How many times have you heard someone say “I need to lose some weight”, and that person restrict their calories so much on a regular basis that they become a moody grinch who focuses solely on losing that weight?
Sure a drastic restriction of calories will result in a loss of weight, i’m not disputing that fact at all, but at what cost?
Of course a drastic cull of your daily calorie intake is usually paired with exercise, and when you work out without the adequate energy stores to facilitate the energy expenditure, your body will not be able to perform at its peak.
I am not the greatest at maths but think of losing weight or body fat as a math equation. Calories in Vs Calories used. Your body needs a certain amount of energy per day to function and then on top of that your body needs to fuel whatever physical exertion you are putting it through.
So lets do the math. An “average” adult male should consume anywhere between 2400-3000 calories a day depending on how much exercise they are doing, and an “average” female should be eating 1800-2400 a day.
So to lose a “healthy” amount of weight per week we should be aiming for anywhere between a 0.5kg-1kg a week. Which means any given day we should be in a calorie defecit. To do this without having any sort of impact on your bodily functions you should aim for anywhere between a 500-700 calorie defecit. Now that isn’t all from restriction of calories this is from burning extra energy as well. If you reduce your calorie intake by 300 calories, and head out for a 20min jog which would burn approximately 200 calories, you would be in a 500 calorie defecit for that day.
I know more than anyone how hardthis process can be. But it is always about making a relevant health choice in relation to your goals. If your aim is to lose weight, yes it can happen quickly, but losing 2-3kg a week is not sustainable and is definetly not a healthy option.
If you or your friends or family are interested in starting your health journey. Dont hesitate to get in contact with me at rob@crossfit25.com.au
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