The weight loss industry is a billion
dollar industry filled with meal plans that provide very low calorie levels.
This is the magic bullet because if you follow these meal plans closely you
absolutely lose weight. You are happy and the company can say they gave you
what they promised. Physiologically we know that very low calorie diets work
for the short-term loss of weight, but the question is what are we doing to ourselves
in the long run?
The fact is the calories very low calorie
diets (1000-1200 or less) contribute to weight gain more than they help people
to find lasting weight loss. Many people feel they must go to a very low
calorie diet because it is the only way to move their weight. Well? They are
right and this is why.
When a person goes to a very low calorie
diet they put into starvation mode. If they lose more than two pounds per week
where they can end up losing the muscle mass that will negatively affect their
metabolism. This is a matter that is worth to spend a minute on it. Look what
happened to Sally when she lost more than 2 pounds a week. It can be all too
familiar to you!
The story of Sally:
The resting metabolic rate of Sally (how
many calories it burns) was 2500 calories per day. This means it consumes around
2500 calories each day to maintain his weight where he was. She decided to lose
weight by going on a "diet". The diet program has estimated its
calories from 1000 to 1200. She lost 10 pounds in two weeks. It is naturally
very happy about this weight loss. This is success! What she does not know is
that part of the rapid weight loss is not fat but muscle. Sally gets so boring
on the plan after the first month, which is typical, and goes back to his old
eating habits.
What happened to the body of Sally for this
plan? She lost lean body mass with body fat. Muscle is the most important
factor in keeping your metabolic rate high. A pound of muscle burns 30-70
calories while a pound of fat burns about 0-10 calories. During the weight loss
in the last month Sally lost approximately 6 pounds of muscle mass (lean body
mass).
Sally metabolic rate was 2500 calories for
its weight remains stable and now it has decreased to approximately 2100
calories. Now when she goes back to her old eating habits that were landing it
on an average of 2500 calories in a day, it will gain its old weight back plus
more.
What do you think you will you produce when
it goes on the next low calorie diet? What will happen after weight loss 4-5
follow a diet? You guessed it! It will continue to reduce its metabolic rate.
This is why so many people feel that they do not eat that much but still earn
weight. It's true! To add insult to injury, there are also studies that suggest
when people go back to their original eating habits they gain fat tissue
quickly instead of lean body mass.
Do not despair dieters! There are steps you
can take to get your metabolism fired up for yet but the first step is to stop
low calorie diets. The next time you see a program that tries to estimate your
calorie level by size, weight, and age, do not do it! This method is almost
never accurate because they do not take into account your health history,
genetics, age and any other multitude of things that make up your individual
metabolism. Remember, they want you to lose weight quickly and you are
satisfied with their product or service and they will give you the lowest
calorie.
The only way to really know how many
calories you burn is to get your metabolism tested with a breathing test. These
tests are now made available and can be done for $ 50 - $ 125. To find someone
in your area that provides these tests. Otherwise do not trust evaluations of
balances or calculations. They almost always under estimate your calorie level
that you will do more harm than good.
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