Comment by jwwright on Calorie Restriction: My Theory and Practice · 2018-10-28T21:31:40.399Z · LW · GW

I've been eating less calories since 1998, and I found starting at what was 3200 kclas, I had to reduce down to 1800 kcal to lose weight.

I did it stepwise starting at 2800 kcals for 3 months, incurred no problems but lost no weight.

I dropped from 3200 to 2800, then to 2500, 2200, finally to 1800 in the span of 2 years(or so).

I had previously developed a Lotus spreadsheet based on the SR 12 database and checked my diet daily.

In one period I was trying to lower weight to see if it would reduce my BP, and I dropped to 172 # from 206.

I did gym exercise 3 or 4 times per week.

My results were, not much drop in BP, and no real loss in medication. The only real cahnges were my wife and I basically controlled our diets.

At 83 yo, I can say I believe that process helped us realize that diet control is necessary, certain foods should be avoided, and certainly caloric intake must be controlled, but it must be learned and able(easy) to do.

Yes, we will still eat a what-a-burger and fries, but not often, and in other restaurants we select carefully to avoid mostly greasy sauces. Fats by themselves are very high in calories, and can be absorbed without control into the lymph system, where they avoid the control of the liver and kidneys.

For exercise, we finally quit the gym because we were wearing our joints out.

WE don't run now, we walk and we have a stationary recumbent bike in our living room. Mostly for working the leg muscles without strain.

Caloric intake is much more important because exercise doesn't burn many calories.

I don't know how to measure CR in terms of %, I doubt it could be 3200 - 1800 = 1400/3200

Some 44%? altogether.

My wife and I are older than our parents, in good health, and have 6 ggchildren.

Regards