Several years ago, NFL All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson decided he wanted to get stronger, leaner, and more athletic for the upcoming season. The year before, he had weighed in at 225 pounds and over 16% body fat.
Wilson’s wife and his former trainer had an idea. They recommended that the quarterback consult with Dr. Philip Goglia, a “food coach” who had worked with other top athletes.
Upon meeting with Wilson, Dr. Goglia discovered that the quarterback had been eating about 2,700 calories each day.
In order for Wilson to improve his body composition and his overall athleticism, Dr. Goglia had a surprising recommendation. He wanted Wilson to increase how much he was eating.
In fact, he wanted him to nearly double the number of calories that he was eating.
He had Wilson switch to a new diet that included nine meals and 4,800 calories of nutrient-dense food every day.
What happened for Wilson on his new, 4,800-calorie eating plan?
In less than four months, his body fat percentage dropped from 16% to 10%. He lost about 15 pounds of fat- while preserving his muscle mass.
Again, this happened by nearly doubling how many calories he was eating each day.
It should also be noted that Wilson also got stricter about which foods he was eating.
There is a key lesson that might not be obvious from Russell Wilson’s weight loss example.
To be clear, the point is not that anyone who wants to lose weight should start eating nine meals and 4,800 calories a day!
For the average person, that sort of nutrition program would likely lead to significant weight gain.
It worked for Wilson due to his high activity level and his significant muscle mass. Each of those factors help him burn many more calories each day than the average person.
Here is the primary lesson from this story. Eating too little will actually cause you to add extra body fat.
Many people could actually lose weight by eating more. Of course, you also have to eat the right kinds of foods.
How much you should eat each day depends on a variety of factors, including your age, activity level, body composition, and weight.
If you are struggling to tighten up, you might want to ask yourself if you could be eating too little.
About the Author
Pete Leibman is a well-being and peak performance expert and the Founder of Arlington Sports Conditioning (ASC). Over the last 15+ years, Pete has helped thousands of people get faster, stronger, and fitter. Pete is the author of two books and more than 300 articles. His work has been featured through Fox, CBS, Fortune, Business Insider, and many others.
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