For a lot of women, you put on weight after you have kids. And you realize that weight isn’t going away if you continue to eat the way you did while pregnant. So you cut back on what you eat and you cut back on the number of calories you take in.
Sure, you lose some weight, but you also start dragging through your days, feeling low energy and just plain blah. I went through the same thing, so I researched what was happening and I learned why you can’t lose weight by cutting calories alone. Here’s information on what you need to do to lose weight now.
What You Need To Do To Lose Weight Now
When it comes to seriously committing to losing weight, most of us immediately think in terms of cutting calories. We also know that in order to lose weight we need to burn more calories than we take in. Which in simple terms means cutting calories will get us where we want to be.
Plus, with all the diet plans and supplements available, cutting calorie intake to lose weight, as opposed to exercising, seems the easier route to go.
To Lose One Pound of Fat
But the truth is that calorie cutting alone probably won’t be enough to lose all the weight you want to lose. And here’s why. One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories. That means in order to lose just one pound of fat we need to decrease our caloric intake by 3,500 calories.
But most people should be taking in between 1,500 and 2,500 calories per day. Which means you would need to go without food for days just to lose one pound of fat! For most of us, that’s nearly impossible. It’s certainly unhealthy.
Look at the people on shows like Naked and Afraid. You don’t want to end up looking like them after 21 days in the jungle. You would much rather look like Jennifer Aniston or Halle Berry instead, right?
Fit and toned, not waif like. So let’s talk about what you need to do to lose weight now, to look like Jen or Halle, and not afraid to look at yourself in the mirror with no clothes on.
Your Body Is Like a Furnace
If you think about how your body works, it’s kind of like a furnace. You need to continuously supply it with fuel to keep it working. But a lot of women initially think what you need to do to lose weight now is simply cut a ton of calories every day.
You think if you stick to eating only salads for a few days, you’ll get to where you want to be. But even if you could cut way back on the calories you take in daily, it still wouldn’t work.
That’s because your body is designed to keep itself alive, at all costs. It’s hardwired to protect itself from starvation. If you cut way back on the calories you take in, your body will think it’s starving and will shut down as much as it can so it can preserve resources.
This is where the ‘starvation mode’ phrase comes in. When your body goes into ‘starvation mode’ your metabolism slows way, way down and eventually you won’t lose any weight. So while you think what you need to do to lose weight now is eat much less, doing so actually defeats the purpose.
Keep Your Metabolism Burning Hot
The one thing you want to do when trying to lose weight is to keep your metabolism burning nice and hot so you can burn as many calories as possible. In order to keep your metabolism burning hot like that furnace, you’ll need to consistently provide it with a sufficient amount of fuel.
Keeping your metabolism burning hot is what you need to do to lose weight now. Cutting calories alone is not the optimum way to lose weight. You need to combine some form of exercise, particularly weight training, to really ramp up your metabolism.
Why? Simply put, it’s because muscle burns hotter than fat. For every bit of muscle you add to your body, you are permanently ramping up your metabolism.
Related Article: How to Burn More Body Fat: 10 Must-Follow Tips For Success
Why You Won’t Bulk Up
Now I know some of you worry about ‘bulking up’ if you lift weights. It’s one of the reasons I held back on starting CrossFit, silly me. But did you know if you want to get bulky, you practically have to become a full-time weight lifter.
The bulky weight lifters you see in the gym combine exercise with a diet that fuels their body. But these bulky women actually work out for hours and hours every single day, eat perfectly every single day and take supplements every single day.
For most of us, that’s just not realistic. Most of us are too busy as it is and don’t have the time to devote to that kind of lifestyle for a week, let alone every single day.
In reality, you can lift weights a few times a week without looking big and bulky like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Instead, you’ll tone up, which will make you look ‘tighter’, like Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz. And that means you’ll look slimmer no matter what your actual weight is.
Put another way, if you and your best friend both weighed 120 pounds, but you’re toned and she’s not, you can look a lot slimmer. Sorry, bestie. What you need to do to lose weight now is start lifting those weights so you can be more toned.
