By fitlifemonthly 
If you want to lose weight, you might think that counting calories and eating less is the way to go. But it’s not that simple, says Terry Fairclough, a personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme.
Many people are confused about the best way to lose weight. Should you count calories? Go on a low-fat, low-carb, or high-protein diet? Should you fast or eat small, regular meals throughout the day?
While these methods can work depending on your body type, goals, and activity levels, one thing you should avoid is under-eating. You might think that drastically cutting calories will help you lose weight quickly. While you might see the number on the scale go down, this method doesn’t necessarily lead to fat loss, which is what most people are aiming for.
Today, many Western diets include more calories than necessary. Some people need to cut back a bit because they were overeating before. However, severely limiting your calorie intake is not the solution.
When you eat, your body turns carbohydrates into glucose, a key fuel for our cells. Excess glucose is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, which also holds water. When you cut calories drastically, the weight you lose initially comes from glycogen and its water—not fat. Over time, your body might start holding onto fat and breaking down protein instead. This is why you need to consume an adequate amount of calories from fats, carbs, and protein.
Some people think that avoiding fat is the key to losing fat, but that’s not true. Fat is a crucial energy source and provides more energy per gram than carbohydrates or protein. It’s also stored in muscles, ready to be used during exercise. Cutting fat entirely will leave you low on energy, making it harder to burn fat.
Additionally, reducing calorie intake too much can lead to nutrient deficiencies. This impacts several body systems, including the immune, liver, and digestive systems, potentially causing health problems and slowing down your metabolism. Issues like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, depression, and hormonal imbalances can arise from not eating enough.
Extreme calorie deficits cause stress, leading to the release of cortisol, a hormone that breaks down fuel for energy. While short-term stress might lead to weight loss, long-term stress can make the body hold onto fat, especially around the belly.
Not getting enough calories can also disrupt sleep. Low blood sugar triggers the release of adrenaline, waking you up and affecting your overall health, including liver function and immunity. Poor sleep can lead to weight gain.
Bodybuilders often restrict calories to get lean before a competition, but it’s risky if not done correctly. If you keep cutting calories, your body will eventually break down, making basic functions difficult to maintain.
The key is to eat the right amount of calories, carbs, fats, and protein for your body type, goals, activity level, and personal attributes. At Your Body Programme, we help people figure out their calorie needs based on their specific body types.
Remember, you only have one body, so nourish it well to keep your metabolism active. Eating enough lean proteins, healthy carbohydrates, and good fats is essential. Lean meats, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil are great choices.
In the end, it’s about eating healthily and sustainably to support your body and metabolism.