While looking for something else on the USDA’s official My Plate site last week, I came across a list of daily meal plans. I presume the meal plans are intended for people who are too stupid to simply look at the new and improved, colorful, easy-to-understand My Plate example and fill their plates accordingly. I don’t think people are that stupid, but the USDA clearly does. After all, when the Food Pyramid came along and people got fatter instead of thinner, the USDA took that result as evidence that the Food Pyramid was too confusing. Couldn’t possibly be that the advice was wrong.
Anyway, here are some screen shots of the sample menus for a 2,000 calorie diet:
Although it was a bit tedious, I looked up nutrition information for everything on the Day 1 menu and added it up. We’re looking at 2039 calories, 94 grams of protein, 82 grams of fat, and 254 carbohydrates. That’s not a huge carbohydrate load (although far more than I would consume), but look at some of the major carb sources: raisins, brown sugar, orange juice, lasagna noodles and a wheat roll. Fructose and wheat.
Go through the rest of the week online, and it’s more of the same. Sure, there are recommendations to eat vegetables, but there are also plenty of juices, English muffins, rolls, bread slices, crackers, cereals … heck, fat-free chocolate milk is even on the menu for Day 5. Every single cut of meat is specified as lean and every single dairy product is specified as low-fat or fat-free. Recipes call for margarine and corn or canola oil, but of course never butter. There’s almost no quality fat on the menu to make you feel full and nourished.
I would shrug it off and say most people will ignore these menus – which they will – but of course every public school, military installation, prison, government cafeteria, etc., etc. is required to serve meals like these.
The My Plate site is full of nonsense about how eating this way can help people lose weight. Riiiight. The only people who will lose weight because of these menus are the prisoners – and only because they can’t go out and stuff themselves with snacks after their USDA-approved meals leave them feeling hungry.
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Who, on a regular diet with nothing else on their toast, would put only 2 teaspoons of jam on their bread?! Blech.
I made the almond almost paleo bread from awhile back (food processors are amazing!). Kinda weird for savory flavors IMO, but nice with salted butter and a touch of jam or honey. It’s sliced and wrapped in foil in the fridge and has not gone bad almost a week later.
Apparently people from the USDA sit in a room, make up these meal instructions, and then convince themselves people will actually follow them. I doubt one person in a hundred is going to bother getting out a teaspoon to measure jam.
Since the USDA wants us to eat healthy, what are the nutrients in the above menus? When you ran the numbers did you get what the vitamin, mineral etc. content was? I don’t see a whole lot of anything in the veg/fruit category that are nutritional powerhouses and most of the carb stuff is just filler crud.
I’m a large person to begin with and am losing weight by doing low carb/low wheat/ tracking calories. I could, based on the calorie calcs, take in about 2500 cals a day inactive and still lose weight, and I do. Usually about 2200 calories. The above menus would have me eating the 2000 calories and even adding in another 500 from, I don’t know, 500 cals of air popped popcorn (the mostest healthy snack in the world) with I can’t believe it’s not butter spray on it and still be hungry.
1 cup of raw spinach? Try half a pound sauteed in butter with salt and pepper and lemon washed down with a nice ribeye. Now that’s a dinner I can get behind!
I didn’t look up the vitamin/mineral content, but I doubt it’s adequate.
I’m shocked they allow whole eggs, instead of egg whites! But only one egg at a time, that won’t do. My coworkers laugh at me when I pull out my lunch sometimes – a carton of (soft cooked) eggs and a stick of butter. Tastier, healthier, and easier than any of these sample menus!
My lunch today (sitting in the fridge, waiting for me to leave for work) is sausage and scrambled eggs.
How did the human race ever take over the planet (or even survive at all) without the USDA to tell us what to eat, or personal trainers to tell us how to move? When are they going to provide desperately needed guidance on how many breaths to take per minute? http://www.mybreathing.gov
The breathing program was probably canceled after sequestration.
Perhaps they want you all to consume fat free milk so they can have the cream all to themselves!
That would make sense, since it would mirror what the federal government does financially.
Who, on a regular diet with nothing else on their toast, would put only 2 teaspoons of jam on their bread?! Blech.
I made the almond almost paleo bread from awhile back (food processors are amazing!). Kinda weird for savory flavors IMO, but nice with salted butter and a touch of jam or honey. It’s sliced and wrapped in foil in the fridge and has not gone bad almost a week later.
