Cave

[pkgirl]

As i generally have 4 writing projects going on at once, i ask for help with many topics.
this is one of them. I am writing a story about 2 students that go on a camping trip. I
have made it so that they get lost and have to resort to living in a cave for 4 days. They
have used up all their food supplies. I am curious as to how much weight would they
lose if they didnt find food for 4 days?? this is because of medical issues that happen later
when they get found.

Tundra, If this needs to go in the Q & A section instead, i give you permission to move it.

[snooze]

Not much--they'd probably gain some weight, if they started retaining water.

[AXJ]

If they're not moving around, they'll use about 2,000 calories a day, and a pound of bodyfat generally contains about 3,000 calories. So in theory they'd lose about 2.5 lbs.... but... as I understand it, after two days the body enters a sort of 'famine mode' and slows the metabolism way down. So I'd bet on 1.5-2 lbs of actual body mass lost. That's not counting any lost water weight.

Dehydration would be a bigger issue, if they don't have a good water source. Four days worth of dehydration will have some seriously ill effects on their body, especially if they're in a dry climate.

[Aimless]

What kind of students? Young? Older? Male? Female? Fit? Fat? :o

[pkgirl]

young female students (18 ) , they have average body build