If you’re aiming 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 otherwise. Many people have different ideas about the best diet for weight loss, like whether we should count calories, go low-fat, low-carb, or high-protein, or even fast. Some wonder if they should eat small, regular meals three times a day.
While drastic calorie cuts will lead to weight loss, it might not result in fat loss, which is what most people actually want. While Western diets tend to be larger than needed, leading some to cut calories, the problem occurs when people assume under-eating is the sole solution for weight loss.
When you eat, your body turns carbohydrates into glucose, the main energy source for cells. If your body doesn’t use this glucose, it stores it as glycogen, a form of carbohydrate in your muscles and liver. Each glycogen molecule is tied to water molecules. When glycogen is needed, it breaks down to release glucose for energy. So, when you cut calories, what you initially lose is water weight, not fat. Over time, a calorie deficit can cause your body to hold onto fat and break down protein instead.
Protein is biologically active, so the more you have, the more fat you burn while resting. Therefore, eating a balanced amount of calories with fats, carbs, and protein is important. Contrary to popular belief, avoiding fat isn’t helpful for weight loss. Fat is a crucial energy source, providing more than twice the energy per gram compared to carbohydrates or protein.
Cutting essential calories and nutrients can lead to deficiencies impacting your immune, liver, and digestive systems, inducing health issues like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, and hormone-related conditions. Extreme calorie restriction stresses the body, releasing cortisol, a hormone that might initially cause weight loss but, over time, leads to fat gain, especially around the belly. Cortisol also slows metabolism and affects thyroid function.
Under-eating means missing out on essential nutrients, hindering workouts and weight loss efforts. Poor nutrition can even interfere with sleep cycles, leading to more stress and weight gain. Competitive bodybuilders often restrict calories to achieve a lean physique but risk health issues if it’s not done right.
When calorie intake becomes too low, the body eventually halts basic functions, making weight loss nearly impossible as the body enters “famine mode,” storing anything you eat as fat. It’s essential to eat the right amount of calories, carbs, fat, and protein based on your individual needs and goals.
Your Body Programme (YBP) was created to help people determine their specific calorie needs. By focusing on balanced nutrition and not extreme calorie restriction, the program helps people lose fat effectively.
To maintain a good diet, incorporate lean proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, fish, and options like legumes, tofu, and tempeh for vegans. Also, include healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, rice, and whole-meal pasta, combined with healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. This approach ensures your body remains healthy, nourished, and ready for optimal performance.
