When starting a weight loss plan, many people experience a temporary dip in energy. It takes time for the body to adjust to a new diet and increased physical activity. However, if you know how to adjust, you can maintain stable energy levels, reduce fatigue, and achieve your long-term weight loss goals.
What are the strategies for maintaining energy levels while losing weight?
Here are 7 top tips to help you maintain energy levels while losing weight:
1. Expect an adjustment period
It can be tempting to adopt many new habits at once, but remember that weight loss is not about short-term changes. You need to make gradual, long-term changes to create a healthy lifestyle. Cutting out all the foods you love or jumping into high-intensity workouts all at once will leave you feeling exhausted and prone to failure. Instead of reducing your calorie intake from 2,200 to 1,200 calories a day, try cutting 200 calories a day and then increasing your calorie deficit each week. This will help your body gradually adapt to the new diet while still maintaining your energy levels.
2. Keep track of your calorie intake
According to health organizations, women should eat at least 1,200 calories a day and men should eat at least 1,700 calories a day to lose weight safely and effectively. However, this is just the minimum; you can adjust your calorie intake to ensure you don’t run out of energy. If you feel sluggish, add a few more calories from nutrient-rich foods. The goal is to find a balance so that you feel energized but still cut enough calories to lose weight.
3. Eat more iron
Iron deficiency is a common cause of fatigue when losing weight, especially if the diet is low in protein or vegetables. Iron plays an important role in transporting oxygen to the muscles and brain, thereby maintaining energy. According to health organizations, men aged 19 and older and women aged 51 and older should supplement 8 mg of iron per day. Women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg per day. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you should double this amount.
Over time, low iron intake can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which causes low energy. Add protein-rich, iron-rich foods to your daily meals (such as beans, poultry, lean red meat, and nuts).
4. Focus on nutrition, not just calories.
Cutting calories alone without paying attention to nutritional quality can leave your body lacking important vitamins and minerals, leading to fatigue. So, prioritize whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats. These foods not only provide steady energy but also support overall health, improve mood and increase weight loss.
5. Eat more often
Fasting continuously for long periods of time or skipping meals will cause metabolic problems and make you hungry. Eating when you are hungry will help your body believe that you are not hungry. In turn, your body will reset healthy metabolism, helping you reach your ideal weight. Eat 5–6 small meals a day or add snacks rich in protein and fiber, this will help maintain stable blood sugar, prevent hunger and support a healthy metabolism.
6. Exercise moderately and regularly
You should avoid exercising too quickly. High-intensity exercise will exhaust you if you have not reached the right fitness level. Aim for enough exercise to feel challenged but not so tired and sore that you can’t move.
Start with 15-30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking 3-5 times a week. As your fitness improves, add new exercises and gradually increase the duration and intensity. Soon, you’ll be able to get through a tough workout and feel energized afterward. Moderate exercise helps you feel energized after a workout, rather than tired or exhausted.
7. Get enough sleep
Lack of sleep directly affects your energy levels, mood, and motivation to exercise. Adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Good quality sleep helps:
- Restore muscles
- Maintain hormones that regulate hunger and satiety
- Boost focus and optimism
- Try establishing a consistent sleep routine, turning off electronics before bed, and creating a quiet, comfortable environment.
Thus, maintaining energy when losing weight is an important factor for the body to function effectively and lose weight sustainably. By making gradual changes, choosing nutritious foods, eating on time, exercising moderately and getting enough sleep, you will feel full of energy, have a stable mood and achieve long-term weight loss results. Losing weight does not mean fatigue; on the contrary, it is an opportunity to nourish a healthy body, full of vitality and energy every day.
