Dieting may be a difficult and frustrating experience. Maybe you've been on your weight loss journey for too long and haven't seen any results. You've been working out, cutting out sweets, and monitoring calories like a lunatic, but the number on the scale hasn't budged. If you're feeling stuck, don't give up—but you may need to adjust your approach. In reality, it's conceivable that you're committing a typical mistake that many dieters make time and again: not eating enough.
You read that correctly: you may be eating too little to lose weight. We spoke with registered dietitian Anne Murray, MS, RDN to discover more about how limitations may prevent you from reaching your weight reduction goals and destroying your metabolism. All of her expert guidance and expertise may be found here!
Inadequate nutrition
If you're attempting to lose weight, you might believe that the quickest method to accomplish it is to substantially reduce the amount of food you consume. After all, the fewer calories consumed, the better, right? As it turns out, this is not the case. In fact, experts believe that following an extremely restrictive diet and eating too little is one of the worst weight loss mistakes you can make. This can have major consequences for your general health, possibly leading to a slower metabolism and, eventually, weight gain.
It's critical to eat enough every day if you want to keep your metabolism running smoothly (which is essential for healthy weight loss). "If you are consistently undereating, your metabolism will slow down," Murray says. "Your body has to acclimatize to your daily calorie intake, and it might take a long time to get your metabolism back up to speed if you are under-fueling for long periods of time."
Overeating is another big concern to consider. Sure, if you're trying to stick to a strict 1000-calorie diet (hint: never do this!) the assumption is that eating so little will result in speedier weight reduction, but it often merely results in bingeing, later on, causing weight gain instead. "When you starve yourself throughout the day, your body craves fuel, so you're more inclined to eat a lot at night," Murray explains. "Rather than eating excessively late at night to compensate for the limitation earlier in the day, it is best to eat those calories throughout the day to fuel your body and balance blood sugar."
Instead, eat well-balanced meals.
Instead of harsh calorie restrictions and crash diets, the healthiest and most lasting strategy to lose weight is to focus on a well-balanced diet that provides your body with all the nutrients it requires to thrive. Murray advises us to "add a protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber when making a balanced meal." "A salmon and brown rice bowl with avocado and broccoli is an example of a healthy lunch. This meal contains all four components of a well-balanced diet!" You'll be well on your way to your weight loss goals if you nourish yourself with well-rounded meals like this on a regular basis, limit your intake of processed foods, and stick to a decent fitness regimen.
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