The Mathematics of Weight Loss

[Dr. Duc Vuong 44]

Here is a little quiz that I give to people who attend my seminars:

• How many calories a day is the average person supposed to eat?
  

Most of my prospective patients will significantly underestimate this before they start my program. They will guess 900, 1200, or 1500 calories.

Ans: 2000 calories a day is the recommended daily allowance. When you read the nutrition information on the back of a food product, the percentages of recommended daily allowances are based on a 2000 calorie a day diet.

• If you join Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig or other commercial program, how many calories do they have you eat a day?
  

Some of my prospective patients guess 1200 or so, but many have no idea. This is because the programs do not tell you. Foods are divided into categories and assigned letters, numbers, or colors. The programs do this to sell you their services and make you dependent on their coding system. If you leave their program, you regain the weight and then join them again. Sound familiar? They do not want you to be educated, because if you learned proper information, they might lose your business for good.

Ans: On average, these programs bring you down to 1500 calories a day. This is also about the average for South Beach, Slim Fast, and other popular diets. Atkins is actually one of the lowest at about 1350 cal/day.

• How many calories equal one pound?
  

Many people also underestimate this number, guessing about 2000. They expect weight-loss from dieting and exercise to be rapid. Many diets do appear to help you lose weight rapidly, but often you are merely losing Water weight at first because you are consuming less sodium. The ten pounds you might shed during your first week on some diet plans are not comprised of fat.

Ans: 3500 calories equals one pound.

So here is the Math behind weight loss. If I regularly eat the recommended 2000 calories a day and join a program that has me eat 1500 calories a day, I create a deficit of 500 calories a day. After seven days, the deficit is 3500 calories. So the various weight-loss programs tell you, "If you join our program, you can expect to lose one pound a week." Sound familiar? That is how that number is derived!

Now that is just an average statement. Your own particular weight loss rate varies from this, depending on many factors including your age, gender, muscle composition, health problems, etc...But hopefully understanding the basics will help you further on your journey.

Best of luck,

Dr. Vuong

If you would like to learn more, check out my new book Ultimate Lap Band Success: The Support Surgeon's Guide to Getting the Most From Your Gastric Band at www.MoreFromMyBand.com/resources

[di1138 8]

Not sure you have your facts correct about weight loss plans. Before banding I was a life long member of Jenny Craig. They clearly told me that I would start out at 1500 a day and go down to 1200 before starting maintenance. On the subject of eating 2000 calories a day...Are you serious??? At my current weight I would gain! There are many sources of calorie estimators on line and none that I have seen says that an average woman would need that many. I even exercise a lot 6 days a week and can not eat that much! I would love to know how you come up with this stuff??

[StephOnee 1]

Not sure you have your facts correct about weight loss plans. Before banding I was a life long member of Jenny Craig. They clearly told me that I would start out at 1500 a day and go down to 1200 before starting maintenance. On the subject of eating 2000 calories a day...Are you serious??? At my current weight I would gain! There are many sources of calorie estimators on line and none that I have seen says that an average woman would need that many. I even exercise a lot 6 days a week and can not eat that much! I would love to know how you come up with this stuff??

I find your comment humorus, if you read the back of any labeled food container it will tell you that the caloric intake is based on a 2,000/cal diet. Yes, 2,000 calories a day is considered normal but everyone is different. Some people's matabolism is a bit slower/faster than others and therefore they don't lose/gain weight on the same amount of calories that others would. Obviously, you will have to find the caloric intake that will work for you and eventually you will more than likely have to reduce your intake to produce the same results. I'm pretty sure the doc. knows his facts, I'm not sure why you would question him because to me, and i am sure to many others as well, his facts check out with common knowledge.

[di1138 8]

Steph, glad I could brighten your day! Look he said Jenny Craig does not tell you how many calories you get per day. I just stated they clearly told me.... Yes I understand he said 2000 calories are on the label however he gives the impression that most people could maintain weight on that. I only stated that no where have I seen it on calorie estimator for woman. He implies that the average person eat that much. I asked where this is coming form. Clearly you think I am an idiot and trying to insult the doctor. That is not my intent. Just correcting him about Jenny Craig and asking where he gets his info. But glad I gave you a a laugh!

[LoneStarRedHd56 0]

If you will notice he is just pointing out the MATHMATICS behind these "other" program "claims"...

"Now that is just an average statement. Your own particular weight loss rate varies from this, depending on many factors including your age, gender, muscle composition, health problems, etc...But hopefully understanding the basics will help you further on your journey."

I believe he is just trying to get people to educate themselves and realize that everyone loses weight at a different rate. Knowledge is power!

Being a "life long member of Jennie Craig" tells me that JC wasn't working, or else you wouldn't have gotten the band.

Good luck with your band - I love my new life!!

Edited May 27, 2009 by LoneStarRedHd56

[Jachut 487]

Not sure you have your facts correct about weight loss plans. Before banding I was a life long member of Jenny Craig. They clearly told me that I would start out at 1500 a day and go down to 1200 before starting maintenance. On the subject of eating 2000 calories a day...Are you serious??? At my current weight I would gain! There are many sources of calorie estimators on line and none that I have seen says that an average woman would need that many. I even exercise a lot 6 days a week and can not eat that much! I would love to know how you come up with this stuff??

I eat about 2000 a day to maintain my 148lb - I'm 5ft 10 and run for 40 minutes to an hour most days.

I eat carbs too! bread, Pasta, rice.

[di1138 8]

If you will notice he is just pointing out the MATHMATICS behind these "other" program "claims"...

"Now that is just an average statement. Your own particular weight loss rate varies from this, depending on many factors including your age, gender, muscle composition, health problems, etc...But hopefully understanding the basics will help you further on your journey."

I believe he is just trying to get people to educate themselves and realize that everyone loses weight at a different rate. Knowledge is power!

Being a "life long member of Jennie Craig" tells me that JC wasn't working, or else you wouldn't have gotten the band.

Good luck with your band - I love my new life!!

Your right Jenny nor all the millions of other plans didn't work (never said they did!) I love my band too! I have lost 105 lbs since 8/2008 only 5-6 till goal. Best of luck to you too.

[MacMadame 81]

I also have been on WW and JC many times and they were very clear that I was eating about 1200 calories a day. It was on all the materials they gave me. They also told me to expect to lose 1-2 lb. a week. Which fits the math for that level of calories.