There are many challenges with maintaining, gaining, and losing weight, and there definitely isn’t just one simple solution.
But it does get much simpler, when you understand why you aren’t able to reach your weight goal.
In this article, we will be going over the reasons behind why you might be currently facing those weight challenges.
To make it as simple as possible, I will be breaking this down into four sections:
1. Knowing Your Own Body
2. Your Day-to-Day Routine
3. Macronutrients
4. Micronutrients
Of course sometimes there may be other significant factors that can have an impact on your weight, but we want to focus on the most common situations that are applicable to everybody from a scientific perspective.
Now, I am not a professional by any means. These are the things I just have learned through tons and tons of research, as well as trial and error when I was very interested in the “bodybuilding” lifestyle.
So let’s begin!
(1) Knowing Your Own Body
How well do you know your own body?
Do you have a fast or slow metabolism?
Would you say you’re underweight, overweight, or average weight?
These are some of the questions that you should ask yourself before starting a diet.
For example, if you’re someone who is overweight with a slow metabolism, your diet should not be the same as somebody who is underweight with a fast metabolism, even if you both have the same end weight goal.
If you’re taller than average, this is also something that is important as your body most likely needs more energy from foods to get you through the day versus someone who is significantly shorter in height.
Ask yourself these questions, and try your best to adjust your diet to what is appropriate for you!
(2) Your Day-to-Day Routine
What do you do on an average day?
This is important, as it will determine how much energy you need to get you through the day.
For example, if you are an active person, maybe you need a little bit more calories in your diet to provide you with a source of energy.
Do you typically move around a lot at work, or little to rarely? Do you often go to the gym?
If you are not active, this means that you burn significantly less calories in a given day, which means that eating the same amount of food compared to if you were active, would cause you to gain weight!
(3) Macronutrients
The amount of macronutrients you consume on a daily basis (approximately) equals the amount of calories you eat.
An easy rule of thumb is the “4 4 9 Rule”:
- 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
- 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
- 1 gram of fat = 9 calories
*IF the amount of calories you consume per day EQUALS the amount of calories you burn in a day, you MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT*
About 3,500 calories = 1 pound.
This means that if you ate 3,500 MORE than you eat on a regular basis, scientifically, you would gain 1 pound.
Let me give you an example…
Let’s say that Chad wanted to lose 5 pounds within the next 5 weeks. Chad burns about 2000 calories a day on a regular basis.
This means that he would have to be in a caloric DEFICIT of 17,500 [3,500 calories per lb x 5lbs = 17,500] over the next 5 weeks.
Since 5 weeks is 35 days, he could spread the deficit of 17,500 calories over 35 days. This would equal 500 calories per day.
SO… Chad burns 2000 calories a day on a regular basis, which means he would need to eat a TOTAL of 1,500 calories per day for the next 5 weeks to lose 5 pounds! [Because 1500 – 2000 = 500 calorie deficit per day]
This is why counting your calories is an extremely important part of meeting your weight goal.
Of course dieting and exercising are extremely important, but if you are eating just as much as before, you will NOT lose weight.
(4) Micronutrients
We have just covered macronutrients, but what are micronutrients?
Well, these are things such as vitamins and minerals that will reinforce your body in trace amounts.
These are extremely important as well, not necessarily for hitting your weight goals, but in keeping your body as well-functioning as possible.
Getting the 100% daily value of these vitamins can result in great health for things such as a strong immune system, strong bones, better energy levels, as well as regulated hormone levels within your body.
Please note that taking too much vitamins can be dangerous, so it is ALWAYS important to keep a balance.
Well, that is it for this post!
I hope that this has provided a good understanding of the beginner-level science behind nutrition, and that it will have a positive impact on helping you meet your goals.
Thank you for reading this, and please see my Contact page if you have any questions!