Just as “normal” carb intake is actually toxic and “low carb” is actually normal in terms of physiological response, maybe “normal” calorie levels are toxic and “restricted” levels are actually “normal”?

Sorry for the long comment/question that’s about to happen, but I’d really appreciate your advice! I’m a religious MDA reader; love love love it.

I’m trying to lose some weight (20ish lbs.), so I’m practicing calorie restriction (about 1500 most days) with a PB/Atkins-style approach. I’ve sworn off sugar and grains (19 days and counting!) so my carbs are always pretty low (trying to stay around 20 net), but I still have a tendency to binge on cheese and chopped liver about once a week (weird, I know… it used to be candy nightly but now I’ve replaced that behavior with this). This brings carbs up to around 70 net, calories between 4000 and 5000. I tend to fast a day/restrict heavily for a couple days to make up for it to have an overall weekly caloric deficit. This has been working okay weight loss-wise but pretty much sucks to do. Do you think this behavior screws the benefits people usually get from the PB/fasting etc.? Also, does it really count as a fast if I have coffee with cream in the morning in the middle of a fast? I’m a 21-year-old woman, 155 lbs. (down from 164 a month ago), I power lift three times per week, walk a lot.

Thanks for any input you may have! I know this isn’t exactly 100% related to this post, but I hope you’ll forgive me.

JL

Another tick in your (our) court Mark…

What I would like to see is a study that includes IF. Why the “all or nothing” approach.

As I see it, IF in the “primal” sense offers the (possible) best of both worlds. The benefits of CR without the lack of vigor Jesse noted.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_interviews/return_of_the_warrior_nerd_interview_with_lonnie_lowery_phd

And hormones like insulin are under huge dietary control. Managing insulin effectively can help out a physique athlete in several ways. A moderate insulin level throughout the day is handy, not only for protein synthesis, but because insulin in the blood tends to free up bound Testosterone in the body. That’s why a higher carb intake helps for mass gains. There are positive hormonal changes when you up your carbs, and those pan out over time.

I know your opponion about this Mark, but it goes against what is normal here. That higher carbs have a positive effect.

“Is it really the CR at work? Or is it really just Sugar Restriction?”

Giving your brain an excessive glucose/insulin bath not only damages your brain’s glucose metabolism, but also its serotogenic and dopamine systems — both (especially dopamine) are crucial for memory.

I’ve found it odd that CR gets so much hype. On a Paleo diet I can eat 1,000 calories a day for weeks without flexing a single self-discipline muscle.

There’s gotta be a better “why” to all this other than just the oversimplified CR “theory”.