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Effects of Long Term Deficit
RoseTheWarrior
Posts: 2,035 Member
Hello! I'm hoping to get some debate/info going about whether or not it's "good" to stay in a calorie deficit for long periods of time. For those who have a lot of weight to lose, is it OK to just stay in a deficit for say, a year or two years straight? Or is it better for them (talking overall health) if they take a break say, every six months, and eat at maintenance for a couple of weeks? Or does it make no difference at all? Is there any science info surrounding this? Can staying in a deficit for years harm people's metabolism or ability to burn fat? It doesn't seem so based on success stories, but I'm just not sure. Discuss 
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I was on a deficit for 3 years. I took a maintenance break Jan - Feb 2015 to check my maintenance level calories, and went back to eating less. I don't seem to have any problems with my metabolism or health.0
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Seemed to work for this guy, who ate nothing for a year.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf0 -
Rose, you might find this interesting: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/
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Seemed to work for this guy, who ate nothing for a year.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf
Kudo to that guy!!!!!!0 -
On the contrary, the science seems to suggest that a lower calorie diet (either throgh periodic fasting or daily calorie restriction) is actually very good for you:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life/0 -
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On the contrary, the science seems to suggest that a lower calorie diet (either throgh periodic fasting or daily calorie restriction) is actually very good for you:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life/
Actually that article suggests that no, the science is pretty inconclusive as of now.0 -
nothing for one year? I don't think I could go one day lol0
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Yes, and the paper quite rightly makes note of the five fatalities coinciding with (although not necessarily caused by) the treatment of obesity by total starvation.0 -
lithezebra wrote: »Seemed to work for this guy, who ate nothing for a year.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf
Kudo to that guy!!!!!!
My take away from medically recorded cases like this I can without fear go 24 hours without eating in my case.
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On the contrary, the science seems to suggest that a lower calorie diet (either throgh periodic fasting or daily calorie restriction) is actually very good for you:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life/
I agree a lower calorie diet is associated with a longer life span almost universally. I just wish we always knew "lower than what".
According to USDA we know on average an adult female needs 2000 to have full health and a male requires on average around 2300 calories to have full health so if either are eating 3000 calories a day then yes a lower calorie. Then the question of what macro of carbs, protein and fats is best for the average person?
Average means nothing because it means everything someone whats it to mean.0 -
I think that there can be two things to consider here....the physical and the emotional aspects of losing weight.
As for the physical side of it....there isn't going to be any significant difference or damage to your maintaining metabolism by staying in a deficit for an extended period of time (years, not months). There is some links above to some lovely science saying the same, etc. There used to be a weight loss myth that your metabolism would drop and bottom out if you stayed on a diet for a long time...but happily that has been debunked.
Now for the mental side of it, that one is really personal preference. There often is not published medical studies on the psych side of things because your mileage will vary depending on how you react to the stimulus aka "an extended period of dieting." I have never lost more than a 100 lbs, so my weight loss was always accomplished in less than a year, but from being in treatment with those who lost a large amount and also being a mental health professional.....I think that there could be emotional advantages to taking a break if you will need to be in a deficit for years to meet your goal. Some may want to keep trucking until goal and never take a break, but some others might like a small break to eat at maintenance just to give some time off from the mental stress of losing weight.
Physically? There is no ill effect. Mentally? That's up to you.
This is spot on. When I moved from trying to lose weight to try to gaining better health by stopping dieting for weight loss was a game changer and was really just a mental change. Without good physical/mental health I see no way in my case of eating in a way to promote longevity and being able to walk and talk the entire way. We may be able to change overnight but the body may need a few years to change. 0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »On the contrary, the science seems to suggest that a lower calorie diet (either throgh periodic fasting or daily calorie restriction) is actually very good for you:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-intermittent-fasting-might-help-you-live-longer-healthier-life/
Actually that article suggests that no, the science is pretty inconclusive as of now.
