Eat Less, Lose More?

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Eat Less, Lose More?

This article is designed to shed light on the common assumption that by taking in less calories you will end up losing fat and inches from having fewer calories to burn off.

If the body is burning more calories than it is consuming then yes you are likely to lose weight by creating a calorie deficit. How this calorie deficit is created however depends on the type of weight you will lose!

By not eating enough calories the body will interpret the messages your hormones are sending to your brain as food being scarce. It then goes into famine mode and will respond by storing as much fat as it can in order to protect itself.

Any weight lost will therefore be water or muscle tissue – very bad news for the metabolism and the rate in which we are burning fat. When on a drastically reduced calorie diet the levels of the hormone leptin that controls hunger and helps us to feel full drop dramatically. This then triggers the release of a stress hormone called cortisol which can cause sugar cravings.

This is why it is generally best to eat little and often, ideally no longer than 3 hours without food in order to speed up and optimise your metabolism. This is because we are more likely to store fat when the metabolism has nothing to do. Our blood sugar levels will also hit rock bottom when going without food for longer than 3 hours.

A sensible calorie deficit can thus be created by eating little and often and choosing foods that are less calorie dense but greater in volume so we feel fuller for longer and never hungry or deprived. Examples include vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. Have a look at the calorie content of foods like these to see how low they are. It also helps to know that when you are eating correctly the body will naturally rebalance itself to a healthy weight.

In order to eat sensibly, think about what you are likely to be doing and when throughout the course of the day in order to plan what you can eat. That way you will be able to avoid consuming more calories than you are burning and won’t have to worry about counting calories for the day.

Constantly trying to keep track of every calorie consumed does not generate a relaxed attitude towards food which is ultimately what we try to promote at Catalyst.

We hope this helps shed light on creating a sensible calorie deficit and how it can be a way of life rather than a temporary diet solution. By following the 90% rule and eating healthily 90% of the time and allowing the other 10% for other foods you wouldn't eat on a day to day basis, you can create a healthy balance of food without depriving yourself.

If you have found this article useful please feel free to pass it on to anyone else you feel might benefit from it.
‘Til next time, stay focused and keep up the good work!

Gen x