Apparently people from the USDA sit in a room, make up these meal instructions, and then convince themselves people will actually follow them. I doubt one person in a hundred is going to bother getting out a teaspoon to measure jam.
Like all the other diet meal plans — 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 cup tangerine sections, 1/4 cup sliced strawberries. Then what? Do you throw the rest away?
I guess you’re supposed to save them for your next awesome USDA-approved meal.
How did the human race ever take over the planet (or even survive at all) without the USDA to tell us what to eat, or personal trainers to tell us how to move? When are they going to provide desperately needed guidance on how many breaths to take per minute? http://www.mybreathing.gov
The breathing program was probably canceled after sequestration.
Perhaps they want you all to consume fat free milk so they can have the cream all to themselves!
That would make sense, since it would mirror what the federal government does financially.
Like all the other diet meal plans — 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 cup tangerine sections, 1/4 cup sliced strawberries. Then what? Do you throw the rest away?
I guess you’re supposed to save them for your next awesome USDA-approved meal.
Page three of the document linked to has the average vitamin and mineral intakes for the meals.
Page one says, “…the cost of this menu is less than the average amount spent for food, per person, in a four-person family.” But according to census data, the average household has 2.6 persons. For all these perishable ingredients, as Marilyn pointed out, how much are you going to have to buy to get these little amounts of food? Are you seriously supposed to soak, rinse and cook half of cup of kidney beans (or buy a can and throw out most of it, because beans don’t keep long), or use a few tablespoons of salsa and throw the rest away (because salsa doesn’t keep either), and throw out that extra ounce of tuna? I wonder how many years it would take to use a bottle of canola oil on the myplate plan.
Certainly long enough for the canola oil to go rancid.
Isn’t canola oil rancid when you buy it? By the time it goes through all that processing and sitting on the shelf in clear plastic?
From what I’ve read, most processed vegetable oils go rancid easily.
The USDA must also think it will connect with Americans by speaking through Michelle Obama. And by the way, I seriously doubt the Obama family is sitting down to these kinds of meals regularly. She even said a few years back, “We are a bacon-and-eggs family.” Leading by example does not appear to be a strong point of government leaders.
To the poster who insinuated that prisoners deserve to suffer poor diets… Sally Fallon mentioned on the Livin La Vida Low Carb Show one time that about one third of American prisoners are innocent–they are in there because they were framed or the legal system careerists were hungry for prosecutions (as was exemplified in Mistakes Were Made but not by me). So be careful what evils you wish on our prisoners, because one day it could be you!
Not to mention the people who are in prison for violating drug laws but didn’t rob, murder, or otherwise harm someone else.
Beet greens in canola/corn oil? Surely they jest!
Unfortunately, they’re serious about that.
I used to eat how they told me to, and I gained a bunch of weight and was so hungry all the time. In fact, reading those menus made me kinda hungry. Luckily I had venison fried in pure lard with eggs for dinner. I had no lunch because I wasn’t hungry because I had sausage and eggs for breakfast. I like eggs. A lot.
At any rate, another diet I recommend is what I call the “GuildWars Diet.” My husband lost 90 lbs. (from ~280 down to 190) simply by living here and playing the game GuildWars. I don’t think one burns many calories playing that game, but it’s possible it was the game and not the fact that we eat LCHF in this house. I’m sure we could come up with a study that would “prove” it 😉
I think you could play checkers and lose weight on a LCHF diet.
Page three of the document linked to has the average vitamin and mineral intakes for the meals.
Page one says, “…the cost of this menu is less than the average amount spent for food, per person, in a four-person family.” But according to census data, the average household has 2.6 persons. For all these perishable ingredients, as Marilyn pointed out, how much are you going to have to buy to get these little amounts of food? Are you seriously supposed to soak, rinse and cook half of cup of kidney beans (or buy a can and throw out most of it, because beans don’t keep long), or use a few tablespoons of salsa and throw the rest away (because salsa doesn’t keep either), and throw out that extra ounce of tuna? I wonder how many years it would take to use a bottle of canola oil on the myplate plan.
Certainly long enough for the canola oil to go rancid.
Isn’t canola oil rancid when you buy it? By the time it goes through all that processing and sitting on the shelf in clear plastic?
