Why More Calories Are Best For Weight Loss?

Did you know that most people overestimate what they can achieve in the short-term and underestimate what they can achieve in the long-term? This is especially relevant when it comes to diet and weight loss. You may not appreciate what you’re about to read but remember that consistency with a reasonable plan of action is where the magic lies when it comes to weight management. Consuming a sufficient amount of calories from the right foods is necessary for sustainability and, ultimately, long-term weight loss success. Don’t think that by eating less and less you will be better off, and don’t think you can binge one day and make up for it the next day. Instead, it’s all about a reasonable long game – a little bit every day adds up over time.

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider a small calorie deficit (10-15%) when beginning your diet journey:

Metabolic inefficiency

With lower calories comes the cost of losing metabolic inefficiency. This can come in the form of decreased thyroid output, potential over production of cortisol, reduced testosterone, increased ghrelin and reduced leptin among many others.

Plateau

Think of food as a tool; you want to have as many calories at your disposal when you hit a plateau because, sooner or later, you will encounter one. Having more calories at your disposal gives you more room to make a continued calorie deficit without entering into extreme calorie deprivation. There’s only one way to further reduce an already small amount of existing calories and, that is, painfully.

Nutrition

With less calories comes less nutrition even if you’re eating the most nutrient dense foods such as organ meat, nuts, avocados, and berries.

Fuel for training

You need to fuel your training and this includes recovery. With less nutrition comes suboptimal recovery and less fuel to propel you forward in your training regime.

Sleep

Sleep quality and duration are negatively impacted by large calorie deficits. This will negatively impact your total energy expenditure for the day since movement will be lessened due to fatigue. In addition, hormones and blood sugar levels are likely negatively impacted. For example, higher blood glucose levels along with higher cortisol levels are common among sleep deprived people. Acute lack of insulin sensitivity is observed as well. In addition, you’ll experience reduced recovery and less endogenous growth hormone production.

Remember, a low calorie diet is relative. For example, a taller active female may lose a consistent 1-2lbs of fat per week eating 2000+ calories per day. Don’t be fooled by low calories and always think about the long game!

Coach Mark