Restricted Calorie diets

[Bikewer]

There has been plenty of research lately on the potential health benefits of restricted caloric intake involving various animals.
CNN reported this morning on a group of people (they interviewed one couple) who have taken this very preliminary research to heart, and are enthusiastically participating.
The fellow, who is 6'0" and weighs 117 pounds or somesuch, limits himself to exactly 1991 calories daily, as well as a handful of "supplements". His wife actually consumes less; something in the 1700 range.
They weigh everything, and keep meticulous logs of daily intake of all foodstuffs, cross-referencing everything against a computer program.

They hope to live to 120 or so.

This does not impress me as a very practical thing for say...99.98 per cent of the population in developed countries, wheras it doesn't seem to be helping much in terms of longevity for impoverished, drought-stricken, and war-torn areas.
Maybe if we just sent them more vitamins.....

 

[Aardvark]

They probably will not live any longer, but it will just seem like it!!!

If they are keeping records of nutrition and eating a balanced diet, why the need for supplements

Should we run a book on how long they will actually keep this up?

 

[hipparchia]

Yeah...

They may feel like they lived for about 500 years with all the Turamisus they missed...

 

[blutoski]

There has been plenty of research lately on the potential health benefits of restricted caloric intake involving various animals.
CNN reported this morning on a group of people (they interviewed one couple) who have taken this very preliminary research to heart, and are enthusiastically participating.
The fellow, who is 6'0" and weighs 117 pounds or somesuch, limits himself to exactly 1991 calories daily, as well as a handful of "supplements". His wife actually consumes less; something in the 1700 range.
They weigh everything, and keep meticulous logs of daily intake of all foodstuffs, cross-referencing everything against a computer program.

They hope to live to 120 or so.

This does not impress me as a very practical thing for say...99.98 per cent of the population in developed countries, wheras it doesn't seem to be helping much in terms of longevity for impoverished, drought-stricken, and war-torn areas.
Maybe if we just sent them more vitamins.....

Two things:

1. I wouldn't say "lately". The calorie-restriction hypothesis has been pursued by different voluntary communities for at least 10 years. I remember a Scientific American article from the mid-90s. Like many fads, it seems to be making a comeback, but there isn't really any new research.

1991Calories seems high, even for a six-footer. Most calorie-restrictors are in the 1200-1400 range.


2. Calorie-restriction cannot be compared to malnutrition. If you malnourish a rat, it dies prematurely. If you calorie-restrict a rat, its lifespan extends. This is the point.

 

[whoa182]

The fellow, who is 6'0" and weighs 117 pounds or somesuch, limits himself to exactly 1913 calories daily, as well as a handful of "supplements". His wife actually consumes less; something in the 1700 range.
They weigh everything, and keep meticulous logs of daily intake of all foodstuffs, cross-referencing everything against a computer program.

Michael weighs 115lb and eats 1913 and april eats around 1300k/cal a day

1913 Calories seems high, even for a six-footer. Most calorie-restrictors are in the 1200-1400 range.

Well his BMI is around 15 right... so going even lower would be a very bad idea.

I was going to post you the direct link to the CNN video but can't because this forum doesnt allow it

I am 21 and have been doing CR for around 16 months now... It's very easy to do and I get around 1700-1800k/cal a day