Conference rocks::weight_control

    Do you happen to have any info that relates known percents of
    fat to metabolism rates, so that I could figure out what I
    should be burning if my metabolism is average for my percent
    fat?  I'd like to figure out if my metabolism is faster or 
    slower than average.
    
    --Louise

Note 121.1 deleted by author in order to give proper credits to Martin Katahn, 
Ph.D.

The following is a short exerpt from Martin Katahn's book "The Rotation Diet"
He explains metabolism thoroughly, how it works, why it's important to 
increase a sluggish metabolism and gives you directions to go in increasing 
our own metabolism. I highly recommend this book to answer questions regarding 
diet, excersise, and preparing your mind for a total comittment.

                                -sunny-



    Simply put, your metabolic rate refers to the number of calories
    it takes to support a pound of your body weight for a given period
    of time, say, twenty-four hours (should you remain at rest for that
    period of time). Technically, metabolic rate is often calculated
    as calories burned per square meter of your body surface, but thinking
    in terms of a pound of body weight is easier to understand and more
    useful in weight management.A few persons, generally women, need
    fewer than 6 calories a day to maintain a pound of body weight,
    in the resting state, whereas others, generally men, may need 9
    to 10 calories to maintain a pound of body weight in the resting
    state. Thus, a 200 pound person who needed say, 7 calories per pound
    of body weight each day would have a resting need for 1400 calories,
    whereas another 200 pound person with a need for 10 calories per
    pound of body weight would need 2000 calories at rest over a 24
    hour period.
    
    Men tend to have higher metabolic rates than women because, even
    when fat, they have as part of their total body weight, a larger
    perccentage of muscle tissue. Muscle tissue is considerable more
    active than fat tissue, even at rest - which means that muscle tissue
    burns more calories just maintaining itself - circulating nutrients
    and regenerating itself - then does fat tissue. Even at rest, muscle
    tissue may burn two or even three times more energy than does fat.
    
    By changing the composition of your body to more muscle, less fat,
    you will automatically increase your metabolism .
    
     

    re: .2
    
    Right off the bat I don't know of a chart. My metabolism was measured
    by a doctor a couple of years ago with a series of tests. I don't
    even know if there are charts like the one you mentioned.
    
                          -sunny-

    
    That's a great explanation of metabolism Sunny.
    
    In Setpoint Diet he explains that weight loss is not the simple
    calculation they used to believe that:
    	if 
    	   calories in < calories expended
    	then
    	   you lose weight
    
    This didn't explain plateaus, or the yoyo syndrome, or how you
    can stay a certain weight and have a hard time gaining or losing
    while following that formula.
    The key was that your metabolism is not static.  It can be raised
    or lowered.  As you get older it gradually will slow.  So people
    who have never had weight problems find it creeping on after 30,
    40, or 50.  It can be raised by excercise, and combined with
    controled eating you will lose weight and lower your setpoint so
    it is easier to keep the weight off.
    From the book: How Exercise Lowers the Setpoint
    	1) it burns calories
    
    	2) it speeds up the rate at which you burn calories, ie your
    basal metabolic rate
    
    	3) burns fat, and builds lean tissue
    
    	4) helps to 'waste' calories after a meal, burning up excess
    you don't need, and
    
    	5) it reduces your appetite
    
    For those who say no way I'm always starved when I exercise he 
    stresses moderate exercise.  Too little activity or very heavy
    activity increases hunger but moderate activity lowers hunger.

    re .3:
    
    
    >	Men tend to have higher metabolic rates than women because, even
    >	when fat, they have as part of their total body weight, a larger
    >	perccentage of muscle tissue. Muscle tissue is considerable more
    >	active than fat tissue, even at rest - which means that muscle tissue
    >	burns more calories just maintaining itself - circulating nutrients
    >	and regenerating itself - then does fat tissue. Even at rest, muscle
    >	tissue may burn two or even three times more energy than does fat.
    
    
    This would explain why men who go on a weightloss program, on the
    average, lose weight faster than women (if I had a dollar for every
    time I've heard that in the last few months, I'd be in another tax
    bracket).
    
    By the way, good to see you back in this conference Sunny!  Best
    of luck.
    
    
    Paul               
    
    

    
    Thanks Paul! It must be working kiddo, I'm on Day 3 Week 1 and already
    have a weightloss (mostly water, I know) of 7 pounds. Tomorrow I
    move to the 900 calorie part of week 1. I'm really excited!! Immediate
    results are always so appreciated! However, it really doesn't matter
    to me any longer how quickly I lose the weight, just so long as
    the weightloss is _permanent_. I really feel good about myself this
    time around. No defeatist attitudes here! ;-)
    
                                    -sunny-

	This seems like as good a topic as any for my question.

***	How long after eating excessively can one expect to see the  	***
***	consequences on the bathroom scale? 				***

	I have asked a number of people this question and have yet to get a
definitive answer.  Perhaps one of you who's into body chemistry can straighten
me out. 

	I weigh myself daily.  I know when I have eaten more than I should and
when I have eaten the wrong foods.  I do not, however, see the weight gain
immediately.  The weight gain is delayed.  Let me explain. 

