By fitlifemonthly 
If you’re trying to lose weight, you might think the key is counting calories and eating less, right? Well, not exactly, according to Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme.
As a personal trainer, I’ve heard lots of differing opinions on the best diet for weight loss. Should we count calories? Should we eat low fat, low carb, or high protein? Should we fast or eat small, regular meals three times a day?
Many diets suggest a massive calorie deficit leads to weight loss, but it often results in losing not just fat, but also muscle and water weight. It’s important to recognize that under-eating doesn’t necessarily lead to long-term fat loss.
The Western diet tends to be larger than necessary, so a small calorie deficit might help because many people overeat. However, the common belief that under-eating is the only way to lose weight is simply not true.
When we eat, our body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which fuels our cells. If not immediately needed, glucose is stored in muscles and the liver as glycogen. When the body needs quick energy and isn’t getting glucose from food, glycogen breaks down to glucose for fuel. So, when you cut calories, you lose stored carbs and water, not fat.
Long-term calorie deficits cause the body to hold onto fat, breaking down protein instead. Protein is crucial because more protein means more muscle, and more muscle burns fat even at rest. Therefore, it’s important to consume enough calories with fats, carbs, and proteins.
Fat, often misunderstood, is an essential fuel source. It provides more energy than carbs or proteins and supports exercise by breaking down into fatty acids that fuel our muscles. Cutting fat from your diet can leave you without the energy needed for workouts, hindering fat loss.
Restricting calories and nutrients can lead to deficiencies, impacting the immune, liver, and digestive systems and slowing metabolism. Health issues from under-eating include fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, hormone and fertility issues. Stress from extreme calorie deficits releases cortisol, which over time can lead to weight gain.
Cortisol can slow metabolism, increase fat around the belly, and block necessary thyroid functions. Stress also affects digestion, meaning you may not absorb necessary nutrients for health and fitness. Poor sleep from low blood sugar levels can further impact metabolism, immunity, and productivity, contributing to weight gain.
Bodybuilders who restrict calories often reintroduce them post-competition, but this must be done correctly to avoid health issues. Excessive calorie cutting can make it nearly impossible to lose weight because the body enters ‘famine mode,’ storing any excess calories as fat.
It’s crucial to eat the right amount of calories, carbs, fats, and protein suited to your body type, goals, activity level, height, weight, and age. At Your Body Programme, we help people calculate their calorie needs based on their body type to optimize health and metabolism.
Increasing calories in a balanced way with lean proteins, healthy carbs, and fats helps in losing fat and maintaining muscle. Lean proteins might include beef, chicken, eggs, fish, pulses, legumes, tofu, and tempeh. Healthy carbs can be fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta. Healthy fats include avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, and olive oil.
Remember, a well-nourished body with a properly functioning metabolism is key to effective, long-term weight loss.