When individuals want to lose weight, their first instinct is to cut way back on the amount of calories they consume. The assumption is likely, the less food they eat, the more we weight they will lose. While calorie reduction is necessary in many cases and for a good number of people, it won’t work for everyone. Persons that consume too many calories (especially junk calories) will need to figure out the correct number of calories to eat each day. It can be a tough balance. Individuals must eat enough food to be healthy but not too much that they are not able to lose weight.
Many people are unaware that the amount of weight that they have to lose should influence what type of diet plan they should adhere to and which methods will enable them to lose weight most effectively. Research has shown that individuals with fewer then 60 pounds to lose should not attempt to lose weight through significant calorie restriction (eating 1200 calories or fewer each day). When persons eat too few calories they often reach weight loss plateaus very quickly. This means that they will lose weight initially and then their results will level off. This can be quite frustrating and makes it very difficult for individuals to reach their goal weight. A better alternative is to eat more.
I know at first glance this probably sounds crazy and definitely counter-intuitive but hear me out. Persons may need to eat more and not less if they have fewer then 60 pounds to lose. Now the foods that consume need to be the “right” foods. Fatty and sugary foods are out. Fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins are in.
Eating more helps to get the metabolism moving faster because it has more calories to burn. A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that by eating more, dieters could get their metabolism working nearly 70% harder. This is because it has to burn the extra calories that are being eaten.
For this to work, dieters can not overeat all of the time. Instead, they should eat light some days and then heavier on others. By alternating the number of calories that a person takes in every couple of days, the body is kept off track and the metabolism is constantly stoked. This approach of eating more can help individuals lose weight easier with less effort. Starving oneself is not necessary for weight loss. In fact, the likelihood that a person will be able to keep off the weight lost from this type of diet (starvation) is nil.
For persons interested in attempting the “eat more, lose more” dieting approach, try eating one larger meal every few days. It should be eaten in the morning so that the body has more time to burn the calories. Also, make sure that it includes complex carbs, lean protein, fruit and/or vegetables. Drinking plenty of water is a good idea as well.
Life comes at all of us. Sometimes things become very difficult and it is hard to go on as normal. At times such feelings are caused by events outside of our control or because a lapse in judgment on our part. In other instances, persons may simply be prone to depression and depressive moods. Being overweight and depressed can be a double whammy and for some people and can cause a lot of frustration. Individuals who are trying to lose weight may be resistant to taking medication which they may need because they believe that it may cause them to gain weight.
When it comes to dieting, most experts hold to the following equation: Calories out-Calories In =Weight Loss or Weight Gain. If your calories in, are less then calories out (those that you expend) then you will lose weight. If the opposite is true, you will gain weight. While this is largely true, cutting your caloric intake too much can have the oppsosite effect. Skipping meals and not eating enough will trigger your body to hold on to the pounds instead of allowing you to lose them.