Calorie Cutting

Thinking of drastically cutting your calories?

Doing this might seem the quickest way to losing weight, but there are plenty of valid reasons why you shouldn’t cut them too much.

Losing weight, the quickest way possible is the first choice for many people, which is understandable as if your anything like me once you decide to get rid you want it gone the sooner the better. BUT when losing weight quickly by drastically cutting your calorie intake it will come at a price.

It’s simply too difficult for people to do it for a very long time, you give up and end up back where you started, leaving you frustrated and more than ever convinced you can’t lose weight. Ever been in this situation?

Take a look at some of the reasons why you shouldn’t cut your calories too much:

1.       You won’t form any long-term healthy eating habits – think of it like this, the habits you form while losing weight are the same habits that will help you maintain a healthy weight once you’ve hit your goal.

2.       Your mental energy will suffer – when your body doesn’t hit that target of calories it needs to work, your brain may be starved of fuel leaving you tired and unfocused.

3.       Your muscle mass may reduce – a number of important body functions need protein (includes building and maintaining muscle mass). If you don’t take the right amount of calories the protein you eat maybe used for fuel rather than being used for important functions, as a result muscle mass shrinks.

4.      Your too hungry – you shouldn’t suffer agonizing hunger while losing weight, which often happens when you don’t have enough calories, leaving you with that desire to have a CHEAT day.

5.       A big one, you struggle to hit your nutritional needs – every calorie needs to be nutrient-packed in order for your body to hit its needs. The needs for Vitamins, Minerals, Protein, Carbohydrates and healthy Fats must be met which will be hard to do without the calories.

6.      Your physical energy will suffer – Very important for YOU to provide your muscles with the fuel they need. Cutting your calories too much will reduce your energy to workout.

So with all that said, the safest rate of losing weight should be in the range of 1-2 pounds (0.5 to 1kg) per week. Although I have hit 2kg a week without any issues but it’s not recommended.

You should remember during the first week or two you may lose a bit more as this is normally down to excess fluid.

Calorie counting, cutting 500 calories per day (1 pound a week) to 1000 calories a day (2 pound a week) is a safe gauge to go for. The best way to losing weight is to use the above calorie reductions and increase your activity levels (increase the calories you burn).

Example:

                        I want to cut 300 calories a day and burn an extra 200 calories, you’d be creating a 500 calorie per day deficit and would expect to lose 1 pound in the week. (not because of the lottery)

Note:    You shouldn’t drop your daily calorie intake below 1200 calories, as it will be too hard to meet your nutrient needs. If your struggling to cut your calories from your diet without dropping below 1200 then increase your activity levels.