I know, I know...Eat to lose some how just doesn't compute. So let's take a look at why it is so important. A friend was asking me about Weight Watchers and I was explaining the point system, the next question she asked was "Will you lose it faster if you don't eat all your points"? The answer is NO! I remember in the beginning of my journey....It was our weekly Saturday morning weigh in, my cousin stepped on the scale and lost 3.2, I began thinking maybe I can lose more than a pound this week. I was notorious for losing but always less than a pound, but anything with a minus in front is a good week. I stepped on the scale and gained 1.2!! I was devastated....I didn't eat my points!!
We have all figured our points, but for this blog we have look at calories. After all that is what is all boils down to. To lose one pound, a person must burn 3,500 calories more than are consumed (500 calories per day over the course of a week). For example, reducing calories by 300 per day and increasing daily activity to burn off an additional 200 calories should result in a weight loss of one pound per week. That is why when we get to maintain our weight our points increase.
Most health professionals recommend slow weight loss as the safest and most effective approach. A sensible weight-loss program allows you to lose weight gradually -- about one-half to one pound per week. Gradual weight loss promotes long-term loss of body fat, not just water weight that can be quickly regained.
Remember, metabolism is basically the rate at which your body burns calories. So let's go back to my friends question, what happens when we don't eat our points/calories. Your body will store fat...why?
Think of the calories in your body as the gas in your car to take a cross-country trip. The car needs a certain amount of gas to get there. To make the trip, you would fill up the tank and refuel it several times along the way. You wouldn’t just fill the tank half way, and you wouldn’t avoid refueling it when the tank became empty. If you did, your car wouldn’t perform well, and you wouldn’t get to your destination.
Our bodies need adequate fuel too, and our bodies need to be refueled every 3-5 hours to perform well. If we don’t refuel our bodies with adequate calories throughout the day, our body (and all of its systems) will start to shut down.
Bottom Line....Eat your points/calories!!
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