Amy, why are you so concerned about eating enough calories?

Our bodies need a certain number of calories to function based on our activity level, age and current weight. When we increase activity level without consuming more calories or if we cut our calorie intake, we lose weight.

When there are drastic increases in calorie burn or decreases in calorie consumption, our bodies begin to burn protein (muscle mass) as well as fat. The loss of muscle mass, aside from making us weaker, reduces our ability to burn calories and regulate blood sugar.

According to an article from MSN Health & Fitness, different people can lose weight at different rates without losing muscle mass:

Obese to morbidly obese: 3 to 5 pounds per week
Overweight: 2 to 3 pounds per week
Lean to average: 1 to 2 pounds per week
Very Lean: .5 to 1 pound per week

Although I fall into the obese/morbidly obese category, I am aiming for 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. For me, this means consuming 2600 or fewer calories per day. I learned last week that when eating whole foods prepared at home (rather than eating pre-packaged foods or restaurant food), it is easy for me to reduce calorie consumption and almost hard to eat 2600 calories per day without making a concerted effort. I don’t stress too much about it, but I do try to eat at least 2000 calories per day.

In addition to trying to prevent the loss of muscle mass, slow weight loss helps us make the gradual adjustments necessary to sustain a long-term healthy lifestyle. Many people lose weight rapidly through diets that they don’t plan to follow for the rest of their lives. Once the diet is over, they return to their pre-diet eating habits and gain weight again – often more than they originally lost. This leads to a cycle of “yo-yo” dieting.

An article from Livestrong.com (Lance Armstrong’s foundation) talks about the dangers of dieting, especially “yo-yo” dieting. A factor that many people do not consider when dieting is the stress it places on the heart. As stated in the article:

“When you gain or lose weight, your heart must adjust to accommodate more or less body weight. Since your heart is a muscle, rapid weight loss or constantly losing and then gaining weight can place a lot of stress on your heart. As your weight changes so does your blood pressure and heart rate. You may also experience irregular heart rhythms and eventually heart failure. It is actually better for your heart to maintain a set weight then to continually gain and lose weight.”

Another danger of dieting is cutting out foods that provide necessary nutrients. This is why I like the nutrition tracker from MyPyramid. This USDA program allows users to enter the types and amounts of food that they eat and then analyzes it for nutritional content including protein, fiber, calcium, various vitamins, potassium, sodium, Omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol. Many of us don’t get all the nutrients we need, and when people start eliminating foods during a diet, the risk of missing out on important nutrients is even higher.

Although we are often concerned about having too much fat, it is important to normal body functions. Fat is necessary for the formation and function of the brain and nervous system. It forms the membranes of every cell in your body. It also helps make hormones and transports vitamins from the intestines to the rest of your body. Eating extremely low fat diets can have negative effects on alertness, memory, and energy levels. To learn more about the importance of fats in your diet and the different types of fats, check out this article from youngwomenshealth.org.

A healthy diet will include carbohydrates, protein and fat. In addition to these “macronutrients,” we need to be conscientious of the vitamins and minerals that our body needs and food sources that provide them. And don’t think you can just sub in a multivitamin for healthy eating. Although they can help people who are extremely malnourished, the best sources of vitamins are a variety of fruits and vegetables. The natural combinations of vitamins and minerals from food sources are often more effective than a multivitamin. Don’t believe me? Read what recent research has shown about the effectiveness of multivitamins in preventing cancer and heart disease. Momma told you to eat your vegetables. She was right.

So, in summary, be aware of what you’re eating and how much you are eating. Aim for steady and sustainable weight loss. Eat whole foods. Eat a balanced diet. Thank you, and good night.