The 14-percent advantage of eating little and then a lot: Is it real?

Health Correlator: The 14-percent advantage of eating little and then a lot: Is it real?

Monday, July 16, 2012

When you look at the literature on overfeeding, you see a number over and over again – 14 percent. That is approximately the increase in energy expenditure you get when you overfeed people; that is, when you feed people more calories that they need to maintain their current weight.

This phenomenon is related to another interesting one: the nonlinear increase in body weight and fat mass following overfeeding after a period starvation, illustrated by the top graph below from an article by Kevin Hall (1). The data for the squares on the top graph is from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment (2). The graph at the bottom is based mostly on the results of a simulation, and doesn’t clearly reflect the phenomenon.

Due to the significant amount of weight lost in what is called above the semistarvation stage (SS), the controlled refeeding period (CR) actually involved significant overfeeding. Nevertheless, weight was not gained right away, due to a sharp increase in energy expenditure. That is illustrated by the U-curve shape of the weight gain in response to overfeeding. Initially the gain is minimal, increasing over time, and continuing through the ad libitum refeeding stage (ALR).

Interestingly, overfeeding leads to increased energy expenditure almost immediately after it starts happening. It seems that even one single unusually big meal will significantly increase energy expenditure. Also, the 14 percent is usually associated with meals with a balanced amount of macronutrients. That percentage seems to go down if the balance is significantly shifted toward dietary fat (3), probably because the metabolic “cost” of converting dietary fat into body fat is low. In other words, large meals with a lot of fat in them tend to cause a reduced increase in energy expenditure – less than 14 percent. Shifting the balance to protein appears to have the opposite effect, increasing energy expenditure even more, probably because protein is the jack-of-all-trades among macronutrients (4).

The calorie surplus used in experiments where the 14 percent increase in energy expenditure is observed is normally around 1,000 calories, but the percentage seems to hold steady when people are overfed to different degrees (5) (6). Let us assume that one is overfed 1,000 calories. What happens? About 140 calories are “lost” due to overfeeding.

What does this have to do with eating little, and then a lot, in an alternate way? It allows for some reasonable speculation, based on a simple pattern: when you alternate between underfeeding and overfeeding, you reduce food consumption for short period of time (usually less than 24 h), and then eat big, because you are hungry.

It is reasonable to assume, based on the empirical evidence on what happens during overfeeding, that the body reacts to “eating big” as it would to overfeeding, increasing energy expenditure by a certain amount. That increase leads to a reduction in the caloric value of the meals during overfeeding; a reduction of about 14 percent of the overfed amount.

But the body does not seem to significantly decrease energy expenditure if one reduces food consumption for a short period of time, such as 24 h. So you have the potential here for some steady fat loss without a reduction in caloric intake. Keeping a calorie intake up above a certain point is more important than many people think, because a calorie intake that is too low may lead to nutrient deficiencies (7). This is possibly one of the reasons why carrying a bit of extra weight is associated with increased longevity in relatively sedentary populations (8).

Is this 14-percent effect real, or just another mirage? If yes, what does it possibly translate into in terms of fat loss?

More on these issues is coming in the next post.

18 comments:

js290 said...

Ned, it should be clear to anyone with some formal mathematics (and/or engineering) training that energy input and energy output are coupled; they can't be treated independently. So any model that tries to decouple these two variables is inherently wrong. The other detail that people miss is when the body will use the energy we ingest. So, even if dietary fat doesn't necessarily provide the maximal increase in energy expenditure, what's important is the ability to ultimately tap the stored fat for energy. As Dr. Rosedale puts it, people don't get fat by eating it, they get fat by not being able to burn it.

July 16, 2012 8:08 AM

igel said...

people on warrior / leangains protocols (myself included) can definitely say that it is NOT a mirage: fasting and then eating big is a cool way to burn fat and build muscle (if one intends to do so) simultaneously

July 16, 2012 8:35 AM

Ned Kock said...

Hi js290. So, would you say that the effect is real, or a mirage? Also, the loss due to EE seems to be lower if the overfeeding is significantly shifted toward dietary fat.

July 16, 2012 4:39 PM

js290 said...

Ned, I would say it's absolutely real. If we can believe that metabolism is slowed by reducing energy input, then it stands to reason that metabolism can be accelerated by increasing energy input. Obviously the relationship is nonlinear; therefore I'm not surprised that dietary fat may have a different effect on energy expenditure. Practically, it doesn't really matter the exact function. As long as the hormones and enzymes are biased towards burning more fat than they store, fat mass will be lost.

July 16, 2012 9:02 PM

vaporizers said...

These are fantastic stuff you shared here.

July 17, 2012 3:36 AM

Ned Kock said...

