By fitlifemonthly 
If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think the key is to count calories and eat less. But that’s not necessarily true, according to personal trainer Terry Fairclough, co-founder of Your Body Programme.
As a PT, I’ve heard all kinds of opinions and questions about the best diets for weight loss. People wonder if they should count calories, follow a low-fat or low-carb diet, eat high protein, or fast. They also question whether they should eat small, regular meals throughout the day.
A big calorie deficit might help you lose weight, but not necessarily fat, which is what most people aim for. Our usual Western diet is larger than it needs to be, so some calorie deficit can be good, but extreme calorie-cutting isn’t the answer.
When you eat, your body breaks down carbs into glucose, which fuels your cells. Excess glucose gets stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver, holding onto water. When you cut calories, you mainly lose water and carbohydrates, not fat.
Your body needs a balanced diet with the right amount of fats, carbs, and proteins to function well. Fat is a long-lasting energy source, crucial for exercise and overall health. Cutting too many calories can lead to nutrient deficiencies affecting your immune, liver, and digestive systems, and slowing your metabolism.
Under-eating can cause health problems like fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, hormonal issues, and even fertility problems. It also increases stress, raising cortisol levels, which might initially help you lose weight but later makes your body store fat, especially around the belly. High cortisol can also slow your metabolism and digestive function.
Poor eating habits not only affect your weight loss goals but also your overall health and sleep quality. Without enough nutrients, your body can’t perform well in training or recover properly, and poor sleep impacts everything from immunity to productivity.
Bodybuilders often cut calories to get lean for competitions but then increase their intake afterward. However, doing this incorrectly can cause health issues. Constant calorie cutting can push your body into “famine mode,” making weight loss hard because your body starts storing everything as fat.
The key is to eat the right amount of calories, carbs, fats, and proteins for your body type, goals, activity level, height, weight, and age. I created the Your Body Programme to help people figure out their specific needs. Eating the proper nutrients keeps your metabolism active and your body healthy.
Instead of cutting calories drastically, focus on eating lean proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, and fish, as well as vegan options like pulses, legumes, tofu, and tempeh. Include healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta. Don’t forget healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, and olive oil.
Take care of your body by nourishing it properly. You only have one body, so keep it healthy and your metabolism active.