Do You Really Want To Starve Yourself To Lose Weight?

If you ingest too many calories, you gain weight, but if you restrict your calorie intake too much, it's a surefire way to keep the pounds on. That may sound strange, but what your body is doing is entering into survival mode. Your body is programmed to defend itself. If you suddenly drop a bunch of calories from your diet, your resting metabolic rate will slow down, because your body makes the assumption that your are starving. Granted, you might lose weight, but it will be lean muscle mass. And remember lean muscle is the key to a fast metabolism and a toned physique!

Depending on your level of activity, you can safely lose anywhere from half a pound to two pounds a week without sacrificing your lean muscle. The easiest way to figure out your needs is to multiply your current weight by 11. So, if you're 150 pounds, aim for around 1,650 calories a day. Unless you're less than five feet tall, don't let your daily calories dip below 1,200. Research shows that women who consume less than this amount see their resting metabolic rate plummet by as much as 45 percent.