Have you been eating less and feel hungry all the time (or maybe no hunger at all anymore)? All the while, experiencing zero weight loss or body composition changes?
If this is you and you’re constantly in dieting mode, your body will eventually start fighting back. This is extremely frustrating, believe me I get it! (this used to be me).
Spending too long in a calorie deficit can slow down your metabolism. That’s why your nutrition needs to be periodized, just like training. By that I mean you need to go through different phases of how much you’re eating to keep getting results AND keep your body, metabolism and hormones healthy!
Keep in mind, we need a good amount of calories JUST to keep our organs functioning properly and this is without exercise. Add in exercise and you’ll need even more calories to be on fire in your workouts! Food = energy, right?
A lot of times these basic caloric needs aren’t being met. Why? Because we feel like we should always be on a diet. If this is the case, slowly increasing calories at the beginning is the best solution.
Sounds crazy right? But it’s necessary for so many reasons.
Make your food work for you. Don’t underestimate the power of food and what it does FOR us.
Eating enough calories for your lifestyle will:
- Keep your hormones balanced
- Keep your energy levels up and steady throughout the day
- Keep you stronger in your workouts
- Get your metabolism firing
Of course to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. BUT, your body will adapt to the low amount of calories you’re eating by chronically dieting and will recognize this as your “maintenance” calories. This means no weight loss or changes coming your way.
Our bodies are so smart! But so are we. My hope is you’ll start to see food as necessary and good.
Wrapping up – If you’re eating in a deficit but not losing weight, and your calories are already low, there’s only one good option. Increase calories slowly, while paying attention to how your body responds each week.
If you have any questions or need some guidance, please shoot me an email!
Thanks,
Kim Glass