From what I’ve read, most processed vegetable oils go rancid easily.
May be they plan to use animal fat to make a diesel fuel? US government doesn’t recognize it as a food source.
The USDA must also think it will connect with Americans by speaking through Michelle Obama. And by the way, I seriously doubt the Obama family is sitting down to these kinds of meals regularly. She even said a few years back, “We are a bacon-and-eggs family.” Leading by example does not appear to be a strong point of government leaders.
To the poster who insinuated that prisoners deserve to suffer poor diets… Sally Fallon mentioned on the Livin La Vida Low Carb Show one time that about one third of American prisoners are innocent–they are in there because they were framed or the legal system careerists were hungry for prosecutions (as was exemplified in Mistakes Were Made but not by me). So be careful what evils you wish on our prisoners, because one day it could be you!
Not to mention the people who are in prison for violating drug laws but didn’t rob, murder, or otherwise harm someone else.
Beet greens in canola/corn oil? Surely they jest!
Unfortunately, they’re serious about that.
I used to eat how they told me to, and I gained a bunch of weight and was so hungry all the time. In fact, reading those menus made me kinda hungry. Luckily I had venison fried in pure lard with eggs for dinner. I had no lunch because I wasn’t hungry because I had sausage and eggs for breakfast. I like eggs. A lot.
At any rate, another diet I recommend is what I call the “GuildWars Diet.” My husband lost 90 lbs. (from ~280 down to 190) simply by living here and playing the game GuildWars. I don’t think one burns many calories playing that game, but it’s possible it was the game and not the fact that we eat LCHF in this house. I’m sure we could come up with a study that would “prove” it 😉
I think you could play checkers and lose weight on a LCHF diet.
May be they plan to use animal fat to make a diesel fuel? US government doesn’t recognize it as a food source.
RE: Whitehouse diet vice Presidential dicta: You have to remember that Obama has to in his official pronouncements follow the dictates of his supervisors, just like any other President. Money talks, truth walks.
Just noticed this morning the “Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, Kids’ State Dinner.” (http://www.recipechallenge.epicurious.com/) {feel free to omit the link}
If they accept flaxmeal as a “whole grain” and allow coconut oil, one of my sons and I might be able to come up with something that qualifies (has to follow MyPlate) yet is a meal I would actually consider healthy and filling. Some of last year’s recipes do not look bad, if you toss away the rice and bread. But others are ridiculous: one has two flavors of sugar, two kinds of dried fruit, plus oats — that will keep you going for 30 minutes.
I am not sure I could stand being in the same room with the First Lady for an entire luncheon, but it would be worth it just to watch 49 other parents trying desperately to get their 49 kids to eat their vegetables. If we won, I would just forget going low carb for one day, and take my son to my all-time favorite pizza place afterwards … it is just a few blocks from the White House, and I have not been there in many years.
Your daughters are probably eligible to enter. We are in different states, so not in direct competition.
Even if my daughters won, I wouldn’t want them associated with MyPlate.
Food Pyramid to MyPlate….same s*it, different shovel.
Grok On!
I have a question! I have started a paleo diet (sort of, i still enjoy white bread every once in a while), and I have been talking to my grandfather, who used to be a cardiologist. He still believes animal fat is bad (blah blah blah), BUT he does believe refined/processed carbs are extremely unhealthy (he is in his eighties, the lipid heart crap is what he learned from the beginning). Anyways while i was having a discussion with him about fats he told me something about “thrifty genes” (we are asian indian). He told me how we indians have evolved on plants foods, thus animal products harm us. (because our bodies were designed for plant foods) Basically we are not like the white man. I just wanted to know your thoughts on this. Thank You!
Has your grandfather read this study conducted in India?
http://heart.bmj.com/content/29/6/895.full.pdf+html
RE: Whitehouse diet vice Presidential dicta: You have to remember that Obama has to in his official pronouncements follow the dictates of his supervisors, just like any other President. Money talks, truth walks.
Just noticed this morning the “Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, Kids’ State Dinner.” (http://www.recipechallenge.epicurious.com/) {feel free to omit the link}
If they accept flaxmeal as a “whole grain” and allow coconut oil, one of my sons and I might be able to come up with something that qualifies (has to follow MyPlate) yet is a meal I would actually consider healthy and filling. Some of last year’s recipes do not look bad, if you toss away the rice and bread. But others are ridiculous: one has two flavors of sugar, two kinds of dried fruit, plus oats — that will keep you going for 30 minutes.
