So yesterday I spoke about
How much weight is realistic to lose.
And we talked about how losing 5% of your starting weight is clinically significant
To help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Now, the perhaps more important question is
When do you stop losing?
I mean, if you lose 5% of your starting weight?
Firstly, well done 👏
Secondly, consider
- How do you feel?
- How’s your hunger?
- How’s your energy?
- Do you want to lose more?
This will dictate what you do next.
Now,
What if you’re not losing weight?
What if you’re struggling to stick to a deficit and see any changes in your weight or body shape?
Now, of course there are many ways to track this
From non scales wins such as fitness and mobility to exercise our energy levels.
But in this example I am talking about how your clothes fit, inch loss and weight.
So if you’re not sticking to it.
Maybe you keep starting the day with the best intentions
Only to end it feeling frustrated that you didn’t do what you set out to do.
It might just be time to take the “foot off the gas” (or the pedal if you drive electric)
Now I don’t mean just “give up”
But when you look at the research on “diet breaks”
It is promising .
For example, people tend to lose more weight when there is a structured period of time where they can eat more within a diet
Take this example:
1200 calories a day for 12 weeks straight
Vs
1200 calories a day for 6 weeks then 2 weeks at 1500 calories then back to 1200 calories a day for the remaining 4 weeks
People tend to do better on the latter
Not because it “kickstarts” their metabolism
Not because they’re not in “starvation” mode..
But because they just stick to it.
They’re less likely to binge
And actually eat 2000 calories extra in day
By hitting the F it button.
And having a good binge.
It’s a bit like the research into the “menstrual cycle” diet
They show that when people are given an extra 200 calories in the Luteal phase of dark chocolate
People better stick with a “diet” and lose more weight than people who try to simply stick to their usual “diet” across the whole cycle.
So this just shows
That the “slow down” button
Is actually useful tool
And not failure .
But rather a strategy
To help you get better results.
Not because I said so.
But due to what the research shows.
Like everything
It is a tool in the toolbox
And the key is knowing when to use them
Matt