If you’re thinking about losing weight, counting calories isn’t always the answer. Many people assume that eating less is the key, but it’s not that simple, according to Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme. There are many opinions on which diet is the best for weight loss: counting calories, low-fat, low-carb, high-protein diets, fasting, or eating small meals throughout the day. But, depriving yourself of too many calories isn’t the way to go.
Sure, cutting calories can lead to weight loss, but that doesn’t mean you’re losing fat. Instead, you might be dropping water weight linked to stored carbohydrates. A very large calorie deficit triggers the body to conserve fat and break down protein instead, which isn’t ideal. It’s essential to consume enough calories that include fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Interestingly, fat provides significant energy and is stored in muscle fibers for easy access during exercise, so we do need fat in our diets for energy.
Restricting calories and certain nutrients can leave you vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies, impacting your immune and digestive systems and slowing down your metabolism. Health problems from not eating enough can include fatigue, malnutrition, and various hormone-related issues. Moreover, extreme calorie cutting adds stress, releasing cortisol, a hormone that can temporarily lead to weight loss but eventually causes the body to hold onto fat, especially around the belly, and slows down metabolism.
When under-eating, the body may struggle to digest and absorb essential nutrients, affecting both your health and your fitness results. Sleep, too, can be impacted, as low blood sugar triggers adrenaline, which might disrupt your rest and overall wellbeing.
Bodybuilders might restrict calories temporarily to get lean but then return to normal levels, though doing it incorrectly can cause health problems. If you keep cutting calories drastically, you’ll eventually hit a limit where your body begins to break down, and losing weight may feel impossible because your body clings to any extra calories to prepare for perceived famine.
The key takeaway is to ensure you’re consuming the right number of calories with the proper balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins suitable for your unique body, goals, and lifestyle. By doing so, you can maintain a healthy metabolism and overall health. Fairclough’s Your Body Programme helps people identify their nutritional needs without drastic calorie restriction, proving that increasing your calorie intake can actually aid in fat loss. Including plenty of lean proteins, healthy carbohydrates, and fats in your diet will support your body’s needs for exercise and overall wellbeing.