If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think the key is just to count calories and eat less. But that’s not always true. Terry Fairclough, a personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme, has heard a lot of different opinions about the best diet for weight loss. People often wonder if they should count calories, follow low-fat or low-carb diets, eat high protein, or try fasting. Some believe in eating small, frequent meals each day.
While cutting calories drastically can lead to weight loss, it’s not always effective for losing fat, which is usually the main goal. The typical Western diet is often more than we need, so a slight calorie deficit might be necessary because of previous overeating. However, many people think that eating much less is the only way to lose weight, which isn’t true.
When we eat, our body turns carbs into glucose, a type of sugar that fuels our cells. If we don’t use this glucose immediately, our muscles and liver store it as glycogen. This glycogen has water attached to it. So, when you reduce calorie intake, the weight you lose is often from losing this stored carbohydrate and water, not fat. A long-term calorie deficit might make your body hold onto fat while using protein, leading to issues.
Protein is very active biologically, which means it helps burn more fat. So we need to consume enough calories with a balance of fats, carbs, and proteins. Contrary to popular belief, we need fat in our diets. Despite its reputation, fat provides more energy than carbs or protein and is vital for exercise since it’s stored within muscle fibers.
Severely cutting calories can cause nutrient deficiencies, affecting your immune system, liver, and digestion, leading to health issues. Problems like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, and hormonal imbalances may arise from under-eating. Stress from extreme calorie deficits increases cortisol, a hormone that can temporarily cause weight loss, but leads to long-term weight gain by breaking down important energy reserves like protein.
Under-eating can slow your metabolism, increase abdominal fat, and cause thyroid issues because stress reduces digestion. Essential nutrients might not be absorbed, impacting not just weight loss but overall health and exercise performance. Poor eating habits may also disrupt sleep, which affects liver function, immunity, and productivity, possibly contributing to weight gain.
Some bodybuilders cut calories to slim down before a competition but then increase their intake afterward. However, doing this incorrectly can cause health issues. If you keep cutting calories, eventually your body might not function properly, and your metabolism may be so affected that future weight loss becomes more challenging. When you eat more than your minimal calorie limit, your body, used to scarcity, will store it as fat.
Ultimately, it’s important to get the right amount of calories, carbs, fats, and protein for your body based on factors like your body type, goals, activity level, and age. The Your Body Programme helps individuals figure out their calorie needs tailored to their body. Instead of constantly cutting calories, it’s often more effective to nourish your body properly, which can support fat loss.
For a balanced diet, include lean proteins like chicken, eggs, and fish, or plant-based options like tofu and legumes if you’re vegan. Eat healthy carbs from fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and include healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. By doing so, you help your body work optimally and maintain a healthy metabolism.