Rate of CR adoption

[Guest guest]

I'm thinking about how and to what extent to adopt a CR

lifestyle. I've been studying Dr. Walford's books and other sources,

and in his books in particular he describes two different ways to

transition: rapid vs gradual reorientation.

The first prescribes adopting a CRON diet immediately and maintaining

it for a month or so, then for a while increasing calories consumed,

then gradually reducing calorie intake - always maintaining high quality.

The second prescribes a very gradual (1-2 years) reduction in calories

consumed, with a simultaneous increase of the proportion of quality

calories toward 100%.

The second I can understand in light of what Walford himself

discovered about how adult animals whose diets were switched from ad

lib to CRON too quickly didn't increase, but decreased, their

longevity. Adult animals switched gradually increased theirs.

I can't reconcile the first approach with this fact. If I eat say 2500

calories a day now, and suddenly reduce to 1500 calories for one

month, even if they're quality calories, won't that reduce my ability

to benefit from CRON in the future? Or is a month too brief to worry

about?

The rapid reorientation just seems contrary to Walford's findings. If

one wants to go CRON, why not do it gradually?

The reason *I'd* like to go rapid is just the cold turkey quality of

it - fewer temptations - combined with the rapid weight loss results.

I just want to understand how it's possible to go rapid without danger.

Thanks!

Doug

[Guest guest]

Hi Doug:

Welcome. My simple answer is that, as far as I know, no one knows because the studies have never been done in humans.

If you are under 35 years of age and apparently healthy it SEEMS unlikely there would be risk in doing it cold turkey. Over 40? Maybe. Maybe not. But it is clear there is no risk to doing it slowly.

The advice generally offered here is first of all to get all your key health parameters measured (BP, lipids, CRP, glucose, HbA1C, insulin, T3, weight, height, circumferences at neck, waist, navel level, 'hip', and perhaps some skinfold thicknesses ............) so that you can verify progress later. Then cut out all the junk foods. Then, after establishing a base of healthy foods, cut calories gradually.

If you are currently eating 2500 calories a day, cut by 100 calories to 2400. Even just a 100 calorie reduction will eventually (asymptotically) result in, very approximately, a loss of fifteen pounds of weight. So a 100 calorie reduction is substantial.

Then after a couple of months at 2400, before your weight has dropped the full fifteen pounds, cut to 2300. Then stay at that level for a couple of months. .................

In very round numbers you may eventually reach a BMI of ~20 and a BF% (if you can accurately measure it) of ~10%. Then recheck you health biomarkers. They will be DRAMATICALLY improved.

But no one knows for sure anything that has not yet been studied in well planned, well executed and carefully controlled studies. In fifty years a lot more will be known about all this.

Good luck, and enter your body metrics in the database here titled: 'BMI and WC/H data'.

Rodney.

> I'm thinking about how and to what extent to adopt a CR> lifestyle. ............... If one wants to go CRON, why not do it > gradually?> > The reason *I'd* like to go rapid is just the cold turkey quality of> it - fewer temptations - combined with the rapid weight loss results. > > I just want to understand how it's possible to go rapid without danger.> > Thanks!> > Doug>