Achieving sustainable fat loss can be challenging, especially in a modern society where food is constantly available.
However, under-eating calories can also be a concern, whether it’s intentional food restriction, reduced appetite or any other reason. Chronically under-eating can lead to several mental, physical and emotional health issues.
It’s a different story if you are overweight or obese. When you have a lot of body fat, you have more energy stores from which you can tap into.
It becomes a challenge when you are more close to your ideal weight range and willing to reduce it further. Especially, for people who are looking forward to getting those rock-hard six-pack abs and losing that stubborn belly fat.
Calories do matter a lot when it comes to fat loss. Eat fewer calories than you burn, you should lose fat. The logic is sound for most healthy adults, but we can also take that logic too far. In the case of healthy, sustainable fat loss, more restriction doesn’t always lead to better weight loss.
There comes a time when you hit a plateau and need to do some dietary changes or maybe even do reverse dieting for a while.
After many days of undereating, the body starts conserving energy as a compensatory survival mechanism. This slows down your metabolism slows way too much, making you feel tired and edgy. As carbohydrate stores run low, protein and fat become the dominant sources of fuel.
This is where the glycogen stores begin to deplete slowly. After 48 hours without food, your body runs out of glycogen to power the two organs that need it the most: red blood cells and the brain. While glucose is the only fuel blood cells can run on, the brain will begin to adapt to power itself with ketone bodies made from fat. To meet basic energy needs, your body ramps up the breakdown of muscles and organs in addition to fat.
As mentioned above, underrating calories for a significant amount of days can result in some unfavourable physical as well as mental changes.
1. Hypotension(low blood pressure), and sluggish circulation can lead to ulcers on the legs and feelings of extreme cold. But the most worrying effect of a weakened heart would be if arrhythmia occurred (irregular beating).
2. Sexual feelings decrease, and the signs of puberty in females and males disappear, such as menstruation and nocturnal emissions.
3. Hormonal and nutritional changes have a profound effect on bone growth and density.
4. Digestion: The digestive tract in under-eaters slows right down and as a result food moves slowly through it and feels uncomfortable. This explains the heightened sensitivity to feelings of fullness and bloating, which is misleading.
5. Skin can become dry and show signs of early ageing.
6. Under-eaters find it hard to sleep and may wake early with a sense of restlessness which drives them to go out and exercise.
7. Low Blood sugar (hypoglycaemia): Blood glucose is the fuel which drives most metabolic processes including the activity of our muscles together with the day-to-day activity of the brain.
Added to this, there is no denying that you will see some psychological changes as well. Our brain chemistry runs on the nutrients we provide to it. You may notice some mood swings and irritability.
There are dozens of articles and videos on the internet about which you can lose fat easily. However, a sustainable approach which is unique to your body type is equally necessary.
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