Can You Gain Weight from Eating Too Little? Here’s How It Works
4 November 2024
Hello Ziddis! Are you trying to starve yourself to get slimmer but still end up putting on weight? Isn’t it like a stalemate? It can be very frustrating to be in a space like this. Surprisingly eating too little can end up having an opposite effect on our body.
When you try losing weight you may want to cut calories and think that it will give drastic results but that is not the case. Let us understand this phenomenon better to tackle it.
When trying to lose weight, many assume that cutting calories drastically will lead to faster results. Surprisingly, eating too little can have the opposite effect, sometimes even resulting in weight gain. This phenomenon stems from how our metabolism responds to extreme calorie restriction. Let’s explore how this happens and what you can do instead to achieve a healthy weight.
How Eating Too Little Can Lead to Weight Gain?
Eating little and gaining weight is because of how our metabolism reacts to extreme calorie restriction. What truly happens is:
Metabolism gets slowed down when you try to cut calories drastically. The body senses that energy is now scarce and tries to conserve all the resources.
Eating little can mean incomplete protein intake. This does not suffice for the body to fuel you. The lack of protein can lead to muscles not being built and the fat rather staying stored than utilized in the right places.
Losing muscles can lead to a dip in metabolic rate
When you starve yourself, your hunger increases and so does your craving. Your body may also start asking for more sugar. This will make it difficult for you to stay true to your low-calorie diet and lead to binge eating.
With limited calorie intake, the body feels insecure about the reserves and tries to store all the calories as fats in case there is complete starvation or a low-energy period.
How to Gain Weight Healthily When Needed?
If you are trying to gain weight, reach a healthy weight goal or increase muscle mass, you should focus on having a nutrient-dense diet that supports muscle growth and overall well-being. How to do so? Here’s how:
Increase your protein intake. We know protein is necessary for muscle building so consider adding protein powder to your diet.
Make sure you include meat, fish, eggs, paneer or dals in your diet.
You can take the help of gainers as they can assist you in reaching your desired weight sooner.
Make sure to include healthy fats and healthy carbs in your diet.
We can always look for some supplements to help us in our health goals. In this case, we can take the help of weight gain supplements to put on weight healthily.
Protein shakes: Having protein shakes can increase your muscle mass and help you gain healthy weight.
Mass gain supplements: Supplements that help with gaining mass can lead to a better body structure in case your weight seems disproportionate for you.
Weight gain supplement: You can get better carbs to gain weight but with a weight gain supplement you can gain weight faster without putting bullshit in your body.
If you struggle to meet your calorie needs, this is a good way to get that sorted.
Takeaway
Gaining or losing weight depends on portion control and quality of food but starving oneself is never going to help you lose or gain weight sustainably or healthily. Know that balance is the key to all things health. Your metabolism is the hero of your fitness journey. Make sure to understand it well.