If you’re looking to lose weight, you might think counting calories and eating less is the way to go. But according to Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme, that approach might not be the best.
As a personal trainer, I’ve heard countless opinions about the best diet for weight loss. Should we count calories? How many should we eat? Should we focus on low fat, low carb, or high protein diets? Should we fast or eat small, frequent meals throughout the day?
One thing is clear: while cutting a lot of calories can lead to weight loss, it doesn’t necessarily result in fat loss.
While various diets may suit different body types, goals, and activity levels, no one should be skipping meals or severely cutting calories. We’ve all seen people drastically cut calories to get in shape quickly. They might lose weight, but it isn’t always fat they’re losing.
Our modern diets are often more than we need, so reducing calorie intake a bit can help, but under-eating is not the solution. Our bodies need a proper balance of nutrients to function well.
When we eat, our bodies convert carbs into glucose, the main fuel for our cells. If we don’t use this glucose immediately, it gets stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver, along with water. When you cut calories drastically, you lose this glycogen and water, not fat.
A prolonged calorie deficit can even make your body hold onto fat while breaking down protein for energy, which is counterproductive. Therefore, it’s important to consume a balanced diet that includes carbs, fats, and proteins.
Contrary to popular belief, fats are crucial. They provide more than twice the energy per gram compared to carbs or proteins and are essential during exercise. Cutting out fats can leave you without enough energy to burn fat during workouts.
Moreover, severely restricting calories and nutrients can lead to deficiencies, affecting your immune, liver, and digestive systems, and slowing down your metabolism. Health issues from under-eating include fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, hormonal imbalances, and fertility problems.
Extreme calorie cuts stress your body, increasing cortisol levels, which can lead to fat gain over time. High cortisol can slow metabolism, increase fat storage around the belly, and cause thyroid issues, further hurting your metabolism.
Under-eating can also hurt your digestion and nutrient absorption, impacting your workout results and overall health. Poor sleep, caused by low blood sugar, can affect your liver, immunity, and productivity, and lead to weight gain.
Bodybuilders often cut calories to get lean for competitions but increase calories afterward. However, constant calorie cutting can drive your body into a ‘famine mode,’ making it store fat anytime you eat slightly more than your limited calories.
The key is to eat the right number of calories, fats, carbs, and proteins for your specific body type and lifestyle. At Your Body Programme (YBP), we help people determine their calorie needs based on these factors using our YBP calculator.
To support your body optimally, focus on balanced, healthy eating. Include plenty of lean proteins, healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Remember, increasing calories in a balanced way can actually help you lose fat and improve your health.
