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Why FAD diets don't work...
This might not be what you want to hear but FAD diets do not work. In fact, in more cases than not, they make it worse. Ok you've probably heard people say that all diets work if you stick to them and yes they are right. But all diets, no matter how they sugar-coat it and regardless of the title, are all based on being in a calorie deficit. It's down to maths at the end of the day. Of course the quality of those calories is important, but if you consume too much energy, it has to be stored somewhere. In my case, it seems to go straight to my belly which is why I keep myself active!
If you try to put too much fuel (energy) into your car, it has to be stored somewhere. In this case it'd be on the station forecourt rather than as fat in the body. Ok that's maybe not the best example but you get the gist!
So why do I end up piling the weight back on I hear you ask?
If you eat in a calorie deficit you WILL lose weight. BUT - if we don't eat enough for our basic bodily functions however, our body will start to break down our lean mass (muscle) to utilise as energy. This is why we seem to lose lots of weight at the start of a low calorie diet.
But it's not just fat we're losing. It's muscle and water too. And this is why the scales are not the best indicator of progress as they simply don’t tell us what is being lost, or gained for that matter!
Of course in the long term we just can't maintain such a low calorie diet, so we get to a point where we fall off the wagon or binge eat.
And this is where it gets worse...
We pile the weight back on because we go back to eating too many calories. But what happens is these excess calories go back on as fat, not the muscle and water that you've lost. The outcome - you actually end up with a higher bodyfat % that you did before you started the diet.
The moral of the story - Don't get stuck in the diet cycle.
The key to maintainable weight loss is to change your lifestyle. Be active and eat real, wholesome food while not losing water and muscle.
