Morning,
One of the toughest things dieters have to realize is that eating less junk food is GOOD! But eating too few calories is BAD!
It certainly sounds counter-productive!! There are folks on weight loss forums who will declare they’re eating 1,200 calories or so…but the weight just doesn’t come off. Why oh why oh why oh!
The answer is actually pretty simple (not to mention horrifyingly maddening). Your body has a baseline requirement of calories for daily functions. You know those things, right? Breathing, heart beating, body digesting, liver liverizing, right?
Well! Put in too few calories, and your body will say, EEEEK! I don’t have enough fuel to be efficient!! I need to regroup and hunker down and slow down the metabolism (and hence, your weight loss) as much as possible!
There are some excellent postings about this such as:
- Starvation, Calories, and Adaptations
- How Many Calories Should I Consume?
- Too Few Calories?
- Why Calories Are King
I have personally experienced a success in breaking a weight loss plateau by eating more….so for me, it definitely does make sense!
Remember, when you craft your own personal weight loss plan and things “stop working”, don’t be afraid to research and test out different ideas. The world (ideally!) won’t end in a day…you should have plenty of time to always tweak your plans to optimal performance.
Enjoy,
Barbara
ps – want some nifty ideas about calories? Consider: