Comments on: Bullshit Fat Loss Claims

By: Drew Baye

Drew Baye — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:50:54 +0000

The fastest I’ve ever seen someone lose 30 pounds was a little over 6 weeks, and a bit of that was probably water, muscle glycogen, and lean body mass.

The only people who could hope to lose anywhere near that amount of fat in that time period are the morbidly obese. There is a limit to the rate at which the body can get energy from the fat stores – approximately 31.4 calories per pound of fat per day, on average. To determine the most fat a person could lose in a single day, multiply the pounds of fat they have by 31.4 to determine the amount of energy they can get from their fat stores, then divide that by 3,500 to determine the percentage of a pound of fat they can lose that day.

For example, a 200 pound person with 15% body fat would have 30 pounds of fat, so they could lose about 0.27 pounds of fat per day starting out (30×31.4 = 942 and 942/3,500 = 0.27).

As their body fat went down, however, so would the amount of energy they could get from their fat stores daily, and their rate of fat loss. This is part of the reason fatter people can lose fat more quickly and leaner people lose it more slowly.

For a person to be able to average 1 pound of fat loss per day for 30 days, they would have to have an average deficit of 3,500 calories per day. To be able to get this much energy from their fat stores per day, they would need to have an average body fat of over 111 pounds (3,500 calories in a pound of fat divided by 31.4 calories per pound of fat per day = 111.5). In addition to a very low calorie diet – just the minimum amount necessary to maintain lean body mass and health – they would have to increase their activity levels tremendously to create that kind of deficit. Far more than what is practical for most people.

While 30 pounds of fat loss in 30 days may be possible for someone morbidly obese under ideal conditions, it is not possible for someone who is only a little overweight with any amount of exercise, simply due to the limited rate of energy transfer from the fat stores.

By: Rocco Castellano

Rocco Castellano — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:53:57 +0000

Drew
You are absolutely correct! It is absolutely impossible for any kind of supplement or drug (like speed) for that matter to create a metabolic effect in the body that can expend 3500 calories a day. Losing that kind of weight takes incredible will and hard work.

It is possible to Lose 30 pounds in thirty days but you better be willing to hit it hard for those 30 days.

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:39:06 +0000

There are several overweight indivuals at my workplace and they are always discussing some new weight loss method/diet/pill. For the last few years I’ve been listening to them give their personal testimonies about their new found dedication to a program they got from a book or off TV/Internet and how they are going to lose such and such amount of weight. They are always so motivated for about a week, then you notice one day that they are no longer talking about it and have resumed their normal course of action (eating and sitting). People are so desperate to beleive that they can lose weight quickly and easily that they are willing to buy into almost anything-which explains why these marketing scams are so prevalent and for the most part so successful. The sad part is that the truth doesn’t sell well, which is why you hardly see it anymore.

By: Drew Baye

Drew Baye — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:39:22 +0000

After doing a little digging, I do not believe this is a real blog. It appears to be a fake put up by the company selling the supplements. No big surprise there.

By: Ed Jones

Ed Jones — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:45:04 +0000

Just say NO to supplements!!
I like the title you gave “Bullshit fat lose calims” to bad so many are taken in by Bullshit ..
All it takes is a change in diet( oh there’s that 4 letter word again),better people are told to make a change in life (eating style) style ,and exercise. Good write up Drew.

By: Chris K

Chris K — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:21:20 +0000

The hardest, most gray hairing aspect of my career as a HIT instructor is getting clients to change their eatting habits. Frankly, sometimes I want to throw in the towel. They will complain, complain, but when I give them answers they look at me like I’ve ruined eatting for them. What the Hell? Since I “converted” to a Paleo-type diet I got really excited, “Heres a way to eat really as much as you want, not get fat or type 2, and live like evolution intended. If I could only sell this I thought. I’d be rich and do good, cure every inflammatory condition out there.” But reality always hits you between the eyes. “But how can I live without carbs. (Refined carbs)!?” was the response I mostly get. So, when it comes to fat lose, I’m at a lose. I now present the historical evidence for such a lifestyle, show them proof-of-concept, me, and then leave the preaching to Sts. Peter and Paul.