Anyone who's ever been on a diet knows that insidious extra pounds have an unpleasant tendency to come back—as a rule, just under 13 percent of people who manage to lose weight regain the pounds within a year.
Why do people gain weight after losing weight?
The main reason for regaining lost weight lies in the fact that those who are losing weight do not think that they need to continuously reduce the calorie content of their diet.Many people simply look forward to the last day when their diet ends and immediately rush to eat, then the lost 4-5 kilograms will soon return.The fact is that any diet allows you to lose a little weight in the initial phase, because the calorie intake is reduced.
However, this occurs due to the loss of water and glycogen, which are then easily replenished.This phenomenon is called rebound weight gain, i.e. more is subsequently gained than lost.When you lose weight quickly, appetite increases, as the body's stress response to dietary restrictions.
A limited, one-component, unbalanced diet causes real stress for the body, both on a physiological and psychological level, because for many people prone to obesity, food is their favorite way to avoid problems, and a diet denies them that possibility.
Every diet creates connections between hormonal levels in the body, neurotransmitters and subtle brain structures.So, panic fear of gaining weight due to an extra piece, banning favorite food, ignoring the natural cycle "hunger - nutrition - pleasure" lead to the fact that a person stops understanding when he is full, the perception of food changes, that is, the opposite effect occurs: a lack 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 of the planned kilos practically do not go away with effort.This is the so-called "stopping point" - a consequence of slowing down the metabolism for more economical consumption of calories.The roots of the problem go back to our caveman past, when, due to constant food shortages, 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 use fat "reserves" more economically.Only 10 percent of lucky people manage to deal with such a problem as maintaining weight after losing weight with diets.Otherwise, to achieve permanent results, a weight loss course longer than "weekly programs" is needed.
Important!Doctors testify that repeated cycles of losing weight and gaining weight negatively affect the state of the cardiovascular system, cause strokes, diabetes, gallstones and kidney stones, gout and immune disorders, i.e., no matter how hard the nutritionist tries, dieting cannot be considered an absolutely reliable and safe way to lose weight and not gain weight.
How to lose weight and not gain weight again
So, the main question for every person prone to obesity is: how to lose weight for a long time, without putting extra weight back on the stomach, waist or hips.According to doctors, the most important way to prevent a return to the previous weight (and even with an increase) is not to fall into the temptation of express diets that promise to lose 5-7 kilograms in a week.
Focus on choosing healthy foods (according to the system of proper nutrition - proper nutrition), give preference to home-made dishes over store-bought and semi-finished products, and gradually reduce the number of calories in your diet.In the initial phase, it is recommended to eat the usual food, but in reduced portions.
For additional psychological stimulation to maintain the lost weight, it is necessary to periodically weigh yourself and record the results.Nutritionists consider this method more effective than keeping a "food diary" and counting calories.The psychological support of the environment is very important, because in the phase of active weight loss there is much more than in attempts to maintain slimness and lightness.
Since every diet slows down 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.In this phase, normal metabolism returns, so now it is easiest 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 slimness as a permanent part of your new life, stop thinking 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 a simple "plate sharing rule" that allows you to easily adapt your 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, that is, proteins, while you are allowed to eat everything;
- make every meal a small holiday, which does not interfere with hurrying, reading books or watching TV - such conditions will imperceptibly bring the moment of satiety closer;
- it is advisable to gradually abandon canned and frozen food, as well as fried food, in favor of baking, steaming or grilling;
- the ideal portion for those who wonder how to lose weight so that the weight does not return later should fit in the palm of your hand, while the side dish takes up one hand;
- alcohol consumption must be kept to a minimum;absolute sobriety is not required, but it should be remembered that strong drinks greatly increase the appetite;
- It is better not to go to the store, as well as to a restaurant/café, hungry, so that you do not succumb to the temptation 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 life habits
Changing lifestyle habits is hard work in itself, but the result is worth it, it's not just about the ability to maintain the lost weight, but about the overall improvement of the quality of life.
Almost the most important condition to stay at the desired weight for a long time is physical activity.This component of weight loss is often forgotten.However, this new lifestyle habit is extremely important for the consolidation of slimness and the new metabolism of food.It doesn't have to be a gym or a sports part, the main thing is regularity and sufficient (up to 5 hours a week) physical activity: fast walking, running, cycling, rollerblading, swimming.
Pay attention!After you start exercising regularly, you can gain 0.5-1 kg, it's not fat, it's growing muscles.We will strengthen the healthy habit of leading an active lifestyle by gradually abandoning the minibus in favor of walking, ignoring the elevator and replacing the coffee break with drinking water.
Another great habit that, with due care, will last a lifetime is reducing portion sizes and switching to healthy foods instead of going back to your pre-diet diet.
Periodic consumption of vitamins should also become a habit, because when there is a lack of vitamins in the body, metabolic disorders occur.
A properly chosen diet will help you lose excess weight, but the question always arises: how to maintain weight after losing weight, how to stay slim and stop gaining weight.It is necessary to develop a reasonable long-term optimal nutritional plan that will promote health and longevity.