Anyone who's ever dieted to the bitter end knows that insidious excess weight has a nasty tendency to come back—as a rule, just under 13 percent of people who manage to lose weight gain the pounds back within a year.
Why do people gain weight after losing weight?
The main reason that provokes the return of lost kilograms lies in the fact that those who lose weight do not think that they must constantly reduce the caloric content of their diet.Many people just look forward to the last day when their diet expires and jump right after eating, then soon the 4-5 pounds they lost will be back.The fact is that any diet allows you to lose a little weight in the initial phase, since the calories consumed are reduced.
However, this occurs due to the loss of water and glycogen, which are then easily restored.This phenomenon is called weight regain, that is, then more weight is gained than lost.When losing weight quickly, a person's appetite increases, as the body's stress response to dietary restrictions.
Restricted, one-ingredient and unbalanced diets cause real stress on the body, both physiologically and psychologically, since for many people prone to obesity, food is the preferred way to avoid problems, and diets deprive them of this opportunity.
Each diet forms connections between the body's hormone levels, neurotransmitters and subtle brain structures.Thus, a panic fear of gaining weight due to an extra portion, forbidding oneself from favorite foods, ignoring the natural cycle "hunger - food - pleasure" leads to the fact that a person ceases to understand when he is full, the perception of food changes, that is, the opposite effect occurs: deprivation of food in the form of a passionate need for food.
Many of those who try to lose weight through diets and fasting are faced with the fact that the last planned kilograms practically do not go away with any effort.This is the so-called "point of standing" - the consequence of slowing down the metabolism for more economical expenditure of calories.The roots of the problem go back to our caveman past, when, due to a constant lack of food, only those individuals who accumulated fat during well-nourished periods could survive the hungry years.Since then, our genetic memory perceives food restriction as a signal to spend more economically the "reserves" of fat.Only 10 percent of lucky people manage to cope with such a problem as maintaining weight after losing weight with diets.For the rest, a longer weight loss course than "weekly programs" is needed to achieve lasting results.
Important!Doctors testify that repeated cycles of weight loss and weight gain negatively affect the state of the cardiovascular system, provoke strokes, diabetes, gallstones and kidney stones, gout and immune disorders, that is, no matter how hard a dietician tries, a diet cannot be considered an absolutely reliable and safe way to lose weight and not gain weight.
How to lose weight and stop gaining weight
So, the main question for every person prone to obesity is: how to lose weight for a long time without returning extra pounds to the stomach, waist or hips.According to doctors, the most important way to prevent a return to your previous weight (and even an increase) is not to be tempted by express diets that promise a loss of 5-7 kilograms per week.
You should focus on choosing healthy foods (according to the proper nutrition system - proper nutrition), prefer home-made foods instead of store-bought and semi-ready products, and gradually reduce the number of calories in your diet.In the initial phase, it is recommended to consume your usual food, but in reduced portions.
For additional psychological stimulation of maintaining the lost weight, it is necessary to weigh yourself periodically and record the results.Nutritionists consider this method more effective than keeping "food diaries" and counting calories.Psychological support from the environment is very important, because in the phase of active weight loss there is much more than trying to maintain thinness and softness.
Since any diet leads to a slowdown in the overall metabolism, exiting it is a very important period that will determine further eating behavior and the possibility of not gaining weight after losing weight.At this stage, normal metabolism is being restored, so now it is easier to develop a new eating style and consolidate the weight gained.
For those who decide to follow this advice, nutritionists and psychologists have developed the following recommendations:
- fall in love with your newfound frailty as a permanent part of your new life, don't think of yourself as a fat and clumsy person;
- watch what goes into your mouth and avoid excesses (sometimes something "tasty but harmful" is allowed);
- use the "plate sharing rule", which allows you to gently adapt the body to a smaller and more balanced diet, when half of the plate is filled with plant foods, the other two quarters are filled with carbohydrates and proteins, respectively, while you are allowed to eat everything;
- make each meal a small party, which is not disturbed by rushing, reading books or watching TV - such conditions will imperceptibly bring the moment of satiety closer;
- it is advisable to gradually abandon canned and frozen foods, as well as fried foods, in favor of baking, steaming or grilling;
- the ideal part for those who ask how to lose weight so that the weight does not return later should be placed in the palms of the cups, while the side plate takes a fist;
- alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum;absolute sobriety is not necessary, but it must be remembered that strong drinks greatly increase the appetite;
- It is better not to go to a store, as well as to a restaurant/cafe, hungry, so as not to succumb to temptations to buy or eat more.
Additional information.It is undesirable to consume exotic vegetables and fruits (food in general) in large quantities - they can disrupt normal metabolism.
Acquiring new habits of life
Changing life habits is hard work for yourself, but the result is worth it, it is not only about the ability to maintain the lost weight, but about the overall improvement of the quality of life.
Almost the most important condition for staying at the desired weight for a long time is physical activity.This component of weight loss is often forgotten.However, this new lifestyle is extremely important for the consolidation of leanness and a new food metabolism.It doesn't have to be a gym or a sports section, the main thing is regularity and sufficient physical activity (up to 5 hours a week): brisk walking, running, cycling, cycling, swimming.
Pay attention!After starting regular exercises, you can gain 0.5-1 kg, this is not fat, but muscle growth.A healthy habit of leading an active lifestyle will be strengthened by gradually abandoning minibuses in favor of walking, neglecting the elevator and replacing coffee breaks with drinking water.
Another great habit that, with proper care, will last a lifetime is to reduce portion sizes and switch to healthy foods instead of going back to a "pre-diet" diet.
The periodic consumption of vitamins should also become a habit, since when there is a lack of vitamins in the body, the metabolism breaks down.
A properly chosen diet will help you lose extra pounds, but the question always arises: how to maintain weight after losing weight, how to stay lean and stop gaining weight.It is necessary to develop a reasonable long-term optimal nutrition plan that will promote health and longevity.