage was about 300 kcals
per day? Doug is reporting 341 kcals / day.

So, are you going to shoot for a CCLL to see if that speeds weight loss
further?

Doug Lerner wrote:
:: Intro
:: -----
::
:: I would not have easily believed it if I didn't actually measure it
:: myself on my own body, but there does seem to be a definite,
:: measurable, obvious metabolic advantage on Atkins.
::
:: I am willing to share my data with anybody who wants to double-check
:: my math on this, because this really is an important issue and is
:: actual physical evidence of an important natural metabolic
:: phenomenon that can really help obese people who are trying to lose
:: weight.
::
:: Diet History for this test
:: --------------------------
::
:: 2/19/2003 through 3/1/2004
::
:: On 2/19/2003 I started Atkins and lost weight regularly until
:: the fall of last year, when my weight loss slowed to nothing. In
:: February of this year, my weight actually started to gradually creep
:: up again. I believe I was eating both too many calories and
:: simultaneously letting my previously rigorous counting of carbs get
:: lax, and so was experiencing carb creep. According to periodic lab
:: results, I had apparently dropped out of ketosis as early as 3 or 4
:: months into Atkins.
::
:: 3/2/2004 through 3/26/2004 (Low cal diet)
::
:: From 3/2/2004 through 3/26/2004 I followed a low-calorie diet
:: without specific carb limits but "trying to maintain low carbs as
:: much as possible". Over those 25 days I lost 7.7 lb. My average
:: daily intake was 1675 calories and 72.2 carbs. I experienced
:: relatively high hunger and cravings throughout this period.
::
:: 3/27/2004 through 4/14/2004 (Low carb diet)
::
:: Then, from 3/27/2004 through 4/14/2004 I switched to a very
:: low-carb diet of less than 20 carbs per day, with no particular
:: restriction on calories. Over these next 19 days I also lost 7.7 lb.
:: My average daily intake was 1797 calories and 12.9 carbs. Ketostix
:: also showed me to be in ketosis 3 days out of the 4 days I tested
:: during this period. From the 4th day of this period, except for one
:: day, my appetite was kept in complete control with no cravings.
::
::
:: I have a journal of everything I ate from 3/2/2004 through 4/14/2004
:: with detailed calorie and carb counts and would be glad to share it.
::
:: As a side-note, I had no sugar alcohols or foods with glycerin or
:: other controversial "carbs that don't need to be counted" during
:: this period. I did subtract fiber from total carb count. I had
:: cheese almost daily, including cottage cheese. I ate no fruits
:: during the low-carb period, but did during the low-cal period. I
:: also ate no nuts because of a lack of real consensus about their
:: total carb counts. I may try small amounts in the future.
::
:: I drank mostly water and green tea during this period. I would say
:: half and half of each. I had two 500 ml bottles of diet coke during
:: the total period and one alcoholic drink - a gin and tonic.
::
:: Exercise included daily workouts of about 10 minutes using a
:: Bullworker and doing light calesthenics each morning, plus two or
:: three 30-40 minute walks with my dog each day.
::
::
:: Doing the math
:: --------------
::
:: Over both test periods - low cal and low carb - the weight loss was
:: the same - 3.5 kg = 7.7 lb. The period of time was different,
:: though, as was my average weight during those periods.
::
:: Assuming that a calorie deficit of 3500 calories is equivalent to 1
:: lb of weight loss, the total calorie deficit for both tests was 3500
:: x 7.7 = 26,950 calories. This comes to a calorie deficit of:
::
:: Calorie Deficit Per Day
:: -----------------------
:: Low Cal: 26,950 calories / 25 days = 1078 calories/day
:: Low Carb: 26,950 calories / 19 days = 1419 calories/day
::
:: Adding these values to the average calories I actually ate during
:: these periods, tells me the average number of calories I actually
:: needed on both diets in order to maintain my current average weight.
::
::
:: Calories Needed to Maintain Average Weight per Day
:: --------------------------------------------------
:: Low Cal: 1078 calories (deficit) + 1675 calories (eaten) = 2753
:: calories (to maintain)
:: Low Carb: 1418 calories (deficit) + 1797 calories (eat) = 3215
:: calories (to maintain)
::
::
:: My average weight during the low-cal period was 255.75 lb and my
:: average weight during the low-carb period was 248.05 lb. This means
:: that the number of calories per lb that I need to maintain my weight
:: on both diets is:
::
::
:: Calories per lb to maintain weight
:: ----------------------------------
:: Low Cal: 2753 calories / 255.75 lb = 10.8 calories/lb of body weight
:: Low Carb: 3215 calories / 248.05 lb = 12.96 calories/lb of body
:: weight
::
::
:: Conclusions
:: -----------
::
:: This shows a clear metabolic advantage of over 20% by eating very
:: low carbs. Like I said, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't
:: calculate it myself on my own body, weighing and counting everything
:: myself. To the best of my ability to do accurate measurements and
:: keep an honest log of everything, it really does appear to be true.
::
:: So, can we say this shows that "a calorie is not always a calorie"?
:: The point is subtle, but I don't think we can actually say that
:: exactly. I believe that for a given set of carbs per day if I had
:: eaten more calories I would have lost less weight. So in that sense,
:: a calorie is still a calorie. But everybody knows that different
:: people have different metabolic rates and the same amount of
:: calories eaten by one person causes a different weight change than
:: it does in another person of a different metabolism.
::
:: I believe that is what is happening here. Lowering carbs seems to
:: effectively raise metabolism - at least as far as calories and
:: weight loss are concerned.
::
:: At what point does this occur? Atkins said it was at the point that
:: your body is in ketosis. And he also said that one of the best
:: measures of ketosis was when your appetite felt obviously supressed
:: and your food cravings went away. From this test, I have no reason
:: to doubt what he claimed all along and in fact am now inclined very
:: strongly to agree with his basic thesis.
::
:: As a final note, I was suprised to see that the number of calories I
:: ate per day on the low carb test was not too much higher than what
:: it was when I was trying to strictly control calories - 1797
:: calories vs 1675 calories. But the math clearly shows that my weight
:: loss was not just due to appetite suppression, but also due to a
:: metabolic difference that took place.
::
:: Doug Lerner


  #4  
Old April 15th, 2004, 11:39 AM
Roger Zoul
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Metabolic Advantage - my test results

Penelope Baker wrote:
:: "Doug Lerner" wrote in message
:: ...
:: snip lots of detailed data
::
:: The problem is that when you went into ketosis, you dropped a lot of
:: water weight, not fat unlike the low-cal diet which was probably
:: most real tissue loss. So your results might not be what you think
:: they are...

He as averaging 72 g of carb per day before, so that's still low carb. I
doubt he dropped a lot of water weight. And if the did, it would have
occured very early on in those 19 days. Doug?

::
:: --
:: Peace,
:: Pen
:: --
:: Pawbreakers - The Candy for Cats!
:: http://www.pawbreakers.com


  #5  
Old April 15th, 2004, 12:35 PM
Penelope Baker
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Metabolic Advantage - my test results

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
Penelope Baker wrote:
:: "Doug Lerner" wrote in message
:: ...
:: snip lots of detailed data
::
:: The problem is that when you went into ketosis, you dropped a lot of
:: water weight, not fat unlike the low-cal diet which was probably
:: most real tissue loss. So your results might not be what you think
:: they are...

He as averaging 72 g of carb per day before, so that's still low carb. I
doubt he dropped a lot of water weight. And if the did, it would have
occured very early on in those 19 days. Doug?


If it's enough of a difference between 72g and 20g to throw your body into
ketosis, it should be enough to get the water weight effect, no? (I'm new
at this, don't crucify me if I'm wrong please

--
Peace,
Pen
--
Pawbreakers - The Candy for Cats!
http://www.pawbreakers.com


  #7  
Old April 15th, 2004, 01:15 PM
Doug Lerner
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Metabolic Advantage - my test results

Actually, from my numbers, at my current weight, the metabolic advantage
would be:

244.2 lb x 12.96 cal/lb - 244.2 lb x 10.8 cal/lb = 528 calories/day.


I will coast like this for a couple of more weeks first and then maybe try
to adjust my CCLL. But I'm not going for one that will speed weight loss -
at least not intentionally. I'll just see what happens as I increase carbs
slowly, as recommended by Atkins.

doug

On 4/15/04 7:37 PM, in article , "Roger
Zoul" wrote:

Interesting...

Now was there a study that said the metabolic advantage was about 300 kcals
per day? Doug is reporting 341 kcals / day.

So, are you going to shoot for a CCLL to see if that speeds weight loss
further?


 




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