When you're on a restrictive diet and therefore eat less than your resting metabolic rate, i.e. less calories than your body needs to survive, your body will think you are starving and you will begin to kick in all kinds of starvation protection mechanisms.
Most people who go on a diet and lose weight end up regaining that weight within a year - why?
The explanation can be complicated:
- One reason is that a diet is a short-term solution and people don't really change their behaviours over the long-term so put the weight back on when returning to normal eating
homeostasis, energy intake equals energy expenditure, over the long-term
- If we try to change things, like dieting, the body responds by increasing our appetite to get back to homeostasis, i.e.
makes us hungrier.
- Lose muscle tissue and water stored in the muscles - muscle burns 70 times more calories than fat so when you
The reality is that only 2 per cent of weight loss diets, eat less, exercise more principle, are successful for long-term health - all diets have their benefits but the reality is that they are all high-fad diets where the weight loss is not sustainable.
What happens when you go on a diet?
You will:
lose weight, you lose muscle and fat - when you put the weight back on, it is just fat and this burns 70 times fewer
calories than muscle so you need fewer calories to maintain the same weight
- Store body fat - the starvation protection mechanism will kick in
- Lower your Resting Metabolic Rate, or RMR, meaning you need less calories to function
- Create irregular hormonal responses that drive our feeding behaviour.
- You skip breakfast
- You have a light lunch
- You miss out on any snacks in fear of gaining weight
- You get home after work and overeat - we are hardwired to overeat when the food is available.
- Follow a low GI eating plan. GI stands for Glycaemic Index and it involves eating low GI carbohydrates, which keep
- Store body fat - the starvation protection mechanism will kick in
- Lower your Resting Metabolic Rate, or RMR, meaning you need less calories to function
- Create irregular hormonal responses that drive our feeding behaviour.
So what usually happens in a 'normal' day of dieting?
- You have a light lunch
- You miss out on any snacks in fear of gaining weight
- You get home after work and overeat - we are hardwired to overeat when the food is available.
So what can you do to lose weight effectively and still be healthy?
Strive for a healthy weight loss of 1-2lbs per week. 3,500 calories equals 1lb of weight. This will maintain your muscle tissue and ensure your body still gets the nutrients it needs to function properly.
My tips for a healthy weight loss and healthy life include:
your energy levels balanced and means you will feel fuller for longer between meals with long-term health benefits
such as reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes
- Don't count calories - there's no need if you are eating healthy foods
- Combine healthy fats, protein and fibrous carbohydrates at every meal
- Avoid obesity additives such as in cakes, biscuits, most breakfast cereals, sauces, gravy, corn, soy and wheat
- Don't count calories - there's no need if you are eating healthy foods
- Combine healthy fats, protein and fibrous carbohydrates at every meal
- Avoid obesity additives such as in cakes, biscuits, most breakfast cereals, sauces, gravy, corn, soy and wheat
products, gluten, white flour products such as bread, rice and pasta, soft drinks, fast food, processed food and
canned or cured meats
- Avoid late night carbohydrates apart from vegetables
- Avoid or reduce your alcohol intake
- Keep well hydrated and drink plenty of clean water, i.e. not tap water
- Keep stress levels to a minimum as stress releases cortisol - a hormone that leads to a change in your body
- Avoid late night carbohydrates apart from vegetables
- Avoid or reduce your alcohol intake
- Keep well hydrated and drink plenty of clean water, i.e. not tap water
- Keep stress levels to a minimum as stress releases cortisol - a hormone that leads to a change in your body
composition and leads to fat deposition around your middle.
Stick to these rules and you will reap the benefits of a healthy weight loss.
There is NO NEED to go on a diet!
If the article has been of interest to you, you can contact me in the following ways:
Call Paul on 07990 583034 for healthy eating advice, email pauledgar@bodyandmindfitnesscompany.co.uk or visit my website at http://www.bodyandmindfitnesscompany.co.uk for your health and fitness needs.
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