What I find interesting about this effect js290 is that the body does not seem to significantly decrease energy expenditure if one reduces food consumption for a short period of time, such as 24 h. So you have potential here for fat loss if you alternate between lower and higher calorie intake, as long as you do that in short enough windows of time (less than 24 h). This may be an explanation to the effect that igel mentioned in his comment, associated with some IF approaches.

July 17, 2012 6:34 AM

David Isaak said...

Hi, Ned-- Have you seen this? http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/07/120702162153.htm Of course, people are fond of noting that people aren't rats--and we really aren't fruit flies! (And, of course, a calorie is no longer a calorie, either. Odd that Bray would be the one to prove it: http://rdfeinman.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/bray-et-al-shows-that-a-calorie-is-not-a-calorie-and-that-dietary-carbohydrate-controls-fat-storage/ )

July 17, 2012 8:54 PM

js290 said...

Ned, it is indeed interesting. I kind of also wonder whether the increase in energy expenditure associated with a "balanced diet" as opposed to a higher fat diet has more to do with the body trying to rid itself of excessive glucose. That is, while one's metabolism is functioning properly, the body will increase energy expenditure by burning off the glucose. But, if the metabolism is operating sub-optimally, the excessive glucose goes into storage. Whereas with with fat, the body is primed to use it for fuel at any time, so an increase in energy expenditure beyond that of a "balanced diet" is not as necessary. It'll increase some because there's more energy to be used, but the body isn't as "panicked" about it. Also, I'm also a bit of an unqualified skeptic when people claim that low carb, per se, breaks their thyroid function, and is somehow restored by introducing dietary glucose. I have to wonder whether people with these experiences simply were not eating enough. And, the re-introduction of carbs simply meant a total increase in energy input. In other words, would they have experienced similar improvements in thyroid function by simply eating more?

July 17, 2012 10:59 PM

Evelyn aka CarbSane said...

Hi Ned, I have to look for it but I came across a study that demonstrated EE actually increases early in a fast. I tend to think if this is true, it goes away with habituation, so erratic IF may be better. That's just a hunch though.

July 18, 2012 3:57 AM

Ned Kock said...

Hi David, thanks for the link. This reminds me of the earlier post on BMI and mortality: http://bit.ly/NWbeMY

July 18, 2012 5:24 PM

Ned Kock said...

I think those are good points js290. There is one problem with a very high fat, low carb diet – neither liver nor muscle glycogen will be properly replenished. Depending on the amount of glycogen depleting exercise done, that type of diet may be unsustainable.

July 18, 2012 5:30 PM

Ned Kock said...

Hi Evelyn. And I am not even considering that possible increase in EE during a fast (or period of calorie restriction), only the one resulting from overfeeding later on.

July 18, 2012 5:32 PM

Jeffrey of Troy said...

This seems to me, as igel alluded to, to support IF + "overfeeding" when you do eat, just enough so that the daily avg over a week or so = what you would have gotten if you did neither. Same calories, different apportionment. Specifically, eat big (esp pro) post-workout (recovery's where you make your gains). But if you ate that big all the time, you'd gain both muscle and fat, like many powerlifters.

July 18, 2012 6:05 PM

David Isaak said...

>>Hi David, thanks for the link. This reminds me of the earlier post on BMI and mortality... Yes, indeed, I thought of your post immediately.

July 18, 2012 7:20 PM

js290 said...

Ned, that's why I go two weeks between glycogen depleting activity. ;-) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQra-ME7vIo#t=47m13s

July 18, 2012 7:47 PM

SEAJ said...

I am curious how the body knows its in a calorie surplus. I would speculate that its the abundance of specific nutrients.. maybe amino acids or glucose levels that cause the effect. Maybe supplementing whole foods with more rapidly digesting amino acids and or sugars at a caloric deficit could simulate the effect.

July 20, 2012 1:15 PM

Ned Kock said...

Hi SEAJ. That is one of the crucial questions, which goes unanswered in the pubs that provide evidence for the 14-percent effect. Well, at least the ones I reviewed.

July 21, 2012 7:45 AM

Introducing Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting: How to Lose Fat, Build Muscle, Stay Focused & Feel Great The Bulletproof Executive

» Introducing Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting: How to Lose Fat, Build Muscle, Stay Focused & Feel Great The Bulletproof Executive

By Dave Asprey

If you want to lose fat and improve your health as fast as possible, without feeling mentally slow, it’s hard to beat Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting.

Plain intermittent fasting has become popular in biohacker circles because it shows tremendous promise for fat loss, preventing cancer, building muscle, and increasing resilience. The most popular site that covers plain intermittent fasting is Leangains.com.  It’s totally worth a visit. The basic idea behind plain intermittent fasting is to eat all of your daily food in a shortened period (8 hours in the case of Lean Gains) and fast the rest of the time. For reasons we will get into below, this tells your body to simultaneously build muscle and burn fat.  It really works.

