Expert: Simon Evans, PhD - 4/18/2007

Question
QUESTION: hey i was wondering how much pounds can i lose by june 27? also i hear people say i should eat 1400 calories but i barely eat that and I'm gaining weight why is that? for example i get up at 1pm eat something at about 3pm then i eat dinner at like  
8 or 9pm then i go to sleep at about 5am but i don't exercise so why am i gaining so much weight?
ANSWER: Nicole,

I can't really give you an amount you can lose by late June. I don't know where you are at now and I don't condone rapid weight loss. It is temporary and will not last. Slow weight loss is the best.

You may be stuck for a few reasons.

First, not exercising is a problem. When you exercise you force more calories to working muscles and less to fat storage. It's not just about burning calories, its also how your body uses them. Exercise will help burn fat. You should work with a physician to get yourself on an exercise program that is right for your age and fitness level.

Second, your sleep schedule seems kind of wacky. Your body has a natural biological rhythm and you release hormones when you sleep that help control weight and minimize fat storage. There is a proven relationship with not getting enough sleep or being on a reversed sleep schedule and increasing weight gain.

Third, if you are not getting enough calories your body actually stores them much more efficiently. Make sure you are balancing healthy fats (poly- and mono-unsaturated), high fiber sources of carbohydrates and lean proteins. Otherwise your body senses low nutrients and goes into kind of a 'psuedo-starvation' mode and more efficiently stores fat.

I would start by focusing on those two things.

I talk about both of these issues in chapter 2 and 3 of my book, Brain Fitness. If you are interested in checking that out you can visit my website at http://www.thebraincode.com

Hope this helps.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what if i was to eat 750-800 calories a day and work out six times a week will a be able to lose 40 pounds by then?

Answer
I can not advise you to take that approach - even if you reach your goal you would gain it back with that rapid weight loss approach.

Why not just lose the weight slowly and permanently?

It is impossible to calculate a specific formula for a specific weight loss in a specific time period. Everyone burns calories at different metabolic rates and exercises with different efficiency.