BY: Ron Leach NSCA-CPT

Does your body think it's starving to death? If you are typical, and only eating 1 or 2 super size meals a day, the answer is a resounding "Yes!"

The notion of eating less to lose weight does not work in the way we would like. It encourages your body to store fat! You may actually get lighter, but it is due to muscle loss. So...eat less and get fatter? Are you confused? That's what the diet and weight loss industry is counting on. Your confusion is what sells the next "miracle" weight loss drug, diet, exercise machine, etc.

The way our bodies work has not changed much in the last two millennium. Our bodies were designed to store energy as fat when food is less available. Therefore, if you are restricting calorie intake, or not
eating on a consistent basis, every three to four hours, your body will activate this starvation response, and store all it can as fat.Now, to clarify how you may lose weight but not fat, we need to address metabolism. In essence, metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories. Muscle is what burns most of the calories you intake. In fact, 70% of the calories your body burns, at rest! Let me repeat that: 70% of the calories your body requires in one day are just to fuel your muscles at rest. This is called Basel metabolic rate. So doesn't it stand to reason that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn? Even sitting on the couch flipping channels!

Let's address what starvation response does to your muscle tissue. Our bodies work in a very logical way. If you are not eating enough calories or waiting too long between meals, your body is going to eliminate the need for those calories. We've already established that the number one user of calories is muscle. So guess what gets eliminated? That's right, muscle! Your body will break down muscle to create energy. It will only tap into its fat stores as a last option. Since muscle weighs more than fat, we see a big impact on the scale. This is why a scale is NOT a good tool to measure health or fitness. A body fat measurement is a better tool.

Food is not your enemy! If your goal is to lose body fat, you must eat to maintain your lean body mass (muscle). Better yet, increase your muscle mass through proper nutrition and strength training. A smaller meal eaten more often throughout the day is the way to prevent starvation response.

Ron Leach is the owner of Fitness Together – Clinton Twp. 40728 Hayes Rd. Clinton Twp. MI 48038 and has been serving clients since November of 2003.

Based in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Fitness Together Holdings, Inc., is the world's largest wellness organization. The parent company oversees Fitness Together Franchise Corporation, a one-on-one personal training fitness franchisor established in 1996, and elements therapeutic massage www.touchofelements.com, a massage therapy franchisor that began franchising in 2006. Today, the combined franchise network includes more than 700 franchises across the United States, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland, and Canada. For additional information, log onto www.fitnesstogether.com