Everybody, including people with Multiple Sclerosis wish to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Besides eating healthy, activity is important. When one’s ability to exercise is limited, the solution seems to reduce calorie intake by not eating very much. This isn’t always the best solution because not eating enough of the right foods can be health and life threatening. Another thing that should be known is that quite often the opposite happens with a low calories diet: people store more fat.

What happens when the body doesn’t get enough calories? The body decreases its metabolic rate, trying to conserve energy, which means that fewer calories are burned. When the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates, it begins to convert muscle protein into carbohydrates so that it can continue to make energy. Of course, loosing muscle tissue is not desirable. While all of the above happens, the body increases its ability to store fat.

Of course, it is possible to lose weight on a low-calorie diet. But, rapid weight loss happens the first two weeks. After that the body readjusts to a fewer calorie intake, and when a normal caloric intake resumes, the body takes advantage of its increased fat storing room to increase its energy reserves in body fat. Thus, the weight lost as water and muscle is replaced by more fat, hence, even if the overall weight changes a bit, the percentage of body fat increases.

In the long run it is better to eat enough of the right type of foods and being as active as possible.