If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think counting calories and eating less is the way to go. But that’s not always the case, as explained by Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme.
As a personal trainer, I’ve heard many opinions and questions about the best diet for weight loss. Should we count calories? How many should we eat daily? Should our diet be low-fat, low-carb, or high-protein? Is fasting the answer, or should we eat small, regular meals throughout the day?
While each of these approaches has its place, depending on body type, goals, and activity level, one thing we should avoid is undereating. You’ve probably met someone who drastically cuts calories to get ready for the beach, thinking the weight will just melt away. Yes, weight can drop, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right kind of weight loss.
A calorie deficit might lead to losing weight, but it doesn’t ensure fat loss, which is what most people want. Nowadays, many people consume more than necessary. A slight calorie deficit might help, but that’s often only needed because of previous overeating.
The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which fuels our cells. If we don’t use this glucose immediately, our muscles and liver store it as glycogen, composed of glucose and water. Whenever you reduce calorie intake, you’re mostly shedding stored carbohydrates and water, not fat.
Ironically, severely restricting calories can push the body to hold onto fat while breaking down protein instead. The more protein we have, the more fat we burn to fuel muscles at rest. Therefore, consuming sufficient calories that include fats, carbs, and protein is essential.
For those thinking about cutting fat from their diet, think again. Fat is a crucial fuel source, providing over twice the energy of carbohydrates or protein per gram. Fat is also stored in muscle fibers and easily accessed during exercise, unlike your limited glycogen stores. Cutting out fat can lead to insufficient energy to burn the fat you don’t want.
Restricting calories and essential nutrients can lead to deficiencies, affecting every system in the body, including the immune, liver, and digestive systems. This can lead to various health problems and slow down your metabolism. Issues like fatigue, malnutrition, and hormonal imbalances could arise from undereating.
An extreme calorie deficit stresses the body, which releases the hormone cortisol. While short-term cortisol increases can result in weight loss, chronic high cortisol can have the opposite effect by conserving energy stores.
Much of this energy breakdown tends to come from protein as the body holds onto fat. This leads to three things: a slowed metabolism, potential increased fat storage around the belly due to elevated cortisol, and thyroid problems, all of which impact metabolism. Additionally, stress can impair digestion and nutrient absorption, affecting your overall ease in losing weight.
Lack of proper nutrition can also disrupt sleep. Low blood sugar levels might trigger an adrenaline release, which can wake you up. Poor sleep, in turn, affects liver function, immunity, exercise performance, and can even lead to weight gain.
I’ve encountered bodybuilders who cut calories to get lean but end up unwell if not done correctly. Cutting calories can eventually reach a point where the body starts to break down, impacting basic functions and making weight loss difficult because the body enters a famine mode, storing anything extra as fat.
The key is to consume the right amount of calories, carbs, fats, and protein for your body type, goals, activity level, and other factors like height, weight, and age. This is why I started Your Body Programme, to help people determine their caloric needs based on their body type.
Focus on eating a balanced diet with lean proteins like beef, chicken, fish, and, if vegan, options like tofu and legumes. Include healthy carbohydrates such as fruits, veggies, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and whole grain pasta. Also, incorporate healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Remember, you only have one body, so support it by being healthy and well-nourished to keep your metabolism active. Increasing your calories can help you lose fat when done correctly.
