FYI my lean body mass has not changed since 2003> Possibly I have gained 1-3 pounds of muscle but for argument’s sake, and as my best guess, I have stayed the same.

In September 2011, my weight including fat and water had been fluctuating between 226 and 229 for the past month, as my calories/training ratio had been level. I took myself off to Greece weighing 229 for a self-imposed ‘boot camp’ with the intention of returning weighing 220. I went out there and ate 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 2000, 1900, and 2000 calories respectively and ran a total of 27 miles, walked 23, and did 1 seesion of shadowboxing a press -ups. I return duly weighing 220.

From that return, to mid November my training was a mixture of good and non-existant, and my average calories were about 3200 a day. In mid November, I still weighed 220, still my lowest since March 2011.

My point: 10 pounds can be lost in 8 days and kept off. and then 10 pounds was not because I was stuffed the day I started, or obese or anything. Personally I dont think I can lose 10 pounds in the next 10 days, but that’s not the point.

My secondary point: The BMR or RMR for me on paper may be 1900 or 2400 (based on my ‘reasonable’ lean weight of 196 let’s say, not my actual starting weight of 230 or whatever) depending which calculator I use. In the real world, I know that if I stay in and do nothing, and eat 1900, I cant lose weight. However, if I’m active in my mind and walking to the car and working etc but not exercising, I seem to be able to go way above that for long long periods without gaining (let’s say 3200) – so my secondary point is that my BMR has a massive range. Which is kind of what John was saying but maybe not so strongly.

As a third point I would tend to agree that the closer I go to that 1900, the more weight I lose, on an almost exponential scale. IF I exercise a lot.

As I final point I would observe (combining with what I said in my previous post) that the bottom line is that John, you tend to make an assumption that so-called cardio won’t be done to the extent I do it. I have to admit I am maybe out of kilter with other bodybuilders here – I run outside, I often sprint the end, I do sprint intervals sometimes, and I very rarely train cardio in the gym. Yes I am lucky because I have a six pack at 196 (200 fed) – so I burn more when I run (and I also think I’m an inefficient runner), and in all fairness John mentions that ….. but the essence of his introduction and advice is that there is about a 2 pound limit, and that you must go way below ‘BMR’ beacause cardio is oft-negated.

I assure you, when I was in Greece in 2011, as in 2003, after 7 mile runs and 8 mile walks, I did NOTHING but lay on my bed or lay by a pool !

I think the empahsis of this is wrong. He wanted to spell out ‘how low you have to go’ and how there is ‘almost no way of going faster than 2 pounds a week’ and that ‘even huge guys have to go pretty low’ and also that exercise is a ‘bonus’

Here are some facts – between July 30 and September 15 2003 (about 6.7 weeks), I went from 217 pounds to 186 pounds – that is 31 pounds in 6.7 weeks, which is 4.63 pounds a week.

I lost no muscle – I was in my best shape and pretty strong – and was 6% bf, so does that make me a big guy, at 186 and 6 ft 1 1/2? Well, I was a physique model, solid, so I’d say my lean weight is significantly bigger than average, but no pro bodybuilder!

How did I do it? Well first it was easy as I was mentally tuned into it at the time, and sometimes I had to hold back. And the numbers were – consumed: about 1500, 1600 and 2300 calories a day on a three day cycle (but sometimes about 2000 a day continuously, and ‘holding back’ was eating about 2700 once or twice a week).

Exercise: 8 mile walk 3 times a week
additional 1 mile walk 4 times a week
7 mile run five times a week
1 hour of fairly slow-paced weight training and stretching, 3-4 times per week.
I RESTED the rest of the time. Watched TV or layed on my bed.

To me the obvious thing here is EXERCISE. Yes I 100% agree that you have to control calories, but once you have done that, the potential amount that you can burn is almost limitless. Don’t forget, with my fitness I could have burned 6 pounds per week if I wanted to. By the way, i stayed healthy and fit, with the weight off, all throughout and through the winter.

When I dropped my calories that low I started to look gaunt and malnourished even though I ate good food – my bones stuck out! Yuck!!

So how do I get abs to show rather than bones??

nic

not getting the right nutrients slow the progress as there not available to the process convert the fat?

Is there a limit you can cut and gain muscle?

I thought even a sedentary person would times there bmr by 1.2 so eating your bmr would still loose weight for me around 3/4 pound a week?

What you’re saying is Biblical! People just don’t or can’t seem to hear the truth. I discovered Eat Stop Eat, which works for me, from Rusty – Fitness Black Book.

When I was younger I naturally ate that way and was always in shape. I started exercising hardcore (social pressure) and now realized I ate more to compensate for working out harder and since then BATTLED with my weight. Once I read about Intermittent Fasting I knew gut wise I was reading the truth. Once applied my body not only looked better but I physically and mentally felt better as well.

Thank you!!

After that, you can make tweaks on how your eat based on how it makes your feel and if you have other markers you need to take care of (but for most people will likely be doubtful).