One of the biggest mistakes that people make in the quest to lose weight is the restriction of calories. Many experts even fuel this fire when they say the way to lose weight is to burn more calories that you take in.
This just isn't true.
Let me explain what I mean.
Let's say you have 1500 calories in a day but metabolically you need 1800. (This "metabolic need" is virtually impossible to calculate and most charts that you see are going to be pretty rough estimates, and more than likely off by 30% of more. But for the purpose of this example, let's pretend that this is an accurate number that we can come up with.)
Does it make sense that, since you are in a 300 calories deficit for the day, you will lose weight?
Yeah it does, but there are many mitigating factors.
I want to talk about specifically about two factors. Other factors include, but are not limited to, genetics, your metabolism history (have you been losing weight and exercising or have you been sedentary), your stress level, your hormone levels, your hydration.....
Yeah, lots of factors. Again, today I want to focus on two factors. The good thing for you is that there are actionable steps that you can take based on what you learn today.
Learn. Apply. Get results!
Factor 1: Quality of calories.
It's not that hard to consume 1500 calories of shit food. A couple of cans of soda and a couple pieces of chocolate cake will get you there.
But will this make you healthy?
Wait. It's a deficit, right? Won't you lose weight?
Not a chance. The quality of the calories that you take in matters. Your body is responsibility for many many things besides maintaining body composition. You need to see, think, hear, feel, walk, talk, grow hair...
You see what I'm saying?
To do all this stuff your body needs different vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Where do these come from? Certainly not from chocolate cake and soda.
Simple calories will allow our bodies to do the simple things. Live and breath.
If you want to live well and breath well you need to put quality calories into your body.
Factor #2: Spacing of calories.
The body can only process so many calories at one time. The rest are stored as fat. Again, the number is different for all of us but lets, for argument’s sake, say the number is 300.
Consuming 1500 calories in this manner: 300 at 6am, 300 at 10am, 300 at 12pm, 300 at 3pm, and 300 at 7pm means you use all your calories, right?
Unfortunately that's not how most people consume calories during the course of the day.
This is a typical day: 100 calories at 9am, 500 at 12pm, 100 at 2pm, 900 at 8pm.
1500 calories but instead of being in a deficit this person is storing 800 calories.
Calories aren't the enemy. Do you see what I mean?
Today I spoke a little about the basics of calories. In future entries I'll drill down on what food to eat to lose weight or gain health or even both.
For now I want you to take this lesson with you: STOP focussing on calories. While the number of calories that we consume during the course of the day is a factor in health it isn't that important.
CALL TO ACTION: Take a look at you calories spacing during the day today. You don't need to figure out the actual number. Just estimate. Did you space out your calories throughout the day or are they clumped up at dinner or lunch or at snack time?
If you are tired of not getting the results that you want, need and DESERVE let me help. Click the link below to set up your FREE 20 minute coaching call. I'm happy to give you some specific action steps to more you in the right direction.
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