Not everyone who goes on a diet will achieve their desired weight loss. Many people resort to fasting or drastically reducing their calorie intake, which can be detrimental to their health and may not yield the expected results.
In today’s article, let’s explore why calorie-restricted diets don’t always lead to weight loss.
1 Mistakes to Avoid When Calorie Counting for Weight Loss
Calories from food are essential to maintain normal bodily functions and overall health. However, calorie needs vary from person to person, and a balanced approach is key.
Consuming too many calories can lead to a surplus, resulting in weight gain and obesity. In reality, taking in more calories than you burn will cause fat accumulation and weight gain. As a result, some individuals opt to reduce their calorie intake to shed pounds.
Mistakes to Avoid When Calorie Counting
To cut calories, some individuals may resort to fasting or severely restricting their intake, which is neither sustainable nor effective in the long run. It can also trigger intense hunger cravings.
Initially, fasting may suppress hunger, but over time, the cravings will return with a vengeance, and you may end up consuming more. Meanwhile, fasting can take a toll on your mental health, leaving you feeling exhausted and anxious.
2 How to Reduce Calories Sensibly
According to experts, a sustainable approach to weight loss involves adopting a healthier lifestyle, regular exercise, and a balanced diet. The fundamental principle is to ensure that your energy intake is lower than your energy expenditure, allowing you to maintain your work and daily routines.
Restricting your food intake to extreme levels is not a safe solution, as it deprives your body of the energy it needs to function optimally.
PGS.TS Nguyen Thi Lam, former Vice Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, recommends gradually reducing your calorie intake by approximately 300Kcal per day each week. This ensures your body receives the necessary nutrients to perform daily tasks.
Sensible Calorie Reduction
3 Tips to Manage Hunger Cravings
Don’t Slash Calories Drastically
Overdoing it with dieting and exercise can disrupt your metabolism and leave you feeling hungry all the time, especially if maintained over weeks or months. To curb hunger, avoid drastic calorie reduction.
Avoid Overeating by Eating Nutritious Meals
When you consume nutritious meals and stick to regular mealtimes, your body receives the necessary nutrients, reducing the likelihood of hunger pangs immediately after eating.
Tips to Manage Hunger Cravings
Don’t Be Too Restrictive with Food Choices
Severely limiting certain foods will only make you crave them more. Instead, aim to prioritize healthy, low-calorie options that support your weight loss journey and overall health.
In conclusion, we’ve explored why calorie-restricted diets may not lead to weight loss and offered advice on managing hunger. We hope these insights will assist you in achieving your weight loss goals. Stay informed and make healthy choices!
Source: Sức khỏe và Đời sống Newspaper