Your brain knows that restrictive diets don’t work, but every time your thighs rub together they start chanting D-I-E-T, eh? Well, here are seven things that happen when you over-restrict calories in an effort to lose weight:
Your metabolism slows down. Your body slows down in order to adapt to the lower calorie intake so it can function with less fuel. It actually begins holding on to the calories you eat and storing them as fat since it’s not sure you will feed it later. Vicious cycle continues…- You lose mostly water and muscle – not fat. Without enough calories and protein from food, your body starts breaking down its own muscle protein for fuel. When you lose muscle, you slow your metabolism down even more.
- You suffer from poor concentration and low energy. Shouldn’t be too surprising. After all, your brain, other vital organs, and muscles are being deprived of fuel.
- You’re in a terrible mood. Starvation often results in increased depression and irritability, making you and others miserable. Consider this as you evaluate some of your relationships.
- You become preoccupied with food. Your body is starving so your thoughts become consumed with food.
- You’re at an increased risk for binge eating. And here’s the irony of it all – your body wants to hoard as much food as possible in case it’s forced to starve again.
- You experience rapid weight regain, usually in the form of fat, once you’ve exhausted your willpower – a truly limited resource.
Share these with your thighs the next time they start trying to talk your brain into misbehaving!
