Calorie Restriction

Lean how calorie restriction with optimal nutrition can help you lose weight, reduce the incidence of overweight-related diseases and live longer.

Calorie restriction with optimal nutrition, often abbreviated as CR, is the practice of eating from 10 percent to 40 percent fewer calories than the body needs to maintain itself while meeting the body’s requirements for vitamins and minerals. Calorie restriction is widely believed to help slow the aging process. For example, the person who needs 2000 calories a day for weight maintenance would eat 1200-1800 calories when practicing calorie restriction. You should never go below 1200 calories a day unless you are on the very-low-calorie diet supervised by your doctor.

When following a calorie restriction diet, you have to monitor your calorie intake carefully. Moreover, it is important to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals you need. The diet must provide the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Though fat foods are high in calories, they should not be eliminated from the diet altogether as fat is required for proper absorption of nutrients such as fat soluble vitamins.

Calorie restriction is an effective treatment for weight loss. It can also lower blood cholesterol level and blood pressure. Calorie restriction improves memory and increases stress resistance. Hence, calorie restriction is associated with improving longevity and health.

Calorie restriction is not safe for older individuals, children, adolescents and pregnant women. Calorie restriction should not be practiced by lean persons who have little body fat as the body can burn lean tissue along with the fat reserves. Severe calorie restriction can cause loss of muscle mass and loss of bone. The loss of muscle mass occurs when the proteins within muscle tissue are used as the energy source. The loss of muscle mass leads to a reduced capacity to perform exercises and lowers metabolism. The loss of bone occurs when you deprive yourself of important minerals such as calcium. When restricting calories, ensure you still get all the vitamins and minerals essential for health maintenance. If you do not get enough vitamins and minerals from food, consider taking supplements.

Severe calorie restriction can weaken the immune system. It can also lead to serious health problem such as eating disorders. Remember that calorie restriction is just a tool that helps you lose weight and improve health. Calorie restriction does not mean starvation. Moderation is the key. You should follow a healthful diet and acquire all the minerals and vitamins from your meals.

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• Calorie Restriction Boosts Gene Activity Protecting Cells from Aging

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