Why "Eat Less, Move More" Often Backfires (And What Actually Works)
Tell me if this sounds familiar - you’re trying to lose weight (again…). You start out with the best intentions and you’re really motivated to actually do it this time. You’re counting every calorie, tracking every bite, getting your steps in, hitting the gym 5 days a week to “burn off” any extra calories. You know, “eating less and moving more” - just like we’re always told to do.
It seems like it would make sense, right? So why doesn't it always work that easily?
If you've been there – meticulously tracking every calorie, choosing salads over the pizza, and spending countless hours on the treadmill, only to step on the scale and that dang number just won’t budge – you're not alone. I’ve been there too - I was actually stuck there for about 20 years (argh!).
You're trying to micromanage every single calorie, but all that gets you is relentless hunger, intense cravings, and energy that's in the gutter.
That makes it incredibly hard to stay motivated and on track.
So Why Is It So Hard?
Why does the seemingly straightforward logical "eat less, move more" advice often lead to so much frustration..and lets face it…wanting to quit?
One of my mentors, Dr. Ben Bikman, uses a great analogy that illustrates this perfectly:
Imagine I invited you to a party at my house and told you that the world's best chefs would be there, preparing all their best dishes. I tell you to be sure to come extra hungry so you can enjoy it all. What would you do to make sure you show up extra hungry?
You'd probably eat less that day, maybe even skip a meal or two altogether. You might even do an extra-long or extra-intense workout to really build up your appetite…so basically you’d "eat less and exercise more" to intentionally create more hunger.
Are you starting to see why taking that approach to lose weight can feel like such an uphill battle? No one wants to fight through hunger all the time! As you're trying to eat less and move more, your body and hormones are often screaming at you to do the exact opposite. Your hormones are always going to win eventually.
The Missing Piece: Blood Sugar and Insulin
What most traditional diets completely overlook is the crucial role of your hormones, especially insulin, in weight management.
Insulin is known as a storage hormone. When your insulin levels are high, your body is in "storage mode." You can't be in fat storage mode and fat burning mode at the same time. So, that means when insulin is high, not only are you more likely to store more fat, but the fat that you already have stored is gonna stay locked up, making it very difficult for your body to access it for energy like it should be able to.
This is why you feel so hungry. Your body is trying to get you some quick and easy energy because it can't access the energy you have stored in the form of body fat.
The Easier Way: Manage Your Blood Sugar First
Now for the good news: there IS another way - one that’s much more effective and sustainable - because you don’t want to just lose the weight - you want to keep it off right? So instead of starting with calorie restriction and endless exercise, what if you focused on managing your blood sugar and lowering your insulin levels first?
When you prioritize balancing your blood sugar and getting insulin back on track, something incredible happens:
Your hunger and cravings decrease. You'll find yourself eating less, naturally, simply because you're not hungry all the time. No more white-knuckling your way through the day or meticulously counting every single calorie.
Your energy and mood improve. When your body can efficiently access its stored energy, you'll feel better and less prone to those miserable energy crashes. You’ll likely find that you want to move more and be more active naturally too because you have much better, more stable energy.
Your body finally starts to release stored fat. With lower insulin levels, your body shifts out of "storage mode" and can get back to “burning mode” so you can access and burn fat for fuel again. Fat loss becomes a natural side effect when your body is working properly.
Weight loss doesn't have to be a constant battle. It becomes a lot easier when you address the underlying hormonal imbalances and start working with your body instead of always fighting against it. By focusing on managing your blood sugar and insulin first, you can ditch the diet hamster wheel for good and actually feel better, have more energy, and lose the weight for the last damn time!
If you’ve made it this far and are wondering, “so how do I actually go about doing this?” I created the Weight Loss Unstuck Guide to help get you started. You can grab your copy here.