If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think you need to count calories and eat less. But that’s not always the case, says Terry Fairclough, a personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme.
As a personal trainer, I’ve heard countless opinions on the best diet for weight loss. Questions range from whether we should count calories, follow low-fat or high-protein diets, or eat small frequent meals throughout the day. While these methods may have their merits depending on your body type, goals, and activity levels, one thing you should avoid is under eating.
Many people believe drastically cutting calories will quickly lead to weight loss, especially when preparing for something like a beach vacation. While this approach may result in weight loss, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lose fat, which is what most people aim for. The Western diet tends to be overly large, so some people do need a small calorie deficit because they’ve been overeating. However, many think under eating is the only solution, which isn’t true.
When we eat, our bodies break down carbohydrates into glucose, our main energy source. If we don’t use this glucose for energy, it’s stored as glycogen in our muscles and liver. When we cut calories, we initially lose stored carbohydrates and water, not fat. Over time, a calorie deficit can cause your body to hold onto fat and break down muscle protein instead.
Protein is crucial because it’s biologically active, helping burn fat to fuel muscles even when at rest. Hence, it’s essential to consume adequate calories with balanced amounts of fats, carbs, and protein. Contrary to popular belief, we need fat in our diet because it is an essential and long-lasting energy source. Fat provides more energy per gram than carbohydrates or protein and is necessary for effective exercise and fat burning.
Cutting calories and essential nutrients can lead to deficiencies, impacting systems like the immune, liver, and digestive systems, and slowing down metabolism. Health issues from under eating include fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, hormonal imbalances, and fertility problems. Extreme calorie cuts stress the body, and when cortisol—a stress hormone—is released in reaction, it could lead to weight loss short term but fat gain long term.
Increased cortisol can slow metabolism, increase fat storage especially around the belly, interfere with thyroid function, and reduce digestive efficiency. All these factors make it challenging to lose weight or fat when we aren’t properly nourished.
Lack of proper nutrition also affects sleep. Low blood sugar can cause adrenaline spikes, waking you up at night. Poor sleep negatively impacts liver function, immunity, and productivity, contributing to weight gain.
Bodybuilders often restrict calories to lean out before competitions and then increase calorie intake afterward. But improper calorie management can make them ill. Continual calorie cutting can slow metabolism so much that any slight increase in calorie intake leads to fat storage, as the body enters “famine mode.”
The key is to eat the correct amount of calories, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for your specific needs. Programs like Your Body Programme help people determine their calorie needs based on their body type. Eating a balanced diet with lean proteins, healthy carbs like fruits and vegetables, and good fats like avocado and nuts can help you lose fat effectively.
Terry Fairclough, a personal trainer and nutritional therapist, stresses the importance of proper nutrition for optimal health and weight management. His program, which avoids calorie restrictions, has repeatedly shown that increasing calorie intake may actually help with fat loss by supporting metabolism and overall health.
