Did you know that eating too little can actually prevent you from losing weight? It’s true. When you eat below a certain number of calories (this level is different for everyone), your body goes into “starvation mode” and tries to retain all the fat it has in order to survive.

The good news is that by eating more food, you can jump start your metabolism and start losing weight again.

Here are four signs that you should start eating more:

1. You have a lot of weight to lose. The higher your weight, the more calories your body will burn just to function on a daily basis. A good rule of thumb is to calculate that [your body weight X 10] is the number of calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, you have to subtract 500 from this number and that is the number of calories you should eat in a day.
2. You have a high muscle mass. Muscle burns more energy than fat, so if you have higher muscle mass, you may need to eat more calories to keep your body fueled.
3. You do a lot of exercise. If you exercise vigorously for an hour a day, five times a week, you may need more calories. Strenuous exercise burns a lot of calories and if you’re not eating enough to maintain this level of activity, your body will think you’re starving (even if you’re actually eating) and try to hold on to your fat for energy.
4. You have reached a plateau. If you have been successfully losing weight by eating right and exercising and your weight loss suddenly stops, you may need more food. Your body has become used to this level of eating and activity. Try eating an extra 200 calories a day and see if that doesn’t jump-start your metabolism.

Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle is one of the most comprehensive books on nutrition, weight loss, and muscle gain I have ever read. It contains much more detailed information on how to eat enough food to lose weight. To read my review of this book, go to Better Off Fat [http://www.better-off-fat.com/burn-the-fat-feed-the-muscle.html].