The paradox of under-eating and over-exercising

We've been bombarded for years with the theory that weight is controlled by the imbalance between calories in (eaten and drank) and calories out (burned). Calories are a measure of energy, so theoretically, if you are exerting more energy than you are consuming, the numbers on the scale should drop. But, as most of us can lament, it's just not that simple.

3,500-calorie rule

A well-entrenched dietary rule of thumb is that 3,500 calories equals one pound of body weight — a pearl of wisdom that originated from researcher Max Wishnofsky, MD in 1958. So according to this school of thought, to lose one pound per week, your daily intake would need to be trimmed by 500 calories. The theory's simplicity earned it a long lifespan. The sad truth, though, is that it just doesn't work that way.

Here are some theories:

Grazing. Mindless snacking on random things throughout the day can tally up calories quickly. Take, for example, that morning latte to wake you up or the afternoon chocolate treat to keep you going — they count towards your total calorie intake. If you're eating on the run or while you're furiously typing email responses, you may not be consciously thinking about how much you're consuming and it's possible you're overdoing it.
 
Negating your workout. After a sweaty yoga practice or a brutal spin class, you deserve a treat, right? Well, you do need some fuel for recovery, but what kind of "fuel" matters. A balance of protein and carbs will help replete the lost energy stores and repair muscle damage. An issue many exercisers face is they assume that since they left it all on the gym floor, they now have carte blanche to eat anything they want for the rest of the day. By doing this, you may unintentionally consume way more calories than you burned as you reward and recover.
 
Under-Fueling. Each person has a set amount of calories that is necessary to sustain life – to keep hearts beating, kidneys filtering, lungs purifying, etc. On top of that, you need energy to actually get out of bed and be a productive adult. Any additional exercise beyond that also requires fuel. If you restrict your energy intake excessively, you're body becomes desperate to hang on to what little energy it has so it starts to store all the energy (a.k.a food) that you consume. This will make it incredibly difficult for you to lose weight, not to mention dangerous from a medical standpoint.
 
Overtraining. Here's a case of too much of a good thing. Exercise releases endorphins (happy hormones) that make you crave the thrill of an exercise high. But that addictive quality could lead you to push way past your limits. Plus, you've heard ad nauseam that to lose weight, all you have to do is move more! In this case, your body may struggle to recover as you break down muscle faster than you can build it up. Cortisol, the stress hormone, starts to creep up which leads to inflammation and weight gain. You now feel sore, fatigued, and irritable and STILL can't lose weight.
 
Cheating. Restrictive eating – whether it's low-calorie, clean, raw, whatever – is only sustainable for so long. When you lump foods into mutually exclusive "good" and "bad" categories, you reinforce the concept that every "treat" must be earned, and if you didn't earn it sufficiently, you must pay dearly. This can lead to rebound dieting — regulating calories like you balance a checkbook. Allowing yourself a binge meal or binge day as a "treat" in exchange for a well-executed day or week of dieting may leave you with way more calories consumed than if had you just eaten normally the whole time.

Trouble shooting

Make sure you're 100 percent aware of what you are eating – and I mean ALL of what you're eating. Consider keeping a food journal and be honest with yourself.  Remember that your body needs a well-balanced, variety of nutritious foods to function optimally and that cutting calories dramatically is not sustainable and could have a negative impact on your metabolism. Vary your workout routine (in both type and intensity!) and make sure to take days off for recovery. If your weight still isn't budging, consult with your doctor or dietitian to ensure that your goals are realistic and there is no underlying medical condition at play.

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