If You’re Struggling To Lose Weight You Might Be Doing This One Thing Wrong

Ahh weight loss. A familiar friend. A wiley temptress. A pain in our a$$. Nearly every person we know, including ourselves, have tried to lose weight for one reason or another. Exercise, dieting, fasting, you name it.

Now, that’s not to say that we think people need to lose weight but we’re realists and we know people still want to lose weight. And, if someone is going to try to lose weight for the right reasons then we want them to have the right tools at their disposal.

Losing weight is no easy feat especially among the world of yo-yo diets, impossibly thin influencers and fat-stigma. But, there are plenty of valid reasons to choose to lose weight including improved mobility, feeling more comfortable in your own body, improving high blood pressure, or just because you damn well want to. Still, sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin besides the obvious “eat less”.

And, would you believe us if we said that just continuing to “eat less” wasn’t always the right answer? While a calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss the body may respond to weight loss with increased hunger cues, decreased satiety cutes and increased fatigue making weight loss continually higher. Metabolism is so fun, isn’t it?

What is Metabolism?

We’ve all heard of metabolism but what really is it? Simply put, metabolism is the way your body turns food into energy. This energy keeps us breathing, circulating blood, growing cells and regulating our body temperature. Ya know, the important stuff. Different people need different amounts of energy to keep those processes going which is referred to as your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Metabolism also includes calories spent breaking down food or exercising.

BMR accounts for 60-70% of calorie usage which means that the higher your BMR the faster you “burn” calories or energy. Certain health conditions, like hypothyroidism, may impact BMR, but so does body composition, age, sex, physical activity and genetics. BMR is also likely to decrease as you lose weight.

When your goal is weight loss it helps to keep your BMR as high as possible. But, oftentimes people trying to lose weight end up over-restricting their calories in an attempt to put their weight loss on hyper-speed. This can cause their BMR to decrease quickly which can lead to a weight plateau, or even a weight gain. This process is often called a metabolic adaptation.

Very-low-calorie-diets (VLCD) of <800 calories/day are sometimes used by medical professionals for a short period of time but are not recommended for routine weight management, or without medical supervision. VLCD’s, when implemented incorrectly, can lead to the loss of lean body mass, cold intolerance, hair loss, dizziness, muscle cramps and more.

How Do I Keep My Metabolism Healthy?

Weight loss is hard enough without your body working against you so when you’re losing weight you want to either maintain or increase your BMR. But, how?

First up, don’t skip meals. Yes, even if you’re trying to eat less. Your metabolism will quickly adapt to using less calories if it doesn’t know when it will get fed again. If you restrict too much your body will even start to break down muscle as a source of fuel. Plus, consistent meals can help to keep your metabolism active all day and provide you better control of your total calorie intake.

Exercise, particularly strength training, also helps to keep your metabolism elevated by increasing your lean muscle mass. Muscles are more metabolically active than fat stores so shifting your body composition to include more muscle mass will help to increase your BMR. Plus, exercise can help you to increase your total metabolism by helping you to burn more calories through movement.

Lastly, eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Lean protein is especially important because it helps us to feel fuller longer and also helps to promote muscle growth and repair.

Think you could use a hand figuring this all out? Feel free to give us a shout.

This article is for informational purposes only and it not intended to be used in place of professional advice, medical treatment, or professional care. This article is not intended to be and should not be a substitute for professional care, advice or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare provider before changing any health regimen. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease of any kind.