Why Eating Less Isn't the Secret to Weight Loss (And What Actually Is)

When most people want to lose weight, their first instinct is to do this:

Eat less.

Less food in general. Carbs. Snacks. Desserts. Dining out.

It makes sense, after all, weight loss requires a calorie deficit!

Technically, yes. This is true. However, what gets most people stuck is the idea that eating less is the same as weight loss. Long-term, that is.

This is exactly why so many people feel like they're constantly starting over.

The Problem with Trying to Eat Less

Maybe you've done some version of this before such as:

• Cutting out all sweets or desserts

• Saying "no" to snacks

• Only choosing the "healthier" alternative version of foods you love

• Meticulously counting calories

• Intermittent fasting

• A low-carb or Keto diet (this was me!)

• Carnivore diet

At first, it works! You feel motivated. The scale is moving. You're following the plan perfectly.

But then what happens? You start to feel hungry often. Energy drops. Food noise/thoughts get louder. Cravings increase. Progress may start to slow down.

And eventually, the foods you've been avoiding become impossible to ignore.

The more you try to white-knuckle your way through hunger, cravings, and food rules, the harder your body pushes back.

That's because this idea of "eating less," or what we call a "restrictive" mindset, starts to work against you both biologically and psychologically.

Why Restriction Backfires

When your approach is focused on eating as little as possible for a calorie deficit, you're telling your body that food is scarce.

Psychologically, this can increase cravings and food thoughts start to occupy more of your mental space. You begin to feel more stressed about food choices or social and holiday dinners where there's an overwhelming amount of those "off-limit" foods. You feel like you're just one move away from falling "off track" or feeling out of control.

Biologically, you might see weight loss initially if you're intermittent fasting or following the Keto diet, but the reason why you may find yourself weight-cycling or plateau quickly is because you're body is in survival mode. Eating less food in general can slow down your metabolism, and thus weight loss.

Undereating will also inhibit your progress and is one of the most common mistakes that I see clients make. They eat less than 1,000 calories per day to be in a calorie deficit but once they hit a plateau, eating even less feels unattainable.

It may sound counterintuitive, but effective, long-term weight loss actually happens when you're eating enough.

What to Do Instead: Build a Sustainable Calorie Deficit Without Restriction

The mindset shift that changes everything for my clients is:

Instead of asking, "What should I stop eating?"

Start asking, "What can I add that will promote weight loss?"

Why does this work? Because sustainable weight loss is built on a diet plan that you can actually follow consistently. Think about the eating habits you can realistically do for the next 5, 10, 20 years.

Psychologically, you're not in this "restrictive" mindset that makes hunger increase, cravings harder to say "no" to, and energy levels plummet. It helps take away the stress of food choices.

Biologically, our bodies need it to function at our best, regardless if weight loss is the goal. Food supports our immune system, gut health, hormone balance, brain function, muscle recovery, etc. Our bodies also burn energy when we eat foods! This is called the Thermic Effect of Food, which is also one of the reasons why we promote a higher-protein intake for weight loss.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Achieve This

If you're tired of yo-yo dieting, weight cycling, and seeing results that don't stick, I've created a FREE guide that walks you through the exact steps on achieving a calorie deficit that you can actually do consistently. Reminder that we are focusing on what you CAN eat, rather than what you CAN'T.

Take the next step towards breaking the cycle of short-term fixes and find lasting transformation by clicking the link below to get your guide.

Get Your FREE Guide Here! 💪🏼