Hello Calorie Cutters!
Are you cutting calories and eating too little to lose fat? This common misconception with girls is that by simply not eating, you will lose weight. If that were the case, all of the dieters and non breakfast eaters would never have to try another diet. I have been coaching women for over 15 years. Working with women only is my passion. Today was a perfect example of why I believe so many women are overweight. It is not as easy as counting calories. Different bodies need different amounts of food. However, there is one thing for sure. If you keep cutting calories, and skipping meals, and eating a small amount of food a couple of times a day, you will most likely start to store fat. As women age, we need a constant dose of healthy protein to keep our muscles from deteriorating, while we engage in a strength training program. We need healthy fats to keep our metabolisms and hormones working properly, and we need fiber and nutrients from complex carbohydrates to facilitate energy in the form of brain and physical power.
One thing that I have my girls do before even talking about nutrition and weight loss is to keep a 2 week diary. That way I can get a good idea of their caloric intake. I can also see where they get their calories from. I usually find that either they are really short on protein, or they don’t eat breakfast. Sometimes the carbohydrate intake is extremely high, but with few fruits and vegetables. Sometime there are no sources of healthy fats. One thing is for sure, the people that need to drop bodyfat do not usually have any consistent plan. They kind of wing it on what they think is a “healthy” day, and eat a lot of unnecessary calories on the other days. I even have girls that come to my bootcamp, work out extremely hard, then don’t eat for hours. Or the girls that try to come on an empty stomach since they are “trying to lose weight”, and have to sit out right after a warm-up since they have no strength, or feel lightheaded.
The body needs fuel to work. A car needs gas to drive, and oil to run perfectly. Otherwise it will break down on the side of the road, and burn out. A plant needs water, but add in plant food and it thrives. We need a mixture of nutrients from different sources to keep all of our amazing systems functioning properly. Our metabolisms are very complex systems. Between hormones, thyroid, cycles and nutrition, we can either keep our metabolism running smoothly, or force it to slow down and make us feel and look awful. This is a choice. Learning the basics of how the body works can keep you energized and strong for many years to come. Follow fad diets, cut calories and live a sedentary lifestyle and watch the pounds creep up year after year.
In a nutshell, follow a nutrient dense diet.
Eat often, and mindfully. That means know what you are eating, and why.
Drink lots of purified water and mineral water.
Eat a variety of foods high in plant protein and animal protein.
Eat high fiber fruits and vegetables. Consume complex carbs before and after working out to recover properly and refill your energy stores.
Add sources of healthy fats to your diet as in nuts and nut butters, ground flax and chia seeds, and fatty fishes. Hormones, hair, skin and metabolisms need healthy fats to work properly. Nothing looks more aged than a woman that is too weak, too thin and has wrinkled skin.
Tear your muscles down in the gym and rebuild them in the kitchen. Every pound of muscle added will make your sluggish metabolism into a more efficient one. Eat enough calories to stay energized and watch the fat slowly melt away. A fueled body is more apt to want to go to the gym. Activity will be something you can’t live without. Get out that grocery list, and make sure it contains foods that your body needs to maintain a lean, energized lifestyle. Your brain, and your body will thank you for it.
Always searching for ways for us to look and feel our best!
Dawn