Our certified fitness trainer team knows that many of us diet from time to time, particularly as beach season or a big event approaches. And here at elevate Health & Performance™ we worry that some of our clients may be eating too little when they’re on a diet.
So, we asked our consulting dietician John Rickards what that can mean:
“By missing certain macro/micro-nutrients your body cannot and will not respond to any sort of exercise plan or diet plan attempting to trigger weight loss.”
Our certified fitness trainer team knows the you don’t go below these calories: 1,200 per day for women or 1,500 per day for men.
Your body stops burning fat and begins to burn muscle. Fat is our store of energy. So when you stop burning fat weight loss stops.
Because those are the National Institute of Health (NIH) guidelines for minimum calorie consumption. And our certified fitness trainer team believes that the NIH is the gold standard for health information.
So how do you know when you’re not eating enough? Our certified fitness trainers agree with the My Fitness Pal Blog. It points out four clear symptoms:
- You’re tired. When you don’t eat enough your energy level flags. You need a balance of carbs, fats and proteins.
- You’re cranky. With a calorie deficit – particularly of carbs – your blood sugar levels fluctuate. And then so do your moods.
- You’re constipated. You need bulk in your digestive tract to keep things moving. And remember many foods are mostly water – you need that too to stay “regular.”
- You can’t lose that last five pounds. OK this seems counter-intuitive. When you regularly eat to little your body goes into preservation mode and burns muscle, not fat.
So, what are the consequences of eating too little?
When you start burning muscle instead of fat you risk permanent damage to your heart, kidney, and liver.
Plus, a calorie deficit is usually accompanied by a nutrients deficit. When things like calcium, iron, zinc and Vitamins B and D go missing. Your electrolytes can easily become unbalanced. This can cause permanent harm to many internal organs.
Why eat more?
As John Rickards notes:
“Sometimes, our recommendations, will be to eat more. This makes sure your body has enough fuel to successfully respond to exercise and diet plans aimed as weight loss.”
At elevate Health & Performance™ we believe every fitness and nutrition program should tailored to your unique needs.
But here’s what’s consistent:
- Avoid refined sugars and white flour – they tend to quickly change your blood sugar levels.
- And avoid processed foods. While many additives may not harm you. You just get more bang for your buck when you eat fewer refined foods.
Have questions? Want to get started on a nutrition program? Just Contact Us.