Skipping a meal or two… What is the big deal?

       When attempting a weight loss program, it is no secret that less food needs to be eaten in order for pounds to be lost. However how much less food is a question that can be confusing.  Your body needs a specific number of calories per day in order to function properly. Typically, this number ranges from between 1,500 and 3,500 – quite a wide range.  Meal plans with very low calories my be successful initially, but are more often then not difficult to maintain.  Statistically the weight loss from a low calorie diet is too often regained plus a few extra pounds.  When your body gets significantly less calories than what it needs to function properly, it goes into “starvation mode.” This means that instead of burning calories, your metabolism basically shuts off, and stores all food as fat. Your body isn’t sure when it will be fed next, and therefore the metabolism stops working.

Here is some food for thought.  Theoretically the human body needs an estimated 15 calories per pound of body weight to maintain. A 150 lb. person needs 2,250 calories daily to maintain body weight. Daily calorie totals lower than said 2,250 will result in a reduction. Eating 1,750 calories daily over seven days will result in a 3,500-calorie deficit that reduces body weight by 1 lb. A weight loss of 1 lb. per week is more likely to be maintained compared to lower calorie totals that result in larger amounts of weight loss quickly.

While it is important to cut calories in order to lose weight, cutting too many calories can actually result in a negative way. Start by cutting around 500 calories a day in order to achieve optimal weight loss.  Let your metabolism work for you instead of you working for your metabolism!  Fitness does not have a finish line but your lifestyle will take you where you want to go!