Your body is built for survival. Learn how to lose weight effectively by giving your body the energy it needs to survive.
Counting calories won’t help you lose weight.
‘1200 calories will help get rid of those last few pounds!’
I’m sure you’ve heard of that silly line somewhere along your journey towards a healthier you. Unfortunately it is not answer you’ve been looking for.
Sure it may help you lose some weight, heck it may even help you lose a lot!
But is it the right kind of weight?
Your body needs food
Did you know?
When you restrict your energy intake and don’t give your body enough food for basic survival (bodily functions), it will begin to stop using so much energy by lowering your metabolism.
This is one example of what can happen on a low calorie diet.
Now more about your metabolism.
Your metabolism won’t play along
If you were to run for 30 minute you may burn 330 calories.
If you began to eat less than your BMR (basal Metabolic Rate, basically what you need to survive), your metabolism would slowly but surely begin to drop down.
You may end up only burning 180 calories for that 30 minute run.
Our bodies are very adaptive and made for survival.
By having a consistent low calorie diet, you are just asking for trouble!
Losing weight is easy. Or is it?
The scale numbers are dropping. You’re excited! It’s working.
Or is it?
Decreasing your intake so drastically in the beginning means you’ll likely you’ll hit a plateau in a few weeks.
Where have you gone wrong?
You begin eating a little more again (because your energy is at an all-time low as well by now).
Then you weigh yourself again in the next few days…And find that you’ve gained it all back?
But how?!
Losing more than you bargained for
What you have lost was not fat.
It could have been a number of factors, but it was most likely only water weight or even muscle loss.
Losing muscle is not a good – the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism should be, and the more effectively you’ll lose weight.
If it’s a quick loss, it will also be a quick gain.
Fat loss is not something that should be thought of in a short term way. The longer the process, the more chance you have of losing fat, and keeping it off!
Not to mention, your energy on a low cal diet will be very low so you will feel:
- cranky
- sleepy
- hungry
And you’ll begin to obsess over when your next meal is.Which can lead to a binge.
Not a great way to lose weight, right?
Lose weight the right way
The best way to avoid all of the above is:
- Figure out your BMR and AMR (Active Metabolic Rate)
- Subtract 100-500 cals (MAX.)
- Incorporate weight training
- Get your heart rate up, and then
- Figure out how you feel and what best suits you!
BMR Formula
Women: BMR = 655 + ( 9.6 x weight in kilos ) + ( 1.8 x height in cm ) – ( 4.7 x age in years )
Men: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) – ( 6.8 x age in years )
AMR Formula
- Sedentary (little or no exercise) – your AMR = BMR x 1.2
- Lightly active (light exercise/work 1-3 days per week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.375
- Moderately active (moderate exercise/work 3-5 days per week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.725
- Extra active (very hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.9
Congratulations!
You are now one of the few informed people who know how to lose weight – and keep it off!
Need help with these formulas? Or advice on how to lose weight? Give us a call!