I am not sure I could stand being in the same room with the First Lady for an entire luncheon, but it would be worth it just to watch 49 other parents trying desperately to get their 49 kids to eat their vegetables. If we won, I would just forget going low carb for one day, and take my son to my all-time favorite pizza place afterwards … it is just a few blocks from the White House, and I have not been there in many years.
Your daughters are probably eligible to enter. We are in different states, so not in direct competition.
Even if my daughters won, I wouldn’t want them associated with MyPlate.
Just looking at that makes me hungry (and not in a good way). For lunch today I’m doing a Five Guys style “double down” hamburger. Two meat patties with mustard, cheese, and onions in between. SO good, so filling, so absolutely abhorrent to the food nannies.
I missed In ‘N’ Out burgers until we discovered Five Guys in Tennessee.
Food Pyramid to MyPlate….same s*it, different shovel.
Grok On!
Ever notice how, when the president or his wife or kids are photographed eating something, it is always cheeseburgers, pizza, barbecue, hot dogs, ice cream etc?
It is fun to google for White House state dinner menus. In 2012 the meal featured crusted halibut, bison Wellington, and lemon sponge pudding. 2011–a bisque (heavy creamy soup), ham, steak, and chocolate malt devils (which sound delicious, whatever they are). 2010–Oregon beef with mole sauce (I doubt it was lowfat beef), some kind of chocolate ice cream concoction.
I really doubt the first family eats any meals like the ones recommended by the USDA.
Politicians are known for their “do as I say, not as I do” attitudes towards us little people.
I have a question! I have started a paleo diet (sort of, i still enjoy white bread every once in a while), and I have been talking to my grandfather, who used to be a cardiologist. He still believes animal fat is bad (blah blah blah), BUT he does believe refined/processed carbs are extremely unhealthy (he is in his eighties, the lipid heart crap is what he learned from the beginning). Anyways while i was having a discussion with him about fats he told me something about “thrifty genes” (we are asian indian). He told me how we indians have evolved on plants foods, thus animal products harm us. (because our bodies were designed for plant foods) Basically we are not like the white man. I just wanted to know your thoughts on this. Thank You!
Has your grandfather read this study conducted in India?
http://heart.bmj.com/content/29/6/895.full.pdf+html
I am really enjoying these comments. Mostly because there are so many in which I can say “Hey, me too!” Starting with the automatic recoil my body did at looking at that menu and continuing through skipping meals because I’m not hungry. I guarantee I’m not one who usually misses meals!
In addition I’ve noticed how my foodie focus has shifted.I still love food and still love to cook. But my fridge has now emptied of the leftovers from six different dishes I just so wanted to make and now I am stuck with desperately trying to finish them before they go bad. That constant desire for this taste or that has become a soft background to my life and cooking even more of a joy because I haven’t created all that pressure or taken up so much of my time with my latest obsession. I don’t over-buy food anymore and I’m more content with whatever is in the fridge to eat. All new behaviors for an all new life. My fridge is so tidy now that when my boyfriend last visited he looked rather stunned when he opened it and there was a place (lots of places in fact) to put that bottle of Chablis he brought for us. The establishment can rail at me all they like for supposedly killing myself. I’m much happier now.
Happier and healthier.
Just looking at that makes me hungry (and not in a good way). For lunch today I’m doing a Five Guys style “double down” hamburger. Two meat patties with mustard, cheese, and onions in between. SO good, so filling, so absolutely abhorrent to the food nannies.
I missed In ‘N’ Out burgers until we discovered Five Guys in Tennessee.
Ever notice how, when the president or his wife or kids are photographed eating something, it is always cheeseburgers, pizza, barbecue, hot dogs, ice cream etc?
It is fun to google for White House state dinner menus. In 2012 the meal featured crusted halibut, bison Wellington, and lemon sponge pudding. 2011–a bisque (heavy creamy soup), ham, steak, and chocolate malt devils (which sound delicious, whatever they are). 2010–Oregon beef with mole sauce (I doubt it was lowfat beef), some kind of chocolate ice cream concoction.
I really doubt the first family eats any meals like the ones recommended by the USDA.
