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Comment by knuthsat | Hacker News Reader

I usually notice severe metabolism slowdown when sitting for prolonged periods of time. I can eat 800-1200 kcal and not lose any weight (and I’m 200lbs).

After I start hiking for 4 hours a day I’m losing weight even on 2300 kcal.

So it seems my programmer lifestyle is messing me up.

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I highly doubt you can actually maintain weight on 800 kcal/day regardless of activity level. That isn't really scientifically plausible. Most people significantly underestimate their caloric intake by not weighing portions or failing to count snacks and beverages.

I use a gram scale and eat only plants with home made bread. What can I say? On average it’s probably 1100kcal per day and weight loss seems invisible.

Maintaining 200 lbs weight even at 1100 kcal/day is still unlikely. That should produce a slow weight loss. Due to natural daily fluctuations it may take several weeks to see a significant change on the scale.

Have you had a resting metabolic rate test? They can tell how many calories you burn based on exhaled gases. I weigh about the same as you and burn about 1700 kcal/day just sitting on the couch.

https://www.dexafit.com/services/rmr-metabolic-test

I did not have any testing but thanks for making me aware simple tests exist.

> I usually notice severe metabolism slowdown when sitting for prolonged periods of time. I can eat 800-1200 kcal and not lose any weight (and I’m 200lbs).

I'm also a software engineer and I too sit for absurdly long periods of time.

Your body will use the minimum necessary. If you sit for a long time, most of that energy will be directed towards your brain.

At the end of the day, you simply have to reduce energy intake below baseline requirements. Then you will lose weight.

Note this is an absurdly unhealthy way to lose weight, as you will be neglecting cardiovascular health, muscle mass, bone strength, etc. In my experience, this can lead to "brain fog" and other issues programmers don't want, so that also has to be carefully balanced.

But you will lose weight, if that is the goal.

It's there any scientific evidence that extra energy is directed towards your brain rather than stored as fat?

I don't know about specifically to your brain (that seems implausible), but there is NEAT: non-exercise activity thermogenesis. Your body adjusts energy expenditure by hundreds of calories up or down by subconsciously making you fidget more or less.

It's not "directed". It simply goes to whatever has the highest energy requirements.

If you are sitting still at your desk all day, not moving a muscle, your brain has a large energy requirement.

So your muscles will waste, your bones will likely become brittle, but the energy coming in will go where it needs to.

Sitting still doesn't increase your brain's energy requirements. Excess energy is mostly used to build fat (and repair other tissue).

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