Eat less move more: Is it true weight loss?

We’ve all been taught over the years that losing weight is to eat less move more. Maybe you’ve been doing all the “right things”: eating a 500 calorie deficit diet and sweating your a$$ off in the gym. But, the reality is, you still struggle to see results. You keep tracking your calories, weighing yourself all the time, give into your cravings, and then beat yourself up, feel guilty and then “reset your diet” on Monday, because, whatever, you need to lose weight. If this sounds like your life right now, it’s understandable. 

Trust me, it’s not your fault. The problem is that we’ve fallen into the cycle for years. Even experienced professionals still recommend this approach to weight loss. But does it really work? If it’s that simple, why are there so many people still struggling to lose weight? Why is yo-yo dieting continuing to be a thing? If these questions keep spinning in your head or you’ve been a victim of the “dieting” cycle, keep reading. 

The big lie! Eat less move more to lose weight

If it was that simple, statistics would have shown a higher percentage of people with long term weight loss. Yes, it might work for a while, but the idea is not to lose weight now, but to keep it off forever. The sad truth is that 80% of people that go on a “diet” will gain weight back within 5 to 10 years. To top it off, obesity cases rise more and more every year.

You may be wondering why is that? Well, it is because of not addressing the main root of the problem. As I explained in my previous blog post about counting calories, our bodies are not simple math equations, rather science projects. That’s right, there’s a lot going on inside our bodies that is more complex than the simple theory of calories vs calories out. Also, your gym bros and personal trainers have the impression that your body will have a slower or damaged metabolism. Most people think that the damage is irreversible and the only solution is to eat less move more. But, as you’ve already seen, this only works in the short term.

The reality

Long term, successful weight loss is a combination of lifestyle habits that involve more than just eat less move more. The good news is that once we understand how our metabolism works, things can be “fixed”. You won’t need to do the “fad diets” (which BTW are discouraged), no extreme measures, unnecessary fasting, or dangerous medical procedures. All you need to do is find guidance from a certified professional who understands metabolism and teaches how to tune into your body and lifestyle. Otherwise, we will remain in the same “hamster wheel” of a distressed metabolism and not achieve long term weight loss. 

You can reverse a damaged metabolism. You can lose weight effectively and keep it off for good. The body can be healed and function properly in all aspects. Regardless of where you are in your journey or life stage, you can repair your metabolism. The key is to understand how your body works and what other aspects play a role in a healthy weight.

Eat less move more… What to do instead to get results?

The truth is that to make progress in nutrition and fitness, you should also focus on stress management, sleep and recovery, as well as other aspects of your metabolism. It’s not just about “eat less move more”.

Your body’s metabolic system relies on these main factors:

Blood sugar control

Having your blood sugar under control is key for a healthy weight. Not only for diabetics, but basically everyone should make sure that they’re eating in a way that keeps the blood sugar in check. How does having a high blood sugar affect weight? Well, when you eat too many carbs (especially simple and over processed ones), your blood sugar spikes, sending signals to your brain to release insulin. This sends all that sugar into your cells like a dump truck. However, not all the sugar is used, some of it is stored as fat in the body. Besides that, your brain receives signals to create cravings. That’s where that famous “sweet tooth” and sugar cravings come in place. As a result, you end up overeating. 

A diet that is rich in protein will not only make you feel more satisfied, but also fuel your lean muscle, reduce sugar cravings and keep that blood sugar in check. The same thing happens when you eat enough fiber and healthy fat. In my previous post, I teach you some simple ideas to swap your foods for healthy fat, protein and fiber. 

Read more: 15 ways to cut down on sugar cravings now!

Lean muscle mass

If you think that muscle mass is only important for bodybuilders, reconsider your thoughts. First off, lifting weights will not make you look bulkier, but rather get your body toned and rev up your metabolism. Increasing muscle tissue will burn more fat and help you maintain a steady metabolism. You can easily achieve it with resistance training.