Politicians are known for their “do as I say, not as I do” attitudes towards us little people.
I am really enjoying these comments. Mostly because there are so many in which I can say “Hey, me too!” Starting with the automatic recoil my body did at looking at that menu and continuing through skipping meals because I’m not hungry. I guarantee I’m not one who usually misses meals!
In addition I’ve noticed how my foodie focus has shifted.I still love food and still love to cook. But my fridge has now emptied of the leftovers from six different dishes I just so wanted to make and now I am stuck with desperately trying to finish them before they go bad. That constant desire for this taste or that has become a soft background to my life and cooking even more of a joy because I haven’t created all that pressure or taken up so much of my time with my latest obsession. I don’t over-buy food anymore and I’m more content with whatever is in the fridge to eat. All new behaviors for an all new life. My fridge is so tidy now that when my boyfriend last visited he looked rather stunned when he opened it and there was a place (lots of places in fact) to put that bottle of Chablis he brought for us. The establishment can rail at me all they like for supposedly killing myself. I’m much happier now.
Happier and healthier.
For the USDA to propose that eating this way will result in weight loss is a complete fraud. If you review all of the studies regarding low fat or low calorie diets, the uniform results are that weight loss is quite modest to begin with (when it occurs at all)–something on the order of 10-20 lbs–and withing a year or so most or all of the weight is gained back, often with interest.
This applies to all types of diets researched, though I would guess that a long term study of low carb diets would yield better results if people were able to stick with it (a big if, as sticking with any diet long term is very rare). Such long term studies really don’t exist, though, so one has to rely on anecdotal evidence. The gist is that significant long term weight loss is quite rare on any type of diet, and those who are able to achieve and maintain this are statistical outliers.
Your thoughts on this?
Sticking with the diet does seem to be the key factor. In the long(ish)-term studies on low-carb diets, the carb count tended to drift back up over time.
In my n=1 study (low-carb for four years now), regaining hasn’t been an issue.
For the USDA to propose that eating this way will result in weight loss is a complete fraud. If you review all of the studies regarding low fat or low calorie diets, the uniform results are that weight loss is quite modest to begin with (when it occurs at all)–something on the order of 10-20 lbs–and withing a year or so most or all of the weight is gained back, often with interest.
This applies to all types of diets researched, though I would guess that a long term study of low carb diets would yield better results if people were able to stick with it (a big if, as sticking with any diet long term is very rare). Such long term studies really don’t exist, though, so one has to rely on anecdotal evidence. The gist is that significant long term weight loss is quite rare on any type of diet, and those who are able to achieve and maintain this are statistical outliers.
Your thoughts on this?
Sticking with the diet does seem to be the key factor. In the long(ish)-term studies on low-carb diets, the carb count tended to drift back up over time.
In my n=1 study (low-carb for four years now), regaining hasn’t been an issue.
I have my own theory on why low carbers tend to drift upwards on the carb intake. I have now talked to a number of people in which the conversation goes exactly like this: Hey you look great! Well, I switched to a low carb high fat diet and I feel great. Oh, I used to do low carb and I lost a lot of weight and I felt great too……I should get back to that. I’ll then ask why they fell off (because I’m really interested in this part, it having only been a year for me) and no one seems to know. I get vague references about some food item they missed and then it all fell apart.
I don’t miss pasta at all (surprised me.) I miss potatoes once in a while and pizza a lot. So I eat a great slice of pizza about twice a month and I’ll make a small batch of mashed potatoes or steal fries from my daughter once in a while. Doesn’t mean I gave up. This is a lifestyle for me and I’ve built treats into it. I am guessing that people don’t realize how strong the urge for carbs is. Add to that we live in a culture STUFFED FULL of carbs everywhere with the message that this is what good food is. To me it is analogous to living in a culture where heroin is everywhere and society claims it is a health food. For me this awareness is what will keep me on course.
There are also people who think they went on the Atkins diet, but instead went on what Dr. Westman calls the “Chet Atkins Diet” … they mistakenly assume an Atkins diet is nothing but steaks, eggs and cheeseburgers without a bun. So they get bored and give up. That’s why I think it’s important to get some low-carb cookbooks.