The problem is not everyone does well with fasting. If you’re a busy entrepreneur or even a student who needs to be in a high performance state all day, dealing with hunger can be a distraction. It’s much worse for those with an impaired metabolism (i.e. the people who need to lose weight). If you have more than 30 pounds of extra fat or if you’re facing diabetes, it can be hard to skip meals and still get things done.

Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting is a biohack that changes that and makes it possible to lose fat and build muscle faster than plain intermittent fasting… without feeling hungry or tired.

Introducing Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting

Bulletproof Fasting is the same as intermittent fasting, except you consume a cup of Bulletproof Coffee in the morning. The healthy fats from grass-fed butter and MCT oil give you a stable current of energy that sustains you through the day. The ultra low toxin Upgraded Coffee Beans optimize brain function and fat loss with high octane caffeine. The MCT oil also serves to increase ketone production and boosts your metabolic rate by up to 12%. This drink is so filling, we’ve had clients who drank one cup of Bulletproof Coffee in the morning and didn’t feel like eating until mid afternoon. Adding extra MCT oil will promote ketogenesis (the formation of ketones) and provide more of a mental kick.

For optimal results, you should be following the green side of Bulletproof Diet in conjunction with this protocol. Bulletproof Fasting will not save you from the effects of Poptarts and fried Oreos.

Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting: Mental Performance Protocol

Goal: Improve and/or sustain mental performance while getting more benefits than plain intermittent fasting.

Step 1: Finish dinner by 8 pm

No snacking after dinner – go to bed whenever you want.

Step 2: Drink Bulletproof Coffee in the morning

Bulletproof Coffee is a mix of brewed Upgraded Coffee Beans, grass-fed butter, and pharmaceutical grade MCT oil. You can find the complete recipe here. Don’t mess around with cheap coffee, which will sabotage your efforts since 91.7% of green coffee has mycotoxins in it.

Drink as much Bulletproof Coffee as you like in the morning. You can have another cup before 2:00 PM if you get hungry. No coffee after 2:00 PM or you won’t sleep.

Step 2.5 (optional) – Work out

This is not necessary to gain muscle and lose fat, but it helps. If you’re going to work out, lift something heavy right before you break the fast in step 3. I’d suggest high intensity weight training. Shorter and harder is better than longer exercise. You will need to sleep more if you exercise.

Step 3: Do not eat until 2pm

This means you’ve not had anything to eat except Bulletproof Coffee for 18 hours.  This should occur from the time you wake, through the morning, and into the afternoon. If 18 hours is too long, start with a shorter fast and increase from there.

Step 4: Eat as much Bulletproof food as you like for 6 hours (until 8 pm)

The number of meals you eat during this time is irrelevant, as is the amount of calories.
Here is a sample day of Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting:

8:00 AM: Drink Bulletproof Coffee.
2:00 PM: Break fast with foods from the Bulletproof Diet.
8:00 PM: Eat your last meal before beginning the fast.

Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting extends your life, improves brain function, and makes you more resilient on all levels. Even if you just start drinking Bulletproof Coffee for breakfast in place of the watery bags of sugar we call fruit, you can take advantage of some of these benefits. Once you start Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting, you will have gained an unfair advantage on your peers in health, longevity, and performance.

Benefits of Plain Intermittent Fasting

Animal studies (thanks Wikipedia!)

• “Reduced serum glucose and insulin levels and increased resistance of neurons in the brain to excitotoxic stress“^[2]
• “Enhance[s] cardiovascular and brain functions and improve[s] several risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke including a reduction in blood pressure and increased insulin sensitivity” and that “cardiovascular stress adaptation is improved and heart rate variability is increased in rodents” and that “rodents maintained on an IF regimen exhibit increased resistance of heart and brain cells to ischemic injury in experimental models of myocardial infarction and stroke.”^[3]
• May “ameliorate age-related deficits in cognitive function” in mice^[4]
• Correlation with IF and significantly improved biochemical parameters associated with development of diabetic nephropathy^[5]
• Resistance in mice to the effects of gamma irradiation^[6]
• Lifespan increases of 40.4% and 56.6% in C. elegans for alternate day (24 hour) and two-of-each-three day (48 hour) fasting, respectively, as compared to an ad libitum diet.^[7]
• Rats showed markedly improved long-term survival after chronic heart failure via pro-angiogenic, anti-apoptotic and anti-remodeling effects.^[8]

