Eating Less But Not Losing Weight? Stop THAT Diet Now!

You have been eating less to no-carbs, tried non-fat, less sugar diets, ate in small plates, reduced your food intake to almost 50% from what you originally consume, but still, you did not lose weight. And what shocks and frustrates you even more is that you actually gained more weight! You ask yourself what you did wrong, feeling emotional, you grab what you can and stuff it all in, “why bother?!”, you say to yourself, “I ate less but it didn’t work, so I might as well eat whatever I want.”

And this is the vicious life cycle of a dieter who just tries all the “diet fads” out there. Now, let’s answer some of the important questions living inside the head of an unsuccessful dieter:

Q: Why didn’t I lose weight even when I ate less to almost nothing?

A: (Shaking head) Food is our body’s fuel. It is the source of our energy, the energy that we need and spend on our everyday activities. When we eat less or consume way TOO low calories, our bodies’ natural reaction is to go on survival mode. If you have been punishing your body way too much and for too long by having severe calorie restriction, and at the same time exercising too much, its response is to slow down your metabolic rate to conserve your energy and keep you from dying.

 

Q: Why did I GAIN weight even when I ate less to almost nothing?

A: (Shaking head some more) Have you heard someone starving say- “I am so hungry I could eat a horse”? Sure you have. Did it ever happen to you- you were so hungry that everything looks and tastes so delicious and you “forgot” counting calories or decided that you’d just “sweat it out”? Eating way less for a very long time creates cravings and intense hunger pains that will make you eat more and become less disciplined in making food choices.

 

Q: But I read somewhere that you’ll lose more weight if you eat less and exercise more.. Isn’t that true?

A: Yes, it will let you lose weight, BUT you also are at risk of losing muscles, developing eating disorders, and weight lost is regained quickly. Plus, there are a lot of health risks involved too.

 

Q: I want to lose weight the right way and keep it off for good! What do I do now?

A: When you say you want to lose weight, trusted that you are actually talking about fat. You want to lose fat and keep it off for good, right? Then you should start an eating and exercising regimen that you can stick to- for life! This is about long term compliance - a diet that you can customize according to what types of food you actually enjoy, your goals, and your lifestyle. Today, this type of diet is called IIFYM or If It Fits Your Macros, it is also known as Flexible Dieting. In IIFYM, you need to create a calorie deficit, therefore, you must consume the prescribed calories per day based on your goals (lose or maintain weight) and your lifestyle (sedentary, light, moderate or extremely active), it is also called as TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). Once you know how many macros(protein, fats, and carbohydrates) you must consume a day, design a food plan that will make you hit those numbers. Losing weight is very simple- just eat a little less than what’s prescribed or your TDEE, and you are on your way to keep that fat off without punishing yourself.  

 

To find more information you can visit www.IIFYM.com They have a IIFYM calculator that will tell you what macros you shoudl be eating based on your goals!  Below are examples of the different types of macros.  

 

 

Food is your fuel, make sure that you are not damaging your metabolism and your body by not eating because you are so concerned with that number on the scale.  There is a healthy way to lose weight, and that doesn’t involve starving yourself.  

“Love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle, and make good eating choices!”

 

Written by Sparkle & Sweat Shop

Blog Writer: Jan Paula Aquino

 

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