By fitlifemonthly 
If you’re looking to lose weight, you might think counting calories and eating less are the way to go, right? It’s not that simple, according to Terry Fairclough, a top personal trainer and co-founder of Your Body Programme.
As a personal trainer, I’ve heard endless opinions on the best diet for weight loss. Should we count calories? Eat low fat, low carb, or high protein? Should we fast or have small, regular meals throughout the day? While these have their place depending on your body type and goals, one thing you definitely shouldn’t do is under eat.
We’ve all seen people drastically cut calories to get ready for the beach. Sure, they lose weight, but it’s not the kind of weight loss they might want. A calorie deficit can lead to losing weight, but not necessarily fat, which is what most people aim for.
These days, many people in the Western world eat more than they need to. A slight calorie deficit might be necessary, but that’s because many were overeating. The common misconception is that under eating is the only way to lose weight, which isn’t true.
When you eat, your body breaks down carbs into glucose, the main fuel for your cells. If you don’t use this glucose immediately, it’s stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. Each molecule of glycogen holds two to three water molecules. When you cut calories, you lose glycogen and water, not fat. Over time, a calorie deficit makes your body hold onto fat and break down muscle protein instead.
Protein is crucial because it’s biologically active, helping you burn more fat at rest. That’s why it’s important to consume enough calories from fats, carbs, and protein. And for those thinking they should avoid fats to lose them, that’s a myth. Fat is a vital energy source, providing more than twice the energy of carbs or protein. It’s stored in muscle fibers, making it accessible during exercise. Without enough fat, you won’t have the energy to exercise and burn off the excess fat.
Cutting calories too much can lead to nutrient deficiencies, affecting your health systems like immune, liver, and digestion, and slowing your metabolism. Under eating can cause fatigue, malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia, and hormonal issues, among others. Stress from extreme calorie deficits releases cortisol, which can initially cause weight loss but ultimately leads to fat gain as the body tries to protect itself.
Chronic stress and high cortisol levels slow down metabolism and increase fat around the belly. Cortisol also blocks the conversion of thyroxine, affecting thyroid function and metabolism. Stress reduces digestive function because energy is diverted to muscles for fight-or-flight responses. Poor digestion means you’re not getting the nutrients needed for good health and effective training, impacting your weight loss and fat loss efforts.
Your sleep can suffer too. Low blood sugar triggers adrenaline, waking you up and further affecting your health, immunity, and productivity, leading to weight gain. Competitive bodybuilders often cycle calories but run the risk of illness if done wrong.
Constant calorie cutting can damage your metabolism so much that losing weight feels impossible. Any excess calories get stored as fat because the body is in survival mode.
The key is to eat the right amount of calories, carbs, fat, and protein for your body type, goals, activity level, and other factors. At Your Body Programme, we help people figure out their specific calorie needs. Use our YBP calculator to understand your body type and its requirements.
Stay healthy and nourished to keep your metabolism active. Increasing your calorie intake can actually help you lose fat. Eat plenty of lean proteins like beef, chicken, eggs, and fish, as well as plant-based options if you’re vegan. Include healthy carbs from fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, brown rice, and wholewheat pasta. Don’t forget healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, and olive oil.
Terry Fairclough is a co-founder of Your Body Programme, personal trainer, and nutritional therapist. Aside from training, he enjoys weightlifting and ensuring his own diet supports his fitness goals.