Want to Lose Weight? How Not Eating Enough Can Cause You to Gain Weight!

By Michelle T Green

Yes, you read it right. Not eating enough can cause you to gain weight, not lose weight! If you want to lose weight, then this can come as quite a surprise.

Why is this so?

It has everything to do with your metabolism. The higher your metabolism, the more fat your body burns. If you have a low metabolism, then of course the amount of fat your body burns is reduced.

Skipping meals or not eating enough actually helps your body to become really good at storing fat. Why? Because it needs to, in case it is starved again in future! Your body needs fuel to work properly, so if you don't provide it with enough, it will take as much as it can the next time you feed it and store it as fat so it will have fuel the next time it is starved of food.

Sounds logical, doesn't it? So how do we effectively lose weight?

First you need to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (or BMR). The formula to help you calculate this is in the Weight Loss Tips section of the website below.

Once you have worked this out, it's time to start completing a food diary. Write down what you are eating and the quantities consumed. From there you can work out whether you're consuming enough.

A great way to increase your metabolic rate is to eat more often. Eat around 5 to 6 times a day, spreading your calories out over the day, and you will see a huge difference.

Another way to tell if you're eating enough calories is to check your energy levels. If you're feeling like you have no energy or you're making no progress in your fitness program, then it's very likely because you're not eating enough.

Most importantly, most of your calories should be coming from fruit and vegetables. If you're eating a lot of fried or processed foods, these could be sabotaging your weight loss regime, so try to reduce these types of foods as much as you possibly can or even cut them out completely.

So remember, eat at least 5 to 6 times a day, make sure you're eating enough (based on your BMR) and eat as much quality foods as you can. The Fit Yummy Mummy program below takes you through everything you need to know about what to eat to lose weight!