I really shouldn't be jumping in here because I am not one who has ever struggled with weight so what do I really know? I do know that despite my size I'm not in good shape at all. It doesn't really matter if you weigh 300 lbs or 100 lbs. Healthy is healthy. I don't eat right and I don't exercise nearly enough.
You advocate a starvation diet. You willingly admit that once the muscle is gone it will eat through the fat. Yet the part you're not understanding is as you get smaller, you will still look fat. You'll even look fatter as there is no muscle to hold the fat in around your stomach making you look bigger than you really are.
Basically I agree with the less calories part. I disagree with saying eating 800 calories a day will get you what you want. You'll still look fat, you'll just be smaller. That's the point I've been trying to make.
This part is not directed to you but, it's amazing how smaller people think it's so easy to lose weight. I've been battling weight loss for over 5 years now. I'm still trying to lose weight.
I just don't think this argument is really true. I am by no means muscular, but calling me fat would be a gross overstatement. I don't think a starvation diet is the way to go necessarily, but it doesn't make sense that someone who eats less would gain more fat. I think the equation to losing weight is to eat less and move around more and the more you move around, the more muscle you gain.
We aren't talking about someone who just has a few vanity pounds to lose here. We are talking about someone who probably wishes to lose 100 lbs or more. Eating less and eating better will definitely help. Our subject here even pointed out to us all that he lost 10 lbs by just drinking some protein shake all the time. I'm sure he couldn't do it forever, but I hope that after the surgery they get him a nutritionist to teach him how to prepare and eat healthy balanced meals. I'm willing to be that to maintain himself right now he has an 8000 to 10000 calorie diet, which would be fine if he were an Olympic athlete or something, but he's not.
And what happens when you eat right for your body and you still get hunger pangs?
What happens if you're a female and you absolutely refuse to do the best thing to get your body in shape and burn fat (which is weight lifting)
What happens when your body responds to different foods differently (i.e. carbs burn better on your body than proteins) but you don't know how to manipulate your diet to adjust because you don't realize that?
It's not always cut and dry.
I don't think hunger pangs are the worst thing ever. People spend waaaaaaay too much time obsessing about food and eating. The reason I'm so skinny is not just because I have a high metabolism. I HATE eating. I think it's a pain in the ass. Therefore, I don't bother to eat every time I'm hungry. From this I know that hunger pangs don't hurt or anything and it's easy to forget about them if you focus on something else.
I think weight lifting is fine exercise but not necessarily the best exercise for everyone. Just as you pointed out that bodies react differently to foods, I'm sure bodies react differently to exercise. There are lots of ways to get in shape. Dancing, aerobics, walking, running, swimming, riding a bike, calisthenics, martial arts, whatever. I think it's a balance and a preference thing. The important part is to be motivated and do something.
