The Key to a Healthy Metabolism
If you begin consuming very few calories, your body naturally tries to conserve fat as it enters "starvation mode" . This physiologically adaptation dates back to the time of the hunter-gatherer, where survival was dependant on finding and consuming as many calories as possible, since the next meal was never guaranteed. However, in our day and age, food is abundant. Therefore, consuming small amounts of food every few hours is the best approach.
What's especially dangerous about low calorie dieting is the catabolism (break-down) of protein from muscle stores. Not only will you lose muscle mass, but you'll also lose water weight, which is undesirable.
To prevent such muscle catabolism, exercise is essential during the weight loss process, while consuming adequate, but not excess, calories. Since muscle is very much metabolically active, it needs calories to thrive. Along with adequate calorie consumption (from healthy food choices), aerobic exercise and weight-bearing activities make a recipe for successful weight loss. To maintain a healthy metabolism, focus on eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. As you lose fat and gain muscle mass, you will lose inches on your body, but not necessarily pounds on the scale. In fact, the number on the scale may increase. But don't worry- as long as your clothes are feeling looser, you're making progress. This is because muscle is denser than fat, and "takes up" less overall space. If you've lost fat and gained muscle, your overall body composition will be leaner.