Ever wondered why you can go away on a holiday, gain a couple of pounds or kilos then after a few weeks back at home, you shuffle back to your normal weight naturally?

There is a reason for this and it comes down to the number of fat cells you have in your body.

We are all born with a predetermined number of fat cells genetically.

When we diet, the fat cells shrink in size and they also become more insulin sensitive when you’ve been in a calorie deficit for so long.

The relapse after the diet

When we overeat, or binge eat after being in a deficit. The fat cells fill up, increase in size and you can also end up with a greater amount of fat cells by binge/overeating. This is why not restricting certain foods, and re-introducing more calories into your diet ‘slowly’ is incredibly important. You may be familiar with the term ‘Reverse Dieting’ which is how to describe this process.

You can not reduce your fat cell count, they will just shrink when you lose weight or “Diet”.

If you are guilty of the yo-yo diets, the extreme diets that cut out one macronutrient (especially carbs containing sugar!) or restrict solids by going on “shake” diets, then you’ve most likely experienced the ‘post-diet weight gain’ that has added on more pounds than what you started with.

When you make the decision that you truly want to lose body fat for good, and embark on a lifestyle change (yes, that’s the only way it’s going to permanently stay off) it’s important to include all of your favourite foods in your diet. This means, if you have family dinners every Sunday that involve dessert, keep doing that! If you enjoy your coffee a few times a week, keep doing that! We can learn to prioritise what is really important to you, to fit it into your day and your macros.

Tracking macros simply makes you realise how much food you actually can eat and the areas you need to focus on to hit your required macros. You’re probably not having enough protein to start with. And when you are working towards a deficit to lose body fat, you will eventually naturally lean towards high volume foods for the calories you can work with, that will keep you fuller for longer throughout the day.

For example:
Carbs: Rice, Quinoa, Cous Cous, Potato, Sweet Potato, Oats
Fats: Oils, Avocados, Nuts, Peanut Butter, Almond Spread, Chia Seeds, Red Meats
Protein: Eggs, Red Meats, White Meats, Tuna, Protein Shakes

These are the types of foods that are going to keep you fuller for longer to prevent over-eating or spiking your insulin levels.

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