Why eating fewer calories does not cause you to lose weight

 I hear from so many people who want to lose weight fast!  Looking for the quick pill or overnight magic or perfect diet! So you may are tempted to make drastic changes in your diet by dramatically reducing the number of calories you consume. But what you may not know is that eating too few calories can actually backfire and sabotage your weight-loss efforts and even cause you to gain weight….yep, I said it……GAIN!!

CALORIES ARE IMPORTANT

The most effective way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn, thus creating a calorie deficit. But if your calorie intake dips too low, your body could go into “starvation” (insert my client’s eye rolling here) mode. "Your body will start to store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything, so it needs to conserve it for back up.

When your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows almost to a halt, burning calories as slowly as possible to conserve its energy stores. This is why people who cut their calories too much may reach a plateau and stop losing weight.

Eating too few calories can be the start of a vicious cycle that causes your body distress. When you cut your calories so low that your metabolism slows and you stop losing weight, you then think, well screw it, nothing is working so I will just eat what I want because I will never lose weight anyways and then you many even gain more weight.

It is so hard on your body to continually cut calories.

In addition to hindering your weight-loss, eating too few calories can also harm your health. When your body goes into starvation mode, you are increase the risk for the following:

·       Abnormally low blood pressure and slow heart rate

·       Heart rhythm abnormalities

·       Electrolyte imbalances, especially potassium deficiency

·       Hair loss

·       Brittle fingernails

·       Loss of menstrual periods in women

·       Soft hair growth over entire body

·       Dizziness

·       Trouble concentrating

·       Fatigue

·       Anemia

·       Swelling in your joints

·       Brittle bones

·       Depression

Calories are your friend

Remember that calories are not your enemy. They are a fuel for your body to facilitate not only normal every day activity, but also, those killer workouts that you put it through. Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to sustain proper function. This is why fad diets that force you to cut out too many calories leave you feeling lethargic, shaky, and ready to give up.

In my site, I have healthy, nutritious recipes for just that, fueling your body! Give your body the balance it needs to be strong, healthy and life lasting!

EATING HEALTHY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE

So – have you noticed that when you’re trying to eat healthily, your grocery bill just keeps getting higher and higher?

But trust me, you shouldn’t have to choose between eating healthy and your mortgage. I’ve got a few tips that will help you stick to a nutritious grocery list, even while on a budget. 

CHECK OUT ALL YOUR OPTIONS

Okay, so obviously when you think healthy groceries, you think Whole Foods (or whole paycheck), right? And yes, while Whole Foods has some great options, it’ is incredibly easy to spend a lot on just a small amount of food. I personally love Whole Foods, but it can be a bit expensive!  So, when I know I’m going to be shopping to fill the fridge or when I’m just trying to keep my grocery bill a little lower, I like to check out several stores. 

Start by checking out some other grocery stores in your area. I’m going to let you in on a little secret that is quite the hidden gem… Walmart! Seriously. If you know what you’re looking for, you can usually find it there. Plus, their prices are basically unbeatable, as they have brand name and less expensive generic! 

WHEN TO BUY ORGANIC

If you’re shopping at grocery stores that aren’t traditionally known as being “healthy,” the trick is to shop smart. That means buying organic when you need to, but also knowing when you can skip it altogether to save yourself a few extra dollars.

The general rule is: if it’s something you’re going to peel (like a banana or an avocado), you don’t need to buy organic because the pesticides are all stuck on the peel, anyway. And if you want a little more guidance, here’s what I do….

·       Buy fruits and veggies that are in season, they will be less expensive. 

·       Always buy organic dairy products, believe me…. It’s worth it. 

·       Definitely non-gmo meats, ideally organic too!

·       Apples, berries, celery, grapes, cucumber, any other juicy fruit – go organic.

bulk shop!

Bulk buys are LIFE. It’s kind of crazy how much money you can save by buying in bulk, especially for stuff that can get really pricey like meat, nut butters and protein powders. Whole Foods has a bulk section. So does Sprouts.

BUY FROZEN

Did you know that when you freeze fruits and veggies, you hardly lose any of their nutritional value? And frozen is usually much cheaper, especially when you’re buying something that’s out of season. 

Plus, because it can just chill in your freezer, that means you don’t have to worry about that “it has prettier hair than me” thing.  Frozen is great because it helps you avoid that nasty moldy stuff,  which is basically just throwing money away, plus it’s usually cheaper in the first place. I love using frozen fruit in my smoothies, too, because then you don’t even need to add ice! 

GO WITH A LIST.

We all have those impulse purchases and boy, do they add up! Reality check, most of them probably aren’t helping you with your goals. Unless you’re impulse buying kale which, like, good for you if you are! But I’m always tempted by that bar of dark chocolate hanging out by the register. Having a list — and sticking to it — saves me from bad food choices and it helps me save a ton of money.  AND DON’T GO HUNGRY!  No list and hungry is the deadliest combination