Everyone knows that eating too much makes you gain weight. But are you aware that eating too little can prevent weight loss? Personally, over the years I have found that if I eat a few hundred calories more than is recommended for me on a weight loss plan, I lose more weight. If I eat less than is recommended, I do not lose weight at all. Crash diets have never, ever worked for me.
According to the About.com Thyroid Disease expert, Mary Shomom, “Dropping calories too low can lower your metabolism and send your body into “hoard” mode — a process which thyroid patients are particularly susceptible to and which can offset weight loss efforts and keep you from success at your diet.” This is why people can starve themselves for weeks without losing weight, and the second they begin to eat normally, they put on another 20 pounds.
According to an ABC News report on The Denver Channel.com, “Nutrition experts say many active women could lose more weight and perform better if they ate more.” Therefore, if you work out religiously, but do not seem to shed any pounds, the problem could be that your body is not getting enough fuel to maintain your level of fitness. This eventually causes injuries, which can sideline the active woman and then cause astronomical weight gain.
Basically, what happens when you do not eat enough food is that your metabolism become sluggish and goes into what is known as starvation mode. Historically, humans lived through periods of abundance and famine. It is only within the last 200 years or so that we have found ways to keep food abundant through by way of importing and exporting foods. So are bodies are programmed to slow down and hold onto weight when food is not abundant. It is also programmed to store fat to help us survive in times of famine. It is only in times of abundance that our bodies will actually let us shed a few excess pounds.
Therefore, to lose weight, it does not make sense to go on a crash diet, which will work for a week or two, or if you have less than 20 pounds to lose. However, over time, your body will become immune to such fad diets and people who need to lose more weight will never reach their goals.
This is why you need to eat to gain weight. Now I am not saying continue eating what you have been eating and expect weight to fall off. Instead, I am suggesting you mathematically determine how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, and then eat 10-15% less than that. When your weight loss slows, recalculate how many calories you should be eating. Yes, lower your calories a little at a time for the best weight loss results.
