NY Times - Calorie Restriction Article

Frank Menendez · 04-05-2006, 07:18 PM

Just wanted to share an article I found on the NY Times today, very interesting!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/he...=1&oref=slogin

Jamila Bey · 04-05-2006, 09:47 PM

I just wonder how 890 calories a day would fly with folks crossfitting.

Anyone here doing caloric restriction?

Greg Battaglia · 04-06-2006, 10:48 AM

Cool stuff, but I doubt 890 calories could sustain a crossfit lifestyle. I don't think restrictions of that magnitude are required to recieve the life extending benefits of CR. I think this is where IF fits nicely into the equations. In animals studies, IF mice saw greater longeivty that CR mice despite the fact that they actually ate more calories than the CR mice. If this applies to humans it would be very cool stuff. I personally use IF and not CR because it allows me to maintain a high level of performance and higher body weight, but still get the health benefits. Art D. has some cool stuff on this.

Jonathon Edward · 04-06-2006, 11:01 AM

Based on scientific and anectdotal evidence, IF seems to hold a lot more promise for humans and the CF community specifically than CRAN. Like Greg pointed out, IF mice benefitted more physiologically than the CRAN mice while maintaining a higher bodyweight and more LBM. If I try to restrict calories I feel like crap and performance suffers; however, when I follow an IF regimen, I feel great and my performance actually increases (go figure!). Besides the greater health benefits and its neutral or positive effect on performance, IF seems to be a helluva lot easier for most people to follow. And as we all know, whether we're talking about nutrition or training consistency is key. For those who are interested, there's a great yahoo group dedicated to IF:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fasting/
Quite a few people in that group are extremely intelligent and highly educated. I've learned a great deal just by sifting through the archives. And of course Art. D has some fascinating info on the subject.

Jibreel Freeland · 04-06-2006, 01:40 PM

I read the article as well yesterday. To me it seems that CR is at odds with exercise. I mean the studies are done seemingly with humans of low activity level.

However supposedly the mice on CR were 'more active' than those on unlimited feed. Might be a case of humans being just way to different from mice, but if I was below 1000 cals. per day I don't think I would be all that active.

IF definitely mimics nature more closely and is much more in tune with the evolution of our biology.

Elliot Royce · 04-06-2006, 02:29 PM

I think someone said, "the point is not to live, but to live well." Who would want to live 100 years as a sloth? My attitude is, God gave us our bodies, let's use them. Not abuse them but I don't care if I die 10 years earlier because I've jumped out of planes, played football, overeaten and overdrunk at times, driven too fast, ridden motorcycles around a track, eaten British beef...you get the point.

I've got 3 great kids to carry on the genes -- I'm expendable.

Robert Wolf · 04-06-2006, 04:31 PM

The intermittent fasting seems to confer ALL the benefits of CRAN but one is not lethargic, cold and without a sex drive.

Most of the age associated decline was pushed back to the very end of the life cycle. In essence the critters were functioning at full youthful capacity until very near the end and then just expired. If you have to go that seems like a fairly good scenario to do it!
Its not all that hard. Fit your meals into a 4-6 hour window...skip all or part of a day here and there. I'm getting 3,500-4k calories/day on this schedule and REALLY like it.

Robert Wolf · 04-06-2006, 05:42 PM

Id say IF can build a fairly impressive physique as well. Here is Scotty Hagnas:
http://www.crossfitnorcal.com/galler...deo&videoID=34

Scott Kustes · 04-06-2006, 06:23 PM

Good gracias Scotty! I think you are at negative bodyfat.

Robb, you restrict all of your eating to 3-6 hours? How do you eat all that Paleo food in that timeframe? I have trouble eating 4 full Paleo meals in 8 or 9 hours.

Robert Wolf · 04-06-2006, 07:02 PM

Scott-

Well...I am certainly NOT staying at Zone recomendations! I do tend to seperate protein carb/protein fat meals and I cycle those macronutrient portions a bit. Some days less carbs some days more. It is still pretty easy to get in both large amounts of greenery AND calories if you are using loads of nuts, nut butters olive oil etc. It took a little getting used to but I am liking the abreviated eating schedule, body comp and performance.

I think its the goods! I'm not sure if one could build a 300lb bodybuilder on this...but I don't think many here are aspiring to that.

