Viral Photo Shows How Low Calorie Diets Could Be Ruining Your Fitness Goals

When it comes to diet and weight loss, most people know this basic formula - that if the calories you consume are less than the calories you expend, you'll lose weight. 

However, being afraid of carbs and sticking to low calorie diets if you're working your ass off in the gym is not the key to a healthy body and won't necessarily​ get you in shape - as one fitness fan documented in a viral Instagram post. 

Australian woman Madalin Giorgetta​ started Kayla Itsines' BBG high intensity workout plan at the start of this year, and has been documenting her fitness journey on Instagram. She was also following a low carb and low calorie diet at the same time - and after consulting a nutritionist and personal trainer, discovered she was actually sabotaging her progress. Why? Because she wasn't getting the calories and macronutrients* her body needed while following this fitness regime. 

*In case you're wondering WTF  'macronutrients' are, your 'macros' are the three key food groups we all require for our bodies to function: carbohydrates (to fuel energy), fats (to keep you satiated) and proteins (to build and repair muscle). Our sisters at Women's Health have more info here. 

She explained in the post, which has been liked over 14,000 times, that while she was eating until she was full and eating healthy foods, her body wasn't being fuelled properly : 

"When I was eating 800 calories a day, I thought I was healthy. I was eating healthy food, but hardly any macronutrients. I was curious to find out what my macros were like before I actually started counting my macros, so I entered my old foods into @myfitnesspal to find out. I was quiet astonished to see how little protein and carbs I was eating."

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She added: "I got in touch with a PT and nutritional coach and got my macros sorted. When he first told me to eat 50% carbs I nearly died!

"I was eating about 10% carbs before and could not fathom how 50% carbs would not make me fat.

"I also freaked out at all the calories. I've been keeping an excel spreadsheet and in the first week of being on macros my average calories for the week was a little over 1000. I remember how hard I struggled to actually eat the size of my meals. I would just put my lunch next to my desk and eat it over the course of 3 hours as I couldn't eat it in one sitting!

"Now my stomach can take way more and is much happier! In the second week I was averaging 1600 calories a day! It didn't take long for my body to catch up. A part of me may always have that mindset that relates not eating with weight loss and 'being good today'. Sometimes I may forget to eat lunch just because I got busy and for a second I will revert back to old thinking, and think 'ohh, I've done really well today and haven't eaten much at all.'

"That's why I love tracking my macros. It will tell me 'Maddy, you need to eat more. Go eat 3 potatoes'.

"And I'll pat myself on the back for being healthy and doing really good today! If you're under feeding yourself in an effort to lose weight, don't do what I did for so long. Don't waste your time eating salad when you could be eating sweet potatoes and banana pancakes. Eat more and get fit. It actually works."

Giorgetta's diet change worked because, as  Robin Kaiden, R.D., nutritionist and personal trainer at Robin Barrie, told SELF: ​"Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy...and if don't get sufficient carbs, our bodies will eventually use the protein in our muscles as an energy source." ​

So the increase in carbs and calories meant her body was functioning at optimum levels and building muscle and burning fat, rather than freaking out and trying to hold on to as much energy as it can when being under-fed. 

Of course, every body is different, and everyone has a different metabolism and activity level - so Giorgetta's advice is not for everyone.  Still, the message that you should eat properly to fuel your body when working out is a good one.