Our metabolic rate determines the rate at which we ‘burn up’ our food, and by increasing this rate, we can lose weight more quickly, easily, and safely.
When we diet, by
decreasing our calorie intake too drastically, we cause our metabolism to slow
down, making it progressively more difficult for us to lose weight. Most diets
fail, yet we continue to try one after another, always hoping that each new
regime will provide the ‘magic’ solution. If this sounds like your problem,
there may be a simple answer. Let’s look at why most diets fail, and how
strength training, combined with a healthy food intake can speed up your
metabolism, making it easy for you to lose weight.
By drastically
cutting our food intake, our body’s natural instinct is to switch to a ‘starvation
response.' The fewer calories we consume, the more our bodies become efficient
at using these calories - leading to slower weight loss. This was once a useful
mechanism for our ancestors when food supplies were less predictable, but this
’vicious circle’ can make life almost impossible for the modern dieter.
When the body is
persistently kept short of calories, it breaks down muscle tissue to use as
fuel. Our body, using water from our tissue cells, quickly washes this away
causing an instant reduction in weight through water loss. However, this weight
loss will be short lived, and will quickly be regained when we take in water
and the muscle, we have lost will slow down our metabolism in the long term.
The reason for this
is that each pound of muscle requires a certain number of calories each day
just to maintain it. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you
burn even when you’re doing nothing, even sleeping! If you lose muscle, then
your daily calorie requirement becomes less. For example, imagine a dieter
loses 10 pounds of muscle (along with maybe 20 lbs. of fat) on a strict diet.
Now suppose that each pound of muscle had been burning 50 calories a day.
Together, those 10 pounds of muscle had been burning 500 calories a day. With
this muscle tissue gone, the dieter must now consume 500 less calories a day in
order to maintain that weight-loss!
However, of course
people do not stick to their diets for ever and when they return to their old
eating habits, the weight that they have lost, invariably comes piling back on.
Unfortunately, whilst they lost both muscle and fat during the diet, all the
weight they regained was fat. So, even though they may weigh the same as they
did when they started, they now have a lot more fat and a lot less muscle than
they did before the diet. Therefore, their metabolism is slower and their
calorie requirements are less. Even if they return to their pre-diet eating
habits, they still require 500 fewer calories a day due to the muscle loss.
That’s one reason dieters are prone to regaining all of the lost weight, and
conversely sometimes even gain weight afterwards.
A good solution is
an active lifestyle that includes aerobic exercise, a good weight-training
program, and a healthy diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain
cereals and plenty of lean protein. It is a good idea to eat ‘little and often’
– keeping your metabolism in high gear by eating 4 to 6 small meals a day,
rather than one or two larger ones. No food is forbidden, but sweets and high
fat junk food are eaten less often, and in smaller quantities. A healthy diet
is a realistic and permanent way of eating – not a diet that you suffer through
for a week or two and then give up!
The goal is to
consume as many calories as you can, while still losing body fat and
maintaining or adding lean muscle at the same time. If your calories are
already below normal, don’t restrict them further. Instead, maintain your
current amount and instead try to become stronger and more active, so you can
gradually increase your calories to a normal healthy level. If your calorie
intake is already in a healthy range, decrease it only slightly, if necessary.
A small reduction of about 250 calories a day, or 10-15 percent less than
usual, is more likely to protect your lean muscle, and less likely to trigger a
go-slow in your metabolism.
If you follow this
type of routine, it’s possible to gain about one pound of muscle per week and
lose about one pound of fat per week. The end result is that the number on the
scale might not move much at all, it may even go up. Your clothes will feel
looser, and you’ll feel great. Yet the numbers on the scale won't move!! It's
at this point that a lot of people give up the weight training because they
don't understand what's happening.
The truth is that
when you're strength training it's possible to get smaller and heavier at the
same time, as muscle is a much denser tissue than fat. The fat takes up more
space on your body. At this point, it's best to rely on the way you look and
the way your clothes fit as well as measure your body fat percentage along with
your weight.
The conventional
way of dieting can lead to a weak, tired body, exhausted by the constant cycle
of starvation and weight gain, unable to enjoy food. However, by following
these easy steps above, you can easily reach your goal - the slim, strong,
healthy body of a naturally lean person who can enjoy their food without guilt,
for life!
Disclaimer: This article is to be used for
informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as professional
medical advice. It should not be used in place of, or in conjunction with, a
doctor or dietician’s recommendation. Prior to beginning any nutritional
program, individuals should consult with their physician.
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