Eat More, Weigh Less?

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Spring is around the corner.

Those winter layers will slowly start to peel off (FINALLY)! But sometimes what is hidden underneath those layers makes us cringe when we look in the mirror.

And that’s when we turn to the “diets.”

Low carb? Low fat? Fasting? Acai berry? Liquid fasts? The Master Cleanse? Or how about the infomercials that suggest you can eat MORE, but weigh less?

Can we truly eat more to weigh less? It sounds incredible! Bring on the Big Macs. Not so fast.

As promising as it may seem, it’s impossible to truly defy the laws of physics and take in extra calories to lose fat.

The husband of a woman we work with recently lost 12 pounds pretty quickly. He went to his doctor and when asked what he did to lose weight, said “I ate fast food twice this week.” The doctor applauded him, suggesting that may have “jumpstarted” his metabolism enough to kick that weight loss into high gear.

Lo and behold, the man was ecstatic – suggested to his wife that she too eat fast food that evening to bump up her already impressive weight loss.

The result? She was sick the entire evening, after taking his advice and “enjoying” a crispy chicken sandwich; foods she hadn’t touched in months. So why didn’t this strategy work for her like it did him? Can’t you boost your metabolism by eating more?

And this is where that physician got his nutrition information a little mixed up – a common problem with many physicians, unfortunately. I digress.

Here’s the truth.

When you eat, your metabolism increases. This accounts for about 10-15% of your overall calorie expenditure. It’s not a huge chunk, but every bit surely helps.

Protein causes the biggest increase. Carbohydrates are next. And fat has a nominal effect.

This is one reason many suggest higher protein diets for fat loss. Every little bit helps.

With that said, however, the total amount of calories a person eats will always be greater than the resultant increase in metabolism, regardless of the food selection.

For example, sitting down to a protein rich grilled chicken and mixed veggie meal may provide around 400 calories. That doesn’t mean you’ll burn 500 calories, though, because it’s high in protein.

But it is one reason we suggest smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. And, yes, we do suggest protein with each meal.

Every little boost in calorie burn helps, so dividing 2000 calories over 3 meals vs. 2000 calories over 6 meals, may be that extra boost you need.

But going back to the original question, eating, or refeeding high calorie, junk food, like what the physician suggested, is far from a smart eating strategy for long term, permanent fat loss.

These 10 strategies are what you truly need for permanent fat loss :

1. Eat smaller, more frequent meals (not larger, more frequent meals).
2. Include lean protein with each meal and snack.
3. Use veggies and fruit as your primary source of carbohtdrates.
4. Replace liquid calories with non caloric options like water.
5. Add high intensity exercise to your routine, like we do with our Mohr Results Boot Camp.
6. Eat breakfast, but nothing with a cartoon on the box. Click here to see the healthiest breakfast in the world.
7. Add 3+ cups of unsweetened tea each day.
8. Move more – we suggest 5+ hours of general movement each week, outside of structured physical activity.
9. Plan ahead.
10. Reduce packaged food items – the less ingredients, the better.

PS: you CAN eat more volume, yet still eat less calories. That’s a story for another day. Until then, be smart about your intake and never fall for the quick fix “FAUX - lutions” not SO – lotions.

For more information about healthy eating and incorporating a variety of nutrients in the diet, check out:
Mohr Results - Is Your Grocery Store Making You Fat? DVD	Mohr Results - Is Your Kitchen Making You Fat? DVD!