Diet culture tells us to eat less and lose weight – oftentimes promoting diet plans for less than 1,000 calories per day! Did you know that eating less is not always the answer – that it may actually be one of the reasons you are struggling to lose weight? Shocking, but true!
Odds are you have heard the saying, “Calories in, Calories out!” Well, this is a grossly oversimplified explanation of how our metabolism actually works.
So, how do you know if you are eating enough? And why is eating too little keeping you from losing weight?!
Sign #1: You are CONSTANTLY hungry!
Our body is regulated by hormones and when we under-eat, our hormones and metabolism will shift in order to preserve our body! We will start to increase the hormone release that makes us feel hungry until we finally succumb to those cravings!
Sign #2: You are MOODY!
Did you know that in January 2018 the word HANGRY was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary? It is defined as “bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger.” So, you started to eat significantly less, your body is protesting by increasing the production of ghrelin (hunger hormone) and now you may or may not be starting unnecessary fights with friends and family or may feel a bit more irritable in general.
Sign #3: Sleep and/or Stress Issues!
Lack of sleep can lead to insulin resistance and/or weight gain and under-eating has been found to disrupt the quality of sleep. In addition, not eating enough or not sleeping enough can increase our stress levels! Increased stress will lead to excess cortisol in the body which can cause water retention masking any fat loss that is occurring and even increasing your hunger levels even further!
“So how is under-eating holding me back from losing weight?”
Well, initially the body will use fat stores for energy and that is how people begin to lose weight. But over time, the body will adjust to this chronic calorie deficit (under eating) and metabolism will slow – so the body isn’t burning energy as efficiently. And then weight loss eventually stops because the metabolism has slowed down.
Rather than getting sucked into fad diets and the seemingly endless cycle of under-eating, schedule a FREE INTRO so we can be the guide, help you build a plan, and keep you accountable for reaching your goals!
