Why Starving Yourself is Bad for Weight Loss

Most of us want to lose weight. Most of us could afford to lose a few kilos too. Unfortunately, many people believe that in order to lose weight, you need to starve yourself. After all, you gain weight by eating too much. So, it totally makes sense that if you eat very little then you will lose those kilos. But, that’s the worst possible thing you can do. Starving yourself is bad for weight loss.

Why Starving Yourself is Bad for Weight Loss

Look in the mirror. What do you see? Do you see stomach fat? Maybe some love handles? That’s all body fat. In order to understand why starving yourself is bad for weight loss, you must understand how body fat works.

The Mechanisms of Body Fat

Body fat is quite simply stored energy. When you eat food, your body will burn some of the kilojoules but it stores whatever is left over in the form of body fat.

To lose this excess body fat, you need to give your body a reason to lose it. The biggest mistake many people make is not eating while working out like crazy. But when you starve yourself a few things happen to your body.

First, when you stop eating or eat very little, your body goes into starvation mode. Your metabolism slows down and your body starts to preserve body fat. Your body goes into survival mode. It all goes back to the caveman days when food wasn’t as abundant as it is today.

Secondly, most people crack. You get hungry and just want to eat. With so much good food around, it’s easy to be tempted.

Another reason you shouldn’t starve yourself is food provides valuable nutrients that your body needs to survive and function.

Lastly, when you consume a meal after you’ve been starving yourself, your body processes it differently. Since your metabolism has slowed down, your body will store it instead of using it. So, it other words, you end up gaining more body fat.

A Better Way

A better way to lose body fat is eating more meals throughout the day. You should aim to eat 8-10 small meals of healthy foods throughout the day to keep your metabolism working. You’ll end up feeling less hungry and won’t eat as much. This approach works for many people although it is not the only approach.

If you’re serious about losing body fat, don’t starve yourself. Starving yourself is bad for weight loss. While it might seem counter-intuitive, you need to eat to lose fat. Starving yourself is bad for weight loss and bad for your overall health. Eat small, healthy meals throughout the day, workout, and you will lose the weight.