Human studies

• Alternative day fasting (ADF) may produce significant improvements in several markers such as LDL cholesterol in as little as eight weeks.^[10]
• “may effectively modulate several risk factors, thereby preventing chronic disease, and that ADF may modulate disease risk to an extent similar to that of CR”.^[11]
• Serum from humans following an IF diet had positive effects (reduced triglycerides in men and increased HDL in women, as well as reduced cell proliferation and increased heat resistance) in vitro on human hepatoma cells.^[12]
• IF confers protection from toxic chemotherapy treatments, allowing higher doses and therefore more effective treatment for cancers.^[13]
• IF may function as a form of nutritional hormesis.^[14][15]

Reasons Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting Works Better

Reason #1: Tripling down on mTOR.

mTOR sounds like it should be the name of a hero in a Japanese comic book, but it’s a little more important than that. mTOR stands for “Mammalian Target of Rapamycin.” It’s one of those things that only a biohacker (or a fat person) could get excited about.  mTOR is a major mechanism that increases protein synthesis in your muscles. Both exercise and coffee raise cellular energy use while simultaneously inhibiting your muscle building mechanisms (mTOR) for a brief period, which causes it to “spring back” and build even more muscle as soon as you eat.

There are 3 known ways to raise mTOR. Intermittent fasting, exercise, and coffee (or more weakly, chocolate, green tea, turmeric, or resveratrol)




Bulletproof Fasting hits all 3 ways to compress mTOR, causing a bigger rebound and better use of your food for muscle building. I used Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting occasionally during my 4500 calorie per day no exercise long term experiment, and ended up looking like this after doing it for 4 days per week for 2 weeks. Keep in mind that I used to weigh 300lbs, and I hadn’t worked out for 18 months when this photo was taken.

Plain intermittent fasting doesn’t use coffee, so it only hits one, or possibly 2 of the 3 possible mTOR triggers. Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting works better because it can use all 3 mechanisms, but it works very well (as you can see) with just coffee and intermittent fasting. The cool thing is that an all fat breakfast (like Bulletproof Coffee) doesn’t make your body think it’s broken the fast, so you get the benefits of the fasting anyway. It’s awesome!

Reason #2: Ketosis

Plain intermittent fasting helps you enter ketosis (fat burning mode that’s good for your brain) but then you end ketosis if you eat carb-containing foods at the end of the fast. Using MCT in your Bulletproof Coffee increases the speed at which you go into ketosis, so it fuels your brain, and it helps you stay in ketosis even in the presence of some carbs in your diet. MCT is noticeably better than just grass fed butter in my coffee for this effect.

Reason #3: You’ll actually do it because you feel awesome

Let’s face it. You’re not a super athlete. You’re not a model or a professional body builder. You have work to do at your day job and being hungry, sluggish, and cranky all morning during a fast is not fun or good for your career. It’s easier, and far more pleasant to do a Bulletproof Intermittent Fast than a plain one. I’ve done plain ones and enjoy them to be honest, but they are even more enjoyable with Bulletproof Coffee. Plus, I get better results with the coffee protocols.

Reason #4: Metabolic hacking

Coffee increases your metabolism by up to 20 percent. Plain intermittent fasting doesn’t. This combination is superior.

That just about covers it.  If you benefit from this Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting Protocol, please leave a comment here or on the Bulletproof Forum.  The next article on Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting will show you the protocol that produced 75 pounds of weight loss in 75 days.

Intermittent Fasting and Diurnal Cortisol - Kindke's Scrap Notes

Kindke's Scrap Notes: Intermittent Fasting and Diurnal Cortisol

A new study that is the buzz in the media is about how restricting feeding to an 8 hour window ( during the afternoon-night phase ) prevents the progression of obesity on a diet that otherwise induces obesity in the same rodents if they are given Ad Lib access to the same food around the clock.

The intermittent fasting rodents consumed the same number of calories as the Ad Lib fed rodents yet remained much more slim. So yes, this proves a calorie is a calorie btw. /sarcasm

This has come at a time that I was thinking about something mentioned on itsthewooo's blog in the comments about diurnal cortisol. Actually, cortisol essentially makes you quite glucose intolerant, ( like melatonin ), and induces insulin resistance, so it is most likely not a good time to eat food when cortisol is high, like first thing in the morning or immediately after exercise.

This is the daily graph of diurnal cortisol for a normal healthy person. It might be slightly different for an obese person, but it quite clearly highlights the problem with eating food immediately after waking up, especially sugary cereal. You should ideally only be eating when cortisol is low, that means during the late afternoon and evening.

Could this be one of the reasons that helped the rodents in the IF study above resist obesity? ( maybe not, since rodents are nocturnal animals by nature, it makes sense for them only to be eating during the night. )

Posted by Kindke at 17:10