If you think losing weight is all about counting calories and eating less, think again. Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme, shares a different perspective.
As a PT, I’ve heard numerous opinions and questions about the best diet for weight loss. People often wonder if they should be counting calories, eating low fat, low carb, or high protein diets, fasting, or eating small, regular meals.
Yes, a diet with a massive calorie deficit will lead to weight loss, but not necessarily fat loss.
While these methods can be relevant based on body types, goals, and activity levels, one thing is crucial: don’t under-eat.
We’ve all seen someone start counting calories and severely restrict their intake to get beach-body-ready—and yes, they lose weight. But, that’s not the ideal outcome. While a calorie deficit can help you shed pounds, it doesn’t mean you’re losing fat, which is what most people aim for.
The average Western diet is more substantial than needed, so some might need a slight calorie deficit because they were overeating initially. However, many assume that under-eating is the only way to lose weight, which isn’t true.
When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is the main fuel for our cells. If not used for energy, glucose gets stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, along with water molecules. When you cut calories, you lose stored carbohydrate and water, not fat. A prolonged calorie deficit can make your body hold onto fat and break down protein instead.
Protein is vital because it helps burn more fat to fuel muscles during rest. Therefore, it’s important to consume enough calories that include all three macronutrients—fats, carbs, and protein.
Some people think cutting fat helps in losing fat. However, fat is the most critical and lasting fuel source, providing more than twice the potential energy of carbohydrates or protein. During exercise, stored body fat breaks down into fatty acids to fuel our muscles. Without enough dietary fat, you won’t have sufficient energy to burn off the fat you want to lose.
Cutting calories and restricting nutrients can lead to deficiencies that affect the entire body, including the immune, liver, and digestive systems. This can cause health issues like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, polycystic ovaries, depression, hormone-related conditions, and fertility problems.
Extreme calorie deficits stress the body, triggering cortisol release, which breaks down fuel for energy. Short-term cortisol spikes can cause weight loss, but chronic high levels make the body hold onto fat and cause metabolism to slow.
When stressed, the body reduces digestion because energy is redirected to muscles for a fight-or-flight response. This means we may not digest or absorb essential nutrients properly, affecting our health and sabotaging weight loss efforts.
By not eating enough, sleep can also suffer. Drops in blood sugar trigger adrenaline, waking you up. Poor sleep hinders liver detox, immunity, exercise, and productivity, contributing to weight gain.
Some bodybuilders restrict calories to get lean before increasing them again. But improper handling of this can lead to illness.
Continued calorie cutting can halt basic bodily functions, making weight loss seem impossible because your body, in famine mode, stores any excess as fat.
The key is to eat the correct amount of calories, carbs, fats, and proteins based on your body type, goals, activity level, height, weight, and age. Your Body Programme can help figure out these needs with a specific calculator.
Eating plenty of lean proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, and fish; healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta; and healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oils is essential.
Terry Fairclough is one of the founders of Your Body Programme and a Personal Trainer and Nutritional Therapist. When he’s not writing notes on the back of his hand, he’s working out.
Healthy eating involves a balanced intake of protein, carbs, and fats tailored to your body’s needs and goals. It’s not just about cutting calories; it’s about nourishing your body efficiently.
