Originally Posted by ReginaW

Actually it's not impossible to reconcile once one includes the concept of "adequate nutrition" to the mix....something those who adhere to CRON practice.....'calorie restricted optimal nutrition' is not an easy practice - it involves weighing and measuring everything to calculate out and target meeting specific nutrient goals each day, and that includes adequate protein to insure adequate amino acids are consumed daily. Since the calorie restriction undoubtedly lowers the overall intake of calories from fat, since those eating CRON eat a lot of vegetables and such to meet vitamins and mineral targets, it's theoretically possible to reach an equilibrium where metabolism slows to lower metabolic rate, sparing muscle and maintaining fat reserves (note - most doing CRON are not overweight, they lose accumulated fat stores). It's the nutrient aspect of calorie restriction that is often overlooked and/or not talked about - and it is critically important for anyone considering calorie restriction as a dietary option to understand and follow! It isn't simply reducing calories - it's reducing calories while optimizing intake of essential nutrients to meet and exceed requirements.