<snip>

Don't waste your breath. Caleb is the resident troll who shows up once a
year around this time trying to get people to join him in his crazy ultra
low calorie, nutritionally unbalanced diet. The more you tell him what he's
doing isn't healthy the more he argues that it's fine.

100 Day Diet – one day.

Day 1 of 100 Day Diet starts tonight at midnight! Until then, enjoy
yourself! But get your gameface ready to put on!

If people would like to aim at 1200 calories or 1400 calories, that
would be great! I'm interested in the lower end of the approach --
less time in painful circumstances, but a less demanding approach
makes sense. (My physician says fine to 800 or a 1000 calories a
day.)  I also will drink a lot of water, continue taking a daily
vitamin/mineral pill, etc.

Of course a variety of people should never attempt to make large
changes in their calories without checking with their physicians --
people with various medical conditions, growing children, etc. On the
other hand, I do believe that one of the greatest impediments to
weight loss is the reactions engendered by nay-sayers who get people
away from following an approach that works for them.  I have not
understood the motivation that many people have to bring this about,
but I do think that in large part we are wired to give advice, and we
feel vindicated somehow when someone takes our advice.

As was said on this list about 6 years ago, if one tried to follow all
the advice given, one would never lose weight. I think it's far best
to pick a sensible approach (one hopefully that has worked in the past
for you) and STICK WITH IT!

In the 7 years or so since I first came to this site, I'd imagine many
people have met their goals and maintained them. And at the same time,
I think that many people also suffered serious consequences by not
reducing their overweight status, of trying to follow competing advice
and then giving up. Our words can certainly demotivate people and we
should employ them carefully. And in the general area of weight
control, demotivation may lead to increased health problems including:
strokes, depression, etc.  The simple secret is that to lose weight we
must take in fewer calories than our body requires to maintain weight.
The greater the calorie deficit, the more weight is lost, everything
else being equal. I think about 1000 calories over a 100 Days is about
the the minimum I can achieve, or really want to achieve. But the
daily calories fluctuate. (Isn’t it funny how they almost always
fluctuate up?)

Another person's method may not work for you -- but guess what? YOU
don't have to follow it!

So, whatever method people use to achieve their health ends I applaud!
That is, vegetarian, low carb, eating only every other day, etc., etc.
-- as long as it works for them. Low calorie, medium calorie, etc. –
but the basic equation is the same – enough of a restriction on the
calories into your body for a long enough period of time and you will
lose weight.

I remember when I used to run in the Honolulu Marathon (In the 70's
and before back problems), there was a chubby somewhat elderly guy
(probably younger than I am now) would serve as a leader for one of
the slower groups of runners. (The groups trained by expected time of
finish.) Anyway, this guy had a propeller  hat and was unmistakable.
Also he was willing to poke fun at himself with his hat and outfit,
and he was very good in helping others reach their goals. I'm sure he
has run many, many marathons -- I think I've finished about 8 to 10
myself.

Training for them takes a lot of time and energy, and my body would
have trouble with the heavy running now. My long run was about 15
miles, from the University of Hawaii, jogging around Diamond Head,
going out to Hawaii Kai and then jogging home. Lots of wear on the
chassis, I'm sure. That was the way I controlled my weight, but that
is not a method that I would be able to employ throughout my life. Not
with back problems, knee and tendon problems, etc. Much easier to work
on the calorie side.

So, if I weigh 250 when I wake up tomorrow, and if I expend 300
calories a day, then in 100 Days if  take in the following number of
calories on a daily basis I will have lost about the following number
of pounds: (Just a back of the envelope type of figuring, as a male, I
require about 13 calories a pound to maintain body weight. Women
probably require about 11 calories a pound. Add in the extra calories
consumed in moderate exercise and the weight loss will be faster and
probably healthier -- giving your physician says okay. (The following
is based on a weight of 220 calories so I don't have to constantly
change the factors. Just a guesstimate, but probably likely to be
slightly conservative.)

Daily Calories                          Pounds lost in 50
Days                  Lost in 100 Days
1000
26.6                                                   53.2
1100
25.1                                                   50.3
1200
23.7                                                   47.4

1500
19.4                                                   38.9

On the other hand, given the following calorie intake, this occurs:

Daily Calories                          Pounds Lost in 50
Days                  Lost in 100 Days
2000
12.3                                                 24.6
2500
5.1                                                 10.3

Very, very few people are going to maintain motivation on a diet
program that says that in 100 days you'll lose 10 pounds. There is
already a sense of deprivation, of doing things that is slightly
uncomfortable.

So mainly I will just stick with my low calorie and exercise program
(knees, tendons, etc., allowing me to do so), and will post daily.  By
Thanksgiving I WILL be much healthier and much lighter.

I hope everyone meets their goals and succeeds in their health quests!

Yours,

Caleb