As humans, we want things to happen fast - and there is nothing wrong with that!
However, when it comes to changing our diet and losing weight, “fast” typically doesn’t work.
This is because our physiology, or the science behind how our body functions, doesn’t allow it to.
Decreasing your food intake significantly (greater than 1000 calories a day) is quite a shock to your system. At first your body will use its own energy stores (fat) to make up for this decrease in food intake, but after a while your body starts to get “scared” it will starve.
It starts to slow down its metabolism and activity so that you use less energy. This is to conserve as much energy (fat) as possible so you do not run out.
It also ramps up hormones that cause you to be hungrier in an effort to find more food.
This is why initially people tend to lose weight rather easily, but then as a few weeks to months go on, it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain and most people (greater than 95%) gain it all back!
So how do you win at weight-loss? Do it according to science!
The bigger the change, the harder your body will make it for you to sustain. There is an element of willpower, and some people will be able to fight it (and win), but most people won’t.
Keep your reduction in daily calories less than 500 and you should have an easier time sustaining this change!
It will take a while (sometimes years), but doing it this way is the the only “real” way!