4 Reasons You Shouldn't Undereat

These days there are so many different weight loss supplements available that sound so tempting.  Promises that you can lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time just by taking the supplement.   What they don't tell you in their advertising is that along with taking their supplement  you also need to severely restrict your calories.  I know one program cuts the calories down to 500 a day - which is MUCH TOO LOW to be healthy.   Of course you're going to lose weight on that diet - that's the end result of starvation is that your body wastes away.    

Here are just a few reasons that we shouldn't severely restrict calories when we're trying to lose weight.  And always remember that the REAL goal of a healthy eating plan is to lose the bad fat and become healthy - not just watch the number on the scale get lower.  :-)

Reason 1: Eating too few calories can cause you to lose muscle. With muscle loss there is also water loss, which makes you think you're doing great when you get on the scale. As you lose muscle, your metabolism creeps downward, making weight loss more difficult week after week.

Reason 2: Eating too few calories can sabotage your exercise program. Not getting enough fuel can make you feel more tired and less likely to exercise as much or as hard. You will be more successful by burning more calories through consistent exercise and strength training three times a week to maintain and build muscle.

Reason 3: Eating too few calories can feel like punishment and create feelings of hunger and deprivation, leading to rebound eating - overeating, that is. This is where the term "yo-yo dieting" comes from.

Reason 4: Eating too few calories can make your body slow down its metabolism by as much as 20% to prevent starvation. This is when and how your body resists weight loss. The goal is to keep your metabolism happy by eating enough - a happy metabolism is your best weight-loss friend!

- "L" Massey, RD, The Biggest Loser Club nutrition expert