I have my own theory on why low carbers tend to drift upwards on the carb intake. I have now talked to a number of people in which the conversation goes exactly like this: Hey you look great! Well, I switched to a low carb high fat diet and I feel great. Oh, I used to do low carb and I lost a lot of weight and I felt great too……I should get back to that. I’ll then ask why they fell off (because I’m really interested in this part, it having only been a year for me) and no one seems to know. I get vague references about some food item they missed and then it all fell apart.
I don’t miss pasta at all (surprised me.) I miss potatoes once in a while and pizza a lot. So I eat a great slice of pizza about twice a month and I’ll make a small batch of mashed potatoes or steal fries from my daughter once in a while. Doesn’t mean I gave up. This is a lifestyle for me and I’ve built treats into it. I am guessing that people don’t realize how strong the urge for carbs is. Add to that we live in a culture STUFFED FULL of carbs everywhere with the message that this is what good food is. To me it is analogous to living in a culture where heroin is everywhere and society claims it is a health food. For me this awareness is what will keep me on course.
There are also people who think they went on the Atkins diet, but instead went on what Dr. Westman calls the “Chet Atkins Diet” … they mistakenly assume an Atkins diet is nothing but steaks, eggs and cheeseburgers without a bun. So they get bored and give up. That’s why I think it’s important to get some low-carb cookbooks.
Most inmates have access to commissary if they have money (most do) I worked evening shift as a correctional officer and loved commissary days. The inmates would take their junk food back to their cells and we would have a quiet evening while they all ate themselves into a carb coma. The average inmate would go up a size or two over the course of a year with some, especially females, gaining close to 100 lbs in that time.
No one ever asked for a smaller size jumpsuit!
Most inmates have access to commissary if they have money (most do) I worked evening shift as a correctional officer and loved commissary days. The inmates would take their junk food back to their cells and we would have a quiet evening while they all ate themselves into a carb coma. The average inmate would go up a size or two over the course of a year with some, especially females, gaining close to 100 lbs in that time.
No one ever asked for a smaller size jumpsuit!
look @ the bright side, it’s a better than SAD! XD
i don’t eat breakfast either (not hungry). it just makes me want to puke if i try.
cheers,
look @ the bright side, it’s a better than SAD! XD
i don’t eat breakfast either (not hungry). it just makes me want to puke if i try.
cheers,
I have to admit that I’ve eaten this way most of my adult life because I am so good at following directions. I bought canola oil and used it in my cooking. I bought fat-free dairy products and convinced myself they tasted better than full-fat ones. I ate lots of carbs from whole-wheat bread, canned beans, brown rice, and quinoa. I drank juice for years, though never large quantities. I minimized intake of eggs and high-cholesterol foods. I did eat a lot more fresh veggies and significantly less sugar than the USDA recommends. But that wasn’t such a boon because I refused to eat meat or other concentrated sources of protein. I always wondered why I ate so little and had to struggle to keep my weight down. I’m 5’10” (female) and never allowed my calories to go above 1700 on an average day. I thought that was plenty because I only lost weight when I cut down to under 1000 daily calories. Even when I cut to under 1000, my weight loss was never more than a pound a week, sometimes only a pound a month. It’s blowing my mind that I need to eat closer to 2500 calories a day to be healthy, and that this amount does not cause me to gain but actually causes me to lose about a pound a week just as my sub-1000 calorie diet did.
I have to admit that I’ve eaten this way most of my adult life because I am so good at following directions. I bought canola oil and used it in my cooking. I bought fat-free dairy products and convinced myself they tasted better than full-fat ones. I ate lots of carbs from whole-wheat bread, canned beans, brown rice, and quinoa. I drank juice for years, though never large quantities. I minimized intake of eggs and high-cholesterol foods. I did eat a lot more fresh veggies and significantly less sugar than the USDA recommends. But that wasn’t such a boon because I refused to eat meat or other concentrated sources of protein. I always wondered why I ate so little and had to struggle to keep my weight down. I’m 5’10” (female) and never allowed my calories to go above 1700 on an average day. I thought that was plenty because I only lost weight when I cut down to under 1000 daily calories. Even when I cut to under 1000, my weight loss was never more than a pound a week, sometimes only a pound a month. It’s blowing my mind that I need to eat closer to 2500 calories a day to be healthy, and that this amount does not cause me to gain but actually causes me to lose about a pound a week just as my sub-1000 calorie diet did.