it is not that CI/CO is made up, it is that your metabolism is a dynamic system. You can't beat CI/CO, but the value of CO changes based on CI and other factors such as activity level. You can't keep CO steady if you adjust CI because your body adjusts. The one that blows people's minds is you _can_ increase CI and maintain your activities and _lose_ weight. The cause is increased metabolism based on the kinds and frequency of foods you eat. Body builders have been doing exactly that for years.