Here we go again, another car analogy
Do you drive your car close to empty? You know that feeling when you are on mile 29 of your 30 mile warning light when you are thinking ¨oh man, I just have to do this and run there. Then i'll get gas. And oh crap, "DO NOT RUN THE AIR CON BECAUSE THAT WILL USE FUEL AND ILL COAST ON HILLS¨. (Yep, I have said those things because I was too lazy to get gas.) Not only is it bad for the cars mechanical systems, but it is ADDED stress in your mind!! BAD stress, fight stress, stress that takes away from you actually driving and paying attention to detail. You elect to stop using some of the cars added PERKS just to drive a little longer.....BUT The funny thing is that you, or me, have never (hopefully, knock on wood) ran out of gas. Well, that is the brain working. Your brain knows the fine line between running on fumes and completely running out of gas because, that means, ugh I need to get a gas can, or call a tow, or worse- your husband (LOL.... mine would laugh and then send help!). So naturally you get your tushy to the gas station just in time. --------->Well, your body is sort of the same way. The body knows that THRIVING is what is preferred, death is not the answer.
Everything our body does is to sustain life. For example, the body stops burning excess fat when it is starving until it has to use the stored fat to survive another day. Your body will also leech calcium out of your teeth and bones in order to keep blood calcium levels up so that the heart can beat. It is a SMART SYSTEM. The body will find a way to live another day. So just as you elect to coast on hills and sweat out the heat to save fuel, your body has to selectively prioritize which systems to use and which to conserve. The first thing to go when the body does not have enough FUEL is FAT LOSS. Why would the body get rid of stored energy when it is searching for fuel? When a persons body is in need of energy, the body focuses on sending those consumed calories to the most important systems. Example- (this is also how people gain weight when eating ¨healthy¨ foods in small amounts). To have a functional digestive system, functioning immune system, or most important- cardiovascular system to allow blood to flow to the brain to sustain life, FUEL is needed. MORE fuel than you are most likely eating. How do I know this? Are you losing weight with what you are eating/training now? If the answer is no, then you need more fuel or need to create an energy surplus (don't workout as much).
If your goal is to be UNSTOPPABLE, STRONG, or CONFIDENT you have to be fueled for just that. I use the vehicle/body analogy a lot because, to me, it just makes SENSE. Food = fuel. More fuel, more supported body fat lose, more success. Set yourself up for success.