If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think the key is to count calories and eat less, right? Not exactly, suggests Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme. In the world of personal training, there’s a multitude of opinions about the best diets for weight loss. People often wonder if counting calories is necessary, how many calories they should be consuming, whether low-fat, low-carb, or high-protein diets are the way to go, or if fasting and small, regular meals are healthier options.
It’s true that creating a significant calorie deficit can lead to weight loss, but it’s not always effective for losing fat, which is often the main goal. Although reducing calories might drop the pounds, it doesn’t necessarily result in fat loss. Our Western diets are typically more substantial than needed, and many people overeat from the start. Some decide that drastically cutting calories is the solution, but this isn’t always true.
When we consume food, our bodies break down carbohydrates into glucose, a sugar providing energy for our cells. In cases where glucose isn’t immediately needed, it’s stored as glycogen in muscles and the liver. Each glucose molecule is bonded with two to three water molecules. When energy is needed and glucose intake is low, glycogen releases glucose into the blood to serve as fuel. Thus, when cutting calories, rather than losing fat, you may often shed stored carbohydrates and water.
Contrary to popular belief, consistent calorie deficits can influence the body to retain fat and break down protein instead, which is essential for muscle maintenance. Protein is biologically active, and having more of it helps burn fat even at rest. Therefore, consuming enough calories from all three macronutrients—fats, carbs, and proteins—is crucial. And despite the myth, dietary fat is an essential, efficient energy source providing more than twice the potential energy of carbohydrates or proteins.
Fat plays a vital role before and during exercise as it’s stored within muscle fibers and easily accessed as energy. Cutting out fat can lead to insufficient energy levels, affecting your ability to exercise and burn off unwanted fat.
Moreover, drastically reducing calories and nutrients can lead to deficiencies, impacting systems like the immune, liver, and digestive processes, potentially causing health issues and slowing metabolism. Insufficient eating may lead to problems like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, hormonal imbalances, and fertility issues. It also stresses the body, causing a cortisol release, which can initially lead to weight loss but, over time, the opposite effect can occur.
When protein breakdown slows the metabolism, and the body increases fat receptors, especially around the belly, fat gain can occur. Additionally, cortisol hinders thyroid hormone conversion, affecting metabolism further, and stress reduces digestion and nutrient absorption. This makes it harder to achieve training results and can disrupt sleep patterns.
I’ve seen bodybuilders cutting calories to get lean, but this needs to be done correctly to avoid health issues. If we continuously slash calorie intake, our bodies may enter a state where even slightly exceeding that limit results in fat storage for survival. Hence, it’s vital to consume the right balance of calories, carbs, fats, and proteins tailored to individual needs based on body type, goals, activity level, height, weight, and age.
I created the Your Body Programme to assist people in determining their calorie needs according to their unique body types. It’s important to fuel your body properly, keeping it healthy and your metabolism active. Contrary to the notion that calorie restriction is necessary, my experience shows that maintaining or increasing calories can lead to fat loss. Focus on consuming lean proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, fish, vegan protein sources, as well as healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Include healthy fats from sources like avocado, nuts, and olive oil for a balanced diet.
