If you want to lose weight, you might think counting calories and eating less is the way to go. However, personal trainer Terry Fairclough, co-founder of Your Body Programme, suggests that this isn’t necessarily the best approach.
There are many opinions on the ideal diet for weight loss. Some wonder if we should count calories, go low-fat, low-carb, high-protein, fast, or eat small regular meals. While each method might have its place depending on your body type, goals, and activity levels, one thing is clear: under-eating is not helpful.
Many people believe that drastically cutting calories will help them achieve a beach-ready body, but that’s not entirely true. A big calorie deficit might cause weight loss, but not the fat loss most people aim for.
In the Western diet, people tend to overeat, so creating a slight calorie deficit can be necessary. However, under-eating isn’t the key to effective weight loss. When we eat, our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, a primary fuel for our cells. Excess glucose is stored as glycogen in our muscles and liver, along with water. When needed, this glycogen is converted back into glucose to provide energy.
Cutting calories means losing stored carbohydrates and water, not fat. If you maintain a long-term calorie deficit, your body might hold onto fat and start breaking down protein instead. Protein is crucial because it helps you burn fat while at rest. Hence, it’s important to consume enough calories with the right balance of fats, carbs, and proteins.
Contrary to what some might think, fats are essential. They provide more energy than carbs or protein and are stored in muscle fibers, making them easily accessible during exercise. Eliminating fats can drain your energy, making it hard to burn the fat you want to lose.
Reducing calories and restricting nutrients can lead to deficiencies, affecting your immune, liver, and digestive systems. This can slow down your metabolism and lead to health issues like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, hormone-related conditions, and fertility problems. Extreme calorie cutting can also stress your body. This stress releases cortisol, a hormone that, over time, can lead to fat gain, especially around the belly.
Cortisol can slow your metabolism and impair thyroid function, which further affects metabolism. It also hampers digestion, affecting nutrient absorption and overall health. Poor digestion can reduce the effectiveness of your workouts and impact sleep quality, which can lead to weight gain.
Some bodybuilders restrict calories to get lean before competitions but do so under careful management. Incorrect calorie cutting can make people ill. Constantly cutting calories can hinder your metabolism, making it tough to lose weight as your body starts storing fat to survive perceived famine.
The key is to eat the right number of calories, fats, carbs, and protein for your specific needs. Your Body Programme can help you figure out your ideal calorie intake based on your body type, goals, and other factors.
Healthy eating doesn’t mean cutting out fats, protein, or carbs. Include lean proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, fish, pulses, legumes, tofu, and tempeh, and healthy carbs from fruits, veggies, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta. Also, incorporate healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, and olive oil.
Understanding your body and feeding it the right nutrients while keeping your metabolism active will support effective weight loss and overall health.
