It is widely known that those who are overweight often eat many more calories than those who are at their ideal weight. Calories do have a direct bearing on health and the rate that you burn calories also determines your healthy weight levels.
It is difficult to set bottom line calories levels for health since everyone has a different body composition and their metabolism and activity levels are very different. However there are some baselines that suggest 1200 calories per day for women and 1800 calories per day for men. Remember these are only a starting point.
When your caloric intake is too low you will have several health problems. One problem is reduced muscles mass. Your body searches for sources of energy to just keep vital organs functioning and it will turn to your muscle mass for those energy foods. This is called catabolism. Your metabolic rate will drop dramatically if you eat too little calories and after three days of low calorie intake this will compound your muscle mass loss. When you don”t eat enough calories you become sluggish, develop nutritional deficiencies, and are often highly irritable. If you are lowering your caloric intake for weight reduction, you are actually setting yourself for high weight gain when you do being to eat properly again.
Binge dieting or not taking in enough calories can cause your vital organs to stop functioning properly. You will also have inadequate nutrient intake which will lead to electrolyte imbalances, low-potassium levels and low blood sugars. Watch for gallstones to form and gastrointestinal distress will now be a part of your life.
If you are looking for a quickie weight loss program look for a diet that will provide you with adequate calories to keep your organs and body functioning. Remember that you will definitely regain lost weight using low calorie diets, fatigue will keep you from working out and gaining back muscle mass, and you will lower your quality of life.