Related Article: CrossFit – A Beginner’s Guide to Common Questions
More Muscle Means A Higher Metabolism
Let’s go back to the furnace analogy. Imagine two people of the exact same weight, age, and gender. The only difference between them is that one has more muscle mass than the other. When you compare their metabolic rate, what you find is that the one with the higher muscle mass has a much higher metabolism all the time, even while they’re sleeping or watching TV. This is simply more incentive to build that muscle.
You Need Exercise, Too
So in a nutshell, when you keep these facts in mind, you understand what you need to do to lose weight now. It’s not just about cutting calories. Yes, calorie intake to lose weight is a very important element, but it’s only part of the equation.
To truly optimize your weight loss efforts, you need to combine diet with some form of exercise program. That’s what celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Madonna do.
And look how slim and toned they look! So remember, when you combine a proper calorie intake with exercise, you’ll not only achieve your weight loss goals more quickly, but you’ll also have a healthier, better-looking body.
Related Articles: Workouts
What About You?
Do you struggle to lose weight? Or have tips to share on how to lose weight? Comment below. I’d love to hear it.
Hi, I’m Emma Lynn
I’m a proud mother of two wonderful children and a wife to a loving, affectionate husband. I enjoy exercise – yoga (yes, I teach yoga as well), running, and going to different fitness classes from time to time.
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So very true, Lynn. Healthy eating and exercise will get you to a healthy and toned body. There are no shortcuts.
Yes! Too many of us try those shortcuts, but they won’t get you solid long-term results.
Great post! You should definitely not be starving yourself- and if you really think you need less calories a day, talk to a doctor or dietitian who knows these things!
Thanks! You are right on. Everyone is different, so consulting with your health care practitioner is key.
These are great tips! Jennifer Aniston has an awesome body but I know she works hard for it!
Thanks! Yes, as we get older we have to work even harder. And hire a personal chef & trainer 🙂
I want to look like Jennifer Aniston! I gotta fire up my furnace.
You can do it! Step aside, Jen. Here comes Cathy!
Walking is great exercise! When you’re ready, try kicking it up a notch. You can lengthen the distance you walk, carry hand weights when you walk, or vary the intensity (walk steady pace for 1 minute, pick up the pace for 30 seconds, and keep alternating).
I have to start exercising more.
70% of any weight loss or weight maintenance plan is diet. The rest is exercise. If you want 100% results, you need to incorporate both.
I’ve done the not eating thing and you’re right. It doesn’t work. It just comes back. I’ve learned to be more active and that works.
Yes, growing up there wasn’t much info out there about adding exercise to your weight loss strategy. Too much focus was put on cutting calories, especially fatty foods. But people are more aware nowadays and more active.
Hahaha my bf and I watch Naked and Afraid. No way do I want to look like them.
Right? It’s actually pretty hard to look like them. And all those insect bites – yikes!
Awesome article! What really worked for me was adding in your workouts. I was stuck at my weight and wasn’t losing any until I started doing your workouts.
That’s great! Keep up the good work! And I’d love to hear which are your favorite workouts.
This is good to know. I need to lose the baby weight and can follow these ideas.
Hi Winnie. You can do it! Stick with eating healthy and staying active and that should help with the weight loss.
I’ve been so bad this year and want to start fresh in 2018. I need this!
Thanks for stopping by and checking out these tips. I recommend you set small, attainable goals in the first month or two of 2018. You’ll be less likely to fall off the wagon and give up entirely if you choose small smart goals like exercise 3 days in week 1, instead of lose 5 pounds with no set date in mind. Good luck!
I don’t actually struggle with weight despite having a slow thyroid and being 63. Mind you, I’m always very aware of the nutrient quality of my food and strictly eat only plants. But I sympathize with those who do struggle. From my early years, I do remember how hard it was just to come down 5 lbs.
80% of any weight loss effort comes from what you eat and it sounds like you’ve got that covered. That’s great!
This is great! Stay blessed stay healthy
Thank you. You, too!