We all know in order to lose weight, we need to cut calories. However there is a point where eating too little can cause more damage than good…

Yes, it’s important that the number of calories we consume is controlled, however too much restriction can actually SLOW down progress. It can be tempting to drastically reduce calories in an effort to lose weight fast, trust me I’ve been there! However, research (and past experience) has shown that this is not an effective approach to long – term weight loss.

What Happens If We Don’t Eat Enough?

Energy –

Our bodies need energy for sleeping, walking and digestion but ESPECIALLY when we want to smash our workouts. That means fuelling up our bodies by eating the right foods, in the right amounts. What’s the point in taking time out of your busy schedule to hit the gym, only to get there and not be able to give it 110% because you’re on an ‘empty tank’. We wouldn’t expect a car to run on no fuel, so why expect our bodies to do the same!

Binging –

Our typical thinking is that we gain weight when we overeat consistently. And yes, it is true that when we consistently ignore the fact that we are already full, and eat more than we need, we exceed the body’s need for energy and therefore these extra calories gets stored as fat.. leading to fat gain. However what isn’t understood, is that the opposite can happen too. When we consistently ignore the fact that we are hungry, the body is knocked out of balance. When we consistently don’t eat, or keep portion sizes down to the bare minimum, the body’s survival responses will quickly kick in and set us up for eating or even OVEREATING. There have been so many occasions where I have put myself through a seriously low calorie diet throughout the week days, just to get to Friday and let loose on all of the pizza, ice – cream and chocolate imaginable which just took me back to square one!

So, if we don’t want to eat too many calories, but we don’t want to eat too little calories, what on earth are we supposed to do?

It really is quite simple, just stay BALANCED! This means eating a wide variety of foods in sensible proportions. Also, remember that what you eat before and after your workout is key to seeing the progress you are hoping for. Ensure that you eat a good sized meal at least 2 – 3 hours before your workout, consisting of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates, YES, those dreaded carbs! Carbohydrate is the fuel that is going to help you smash your workout, so they should be here to stay. The same goes for your post workout meal, remember to REFUEL!

To conclude, if you are sensible with what you choose to eat, get those fruit and veggies in, fuel up and kick ass in the gym and last of all remember that a bit of chocolate on the weekends will NOT jeopardise your weight loss journey, you will see results in no time!

Annie!