The Last Grams

I was pleasantly surprised that my weight loss proceeded linearly for the first few weeks - not just the first days of the Very Fast 800.  After those weeks however it did taper - so I took the decision to reduce calories to 700, which did have the desired effect and my weight loss rate has basically been maintained.

Now, however as I come to being within (based on BMI) normal weight range, but wish to continue weight loss to be closer to the middle of that range, my body seems to be reacting again and restraining my weight loss.  

The exact mechanism for this is interesting - it must, basically, be that I'm using less energy.  Therefore one solution is to voluntarily use more energy - to exercise.  However I prefer not to do that since it requires me to change my normal habits and it will potentially destabilize the next phase of the diet process (in which I come progressively out of the diet).  I should counter the lower energy use by trying to return to normal energy use - but it is difficult to determine in what ways my energy use has lowered.

I suppose this is due to an type of gut-brain interaction that is integral for human survival.  Surely early humans would often have low calorie periods.  We have evolved to survive them.  When calories are low for extended periods, you go into low energy mode - whether you want to or not!

It seems to me, in self-analysis that I have a change of mood: one of "peace".  I have been drawn to this since it is comfortable and enjoyable.  But I suspect this is actually due to an energy preserving survival process!

Therefore another alternative is Alternate Day Fasting.  I had read that, with this system of altering the calorie intake between a relative high and low your body is "tricked" into "thinking" it is in a (relatively) high calorie state and will thus allow greater energy expenditure.  So I'm trying a version of this.

My regime has been to consume 700 kcal/day total of low carbohydrate food which I've eaten at around 10:00am and 5:00pm each day, 350 kcal in each meal.  I have now changed this to alternating between:

• One meal at about 3:00pm of 500 kcal on one day
• Three meals of 300 kcal per day, the first at 10:00am, second at 1:00pm and the last at 5:00pm

So this adds up to the same caloric intake over time as before - 1400 kcal every two days - but by alternating should stimulate greater energy consumption.

Effects

There are changes, but it's not clear the alternating intake is the cause.  It may simply be my emotional change as I approach the end of the diet.  I certainly am looking forward to the end - to the extent that I regularly now dream (at night) of eating - high carb! - food.  The dreams are very realistic and leave me with a sense of guilt for having broken my diet - and I wake up relieved.

Anecdotally the change is working - according to the observation of my wife.  I have not weighed myself; I'm leaving that to the end of a total of 15 weeks of diet at which point I'm hoping to have achieved my target of 77Kg.  If I don't make it, I will likely continue until I do - possibly with a calorie reduction.