Burning more calories than you consume is the standard equation for losing weight. If you discover that you are still gaining weight while eating less, then it may be due to one or more factors such as an undiagnosed medical condition, stressing too much, not eating or sleeping enough, medications or added muscle weight from strength training.
Effect of Eating Less on Metabolism
Metabolism, the rate at which you burn calories, is the complicated biological process which transforms the intake of calories into fuel for your body and can be influenced by age, sex and genetics. Dr. Dan Benardot, associate professor of nutrition and kinesiology at Georgia State University, and Tammy Lakatos, RD, report that if you do not consume enough calories for your body to function efficiently, your body will respond by cannibalizing muscle tissue and slowing down your metabolism.
Get Enough Sleep
Storing calories even while eating less may be a sign that your body is not getting enough rest. A 2010 study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that getting less than eight hours of sleep caused subjects to eat more the following day. Feeling irritable, fatigued, stressed and sluggish may be symptoms that your body needs more sleep.
Eating More Frequently
To keep your metabolism burning calories at a higher rate, try eating every three to four hours, suggests Dr. Benardot. Starving your body for long intervals can cause your metabolism to slow down, and when you do eat your body will tend to store, rather than burn, those calories.Prepare 450 calorie mini-meals and 150 calorie snacks to fuel your body sufficiently throughout the day.
Dieting for Weight Loss
Dieting to lose weight often works for a while, but then fails.The American Council on Exercise reports that approximately 5 percent of dieters keep the weight off, with yo-yo weight loss and gain common. In one year, reports ACE, one-third of the weight loss is put back on while some regain most of the weigh lost within three to five years.
Benefits of Muscle Weight Gain
Personal trainer and fitness expert Kelli Calabrese, MS, CSCS, ACE, advocates including strength training in your weight loss program because muscle burns more calories than fat and increases your resting metabolic rate. One pound of muscle burns 35 calories a day while one pound of fat burns only two. Other benefits to building muscle: you'll gain less weight if you increase your caloric intake, and the added muscle will help you maintain your body at a healthy weight.
Expert Insight
Nutrition experts Bernadot and Lakatos reveal research that could boost your metabolism to help you lose weight healthfully: sip one cup of caffeinated beverage, which can help burn up to 174 calories in a day; consume quality fiber foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables to boost your metabolism up to 30 percent; drink 48 ounces of cold water to burn an extra 50 calories a day; avoid foods with high levels of pesticide--go organic; include protein with every meal for an extra 35 percent after-meal calorie burn; make sure to get enough iron, vitamin D and calcium and restrict your intake of alcohol.
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