When it comes to improving fitness and leaning out, the first inclination for many people is to immediately cut calories or specific foods. And while the saying, "You can't out-train a bad diet" is certainly true, there are certain situations where cutting calories and specific foods will work against you. Don't immediately assume you need fewer calories IF:
You're under a lot of stress-- We all have stresses in our lives, and obviously we can't wait until our lives are stress-free to make changes to our diets. But if you're going through an unusual amount of stress, adding the stress of cutting calories could easily work against you. Not only does it add something else for you to manage, it can backfire in the form of binging under stress or interfering with sleep. During these times, go easy on yourself, maybe just making a few substitutions here and there, and leave the calorie counting for a time when it won't derail your efforts.
You're recovering from a major injury or illness-- Your body needs nutrients to heal. Cutting calories, and subsequently nutrients, could not only slow down your recovery, but also add stress (see number 1). Put your efforts into healing; then you can worry about cutting calories.
Your goal is to build strength-- Yes, those new to strength training can make some strength gains in the first few weeks while dieting, but at some point, you need a calorie surplus to increase strength. Whether we like it or not, losing weight means losing some strength. Trying to make significant strength gains while on a 1300-calorie diet is like brushing your teeth while you're eating oreos.
You're an in-season athlete-- The time to cut is before pre-season. You need energy to perform and recover. Cutting in season can also detract from your focus. If your performance, recovery, and focus suffer, you're setting yourself up for an injury. Don't cut in season. Focus on quality foods, and make sure you're getting enough.
You don't even know how many calories you usually eat-- For some people, intake isn't the problem--it's the need for more NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). Before you cut calories, you need to know your current intake as it relates to your activity levels. Adding some NEAT to your day (substituting some standing for sitting; incorporating more movement into daily tasks) is much easier than cutting more calories if your intake is already low. There are occasions where intake is too low, and the lack of energy causes avoidance of both non-exercise activity and exercise--not a good cycle to start. Get your intake baseline before fiddling with it.
So, does this mean we should eat whatever we want in these situations? No. It means there is more to accomplishing your fitness goals than cutting calories. Stress levels, health challenges, psychology, and goals all need to be considered before rushing into a calorie deficit. Using a careful, balanced approach that takes into account all of these factors will prevent the frustration that comes with jumping blindly into a calorie deficit.
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