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04-05-2006, 07:18 PM	#1
Frank Menendez Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Miami Florida Posts: 810	Just wanted to share an article I found on the NY Times today, very interesting! http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/he...=1&oref=slogin

04-05-2006, 09:47 PM	#2
Jamila Bey Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Washington DC Posts: 319	I just wonder how 890 calories a day would fly with folks crossfitting. Anyone here doing caloric restriction?

04-06-2006, 10:48 AM	#3
Greg Battaglia Member Profile: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Springfield PA Posts: 468	Cool stuff, but I doubt 890 calories could sustain a crossfit lifestyle. I don't think restrictions of that magnitude are required to recieve the life extending benefits of CR. I think this is where IF fits nicely into the equations. In animals studies, IF mice saw greater longeivty that CR mice despite the fact that they actually ate more calories than the CR mice. If this applies to humans it would be very cool stuff. I personally use IF and not CR because it allows me to maintain a high level of performance and higher body weight, but still get the health benefits. Art D. has some cool stuff on this.

04-06-2006, 11:01 AM	#4
Jonathon Edward Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 288	Based on scientific and anectdotal evidence, IF seems to hold a lot more promise for humans and the CF community specifically than CRAN. Like Greg pointed out, IF mice benefitted more physiologically than the CRAN mice while maintaining a higher bodyweight and more LBM. If I try to restrict calories I feel like crap and performance suffers; however, when I follow an IF regimen, I feel great and my performance actually increases (go figure!). Besides the greater health benefits and its neutral or positive effect on performance, IF seems to be a helluva lot easier for most people to follow. And as we all know, whether we're talking about nutrition or training consistency is key. For those who are interested, there's a great yahoo group dedicated to IF: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fasting/ Quite a few people in that group are extremely intelligent and highly educated. I've learned a great deal just by sifting through the archives. And of course Art. D has some fascinating info on the subject.

04-06-2006, 01:40 PM	#5
Jibreel Freeland Member Profile: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 548	I read the article as well yesterday. To me it seems that CR is at odds with exercise. I mean the studies are done seemingly with humans of low activity level. However supposedly the mice on CR were 'more active' than those on unlimited feed. Might be a case of humans being just way to different from mice, but if I was below 1000 cals. per day I don't think I would be all that active. IF definitely mimics nature more closely and is much more in tune with the evolution of our biology.

04-06-2006, 02:29 PM	#6
Elliot Royce Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Inowa KS Posts: 922	I think someone said, "the point is not to live, but to live well." Who would want to live 100 years as a sloth? My attitude is, God gave us our bodies, let's use them. Not abuse them but I don't care if I die 10 years earlier because I've jumped out of planes, played football, overeaten and overdrunk at times, driven too fast, ridden motorcycles around a track, eaten British beef...you get the point. I've got 3 great kids to carry on the genes -- I'm expendable.

04-06-2006, 04:31 PM	#7
Robert Wolf Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chico CA Posts: 2,669	The intermittent fasting seems to confer ALL the benefits of CRAN but one is not lethargic, cold and without a sex drive. Most of the age associated decline was pushed back to the very end of the life cycle. In essence the critters were functioning at full youthful capacity until very near the end and then just expired. If you have to go that seems like a fairly good scenario to do it! Its not all that hard. Fit your meals into a 4-6 hour window...skip all or part of a day here and there. I'm getting 3,500-4k calories/day on this schedule and REALLY like it.

04-06-2006, 05:42 PM	#8
Robert Wolf Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chico CA Posts: 2,669	Id say IF can build a fairly impressive physique as well. Here is Scotty Hagnas: http://www.crossfitnorcal.com/galler...deo&videoID=34

04-06-2006, 06:23 PM	#9
Scott Kustes Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 1,258	Good gracias Scotty! I think you are at negative bodyfat. Robb, you restrict all of your eating to 3-6 hours? How do you eat all that Paleo food in that timeframe? I have trouble eating 4 full Paleo meals in 8 or 9 hours.

04-06-2006, 07:02 PM	#10
Robert Wolf Member Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chico CA Posts: 2,669	Scott- Well...I am certainly NOT staying at Zone recomendations! I do tend to seperate protein carb/protein fat meals and I cycle those macronutrient portions a bit. Some days less carbs some days more. It is still pretty easy to get in both large amounts of greenery AND calories if you are using loads of nuts, nut butters olive oil etc. It took a little getting used to but I am liking the abreviated eating schedule, body comp and performance. I think its the goods! I'm not sure if one could build a 300lb bodybuilder on this...but I don't think many here are aspiring to that.