Weight loss, or more precisely, reducing fat, should be treated delicately. Many times we choose the fast way of cutting drastically calories intake, thinking it is the right approach to lose weight fast. We are eager to see results fast. Thus the price tag is high and sometimes this fast way is actually the slower unhealthy one. Let’s see why and what we should do instead.
First of all, what does it mean to lose weight? in general, it means we burn more calories than we consume. In order to have the required energy to function in such imbalance, the body will transform fat into available energy, hence burning fat and losing weight. The required energy depends on the level of activity we have. This is the combination of the basic required energy, defined as Basal Metabolic Rate, with the extra required energy when the body is active and not in rest. So, we can decide we put ourselves in starvation, hence we will burn fat and lose weight fastly, Right? Not exactly. Why shouldn’t we cut too much calories intake?
Starvation mode is when the body lowers down its metabolic rate dramatically while converting all possible consumed energy into fat as its preparation for a famine.
So not only we start to gain fat, our metabolic rate is lower which means less required calories per time and you might end up going into the opposite direction, increasing body fat and weight.
This is often called hypometabolism, meaning very low metabolism level which the body decides to have and impacted by the hormones from the Thyroid.
This is, of course, an extreme situation, but it happens and there are more negative aspects to bring our body towards it. What usually happens is that your body adjusts to expend less energy, hence, you will need less energy consumption per day, and also, when losing weight, not only you are losing fat but also loosing too much water and muscles.
You would like to break this negative cycle and go the other direction, increase muscle mass, so you will need more energy consumption per day.
Not only you risk yourself with a lower metabolism, which works against your targets, but there are also more things to lose.
Cut too many calories, and most chances you are missing many nutrition vital ingredients that will impact body and mind. Tiredness, nervous, weakness, loose of muscle mass and more.
Having these factors combined and you might be susceptible in such low calories intake to additional risks of:
Increase your metabolism by increasing muscle mass- exercise more rather than cutting nutrition and activities.
The higher it is, the more calories you burn, also at rest time, and it is easier to lose weight.
High-Intensity workouts, although short, are great for calories burning, with good after-burn effect.
Have good nights sleep as it may affect how many calories you burn.
Consider the safe weight loss rate- Keep fat reduction level of 0.5~1 kgs per week. only a few hundreds of calories per day imbalance, not more than that, and as you will keep exercises, this means still having most of the foods you want.
Be patient, healthy way is treating this as a long run, not as a single hard boost to manage.
Remember that weight is a single factor in the health of mind and body. Adopt fitness and active lifestyle. It will be easier to keep the weight more stable for a long time while keeping a healthy body.
Eat rich breakfasts- Good breakfasts actually can boost your energy during the day and can increase your metabolism.
Keep in mind your overall health factors. For example, obesity is by definition caused by too much insulin and likely the need to use insulin to lead for obesity.
Not necessarily counting calories is the right way for you. You should be aware of what you eat, adopt healthy habits and pay attention to our daily routines. After a while, it will be much more pleasant to keep the healthy way, without counting calories, as you will have the right sense for the required balance.
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