If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think counting calories and eating less is the way to go. However, Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme, suggests this isn’t always the best approach. As a personal trainer, I’ve heard countless opinions and questions about which diet is best for weight loss. Should we track calories? Go low-fat, low-carb, or high-protein? Maybe fasting is the answer? What about eating small, regular meals three times a day?
While all these methods can play a role based on your body type, goals, and activity level, what you definitely shouldn’t do is undereat. We’ve all seen someone overly restrict their calories to get that “beach body” quickly. Sure, this might result in weight loss, but it doesn’t necessarily mean fat loss, which is what most people aim for.
These days, the Western diet involves consuming more food than necessary. Many people may benefit from a slight calorie deficit simply because they’re overeating to begin with. But from my perspective, many believe undereating is the sole way to lose weight, and that’s not true.
Here’s what happens when we eat: our body converts carbohydrates into glucose, a sugar that fuels our cells. Any excess glucose turns into glycogen and is stored in our muscles and liver. Each glucose molecule associates with two to three water molecules. When energy is needed, the body breaks down glycogen, releasing glucose into the bloodstream. What does this have to do with cutting calories? When lowering calorie intake, you’re mostly losing stored carbohydrates and water (glucose), not fat.
The aim is usually fat loss, but a prolonged calorie deficit might cause the body to hold onto fat, breaking down protein instead. Protein is crucial because the more we have, the more fat we burn to fuel our muscles, even at rest. So, it’s important to consume enough calories from fats, carbs, and proteins.
And if you think avoiding fat will help lose it, think again. Fat is a vital energy source, offering more than twice the energy as carbs or protein. It’s also stored in muscle fibers, ready to be used during exercise. In fact, body fat provides endless energy. During a workout, stored fat breaks down into fatty acids, fueling our muscles. Thus, cutting out fat entirely could leave you without enough energy to burn excess fat.
Reducing calories too much also risks nutrient deficiencies, affecting every bodily system, like the immune, liver, and digestive systems, potentially leading to slower metabolism and health issues. Health problems from undereating include fatigue, malnutrition, bone concerns like osteoporosis, anemia, hormonal issues, and fertility problems.
Extreme calorie cuts stress the body, prompting a cortisol surge, the stress hormone that breaks down fuel for energy. Short-term, this might mean weight loss, but long-term stress keeps cortisol high, causing the body to hold on to fat. This breaks down muscle protein, slowing metabolism, increasing belly fat, preventing important thyroid functions, and reducing digestion efficiency during stress.
Undereating hinders the absorption of vital nutrients necessary for health, affecting training and weight loss goals. Lack of food can disturb sleep, as low blood sugar triggers adrenaline, waking you up. Poor sleep can hurt liver detox, immunity, exercise performance, and productivity, possibly leading to weight gain.
Bodybuilding athletes often cut calories to tone down but regain health by slowly increasing intake post-competition. However, unsafe practices might cause illness. Consistently cutting calories can harm your metabolism so much that shedding weight feels impossible; eating over a strict calorie limit prompts the body to store fat, fearing famine.
The key is eating the right amount of calories, carbs, fat, and protein based on body type, goals, activity level, height, weight, and age. I created Your Body Programme to assist people in understanding their calorie needs tailored to their body type.
To optimize health and metabolism while losing fat, consume a balanced diet including lean proteins like beef, chicken, fish, and plant-based options like tofu and tempeh for vegans. Alongside proteins, eat healthy carbs like fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and whole grain pasta, plus healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oils.
Ultimately, it’s about nourishing your body to keep it functioning optimally and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Keeping your calorie intake aligned with your needs rather than drastically cutting them can actually help with fat loss.
