To lower calories or not to lower calories? That is the question in the back of everyone’s mind right now. Cooped up inside without access to the gym for regular training and off your typical routine of the day. There’s multiple factors to consider before making any dramatic changes. 

Is your total activity really less? Consider all exercise and non-exercise related movement throughout the day. 

Are you stressed? Reducing calories can make stress management way more difficult and can lead to emotion fuelled binges. Our body’s metabolism is slightly different when we are stressed too, burning through energy stores more readily. 

Are you a high risk population or fighting off a cold/ flu/ virus? Being in a large caloric deficit can actually weaken your immune system. We want to make sure we prioritize health!  

Are your goals still the same? Are you still wanting to get lean for summer? Maybe you want to have a better relationship with food or maintain. 

Cutting calories appears to promote weight loss more effectively than does increasing exercise. The key to weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you burn. For most people, it’s possible to lower calorie intake to a greater degree than it is to burn more calories through increased exercise. That’s the reason cutting calories through dietary changes is generally more effective for weight loss. But doing both — cutting calories through diet and burning calories through exercise — can help give you the weight-loss edge.

Easy ways to integrate more movement in

• Add walks into your day 
• Utilize a standing desk 
• Walk or bike to run errands instead of driving
• Carve out time for a workout into your schedule
• Find movement you enjoy 

Easy ways to start managing your diet

• Keep a food diary to know how much and what you are actually eating 
• Eat when you are actually physically hungry
• Make more food at home 
• Balance your plate with protein, vegetables and high fibre carbs 

If you lose weight by crash dieting or by drastically restricting yourself to 400 to 800 calories a day, you’re more likely to regain weight quickly, often within six months after you stop dieting.

Exercise can help you maintain your weight loss. Not sure where to start? Reach out to book a no snack intro today!