Can Eating Too Few Calories Stall Your Metabolism?

[Guest guest]

Can Eating

Too Few Calories Stall Your Metabolism?

Learn why

cutting out too many calories can keep you from losing weight.

By Krisha McCoy, MS

Medically

reviewed by Wilmsen Craig, MD

If you're like most people who

want to lose weight, you want to lose it fast.

So you may be tempted to make drastic changes in your diet to dramatically

reduce the number of calories you consume. But what you may not know is that

eating too few calories can actually backfire and sabotage your weight-loss

efforts.

"It would make sense to stop

eating [when you are trying to lose weight], but it actually works in the

opposite way," says Lummus, MS, RD, Texas Dietetic Association

media representative and public relations coordinator at the Austin Dietetic

Association in Austin, Texas.

Calories and Your Health

The most effective way to lose

weight is to consume fewer calories than you expend, creating a calorie

deficit. But if your calorie intake dips too low, says Lummus, your body could

go into starvation mode. "Your body will start to store fat because it

thinks it is not going to get anything," says Lummus. "You will be at

a point where your body is kind of at a standstill."

Lummus says that when your body

goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows to a crawl, burning calories

as slowly as possible to conserve its energy stores. This is why people who cut

their calories too much may reach a plateau and stop losing weight.

Eating too few calories can be

the start of a vicious cycle that causes diet distress. When you cut your

calories so low that your metabolism slows and you stop losing weight, you

probably will become frustrated that your efforts are not paying off. This can

lead you to overeat and ultimately gain weight.

"It is so hard to sustain cutting

calories and eating too little. What typically happens is that the person will

go in the opposite direction; they will just become too hungry and go into a

binging mode," says Lummus. "Because you are getting frustrated by

not seeing any weight loss, you just sort of throw in the towel."

In addition to sabotaging your

weight-loss efforts, eating too few calories can also harm your health. When

your body goes into starvation mode, you are at increased risk for the

following:

Abnormally low blood pressure and slow heart rateHeart rhythm abnormalitiesElectrolyte imbalances, especially potassium deficiencyGallstonesHair lossBrittle fingernailsLoss of menstrual periods in

womenSoft hair growth over entire bodyDizzinessTrouble concentratingAnemiaSwelling in your jointsBrittle bonesDepression

Coming to Terms With

Calories

Remember that calories are not

your enemy. They are a vital part of a healthy and energetic life. "Your

body needs a certain amount of calories just to sustain proper function,"

says Lummus. This is why fad diets that force you to cut out too many calories

leave you feeling lethargic, shaky, and ready to give up.

Instead of opting for a fad diet,

find a reasonable eating and exercise plan that allows you to lose one-half to

two pounds per week. There is evidence that people who lose weight at this rate

— by making better nutrition choices, eating smaller portion sizes, and

exercising — also have the best chance of keeping it off. Make a plan to adopt

new healthful habits that you will be able to stick to indefinitely, and always

allow yourself a little wiggle room for special occasions.

Copyright

© 2010 Everyday Health, Inc.

The material on this web site is provided for educational purposes only, and

is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.

Use of this site is subject to our terms of service and privacy policy.

asdfasdf123456777