	My digestive system does it's thing on the contents of the digestive
track, keeping me going.  What it cannot digest is disposed of.  Let's assume
today I eat 5 lbs of ice cream, German chocolate cake, and banana cream pie.  I
have just gained 5 lbs, but at the moment it's all part of the contents of my
digestive track.  I hit the bathroom a couple times between today and tomorrow.
Low and behold I have disposed of 5 lbs for a net gain of zero.  Then, feeling
guilty, I hold the line and eat my salads and normal portions as I should for
the next couple days.  At some point in time the calories in the sweets (having
not yet passed all the way through) are converted to a more permanent form,
body fat.

			What is the delay time?????

								Al

    Ah, something I've experienced first-hand -- the weight gain delay
    -- and it used to drive me CRAZY.
    
    Having talked to lots of doctors and nutritionists about this topic,
    the consensus seems to be that it varies from individual to individual.
    In most cases it is longer than one day.  Common delay is 3-7 days
    -- six in my case.
    
    Interesting sidelight.  I notice far less delay on the Weight Watchers
    program.  My theory is that it has to do with water consumption
    or, more accurately, water retention.  I'll experience an almost
    immediate gain if I don't drink my water and conversely an almost 
    immediate loss if I do.
                                    
    				FWIW,
    
    					Donna

    Time to wake this topic right up.  I've been thinking about metabolism.
    I've heard that as a person gains weight, his or her metabolism will
    become more sluggish.
    
    Is the reverse true?  Will a metabolism return to normal as weight is
    lost?
    
    I know that as you lose more weight, you tend to start losing more
    slowly (I keep waiting for this to happen) but I figure that is due to
    a lesser percentage of weight to lose over time.
    
    How does a normal metabolism react to weight loss?
    
    Denise

    A misconception here is that fat people (like I was) have slow
    metabolisms.
    
    However, fat folks have more effiuient metabolisms quite often - which
    means that they will put on weight whilst eating the same amount as a
    thinner person with a less efficient metabolism.
    
    Your metabolism will seldom change.

.10>    I've heard that as a person gains weight, his or her metabolism will
.10>    become more sluggish.

	That is not a known cause/effect relationship.

	The 3 that are known so far are:
	    1. As a person ages, older, metabolism slows.
	    2. As a person eats less food, metabolism slows.
	    3. As a person becomes less active, metabolism slows.

	And, for #2, and #3, the reverse is also true.


.10>    I know that as you lose more weight, you tend to start losing more
.10>    slowly (I keep waiting for this to happen) but I figure that is due to
.10>    a lesser percentage of weight to lose over time.

	This is expected - as you lose weight, your activities require
    less energy, you're no longer carrying around 10, 20, or more extra
    pounds.  So, you need less energy, for example, to climb the stairs.

-mike z

    From the Optifast program, I can attest to the fact that metabolism
    does indeed slow on less food. This is one of the reasons why a
    faster is introduced back to food slowly. This give the metabolism
    time to rebound without a huge gain in weight on few calories.
    
    I have even heard of theories which suggest an occasional "PIG OUT"
    during dieting as a method to lose weight. It was thought that the
    increased food would trigger a metabolic spirt and thereby increase
    the rate of weight loss. This sounds a bit dangerous to me and I
    have never considered trying it.

.13>    I have even heard of theories which suggest an occasional "PIG OUT"
.13>    during dieting as a method to lose weight. It was thought that the

	If you have anything close to an ulcer, that kind of eating
    could advance the condition by over stretching a shrunken stomach.

-mike z

    
    	Increasing food intake to speed up metabolism can be done
    	without a "Pig Out", however.  One example is the Nautilus
    	Diet, which I perused when I was losing.  That particular
    	plat suggests a step pattern to your diet.  2 weeks at 1400
        calories, 2 weeks at 1300, 2 weeks at 1200, (and I don't
    	remember if it goes down to 1100 - I personally could never
    	get by on that little food while exercising).  Then, you go
    	back up in caloric intake.  (Argh, now I don't remember if
    	you add in 100 calorie increments for 2 week intervals, or if
    	you start again at 1400!).  I think the premise is clear, though.
    	You SLIGHTLY increase your caloric intake, and keep it there for
    	2 weeks, so you always give your body time to adjust.
    
    	There were times during my weight loss when I increased my intake
    	about 100 calories a day for about a week.  I still lost, and
    	it gave me a little more variety.
    
    	Regarding Andy's comments about not altering metabolism... 
    	Although overweight people per se may not have sluggish
    	metabolisms, I'm sure many do.  Overweight people tend to 
    	be less active, which slows metabolism (as Mike mentioned).
    
    	It also takes more energy to maintain muscle tissue, so
    	if you begin to lose fat and increase lean tissue, your
    	metabolism will step up.  Andy, I'm sure with your running
    	program you have increased your basal metabolic rate (the 
    	rate at which your body uses energy to sustain life - or, as
    	my aerobics certification instructor said - the energy it
    	takes to keep your liver doing it's liver thing, your pancreas
    	doing it's pancreas thing, etc. :-) ).
    
    	One last thing... eating smaller meals more frequently can
    	also increase your metabolism, because the body always has
    	something to "do" (digest).  
    
    Karen