Caloric Restriction & Metabolism

Question
Hello.

I am pretty well educated on exercise and nutrition and successfully lost 20 pounds five years ago and kept it off ever since.  I would like to go the extra mile and lose another 10 pounds (which will still keep me in a healthy BMI for my frame/height) mostly by using calorie restriction as it will be difficult for me to be as active as I'd like in the next month.  In the past I've never dipped below 1100 calories/day but am curious if I occasionally have a low calorie day (700 or so) if that will effect my metabolism in the long term or if it is only after many continuous days of calorie restriction that this occurs.  I know that generally it's good to reduce calories modestly but I'm more looking for the scientific answer to my question as to when metabolism slowing occurs.

Thanks.

Answer
Melissa-

1100 man thats low. But it also depends on your frame how much lean mas you carry etc but thats still very low.

#1 I want to first say BMI is a load of you know what and needs to be thrown out with the garbage. It simply has NO place or relevance in real life for anyone aside from couch potato. If a person is carrying any amount of lean mass they will not fit in the BMI standard I have many small and lean female client who come in as over weight or obese by the twisted standards. I my self and stage three obesity and if they were correct I should have been in my grave years ago.

What Im getting at is I would consider NOT using BMI or scale weight as your target to gauge progress. I would go by body fat, leanness, or simply size how clothes fit regardless of your weight. You can even gain scale weight and lose inches.

As far as your question. No dropping calories low 700 or even to nothing in the shirt term will not have along lasting effect on your metabolism, much like a one time feast wont jack your metabolism up for the long term. We are built and wired to live through times of feast and famine. Its long term changes that will have a lasting effect.

Good luck on reaching your goals.

Hope that helps,
Phil
www.staleytraining.com
www.teamstaley.com  

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