We have all been there before. You've dieted hard and you've done tons of cardiovascular activity but you step on the scales and nothing has changed. You reach the conclusion that you just can't get in shape, that you simply can't lose weight on a low calorie diet with regular exercise. Today you'll find out why this happens and how to sort it out.
The general rule for those looking to drop some pounds, of course, is to eat less calories and exercise more. However, there are thousands upon thousands of people out there who are doing too much of one thing and not enough of the other. In rare instances, you even find people who are doing too much of both things.
If your goal is to get a smaller waist and retain it, you need to avoid the common trend of coupling starvation diet tactics with a near gym addiction. Otherwise you'll find it very difficult to forge further progress and get frustrated to see others obtaining results while you stay in the same position.
We all know somebody who has fallen victim to that particular trend, due to the fact that it's often featured in celebrity magazines and pushed as the number one method to lose fat.
The reality is very different from those theories, of course. If you have ever followed one of those diets you will know that you cannot operate on a 500 calorie diet and exercise for two hours per day. You will run your body into the ground. These individuals usually go through a very specific cycle:
An initial drop in weight is seen due to the sheer shock placed on the body as it struggles to comprehend with this new routine. The person fools themselves into believing this drop must mean it's working, before hitting a sticking point a couple of weeks later. About one month into it, they reach a stage where they feel like they cannot lose anything no matter how hard they work or how little they eat. As a result of this sticking point, they begin eating even less and exercising even more. The depression takes hold and forces them to come off the rails, binge eating on junk foods and takeaway meals. Their body cannot handle this sudden influx of calories after a starvation diet and suddenly piles a lot of weight on in reaction to it.
Of course, once the individual ends up in that situation they often blame themselves and begin a new diet, adding an even greater calorific restriction and increasing cardiovascular exercise as a punishment for their previous failed effort.
How can it be possible to eat under 1000 calories per day and hit the treadmill for over two hours a night but still not lose any fat? The answer is very simple. The body isn't getting the nutrients it needs to survive, therefore it has slowed down your metabolism and prevented you from burning what little stores it has left. That's right, your body is actually stopping you from burning off any more fat.
If you are pushing yourself hard in the gym you will begin to shed lean muscle tissue, too. That's certainly not a situation you want to find yourself in, but sadly many people do. These are now signs associated widely with crash, quick fix and yo-yo diets. Instead of adopting this unsuccessful approach, incorporate HIIT into your routine and use it alongside a regular weights-based program.
The more lean muscle you can encourage in the gym, the easier you will find it to burn fat outside of the gym, too!
Your daily diet should be fun, not punishment. You need all three macro's and you need a good number of calories to see any results otherwise your body will enter starvation mode and revoke your control, which has already been documented. If you have previously put yourself through yo-to dieting tactics you will need to slowly increase calorie intake over a period of weeks and months to get yourself back on track. Once the issue is fixed, it's fixed permanently.
Who do you think will find it easier to lose body fat - the person eating 500 calories per day or the person eating 2000 per day? Obviously, the latter. They have more calories to play with and therefore will find results a lot easier to come by. You should never, ever be eating less than 1000 calories per day if you are regularly exercising.
If you have reached a point where you think you can't lose weight on a low calorie diet and want some answers, the first thing to do is look at your present diet and your training regime. If you recognize any of the signs in today's post then correcting this issue has to become a priority before you cause serious damage.
The general rule for those looking to drop some pounds, of course, is to eat less calories and exercise more. However, there are thousands upon thousands of people out there who are doing too much of one thing and not enough of the other. In rare instances, you even find people who are doing too much of both things.
If your goal is to get a smaller waist and retain it, you need to avoid the common trend of coupling starvation diet tactics with a near gym addiction. Otherwise you'll find it very difficult to forge further progress and get frustrated to see others obtaining results while you stay in the same position.
We all know somebody who has fallen victim to that particular trend, due to the fact that it's often featured in celebrity magazines and pushed as the number one method to lose fat.
The reality is very different from those theories, of course. If you have ever followed one of those diets you will know that you cannot operate on a 500 calorie diet and exercise for two hours per day. You will run your body into the ground. These individuals usually go through a very specific cycle:
An initial drop in weight is seen due to the sheer shock placed on the body as it struggles to comprehend with this new routine. The person fools themselves into believing this drop must mean it's working, before hitting a sticking point a couple of weeks later. About one month into it, they reach a stage where they feel like they cannot lose anything no matter how hard they work or how little they eat. As a result of this sticking point, they begin eating even less and exercising even more. The depression takes hold and forces them to come off the rails, binge eating on junk foods and takeaway meals. Their body cannot handle this sudden influx of calories after a starvation diet and suddenly piles a lot of weight on in reaction to it.
Of course, once the individual ends up in that situation they often blame themselves and begin a new diet, adding an even greater calorific restriction and increasing cardiovascular exercise as a punishment for their previous failed effort.
How can it be possible to eat under 1000 calories per day and hit the treadmill for over two hours a night but still not lose any fat? The answer is very simple. The body isn't getting the nutrients it needs to survive, therefore it has slowed down your metabolism and prevented you from burning what little stores it has left. That's right, your body is actually stopping you from burning off any more fat.
If you are pushing yourself hard in the gym you will begin to shed lean muscle tissue, too. That's certainly not a situation you want to find yourself in, but sadly many people do. These are now signs associated widely with crash, quick fix and yo-yo diets. Instead of adopting this unsuccessful approach, incorporate HIIT into your routine and use it alongside a regular weights-based program.
The more lean muscle you can encourage in the gym, the easier you will find it to burn fat outside of the gym, too!
Your daily diet should be fun, not punishment. You need all three macro's and you need a good number of calories to see any results otherwise your body will enter starvation mode and revoke your control, which has already been documented. If you have previously put yourself through yo-to dieting tactics you will need to slowly increase calorie intake over a period of weeks and months to get yourself back on track. Once the issue is fixed, it's fixed permanently.
Who do you think will find it easier to lose body fat - the person eating 500 calories per day or the person eating 2000 per day? Obviously, the latter. They have more calories to play with and therefore will find results a lot easier to come by. You should never, ever be eating less than 1000 calories per day if you are regularly exercising.
If you have reached a point where you think you can't lose weight on a low calorie diet and want some answers, the first thing to do is look at your present diet and your training regime. If you recognize any of the signs in today's post then correcting this issue has to become a priority before you cause serious damage.
About the Author:
Today's coach: Established online personal trainer Russ Howe PTI shows proven weight loss tips on his blog for free. If you believe that you can't lose weight on a low calorie diet he will teach you the facts.
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