If you’re trying to lose weight, the first thing that probably comes to mind is counting calories and eating less, right? Well, it’s not that simple, says Terry Fairclough, a personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme. There’s a common belief that cutting calories will lead to weight loss. While it’s true that a severe calorie deficit can make the numbers on the scale go down, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re losing fat, which is typically the goal.
Many folks think they need to drastically reduce their calorie intake to shed pounds, but this isn’t always the case. Our bodies run on glucose, a sugar formed from carbs we eat. Glucose that isn’t immediately needed is stored as glycogen, along with water, for later use. When you cut calories, you’re often losing this stored glucose and water—not actual fat.
Severely restricting calories can also put your body into panic mode, where it holds on to fat and begins breaking down protein, which isn’t ideal. Protein is crucial because it helps to burn fat even when you’re resting. It’s important to eat a balanced diet that includes fats, carbs, and protein. Fat is actually a vital energy source and plays an important role in your ability to exercise.
Moreover, slashing calories can lead to nutrient deficiencies, impacting your immune system, digestion, and overall health. Under-eating may slow down your metabolism and lead to issues like fatigue, malnutrition, and even hormonal imbalances. Experiencing high stress, often indicated by elevated cortisol levels due to extreme calorie deficits, can further disrupt your metabolism and actually promote fat storage, particularly around the belly.
Your body also struggles to digest nutrients properly when it’s starved of essential calories, impacting your performance if you’re trying to train or lose weight. Additionally, poor diet habits can affect your sleep, as dropping blood sugar levels may trigger stress hormones that wake you up at night, influencing everything from detoxification to daily energy levels.
Some people, like bodybuilders, manipulate their calorie intake carefully for competition, but doing this incorrectly can cause health issues. If you keep cutting calories beyond a manageable point, it can backfire, making your body store everything you eat as fat. That’s why it’s important to eat according to your specific body needs—considering your body type, goals, activity level, and more.
Terry’s Your Body Programme helps people find the right balance without unnecessary restriction. Eating the right number of calories, including lean proteins, healthy carbs from fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and healthy fats, is key to optimal health and effective weight management. Instead of restricting calories, his program shows that sometimes increasing them can actually help with fat loss.
Remember, maintaining a healthy, well-rounded diet fuels your body optimally and keeps your metabolism running smoothly.