I’m going to let you in on a little secret.
Diets (specifically calorie restriction diets) are designed
for ONE reason, to make money on a simplified understanding of how the human
body works. Not only does restricting
calories create multiple issues with the human body but it also is a reckless
way to lose weight.
Let me explain from a food-as-a-resource perspective: If you restrict ANYTHING you have two
potential techniques available to you in using the restricted resource. Those two techniques are:
Rationing Your Resource
OR
Limiting Range
If you ration your resource the biggest issue if you want to
continue to accomplish the same things is adjusting the way you use your
resource. In the example of a car this
means reducing your speed so you don’t burn as much fuel. It may also mean avoiding hills so that the
car doesn’t have to work as hard. In any
case, you end up not using your car to it’s full potential. How does limiting food then allow you to burn
more calories? If you aren’t pushing
your body to it’s full potential because you ration your food intake is it
really able to burn the same amount of calories? Of course it can’t, you EAT LESS calories but
are also able to BURN LESS.
Now let’s say you limit your range. Ok, you can use your car to it’s full
potential but for how long? Can you go
the same amount of miles on ½ a tank of gas?
Of course you CAN’T! So you can
eat half the calories you should but you may be surprised that asking the same
of your body and mind (brainpower also burns calories) for 16 hours per day
just isn’t feasible. The most common
result is that your body and mind end up rationing FOR you. This is manifested in multiple ways: feeling
sluggish and losing strength, needing to take a nap, slowed metabolism, losing
focus or critical thinking power all are the result of your input not matching
your output.
Take a look at this amazing study from many, many years ago
that illustrates this point perfectly. If
you are struggling with not just body goals but also mental and emotional ones
you owe it to yourself to ready this study. It reads like a horror movie!
The Minnesota Starvation Experiment
The Minnesota Starvation Experiment
How did we get to a point in history where we lost the
understanding of how simple fueling your body is? DON’T ever STARVE yourself! It is nothing more than self-torture and
self-sabotage. It may make sense from a
simplified, unscientific, layperson’s perspective but if it didn’t work 60
years ago, it’s not going to work today!
Now THIS will blow your mind. If you think that calorie counting is still
the best way to estimate intake and output so you have an understanding of how
much to eat and exercise, read this.
Your "fool-proof method" just may have a 25% margin of error!!!
So if starvation isn't the answer and tracking calories isn't the answer then what is???
The answer isn't as complicated as you think!
We are challenging everyone to track their fiber intake in April for a very important reason. Unhealthy food doesn't have fiber. It's almost a universal law.
The purpose of this month's challenge isn't to focus solely on your fiber intake but also what you are putting into your body to accumulate the appropriate AMOUNT of fiber. You'll find over the next few weeks that eating fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains nets you the most fiber. It also happens to be the best fuel for your body. Not just because those foods contain health amounts of fat, protein and carbohydrates but also for the things they DON'T contain.
Very real roadblocks to success such as free sugars, "junk carbs", trans fats, preservatives and additives that slow your metabolism and tell your body to store fat don't exist in a proper diet! When your digestive tract isn't saddled with trying to process those things, you have more energy for the things you want to do. You'll feel more energy, you'll be able to go harder in your workouts and you won't feel sluggish and run down!
Look for the next blog post where we’ll talk about another
popular calorie restriction method “The Cleanse” and why it should be avoided.
Stay Fit,
Joe
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