If you’ve battled with weight loss or even had isolated periods of trying to lose that pesky 10-15 pounds, you’ve likely been on some sort of calorie-restrictive diet.
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And it’s no secret that that’s how we lose weight – we put ourselves in a calorie deficit – meaning we are burning more calories than we are taking in. It’s just the physics of weight loss.
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But what actually happens after we’re in a calorie deficit for an extended period of time?
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What a lot of people notice is at the beginning of the super-restrictive diet, the weight comes off quickly. We’ve cut calories big time, we’re in that deficit and the body is responding by burning fat.
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Then what happens? They hit that plateau. The weight loss stops or slows to a near halt.
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See, our bodies are smart. They don’t want to let us widdle away to nothing. So they start holding onto the only energy that is stored.
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So the weight loss stops and we freak out. Maybe we cut calories even more. The body is now in full-on starvation mode and is going to hang on to body fat for survival. We’re now working against ourselves.
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What do we do? The answer is counter-intuitive for almost everyone at first – we have to eat more food.
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Your body needs enough fuel in the form of food/calories to be able to work hard enough to burn the fat that we want to lose!
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Soooo, how does this all play out? Dieting for fat loss becomes a cycle. We can’t just be on a diet forever, or until we reach our end weight-loss goal.
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Give up the idea of just continuing to cut calories until you reach your goal. The body will fight us. It doesn’t want to die! And putting it in a calorie deficit forces it to adapt. And when it adapts to a lower calorie diet, our progress (fat loss) stops.
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This can be a tough road to go alone. Having someone to hold you accountable, keep you sane during the process, and give you the guidance you need to reach your weight goal is huge. Look to a nutrition coach to help. Have a friend hold you accountable weekly. Read and learn about the process.
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As always, reach out with questions and I’d love to help!
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