The truth is, extreme exercise and drastically reduced calorie intake can prompt a “starvation response” in the body, which may actually promote future weight gain. Why? Such severe tactics trigger a metabolic process that sends a signal to your fat stores saying, “Hold on, we may not eat for a while.” And so your body immediately conserves that stored fat—usually where you least want it—and your metabolism slows down. Because of this response, low-calorie diets completely defeat the purpose of permanent weight loss. Sure, you may drop a few pounds, but that loss will most likely be temporary and your ability to lose weight in the future will be compromised.

The single most effective way to turn your body into a fat burning machine- even while you sleep is to eat small meals spread throughout the day. Meals that consist of real, raw, whole foods increase thermogenesis. Sure you could get some results with three balanced thermogenic meals, but with five or six meals over the course of a day you will achieve optimal results! This is why I developed the Profit Superfood Shake  and the ItsEssential weight loss bar for ITworks Global. These two products are the perfect addition to your meal plan. I know preparing five or six meals a day for some is just unrealistic as well as expensive. By adding a shake and a bar each day you not only save money and time, but you also eliminate the guess work. Both of these products help fuel your body, keep you feeling full, and provide nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. In addition, you will create meals using foods that are thermogenic so, the more you eat the more you burn. How can this be? Certain foods have a higher thermic effect, which means it takes a greater amount of more energy for your body to break down the food than it has calories to use. This makes it almost impossible for these foods to be stored as fat. Your body will actually tap into your stored fat to get the remaining needed energy. When fat loss is your goal you should include as many of these foods daily.

Eating frequently is also important to maintain your lean muscle. Every process in your body requires a certain amount of energy, including digestion. If you are not eating enough, your body still needs to get this energy. We have learned that muscle requires energy and protein just to maintain itself. Every time you skip a meal you are not providing your body with enough energy and protein, and so your body looks to your own lean muscle mass to get fed through your glycogen stores. Yikes! That’s a sobering thought. Muscle contains vast stores of glucose; if you don’t consume carbohydrates, your body will look for other sources to maintain balance. Sure you may lose weight, but you will be sabotaging your metabolism long term. If you want to transform your shape and become healthy and fit, maintaining lean muscle is vital. Once you really understand this process of thermogenesis, you will never want to skip a meal again.

This is the most important shift you can make to build a new relationship with food. When you understand this process you learn to view food as fuel to ignite your furnace, allowing your body to naturally burn fat more efficiently.