Category Archives: weight loss

Personal Training: Calorie Restriction

By | Nutrition, Uncategorized, weight loss | No Comments

Personal Training:

I Can Eat Too Few Calories?

In the personal training world I see people obessing over their calories.

When making a decision that it is time to get back into shape and lose weight, we want to take the easiest and quickest route. Diet pills and starvation diets are usually what an individual finds as the quickest way to get to this goal. Unfortunately, low calorie diets can ultimately do more harm then good. When you starve your body by limiting your calories, you are also limiting your body from getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients that it needs. Although you might initially lose weight, overtime the lack of needed vitamins and minerals can lead to some form of nutritional deficiency.  Let’s face it, all the personal training in the world isn’t going to overcome a bad diet.

Deficiencies in nutrition will only jeopardize your health in the long run.

personal training should include advice on portion control

personal training should include advice on portion control

How few is too few when it comes to calories? This will vary from person to person depending on a person’s weight and their activity levels. It is recommended to stay above 1200 calories a day because when you consume less than 1200 calories, the body goes into starvation mode and it will store the fat instead of burn it.

The safest and most productive way of losing weight is to lose about a pound a week. This requires a 500 calorie deficit everyday. You can break it up by consuming 250 calories less than you normally eat and burning off 250 calories through exercise each day.

The negative impacts that women can experience with too few calories are irregular menstrual cycles and in extreme cases, no menstrual cycle at all. When you stop menstruating, your body slows down the production of estrogen. This lack of estrogen can lead to an increase in the risk of bone loss. A lack in calories can lead to an iron deficiency that can cause anemia because of the lack of proteins. Low protein levels can also negatively affect your immune system. When your immune system is down, you are at a higher risk for catching a cold or getting the flu. It causes a ripple effect.

See this link here for a spot by Jamie Atlas on what foods contain what calories

The thyroid is also affected when we do not consume enough calories. The starvation mode slows down our systems which can result in the feeling of being cold all of the time and have less energy. These issues can lead to mental issues like depression also.

Just remember that every person is different. Some individuals may find a greater success with counting their calories while others might overestimate or underestimate their daily caloric intake. If you are very physically active person, it is vital for you to consume an adequate amount of calories to re-supply the body with the calories that you burnt. This will re-energize your body so that you can continue to workout harder and run faster. If you don’t supply the body with the calories that it needs, it will only create a negative effect to your overall health. Not only will you feel tired and have no energy to keep up with your training, but it can also cause you to gain weight. Consuming an adequate amount of calories can lead to a successful attempt in weight loss and positively affect your overall health.

Stay True to Your Goals

Bonza Bodies Fitness

6 Secrets To Maintaining Weight Loss During The Holidays

By | Uncategorized, weight loss | No Comments

Weight loss during the holidays is never easy

After making it through our Thanksgiving feasts, we’re closing in on Christmas and New Year’s celebrations and traditions. Celebration and tradition goes hand in hand with splurging on decadent, rich foods, while breaking out of our everyday habits and schedules.  It also goes hand in hand with destruction of your weight loss goals.

Making just a few changes in your behaviors during the holidays will help you immensely in your success in the New Year and potentially will save you from gaining the “holiday 10”!


Here are some tips to help you survive the remainder of the holidays:

  1. Change your mindset! Instead of eating the whole tin of Aunt Bea’s famous gingersnaps that only come around on Christmas Eve, just eat two and ask her for the recipe so you don’t feel like you have to get them while they’re hot! (Literally.)
  2. DON’T skip your regular workouts! The most common behavior change in people during holiday season is skipping out on the daily workouts. One missed day quickly turns into 2 missed weeks before you even know it. It’s one hour a day & if you can keep your exercise on track, you’ll likely be better with your diet.
  3. Have a good workout session the day before, the day of and the day after. By doing this it will reduce the overall effect of all the eating and drinking you will be doing on your physique by boosting your metabolism and burning the extra calories you’ll consume on the holiday.
  4. Don’t Skip Meals! Eat breakfast everyday to maintain your energy and to keep your blood sugar stable, preventing overeating at other meals.
  5. Set realistic goals for yourself during the season. Saying you’ll lose lots of weight during the holiday season when you have a history of always overeating during this time might be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, make a goal that you will only gain a couple of pounds or will maintain your weight. That way you won’t be discouraged when starting off the New Year.
  6. Buddy up! To avoid weight gain you need commitment and awareness. Having a couple of friends to call up with concerns can help you stay accountable at the gym and with your diet.

With a couple of these minor behavior changes during this season of excess you could be looking at a happier, healthier post holiday body while still enjoying the perks and treats of Christmas and the New Year!

Of course, some of us have more challenges than others – if you’re looking for a weight loss solution in Denver then maybe come check us out ? You can find out more about us at or clicking the link above