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Question re: maintenance calories and online calculators
FatHuMan1
Posts: 1,028 Member
I recently watched an episode of an HBO series posted in this thread http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1115397-understanding-why-it-s-so-difficult-to-maintain-weight. In it they basically say that person who has lost a large amount of weight will have a lower TDEE than a person of equal weight who has not gone through a big weight loss. However I have never seen an online calculator that takes this factor into consideration when determining an individual's TDEE. Might this explain in part why many people have trouble keeping weight off when using these calculators, such as the one used on MFP and other sites?
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I recently watched an episode of an HBO series posted in this thread http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1115397-understanding-why-it-s-so-difficult-to-maintain-weight. In it they basically say that person who has lost a large amount of weight will have a lower TDEE than a person of equal weight who has not gone through a big weight loss. However I have never seen an online calculator that takes this factor into consideration when determining an individual's TDEE. Might this explain in part why many people have trouble keeping weight off when using these calculators, such as the one used on MFP and other sites?
Good post.
The term is typically referred to as Adaptive Thermogenesis. There's some studies out that try to quantify it, and I'd make a guess that it's somewhat variable from person to person.
I think it's definitely a variable that people should be aware of if they've lost a buttload of weight, but as with all dieting strategies I think people should be paying close attention to their intake accuracy and their results and make efforts to adjust the intake (and/or activity) to achieve the results.
So for example if someone uses Katsch-McArdle to get their initial TDEE estimation, and they eat X calories for a month (recording accurately and using a food scale) they can then adjust things to get their rate of weight loss (lets assume they are trying to lose) in line with their goals.
So even if AT is present, paying attention and adjusting will still lead you to a reasonable intake.
At least that's my current opinion on this.0 -
I wonder if the change in TDEE in those studies is attributable in part to the loss of lean body mass that accompanies most weight loss?0
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Good post.
The term is typically referred to as Adaptive Thermogenesis. There's some studies out that try to quantify it, and I'd make a guess that it's somewhat variable from person to person.
I think it's definitely a variable that people should be aware of if they've lost a buttload of weight, but as with all dieting strategies I think people should be paying close attention to their intake accuracy and their results and make efforts to adjust the intake (and/or activity) to achieve the results.
So for example if someone uses Katsch-McArdle to get their initial TDEE estimation, and they eat X calories for a month (recording accurately and using a food scale) they can then adjust things to get their rate of weight loss (lets assume they are trying to lose) in line with their goals.
So even if AT is present, paying attention and adjusting will still lead you to a reasonable intake.
At least that's my current opinion on this.
I agree with you, diligence and accuracy are key to continued success.
How conclusive and accepted is the theory of Adaptive Thermogenesis in the scientific community? I assume there is still some debate about it, which explains why online calculators don't factor it into their equation. Still, it might be useful to mention as many people get discouraged if they start to see weight gain in the first month, and end up doing something rash and detrimental.0 -
I wonder if the change in TDEE in those studies is attributable in part to the loss of lean body mass that accompanies most weight loss?
According to the study mentioned here http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=415 most of the change in TDEE is due to decreased NEAT.0 -
Good post.
The term is typically referred to as Adaptive Thermogenesis. There's some studies out that try to quantify it, and I'd make a guess that it's somewhat variable from person to person.
I think it's definitely a variable that people should be aware of if they've lost a buttload of weight, but as with all dieting strategies I think people should be paying close attention to their intake accuracy and their results and make efforts to adjust the intake (and/or activity) to achieve the results.
So for example if someone uses Katsch-McArdle to get their initial TDEE estimation, and they eat X calories for a month (recording accurately and using a food scale) they can then adjust things to get their rate of weight loss (lets assume they are trying to lose) in line with their goals.
So even if AT is present, paying attention and adjusting will still lead you to a reasonable intake.
At least that's my current opinion on this.
I agree with you, diligence and accuracy are key to continued success.
How conclusive and accepted is the theory of Adaptive Thermogenesis in the scientific community? I assume there is still some debate about it, which explains why online calculators don't factor it into their equation. Still, it might be useful to mention as many people get discouraged if they start to see weight gain in the first month, and end up doing something rash and detrimental.
I don't know the answer to that question but I assume it's an accepted concept, the main variable under scrutiny being "how much" does this happen.0 -
The HBO documentary presents it as established fact and implies it is an incontrovertible consequence of obesity. If you have ever been obese then you are more or less doomed to a life of starvation.
If it is primarily NEAT related, that seems manageable. Hardly a permanent obstacle.0 -
The HBO documentary presents it as established fact and implies it is an incontrovertible consequence of obesity. If you have ever been obese then you are more or less doomed to a life of starvation.
If it is primarily NEAT related, that seems manageable. Hardly a permanent obstacle.
That should be taken with a grain of salt. Drama sells :ohwell:
No certainly not a permanent obstacle. Although I wonder if the lack of NEAT is, in of itself, a reason in the first place why one person gains weight while another does not. In other words, are fidgety people, for lack of a better word, less likely to become overweight than non- fidgety people?0 -
The HBO documentary presents it as established fact and implies it is an incontrovertible consequence of obesity. If you have ever been obese then you are more or less doomed to a life of starvation.
If it is primarily NEAT related, that seems manageable. Hardly a permanent obstacle.
That should be taken with a grain of salt. Drama sells :ohwell:
No certainly not a permanent obstacle. Although I wonder if the lack of NEAT is, in of itself, a reason in the first place why one person gains weight while another does not. In other words, are fidgety people, for lack of a better word, less likely to become overweight than non- fidgety people?
That could explain in part people with "fast metabolism" who seemingly eat all they want and never gain an ounce as opposed to those who get a little paunch when they get older or gain a freshman 15 etc. As far as the obesity epedemic and more serious weight problems, though, I don't think that would be a significant factor.0
This discussion has been closed.