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by hsn915
1736 days ago
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Let's suppose (it's probably true) that there's an absolute minimum amount of calories your body must use per day to stay alive today. Is that amount even sufficient to stay alive every day? Maybe your body can reduce some organ function for some amount of time, but it can't keep it shutdown forever. ok, let's assume we're talking about the minimal burn rate that can sustain your body without shutting down any organ function what so ever. Does that mean your body is burning exactly that amount of calories every day like a clock? Certainly not. It's probably burning a lot more to help you move and think and deal with the daily stressors. When you cut calories what generally happens is you feel lethargic. As if you can't muster the energy to do what you want to do and which you could previously do without problems. I'm not into "studies" but I'm pretty sure there are some studies that show people who cut calories after a while their body adapts and lowers their base metabolic rate. |
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Furthermore, a mass M needing energy E is too simplistic because it neglects environmental factors. A mass M in sub-Saharan Africa or a tropical jungle will require considerably more than E for maintenance than the same mass M in a relatively mild climate. This is because your body expends energy to regulate homeostasis (sweating and increased heart rate to cool the body in hot and humid conditions), so more difficult environments require more energy.
That said, "calories in vs. calories out" is still true, you just have to consider that your "calories out" responds to the number of calories in. Drop them too low too quickly, and your NEAT drops to maintain energy balance. But, you can force your body to expend more of that energy by requiring yourself to walk (increasing NEAT), or putting yourself in uncomfortable environments (like saunas), or my forcing yourself into strenuous exercise regimes (weight lifting, HITT, etc).