We've all been conditioned to think that in order to lose weight, we need to
A) increase activity and
B) cut calories.
For women, this isn't the case.
Yes, there is some truth to increasing activity and decreasing calories to lose weight. But that doesn't necessarily mean that's what your body needs...yet we do it anyway.
Here's the thing:
When you lower your caloric intake, you are also lowering your nutrient intake.
That means you're getting...
✔️Less protein
✔️Less fat
✔️Less fiber
✔️Less vitamins
✔️Less minerals
Therefore, when you cut calories, your body isn't functioning optimally (think: hormones, neurotransmitters, digestive health, organ function). To your metabolism (aka the chemical process of turning food into energy), this raises an alarm. The body basically says,"Hey everybody! We're not getting what we need here, so we better slow things down & hold onto our reserves (body fat)."
This is why so many women struggle to lose weight or hit a plateau - because your body will do whatever it takes to keep excess fat when it feels like it's not getting what it needs.
Cutting calories can attribute to weight loss...but what are you actually losing?
Your body wants to lose fat LAST, because fat is your body's reserves in case of an emergency - like starvation, illness, etc. So if the body is deprived of nutrients, it will give up muscle mass first. That's why prioritizing protein and nutrient dense foods is key for healthy weight loss.
That's also why getting super lean 'abs' can actually become unhealthy. We need some extra body fat to function optimally, and your body will go leaps & bounds to make sure you don't lose too much of it.
And let's not forget about stress...
Your body endures a lot of f*cking stress on a daily basis. Relationships, work, raising a family, general anxiety levels, physical stress... Add in the stressor of weight loss, and you're really putting your body through a lot.
So if you're asking yourself, "Why am I not losing weight? Or, "Why am I hitting a weight loss plateau?" ... and you have a combination of stress + less nutrients + intense exercise, it's actually not all that surprising that your progress has come to a stall.
This combination is a recipe for metabolic dysfunction. The body can't heal in a stressed or inflamed state.
To summarize weight loss & metabolism...
Cutting calories means your body is getting less nutrients
Eating less doesn't always mean you'll lose weight.
Your body wants to lose body fat LAST.
Intense exercise & dieting can put a lot of stress on the body
So what should I do?
Instead of focusing on cutting calories, focus on cutting things like chemicals, additives, food dyes, yellow corn & seed oils, and refined ingredients. Focus on maintaining muscle as much as possible by lifting weights and eating enough food to fuel your body. Consider all body systems when approaching weight loss
And as always, if you need a little help reaching your health goals, I'm here to support you.
Book a call at the link below to learn more about ways we can work together.
-NWJ