If you’re looking to slim down and lose weight, a low calorie diet is not the answer for you! Many people are under the impression that cutting down your calorie intake will help you lose weight, but it has the exact opposite effect on our bodies. In the past, I believed an 800 to 1,000 calorie intake would make me lose weight, but I soon realized I was seeing no change and putting my body at harm. When giving weight loss advice, people will often tell you to “eat less and move more” but you shouldn’t listen to them. Our bodies can’t function with super low calorie intake. When you aren’t eating enough calories in a day, it causes your body to store fat as a way of survival. There is a certain number of calories each of us have to eat in order to maintain proper function of our bodies and to sustain life. Each persons calorie intake is different depending on their body type. Eating less than 1,200 calories a day will cause your metabolism to slow down, and your hormones to become imbalanced; this can result in muscle loss, fatigue, moodiness and other negative health effects. So, don’t listen to anyone who is telling you to eat in small amounts.

According to Health Line, an average woman needs to eat about 2,000 calories per day to maintain, and 1,500 calories to lose one pound of weight per week. An average man needs 2,500 calories to maintain, and 2,000 to lose one pound of weight per week. Again, this depends on numerous factors but I suggest downloading myfitnesspal to keep track of your calorie intake to see if you are eating too much or too little. I also want everyone to realize that focusing too much on your calorie number can have a negative effect on your mental health. It’s important to track your calories but I wouldn’t let yourself become overwhelmed if you go over or below that suggested calorie number. Life is too short to be stressing over what we eat, and sometimes we all deserve a slice of cake after a long day. Always remember to love yourself for who you are!