About a year ago, I reached out to a real estate broker to help me find an apartment rental in NYC. As we were walking down Lexington Avenue in Gramercy, the conversation changed from real estate to fitness.
The broker mentioned to me that I looked like I was in good shape, but I could tell he was holding something back. After I told him I was a fitness professional, he confessed that he had been trying to lose weight for months and was even exercising 5 times a week (cardio, and strength training). He hadn’t lost a pound in months and was at a standstill.
I began asking him some questions about his exercise program, which wasn’t great, but it didn’t sound to me like the problem. So the conversation turned to what he was eating. Can you take a guess? He wasn’t eating 4,000 calories a day as you might imagine, or even 3,000 calories. It turns out he was eating less than 1,000 calories a day! He’d many times skip breakfast, have a salad for lunch with some lean meat, and a small dinner.
Because he was eating so few calories, his metabolism had slowed to a crawl. His body was deep within starvation mode and it was nearly impossible for him to change his body, which was hanging on to fat for dear life. This starvation response can even occur if you skip breakfast, because your body will be functioning without food for as long as 16 hours. You can be sure your metabolism is slowing if you skip meals, or don’t eat enough food.
I estimated he would burn around 2,700 calories if his metabolism was functioning normally. There is some debate as to how large of a calorie deficit one should have in a fat loss program. You may know that a 500 daily calorie deficit equals 1 pound of fat loss per week, and a 1,000 calorie deficit equals 2 pounds of fat loss per week (in theory).
The better way to think about creating a calorie deficit is as a percentage of your total calorie burn, such as 15-20% (25%-35% on the high side). So if you are a small woman who burns only 1800 calories per day, a 1000 calorie deficit is far too high, because that means you will be eating only 800 calories. The smarter approach is to create a 20% calorie deficit, or 360 calories less than you burn, which puts you around 1440 calorie intake per day. The leaner you get, the more advisable it is to create a smaller calorie deficit as a percentage of your calorie burn.
I ended up running into the broker at an event at Tavern on the Green in Central Park about two months later. He told me our conversation, “changed his life”. Fast forward another couple months and I learned in an email that he dropped 31 pounds of fat in 4 months (from 185 to 154 pounds at a height of 5’7”)! He had achieved the lean physique he always wanted.
So if you are in the camp of either skipping meals, or not eating nearly enough, I hope you understand eating more of the right foods helps increase your metabolism. The key is to find balance between exercising and healthy eating, while tracking your progress to see what works for you.
Marc, great article. I think that professionals who tend to be too busy to exercise as often as they like skip meals in order to compensate for that. On a related topic, I would like to hear your thoughts on whether it is better to eat more earlier in the day during breakfasts and lunches and have lighter dinners in the evenings. Should there be a “pyramid” of calorie intake on a daily basis?
Hey Aleks, I think having a big breakfast, moderate sized lunch, and small dinner is a smart strategy, especially if you tend to eat large dinners. It goes along with the saying, “Eat breakfast like King, lunch like a Prince, and dinner like a Pauper.” I personally prefer having my meals in roughly the same calorie range while adding in a couple snacks throughout the day. It’s more manageable and your hunger will be satisfied all day long. I suggest trying them both out to see what works for you.
great post. It is interesting to see how eating too little can actually be very counter productive.
Would aiming for a continuous 20% calorie deficit have negative impacts on metabolism? If so would you advocate one day a week of ‘overeating’ for a metabolism spike (or is that counterproductive)?
Hey Darryl,
I think it really depends on your genetics, your metabolism, and your exercise/fitness level. So for example, a beginner with a lot of weight to lose could probably get away with eating a 35% calorie deficit for a few months. Someone who is leaner, however, might slip into starvation mode relatively quickly, possibly even after only a week (which is what happens to me). Cycling calories with a couple days of not overfeeding, but hitting maintenance level calories is a more advanced technique that works for people who are already lean, but need to get leaner. Many natural bodybuilders use this technique actually. In fact, some bodybuilders will stagger their calories to prevent adaptation. It works, but it’s not really a practical strategy for most people. I hope that answers your questions. I hope to address this in more detail in another article!
Yes, from experience I know that what you’ve written is all too true! Assessing caloric deficit as percentage of total calorie burn is indeed key.