Speaking of resistance workouts, you can use regular weights like dumbbells or kettlebells. Other types of equipment and gear work for when you’re at the gym or at home. For these types of workouts, I regularly use resistance bands to enhance my lower body. 

Resistance bands are excellent to give more tension on your muscles while performing those exercises! You can increase the resistance as you progress in building your muscles. My favorite Alta Fitness lower body resistance bands are anti-slip and roll. They come in 3 levels, from light to heavy. Below, I left you the ones I’m using. You’ll get a 20% discount on your purchase here.

Gut health

An unhealthy gut triggers chronic inflammation, which is one of the main reasons for weight loss resistance. The first thing to do is eliminate anything that causes the damage and inflammation on the gut. After we do that, then the focus should be on healing and repopulating the gut with healthy bacteria. 

And yes, an unhealthy gut can slow down your metabolism. In this case, you should identify any digestive issues that can be avoiding your body to absorb the nutrients in foods you eat. Things like a leaky gut, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and others can make you hold on to unnecessary weight.

Some healthy ways in which you can improve your gut health are by chewing slowly, nourishing your body with whole foods, especially from fresh produce, lean protein, plant based fats, and resting your digestion in an 8-12 hour range. Unless you are under prescriptions you want to stay away  from pharma products as much as possible. Consuming probiotics from natural foods also helps to heal your gut with good bacteria.

Vitamins

Ensuring a healthy vitamin intake is key to keeping your body working properly. Besides following a balanced eating lifestyle, it’s important to take vitamins. I make sure I take my vitamins everyday, to stay healthy. I personally take Whole Food Women’s Multivitamin on a daily basis, since they help to boost my energy, support my immunity, as well as keep my metabolism in check. My go-to vitamins are plant-based, and high quality, which include all the vitamins and minerals my body needs. Learn more about this vitamin supplement and get it at discount here:

Read more: Intuitive eating principles helped me stay in shape: here’s how

Movement

Great news for you: You don’t need to kill yourself running on the treadmill. There’s no need to over exercise 5 times a week. Again, the common misconception is that the more times a week we go to the gym, the faster results. Which is a big lie! “Go hard or go home” does not always work for long term weight loss. What really works is the intensity of resistance training that you do and effective cardio sessions. Sometimes, you benefit more with daily walks around the block than running 5 miles everyday. Over exercising can increase your cortisol and make you store more body fat instead. That is a big no! So, don’t underestimate the power of movement… of any kind.

Sleep

Lack of sleep is a common underrated reason that causes weight gain. Studies show that not getting enough rest will cause you to overeat the next day. When the body is deprived, you will have more sugar cravings, thus, eat more. 

In another study, they found that getting less than 6 hours of sleep resulted in eating an average of almost 400 extra calories per day compared to people that slept at least 7 hours. 

The bottom line is, get enough rest everyday to keep a healthy metabolism and maintain a stable weight.

Read more: How to balance your hormones naturally in 15 ways

Stress management

Believe it or not, stress is one of the main reasons why people struggle to lose weight. There are many triggers like physical stress, over exercising, undereating (fasting for more than 12 hours), emotional stress, and even a chronic disease or an underactive thyroid. 

Remove the simple stressors in your life like excess caffeine, over exercising, and starving. If you have problems controlling emotional stress, you may need to find help from close loved ones. Also journaling, meditation, unplugging from social media, getting a massage, etc go a long way. But, managing stress is essential to relax your nervous system and maintain a healthy weight.

Finally,

As you noticed, the theory about just “eat less move more” to lose weight is likely to backfire. To be successful in your weight loss journey, you’ll need to address other components of your body and lifestyle. Besides eating healthier and exercising, focus on effective movement, balance your hormones, stress management, sleep well and build lean mass. If you need further assistance on how to improve your metabolism while getting rid of food obsessions, discover more here. Leave your thoughts and comments below. Sharing is caring!

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