Sounds backwards, right? Why would dieting lead to gaining weight when it’s designed to do the opposite? That’s exactly what we’re covering in this article — if you’re serious about losing weight and getting lean, not just seeing a lower number on the scale, read on…
1. Fatigue
Have you ever started a diet and started feeling sluggish, tired, and drained? Of course — that’s what happens when you’re eating too little to meet your body’s needs! Overeating can make us tired for a while, but undereating is just as bad, and possibly even worse. But it gets worse: Less energy means less output in the gym… and that gets in the way of you building lean muscle! This is a BIG reason why eating less often makes it harder, not easier to lose weight.
That’s not all, though — there’s another reason it’s often harder to tone on a diet…
2. Muscle loss
Even if you’re eating enough protein, you can still lose muscle if your overall calorie intake is too low. Think about it this way: Your body doesn’t just use calories to store fat; it directs that energy to many essential processes, one of which is maintaining your muscle tissue! Since limiting your food limits your muscle growth and can even lead to muscle loss, you have less active tissue consuming calories at rest… and that in turn leads to one of the biggest problems:
3. Slower metabolism
Your metabolic rate is largely dictated by how much active tissue you have, because that tissue consumes extra calories and helps keep your fat stores under control. Muscle is one form of active tissue you have direct control over building, and as you add more, your metabolism gets faster — burning potentially hundreds more calories a day if you keep adding lean muscle!
While dieting can reduce your weight, it’s rarely the most effective solution long-term. There are better, more sustainable, and less hair-raising ways to do it… and isn’t that what we’re all after?
If you want personalized 1:1 help with eating for your unique body and building a toned body composition, apply to become a WarriorBabe here!