Wow, I knew that not eating breakfast was not good for your metabolism, but I did not realize exactly how big of an effect it had. That is an amazing example. I will definitely try much harder to eat breakfast every day. Thanks for the post!
Now I must eat more. Good calories plus exercise is the key.
Skipping meals does not work, I know, I have tried it. Eating healthier meals throughout the day does make a difference.
Well what about slim young ladies or just slim people… Who eat a whole lot and gain no weight… And does not exercise at all… I’m talking eating at least 6 times per day… At all odd hours of the morning and night…. What’s your advice on that?
Hi Maria, yes there are some slim people who seem to eat a lot, never exercise, and stay slim. There are people who are at the tail of the genetic bell curve and in my opinion, don’t worry about them, or compare yourself to them. Some people have abnormally fast metabolisms, less fat cells etc. than other people.
I would argue that many of these “slim” people you speak about who seem eat whatever they want usually don’t eat that much food. At the end of the day, these people are not eating more calories then they burn. In addition, they are probably more active than you think. For example, take Europeans who in general, seem not to exercise, yet they stay thin. In reality, they control their portions, generally eat real food, and they do have a more active lifestyle then the average American. In my opinion, eating frequently can help control overeating, so many slim people who you may come across that eat frequently mostly likely have small portions throughout the day. You can check out my article on frequent eating here: http://www.builtlean.com/2010/05/14/eating-frequently-stop-overeating-increase-energy/.
I think this is a good article. If I weigh 155 pounds what kind of calories should I be consuming. Since I work out 3 times per week?? thanks, L
@Laura – Here’s an article on how to learn more about your calorie burn, so that you can arrive at your target calorie intake:
http://www.builtlean.com/2010/03/14/how-to-calculate-your-calorie-burn/
Hey marc. I have a similar problem but im not sure of what to do..I am 18years old, 5′ 3″ (wont be growing because growth plates are closed)and weigh about 140lbs. I play basketball for about 2 and a half hours 3 times a week and lift weights 2 to 3 times a week. I am pretty active. i eat about 1200 to 1300 cal a day. i have muscle. i just want to get rid of some fat. do you think my body is in starvation? if so what can i do to help it and start burning fat.. i’ve been trying to lose weight for a while now. nothing seems to be working. please help.. thanks
@Abe – It’s hard for me to really analyze exactly what you are doing without having a longer conversation, but based on the information you provided, it seems like you are close to getting the pieces together. In my experience, most of the difficulty with losing fat comes down to nutrition, assuming you have a decent strength training program. The calorie level sounds fine, but the quality of the calories you are eating as well as the macro-nutrient breakdown (protein, carbs, and fat) are important. I prefer a 35-30% protein, 40-50% carbs, 20-25% fat.
In addition, the timing of the meals can have an impact, so eating let’s say a 300-400 calorie breakfast, then lunch, then dinner, with a snack or two in between is ideal, so that the spacing is roughly 3-4 hours in between eating. There is a lot of debate that meal frequency does not increase metabolism, but from my experience (and thousands of fitness models/natural bodybuilders), frequent eating of small meals/snacks is a great way to optimize your ability to lose fat. One other thing to mention, when I’m looking to get very lean, I create a spreadsheet that represents a day of eating where I outline my breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks and fill in the calorie levels and macronutrient breakdowns so I know exactly what I’m eating, but this is a more extreme approach.
Best of luck and thanks for leaving a comment.
I eat mainly turket breast and chicken breast. I eat lots of salads and fruits and veggies. Like everyone else the junk food is in there as well. But i even tried eliminating the junk food and nothing happend. i even ran on a treadmill 2.5mils a day and nothing. im getting very frustrated and it seems nothing is working. i have no idea what to do.
As for my workout i never really work my lower body. could it be that? i do bench press, dumbell press, dumbell flys, barbell curls, dumbell curls, pushups, situps, crunches. a bodybuilder told me that if i started working my lower body and keep doing what im doing the fat should come off because the thigh is the biggest muscle which would help a lot if i build us muscle in it..
@Abe – As I write in my 10 Cut report (the free report I give you when you sign up for my weekly newsletter), lifting with legs is very important. I still believe getting the nutrition right in terms of calorie level, timing of calories, and calorie breakdown is the difference.
Well I never eat breakfast except on weekends because I’m in college. I have class at 8:30 am so there’s no time. I usually eat my first meal around 3pm. then I eat my 2nd mean which is also my lasy at around 7. Could you give me some type of way to go about everything. Also if u could email me it would be great because I could talk to you privately.
@Abe – Your eating schedule sounds like a major challenge. Check out this post: Do You Eat Like a Sumo Wrestler?. If you would like to set up a phone consultation with me, you can contact me here: http://www.builtlean.com/contact-me/. Best of luck!
Marc – thanks for your article. I have been trying to detox with all green foods and lose about 10 pounds in the process. My body has not been able to lose more than 3 pounds and it simple stops. I can’t break the weight, no matter how much I exercise or restrict my diet. I imagine that my body IS in starvation mode. I appreciate your article. I am going to try to increase my food intake to 1200 calories and do some modest exercise, maybe 30 minutes 3 times per week. Is 1200 enough for me? I am 38, 5’4″ and weight 135. Thanks!
@Ann – Getting stuck in a fat loss plateau can be frustrating, but it sounds like you have the right mindset, which is key. In terms of how many calories you should eat, 1200 sounds reasonable for a woman your size. For more detail, you can check out my article How Many Calories Should You Eat To Lose Weight?. I think it will be helpful for you. In addition, 30 minutes of light exercise 3x per week is not much, but of course it’s A LOT better than nothing. I would consider either increasing the intensity of the exercise if you are only doing it for 30 minutes, or complete 5x per week for 60 minutes if you want to go lighter with the exercise. Also remember that strength training can help increase your calorie burn for up to 48 hours AND it helps you maintain your muscle, which helps keep your metabolism higher. Strength training can seem daunting, but to make it easier for you, do a squat, lunge, push, pull, and twist each workout for 4-5 rounds. Just an idea. You can check out a circuit training workout I put up here: 20 Minute Circuit Training Workout.
This is so true about not eating enough. I have friends who constantly say to me that they can’t afford to eat breakfast because of the calories. I tell them that their metabolism needs to be revved up particularly in the morning where you “break-the-fast.” Plus, I read that women (don’t know about men b/c I’m female) who are breakfast eaters weigh something like 10% less than women who skip breakfast. I always eat three meals a day and I’m not overweight.
Marc,
There’s a lot of great information on your site–I’m certainly enjoying it!
Meal frequency has always intrigued me as there are differing “schools of thought”. What are your thoughts on intermittent fasting and the success guys like Martin Berkhan and Rusty Moore have had staying lean while maintaining muscle mass?
@Derek – I am familiar with LeanGains etc. and have read a decent amount about intermittent fasting and tried it myself. The short answer is that I find it MUCH easier to control my calories eating 3 small meals and 1-2 snacks than gorging myself 1-2 times per day. By the way, if I’m not mistaked, Martin tracks his calorie intake even though he eats a lot of food. We can argue until the cows come home about whether small meals and snacks versus intermittent fasting is better for satiety, but in my experience, small meals/snacks makes it easier to control calories (you have a much better sense of the calories you are eating if you are eating small, simple meals) and is customary with most cultures, so it’s not difficult to implement. In addition, I’ve found eating breakfast can have a profound impact on one’s ability to lose weight (which is supported by a lot of research as well as empirical evidence). At the end of the day, if you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight regardless of the meal frequency. With all that said, if you enjoy intermittent fasting and find it easy to implement, then go for it!
I had thought that if I just figure out how many calories I need to eat to sustain myself at my ideal weight, and stick to that number every day, that with exercise, my body would have to adjust to that weight. But it’s not that simple, though? That is, if I figure out with a BMR calculator that for me to maintain my goal weight (of say 130 lbs. at 5′ 6″ and 27 years old) I need to eat 1794 calories, I can’t just limit myself every day to about 1700 calories, exercise and assume my body will adjust?
@Marie – As you mention the body is very adaptable (it’s a homeostatic organism) so yes, your body should adapt to that number of calories and keep your weight roughly the same. You can always validate this with weighing yourself once a week at the same day/time. I’m a big fan of Monday Morning Weight Ins.