I think it is safe to say that almost every person you talk to can relate to the cycle of losing weight, maybe maintaining the weight loss for sometime, then before they know it the weight has come back on. Sometimes even more than they lost in the first place. This is not due to a lack of willpower. This is not from failing a diet. This is nothing to be ashamed about. There are actual scientific reasons as to why weight is regained after intentional weight loss. Let's dive right in, we might get a little sciencey. If that's not you're thing just try to stick with me, I think you will be really glad you did!
It is normal to re-gain weight after intentionally losing it. When we look at scientific studies that follow weight-loss participants past the 2 year mark (and there is not nearly enough of these studies), we see that majority re-gain weight. Why does weight re-gain happen? Dr. Lindo Bacon, author of Health at Every Size, explains in their book what “set point” weight means. A person’s set point weight is an individualized weight range which the body continuously aims and will sacrifice any [body functions/metabolism] to maintain. The body works together within itself to maintain homeostasis (1). The hypothalamus is the “chief ruler”. It is in tune with everything that is going on in the body. When it senses body fat levels are too low, it will send signals to the rest of the body to regulate hunger levels, energy levels (to control activity), and even metabolism to get back to a healthy weight range. Is it possible to just override the hypothalamus? Sure! This is often known as willpower, but that will force the hypothalamus to work harder. For example, some people report feeling cold all the time. This can be related back to the body conserving energy, by sending less blood to the periphery, in states in which it is underfed in order to regulate its homeostasis, therefore reducing metabolic rate. Or a woman may lose her menstrual cycle. This is the body trying to conserve as much energy as possible. Reproduction takes up a lot of energy and it is not necessary to sustain life, so the body cuts it off, to focus on more life sustaining things within the body, until it is provided enough energy again. Other things, besides these two examples, could happen too. Another major player in this is Leptin. Leptin is a hormone, better known as the "satiety hormone." Leptin tells your body when it is full so you stop eating. When the body senses a time of starvation, as in a caloric deficit and weight loss, fat stores shrink, and leptin levels decrease. This causes metabolism to decrease and appetite to increase, ultimately leading to weight regain in most cases. --->You might want to re-read the last 2 sentences. Did they blow your mind?! Leptin and the hypothalamus are not the only players in this game. There are over 20 chemical messengers working together to stimulate and suppress hunger signals! As Bacon writes in her book, “When you lose body fat, the very fat loss triggers processes to reclaim it.” What about the people who do intentionally lose weight and keep it off? There are always exceptions to the "rules." These people might just be an exception. We cannot ever assume though. More often than not, when weight loss is maintained, no matter how it was lost, it is often in the presence of disordered eating behaviors. These behaviors may include following a low-calorie diet, only eating during certain times of the day, and restricting food groups. All of which are associated with depression, irritability, anxiety, negative body image, and preoccupation with food. What happens when we do lose weight and gain it back over and over again? Losing weight and gaining weight and losing weight and gaining weight is known as weight cycling. Weight cycling deserves it's own blog post, but know that weight cycling is associated with many, many serious health problems. Research indicates that staying at the original body weight, no matter how high, is actually healthier than weight cycling in an attempt to shrink our body size for good (2). Why don't we ever hear about this? Um probably, because the diet industry brings in millions of dollars every year. They keep us thinking that it is our fault we aren't losing weight, we keep buying products, and they keep making money. Why do I keep emphasizing "intentional weight loss?" When a person eats intuitively and moves their body in ways that feel good, weight loss sometimes happens (weight gain does too). But in this case, it happens naturally within the body. The body never senses a threat, so it does not need to activate those mechanisms to gain the weight back. And NO, you cannot trick your body into this but "intuitively eating to lose weight." That is not a thing, and if someone tells you it is ~ RUN! So what should you do if you're ready to break the cycle? 1. Figure out your "whys" Are you doing this to set a better example for your kids? To free your head space from food and body size? To actually focus on your health and just your body size? 2. Work on feeling neutral about your body. Loving your body is awesome, and it is OK if it takes you a long time to come to that place. We live in a society that caters to small bodies, it is hard to live hear if you live in a larger body. But I do see that slowly changing. For now, practice accepting your body- whether you love it or hate it. 3. Support your body in finding it's set point weight by practicing Intuitive Eating and moving in a way that feels good. 4. It is possible to do this on your own through books and podcasts, etc. But it is extremely beneficial to work with a health professional who can support you and guide you through this journey. If you're interested in working with me, I would love to support you through this journey. Send me an email at [email protected] 1. Bacon L. Health at Every Size: the Surprising Truth about Your Weight. Dallas, TX: BenBella Books; 2010.2. Delahanty LM, Pan Q, Jablonski KA, et al. Effects of Weight Loss, Weight Cycling, and Weight Loss Maintenance on Diabetes Incidence and Change in Cardiometabolic Traits in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Diabetes Care. 2014;37(10):2738-2745. doi:10.2337/dc14-0018.
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