This is so true. At the age of 65 I have decided every way to managing mental/physical health for diet has some validity for someone. Humans have some similarities genetically speaking but mentally speaking we can be very different leading the same genes to act very differently.
Most all self help books are written to make money so the writers often play to our emotions rather than our intellect. I know what working for me today but I not tell another what will work for them in a specific.
One can hopefully through intuition and trial and error learn what to eat and when to eat it for the best health. At this point I do not expect to read one book for the full answer. As @EvgeniZyntx points out the science is pretty inconclusive as of now.
As I go deeper into reading research I am starting to realize we really do not even grasp the mental/physical processes that has brought mankind to this point in time. As our understanding increase hopefully that will help.
The main thing is we need to have an open mind and not work to close the minds of others. No one here can tell another social media person what they need to eat for the best health in a specific and meaningful way.
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Like anything else, if the body is subjected to a CONSTANT physical change, it will try to adapt. In term of diet, long term deficit will have the body shift to being more conservative with calorie usage. A deficit will automatically lower metabolic rate. A consistent deficit over time with no change in diet (with the exception of adjusting to lowering calories as weight goes down), will have the body adjusting by going into homestasis.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Like anything else, if the body is subjected to a CONSTANT physical change, it will try to adapt. In term of diet, long term deficit will have the body shift to being more conservative with calorie usage. A deficit will automatically lower metabolic rate. A consistent deficit over time with no change in diet (with the exception of adjusting to lowering calories as weight goes down), will have the body adjusting by going into homestasis.
/quote]
British Dictionary definitions for homeostasis Expand
homeostasis
/ˌhəʊmɪəʊˈsteɪsɪs/
noun
1.
the maintenance of metabolic equilibrium within an animal by a tendency to compensate for disrupting changes0 -
Like anything else, if the body is subjected to a CONSTANT physical change, it will try to adapt. In term of diet, long term deficit will have the body shift to being more conservative with calorie usage. A deficit will automatically lower metabolic rate. A consistent deficit over time with no change in diet (with the exception of adjusting to lowering calories as weight goes down), will have the body adjusting by going into homestasis.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
https://khanacademy.org/partner-content/mit-k12/mit-k12-biology/v/homeostasis
@ninerbuff you used the word 'homostasis' so I looked it up and found this meaning.
Does this mean if I shift my calories eaten up by say 10% that it may not all be stored as fat but perhaps it may automatically increase my metabolic rate therefore automatically increase the CO of CICO?
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Seemed to work for this guy, who ate nothing for a year.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2495396/pdf/postmedj00315-0056.pdf
This was actually a very interesting read. Thanks!0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »Like anything else, if the body is subjected to a CONSTANT physical change, it will try to adapt. In term of diet, long term deficit will have the body shift to being more conservative with calorie usage. A deficit will automatically lower metabolic rate. A consistent deficit over time with no change in diet (with the exception of adjusting to lowering calories as weight goes down), will have the body adjusting by going into homestasis.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
https://khanacademy.org/partner-content/mit-k12/mit-k12-biology/v/homeostasis
@ninerbuff you used the word 'homostasis' so I looked it up and found this meaning.
Does this mean if I shift my calories eaten up by say 10% that it may not all be stored as fat but perhaps it may automatically increase my metabolic rate therefore automatically increase the CO of CICO?
That's the idea behind reverse dieting.0 -
Nobody ever asks about the possible affects of a prolonged calorie surplus...THEY JUST DO IT!
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LOL good point!0
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From reading the doctor guided fastng Mr. A. did plus the information about the 5 who died I think fasting for a person of 400 plus pounds with constant supervision of a doctor seems to be sound. I have doubts about long term fasting for people in the normal bmi and overweight bmi range though. Whatever though that people do to lose weight even when they are in the normal bmi range is totally up to them and it seems most people go ahead and do things that aren't tested out by science.
It does get wierd losing weight by restricting calories for years on and on at a time. I was ok with it for several years. It was during maintenance that I became depressed!0
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