WHAT NO ONE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR DIET

STARVING WITH LOW CALORIE DIETS

Your favourite YouTuber just shared their secret - the 1,200 calorie diet. You jump on board and start eating ice chips for breakfast. The body initiates a state of panic as your calorie intake drops to a record low. However, our bodies are smart, they will always adapt to the stimulus. The body tries to find a new “normal” at a low caloric level, it is attempting to find homeostasis. It throws the body into “starvation mode”. This means your body starts to use less calories (energy) for every day life because it doesn’t want to die. It saves the few calories its getting for the most important functions, like keeping your heart beating. It does not have enough calories for the things that are “nice to have” like hair growth, skin regeneration, muscle development. We are trying to use the least amount of energy (calories) as possible just to survive, not thrive.  

ENERGY USE

The resting metabolic rate (RMR: calories we burn at complete rest) drops drastically to meet the new low caloric intake and the RMR can be damaged long term. Our bodies are once again trying to save energy at all costs. Now when we return to a healthy level of calories (or go off the restrictive diet), our RMR will remain low in case we start to starve again. When we do start to eat normal healthy amounts the body is more likely to convert it to fat instead of muscle because it wants to store extra energy for a later starvation period. It’s also likely to store fat around the stomach because our body is so stressed.

FAT CELLS

Fat cells shrink with fat loss, however after hoping off the 3 week slim down program and returning to a regular diet, these cells fill back up and can even multiply as we hop from one extreme to another. Bounce back, after bounce back, from the years of yo-yo dieting our body has learned to create more fat cells while in an energy surplus to prepare for when the starvation hits again in the next crash diet. Resulting in more “stubborn” fat as the body outsmarts us to survive. That’s why 1 in 3 dieters end up heavier than they were previous to dieting.

CALORIES

When it comes to nutrition, there is not one approach that is perfect for everyone. What worked for your friend may not work for you.  For example, if you only eat 1,500 calories/day to begin with, aggressively cutting 500 calories more to lose weight would put yourself into a life threatening state. Where as, someone eating 2500 calories, may be able to gradually cut 500 calories and lose weight in a healthier state.

*these are generalized numbers, please don’t take them as a cold hard rule. Calories intake/reduction depends on individual variables*

Any program that drops your calories below about 1,200 for women and 1,500 for men is detrimental to health and will result in loss of lean muscle mass, fatigue, and disease.

GENERALIZED PROGRAMMING

You are scrolling Instagram and your favourite fitness competitor just shared their secret meal plan. We jump in excitement to finally achieve a body like theirs, but not so fast…

First, they may not have the education to prescribe meal plans and they are funnelling generalized information out to the world like “This is what you need to do, to look like me”.  Nutrition is so variable based on your genetics, experiences, culture and background, environment and social health. There is no one size fits all nutrition plan.

Second, in the time of competition, fitness competitors are at a state of near death. As in, if they stay this way for another week they may die or face SERIOUS consequences. The diet and training program they are on needs constant support and observation by doctors and professionals. This is not a lifestyle change, this is an extreme sport/competition.

*This is not to say that fitness competitors can’t be educated personal trainers or dieticians*

SIDE EFFECTS OF STARVATION

INFLAMMATION AND DISEASE

Restrictive programs are notorious for pushing the body into a malnourished, excessive inflammation, and fatigued state. This state is draining to your life and training. It leaves your training efforts drained resulting in a plateaued state or a decrease in lean muscle due to low energy workouts. You can’t workout on an empty tank, just like you can’t drive a car with no fuel. It disrupts hormones by increasing Grehlin (making you SO hungry) and decreasing Leptin (making you a bottomless pit that's never satisfied). It drops testosterone creating a poor sex drive and halts muscle growth. It results in high cortisol levels resulting in sleepless nights. It can create irregular periods. It throws off the gut bacteria balance when you swing from diet to diet, especially when restricting food groups, or eating low nutrient dense food. Your gut is home to 100 trillion microbial cells that control everything in your body. Science is starting to show that the gut may even control more than your brain.

APPEARANCE

Of course, the body won’t be able to build or preserve lean muscle mass when it’s just trying to get enough energy for regular functioning. The body from head to toe will be so nutrient deficient that hair loss will occur, skin will turn grey or yellow, begin to sag and show fine lines, eyes will carry major baggage, and nails will become brittle.

LOSS OF SOCIAL LIFE

Any diet, that forbids you from social outings, causes obsessive behaviour over food, or eliminates ALL things good in the world (AKA ice cream) is not a diet to be following. I had so many friends in University who became obsessed with their new extreme diet. They cut out their friends, family, and activities they enjoyed. They became obsessive in planning their every meal, and were guilt ridden when they went astray. Eventually, they jumped off the extreme diet train and still face the consequences of this years down the line. Your nutrition should be maintainable long term, create joy, be balanced, and have what you want in moderation.

NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT

If you’re interested in changing your nutritional habits you can join our Jolt Nutrition Methods Program(coming 2022). Having an educated plan and professional guidance can help you manipulate your caloric intake in a way that is safe and effective while still meeting your body’s needs. We can also create a strategy based on your lifestyle, family, culture, and habits. We can create skills to help build a solid nutritional experience that you can take with you for the rest of your life. No fad diets, detoxes or dodging carbs. We will empower you to change your life forever with Jolt Nutrition Methods.