Have you ever gone on a diet before? It is likely that you have.
By now, it is common knowledge that to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. Translating this to simpler terms means that you have to consume fewer calories than what your body burns. A calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight but after a while, it is normal to experience a plateau, especially if you have reached a healthy weight.
So, what happens if you still have more weight to lose?
There are a couple of options:
Decrease your calories even further
Increase your energy expenditure - This means adding additional physical activity. An example would be walking an extra 2000-3000 steps per day.
Reverse diet
Depending on where your calories are, it is not a good idea to cut your intake further. Keep in mind that you need a certain amount of food to consume all the nutrients required to stay healthy. For this reason, we do not advise cutting calories lower than your BMR (basal metabolic rate).
This is where reverse dieting comes in!
Who is this for?
If you have been dieting for a while and have stopped seeing progress (after about 1-2 months of a calorie deficit) you should consider doing a reverse diet.
A reverse diet is considered to be the "diet after the diet"
A gradual increase in calories could help to boost your metabolism again after a period of restriction. Be mindful of the fact that it is normal for some weight gain to occur. It is important to be strategic during this period to minimize fat gain. This is a great time to be resistance training as we need calories to build muscle.
The goal of this process is to rev up your metabolism, balance your hormones, allow you to eat more of the foods you love, and set you up for long-term success with your weight loss goals!
We are here to guide and provide all the support you need along the way.
Written by: Luciana Perasso, M.S, R.D.N
NextGeneration Nutrition Registered Dietitian
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Jessica Mantell M.S., C.N.S., L.D.N.
CEO & Founder of NextGeneration Nutrition
NextGeneration Nutrition believes that better health should be accessible to everyone and that we all are able to improve our health through good nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle change. We do not support setting shame-based goals but encourages embracing our bodies, genetics, and personality. Our philosophy is abandoning the “One Size Fits All” mentality to create a personalized wellness plan based on your biological makeup and your lifestyle.
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