BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)
Your Basal Metabolic Rate is basically the amount of calories you need to exist if you were to do no activity. Your body requires calories or energy to support functions such as breathing, heart function, digestion, thinking (some of us need less energy than others for this one!) etc. Your BMR is determined by various factors such as age, sex, height and weight. It is important to determine where your BMR is to have a baseline in which to gauge your daily caloric intake.
To Determine your Basal Metabolic Rate and learn more information, refer to my blog DETERMINING BASAL METABOLIC RATE Q & A. 8/10/15 http://optimumfitness1.weebly.com/blog
CALORIC RESTRICTION
Cutting your calories too drastic can actually have a negative affect for your weight loss goals. Your body will adjust to the low caloric intake and adjust your metabolism by actually lowering it! Your body will also adapt to the low caloric intake by reducing the energy output available for daily tasks, Too further hinder your fat loss goals, cutting your food intake too low will cause your body to start burning protein found in lean tissue and muscle mass. This will cause your metabolism to slow down even further as a safety measure to account for any further caloric restrictions! As you lose lean tissue and muscle, it will hinder your ability to burn body fat. If you suspect you have a slow metabolism, increasing your caloric intake with nutrient dense foods, and increasing muscle with a strength training program may help get you back into fat burning mode again. According to the American College Of Sports Medicine, women should consume no less than 1,200 calories and men no less than 1,800 calories unless supervised by a physician of Registered Dietician.
BUILD MUSCLE
Muscle tissue is living tissue... it requires nutrients to grow and maintain itself. By increasing muscle on your body - I'm not talking looking like a body builder - you will raise your body's ability to burn calories and fat more efficiently. You will raise your resting metabolism which will burn more calories even at rest! More importantly, muscle is functional. We need to strengthen our skeletal muscles to improve and maintain good posture, carry out daily activities as well as shape our body. Have you ever seen a "skinny-fat" person? That's a person who has lost a lot of weight in a short period of time and have a body that looks un proportionate. Having a well structured strength training program will not only burn calories while you workout but will shape your body giving it a more aesthetic look.
THE SCALE
The scale isn't an effective tool for measuring fat loss progress. I can stand three people who are all 5' 7" and all weigh 150 pounds beside one another. They may all look completely differently and one may be healthier than the other. The composition of the weight is what is important. One person may weight 150 pounds and have a high percentage of body fat while another weighing 150 pounds have a lower percentage of fat and more muscle. The person with more muscle will have a more compact, tighter looking body. The percentage of body fat is a better indicator of health as well as help clothes fit and look better.
For more information refer to my blog Body Weight vs. Body Fat Percent 8/10/15 http://optimumfitness1.weebly.com/blog
BOTTOM LINE
Cutting calories to drastically or not eating enough food will not only slow your metabolism, but will cause your body to enter a catabolic state destroying muscle and lean tissue. Any weight loss you will experience will be short lived as the body levels out the metabolism and begins to store calories fearing it's experiencing a famine. I BELIEVE DIETS ARE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION FOR A LONG TERM PROBLEM. By adjusting your nutrient intake to allow for a slow and steady weight loss will allow the body to adjust and keep your metabolism burning effectively. By preserving muscle while losing body fat, you set yourself up for a healthy body that is lean and functional. Cutting calories too drastic, skipping meals or going on an extreme diet will eventually cause metabolic issues that will make fat loss virtually impossible. Eating nutrient dense sources of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats will provide an environment for fat loss and muscle gain.