"Eat less to lose weight."
It's advice you hear all the time. (I've even had a 90 year-old grandmother, who've never read a fitness book tell me this).
Every day we burn a certain amount of calories, and every day we eat to replace the calories we have burnt. If we eat more than we burn, those calories get stored as fat. If we eat less than the calories we burn, then the body uses the stored fat instead.
This is also known as the "Calories in, calories out" model.
It's simple and it makes sense; especially when you look throughout history. POWs, for example, had to make do on rations of less than half what they needed, whilst working hard manual labour. Over time they would begin to resemble the skeleton which hung in the corner of a science classroom.
We even notice the difference ourselves. Cutting down on what we are eating is usually the first change we make when we're on a health kick. For most, they start to notice a difference on the scales as soon as they do. And because we see it working, it reinforces our belief in what we're doing.
But, is this the full picture? I say, no.
Most people who use 'calories in, calories out' hit a plateau in their weight-loss after five weeks. At this point they start ramping up their exercise to get the ball rolling again. After another five-six weeks of this, they start noticing their energy levels dropping. For most people this leads to burnout - where the effort it takes to do something feels harder, and you feel tired.
This is how a yo-yo cycle begins. Meaning, losing and gaining weight changes with the seasons. Each time you go through this cycle it becomes harder and harder to lose the weight, and it seems to return faster.
If losing weight is about 'calories in, calories out' why do people not continue to lose weight? Why do they end up burning out? And, why is it unsustainable for people to continue for long periods of time?
A study which is the "most extreme and dangerous" study done, looked at the effects of eating less. The results were shocking... to save on calories:
- The body would start doing less of the internal functions that kept it healthy
- Body temperatures dropped - heat meant you'd burn more
- Their bodies stopped replacing skin, blood, and organ cells
- On average, their hearts shrank by 17%
- They became more fixated on food; they dreamt, obsessed, and emotional about it
Every effect makes it impossible to follow a calorie restriction for a long period of time. It also reduces the quality of life; how you feel, the energy, and zest for life dims as you live a life on restrictions.
What I teach my clients...
Losing weight is less about how many calories you eat, but where those calories come from. All calories are not created equal. The calories you get from a chocolate bar, or McDonalds burger are not the same as you would get from steak and eggs.
If you want help losing weight, and learning how to keep it off whilst you enjoy the process, comment below or send me a message.
https://eastermichael.medium.com/how-the-most-dangerous-study-of-all-time-changed-what-we-know-about-weight-loss-41aa6631867d