If you want to lose weight, it may seem reasonable to cut down your calories, the seeming source of your weight gain. The entire concept of dieting revolves around this logic, and yes, cutting excess calories is essential, but a sudden stop or deprivation of food will alter your body’s mechanisms and perhaps lead to lifelong health problems. The best proposed way to lose weight in a healthy manner is to eat in moderation and increase physical activity such that more calories are burned than consumed. Of course, each body is different and requires a specialized plan of action, and if you feel you need expert advice, consulting a personal trainer would be a great start to a new lifestyle.

The body naturally tries to minimize the effects of any change to maintain equilibrium. A drastic change, like a sudden reduction in food intake, will cause the body to preserve what little energy it does have. Processes in the body will change so that energy is conserved, implying that we naturally become less active while dieting. These facts were determined after a recent study on eight female monkeys (rhesus macaque) at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. The monkeys were on a diet that was high in fat, for years before scientists cut their calorie intake by 30 percent. Not only did the monkeys become less active, but they also failed to lose weight.

Exercise is needed alongside calorie moderation to lose weight. By working off more calories than we consume, the body is forced to use stored energy, also known as fat. Without exercise, the body will just lessen activity to survive on the amount of food eaten, rather than reaching out to the fats for help. Health benefits of exercise are also bountiful. The heart and lungs become stronger, blood circulation increases, and the immune system becomes less vulnerable. Furthermore, your self esteem improves, energy increases, and risks of depression reduce.

Calorie and energy replenishment is needed in the body not only to move around and be active, but also for metabolic processes such as digestion and repair of damaged cells. Lack of food leaves you without essential nutrients such as proteins and minerals. For example, iron is needed in the blood and calcium is needed for the bones. Both these minerals are not produced naturally by the body and require an external source.

Malnutrition can cause further long-term health complications that leave you much weaker than you intended to be, physically and emotionally. Anorexia nervosa is a rising eating disorder often marked by addiction to starvation. By over-cutting calories, you put yourself at a high risk for such diseases. In your diet, the best areas to limit are the fatty foods, such as fried and creamy food and desserts. These are often the most tempting, but cultivating the mental discipline to resist them will be a big step in the right direction.

Only cutting down your calorie consumption is ineffective for losing weight. The healthy, natural way to shed pounds is to combine calorie moderation with exercise. This two-part formula will cultivate discipline and self-awareness, making you more confident to tackle other situations in life.

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Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Personal Training