Why Simply Eating Less Does Not Lead to Fat Loss

When we are eating less, on a "diet," or "cutting calories," it is important to be aware of what it does to our body and to be sure that what we are doing is in line with the goals we have for ourselves. This post talks a little about WEIGHT loss vs. FAT loss and directs its intentions towards the latter of the two.

Because our bodies rather hang on to body fat than muscle, eating too little could actually cause our body to slow down… and instead of burning fat, this is causing our bodies to burn away our muscle tissue. So while we may lose weight from eating less, we aren’t losing it in a long-term healthy and sustainable way... it is more of a temporary solution. Studies show that up to 70% of the weight lost while eating less comes from burning muscle—not body fat!

Think of it this way…

What does our metabolism want more of when it thinks we are starving? Stored energy.

What is a great source of stored energy? Body fat.

So when our metabolism thinks we are starving, does it want to 'get rid of' or 'hold on to' body fat? It wants to hold on.

What does our metabolism want less of when we are starving? It wants less tissue (because tissue burns a lot of calories).

What type of tissue burns a lot of calories? Muscle tissue.

So when our metabolism thinks we are starving, it gets rid of calorie-hungry muscle tissue first.

This means that over the long term, we are actually increasing our body FAT as we burn away our muscle tissue from eating too little. As soon as we stop starving ourselves, we have all the calories we used to have but need less of them, thanks to all that missing muscle and our slowed-down metabolism. Now our metabolism sees eating a normal amount as overeating and creates new body fat.

Sure, we all wish that our body would just choose to burn that stored body fat… but that’s not what our body wants. Our body wants the muscle tissue.

How do I burn FAT without losing MUSCLE?

1. Understand that weight loss does not equal fat loss. It is important to understand the information mentioned above if you want to make a change.

2. Eat enough protein. Don’t shy away from eating protein because of the calories attached to it. Instead, know how much protein your body needs and work to meet this intake goal every day. Protein is the single most important thing for your body to keep its muscle. Click here to check out a guide to protein intake. Check out Traci's article, The Price of Protein, too. There is a ton of additional information available about this topic as well, if you are unsure... do some research!

3. Maintain strength levels. To lose fat rather than muscle, you don’t necessarily have to build your strength levels (though that will speed up the process)… but you do have to maintain them. That means you need to use your muscles regularly. The best way to do this is strength training… taking small steps forward and ensuring you don’t go “backwards” with the weight you can lift/ reps you can complete/ etc.

4. Fuel your body properly for your workouts. BEFORE AND AFTER. Because a “calorie deficit” is actually an “energy deficit,” not fueling your body correctly prohibits your body from being able to recover. If you can’t recover, it’s going to lead to a loss of strength, and inevitably a loss of muscle. Simply consume protein and carbs 1-2 hours before AND after your workout… every time. It doesn’t have to be complicated. If you are afraid of carbs, know that your body’s ability to tolerate carbs is at its highest after a workout. Click here for a few easy examples. With that being said, you may be eating more calories on the days you workout and less on your rest days, and that is ok… it’s supposed to be that way.

5. Don’t cut your calories by TOO MUCH. The ideal amount to cut calories by is 20% below maintenance levels. Know that this will continue to change as you lose weight. Cutting by too much can mess with our metabolism, mood, sleep, etc. and is harder to sustain and will have the largest negative impact on training and recovery. The typical guideline for a healthy loss is 1-2 pounds per week.

6. Appetite control. Get your calories from higher quality foods- whole, healthy foods. These foods will fill you up faster, too. I'm sure you’ve heard this a thousand times already.

7. Balance. Come back up to maintenance level of calories for 1 week every few weeks. Don’t binge or go above, just bring yourself out of a deficit and back to maintenance for a week to let your body recover, both mentally and physically.

Bonus Tip: I’ve began trying BCAA’s during workouts as they can be used as a source of energy. They help me during my strength workouts, especially when my muscles start to get shaky and tired. The one I use is called OPTIMUM NUTRITION GOLD STANDARD BCAA™ TRAIN + RECOVER. I'm sure there are even more "healthy" options for BCAA's out there... but honestly, this is the only one I have tried so far as this is still relatively new to me... I tried this one from a friend and I liked it... so I've stuck with it!

Hopefully this blog post will help you to look at your "diet" in another light. If your goal is to just lose weight, you can certainly do that by just eating less… but if you goal is to lose FAT, I strongly encourage you to pay attention to your protein intake and incorporate some moderate strength training into your routine (it doesn’t have to be fancy- and it can be done right at home- but make it a priority and your body will thank you!)

Leave a comment below if you are interested in more information on options for strength workouts, pre and post-workout nutrition, or anything else mentioned above in this post!