Thanks so much for posting this e_mcmaster. This is some really good advice. Your BMR changes as you diet - when you cut calories (extremely) you slow your metabolism, as e said. And your metabolism = your body's ability to burn fat/lose weight. What your body stores as fat or burns or keeps or sheds IS calories in vs. calories out, but it's almost much more complicated than that, which is where metabolism comes into play. Some quick and easy ways to slow down your metabolism? No exercise. Skipping meals or only having one large meal a day. And most importantly, not giving your body the energy it needs.
Also keep in mind that you should not be cutting calories from your BMR - your BMR is not what you burn in a day. It's what you'd burn if you literally lied in bed all day and didn't move. It's what you burn simply because your blood flows through your veins and your lungs keep on breathing. You probably burn around 500-900 calories more a day starting the minute you get out of bed. If you're eating LESS than your BMR, that's trouble. Think about it - you're giving your body LESS energy than it needs to pump blood and breathe air... Now that doesn't mean you're going to drop dead. The body's pretty clever at keeping itself alive - it's going to store every single calorie it can (mostly as fat stores) so that you can live off those. Not only is that insanely unhealthy, but isn't the opposite of what those trying to lose weight are trying to do?
I'm not sure about those numbers as applying to everyone, especially the 1800 one. But I *have* read numerous times warnings not to drop below 1200 (for women), and even that is strikingly low and should only be used in extreme circumstances like extreme obesity. No word of a lie, I overheard a woman at the gym the other day bewilderdly say to her friend "I don't understand why I'm not losing weight... I've done so good today - all I've had is a bagel and a salad." !!!!!!!!  That's just not right.
Ladies, I know I've been harping on this continuously such that I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but PLEASE FEED YOUR BODIES! Sure you might lose some digits on the scale if you're only eating 1200 calories a day - you could lose also weight by eating nothing at all, or by taking a handfull of pills, or lots of other really unhealthy ways that simply do not work in the LONG TERM. You have to eat MORE to LOSE (yes I know, it's a paradox  )
OK rant over  Thanks for this thread e, I think it's really important.
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I wholeheartedly second this! Please read this thread!
