A 65kg sedentary woman requires 2000 calories per day to maintain that weight. As discussed in my last blog, creating a calorie deficit should cause this woman to lose weight.
So assuming she is currently eating 2000kcal per day and wants to reduce her weight (body fat), if she increased her exercise regime by doing 3 x 1 hour PT or classes and 2 x 15 minute HIIT per week and reduced her calorie intake by just 300kcal per day (65 x 2.2 x 12 - see the previous email) this lady would steadily lose weight.
Unfortunately, massively reducing the calories could have the opposite effect. This is because you will eat less calories than your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate). Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to function eg, breathe, digest food, repair and renew cells, pump blood around the body etc. Any further movement and activity (walking to the bathroom, even typing at your desk) requires further (although not much) energy. It must be remembered that all a calorie is, is a measurement of energy.
Reducing your caloric intake below your BMR causes your body to go into 'starvation mode'. Your body will begin to store fat and use protein for fuel. Your muscles are made of proteins, they will begin to waste away. This will lower your BMR further as it takes less energy to maintain fat than it does to maintain muscle mass. Of course you would see weight-loss in the beginning but it would not be maintainable, or healthy.
I hope this clears up any misconceptions about very low calorie diets. In my next blog I'll talk a little bit about how the quality of the calorie can also have an impact.
Have a great week!
So assuming she is currently eating 2000kcal per day and wants to reduce her weight (body fat), if she increased her exercise regime by doing 3 x 1 hour PT or classes and 2 x 15 minute HIIT per week and reduced her calorie intake by just 300kcal per day (65 x 2.2 x 12 - see the previous email) this lady would steadily lose weight.
Unfortunately, massively reducing the calories could have the opposite effect. This is because you will eat less calories than your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate). Your BMR is how many calories your body needs to function eg, breathe, digest food, repair and renew cells, pump blood around the body etc. Any further movement and activity (walking to the bathroom, even typing at your desk) requires further (although not much) energy. It must be remembered that all a calorie is, is a measurement of energy.
Reducing your caloric intake below your BMR causes your body to go into 'starvation mode'. Your body will begin to store fat and use protein for fuel. Your muscles are made of proteins, they will begin to waste away. This will lower your BMR further as it takes less energy to maintain fat than it does to maintain muscle mass. Of course you would see weight-loss in the beginning but it would not be maintainable, or healthy.
I hope this clears up any misconceptions about very low calorie diets. In my next blog I'll talk a little bit about how the quality of the calorie can also have an impact.
Have a great week!
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