Anyone who has ever been on a diet until the bitter end knows that insidious excess weight has an unpleasant tendency to return - as a rule, a little less than 13 percent of people who have managed 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 losing weight do not think that they need to reduce the calorie content of their diet on an ongoing basis.Many people simply look forward to the last day when their diet expires and immediately pounce on food, then the 4-5 kilograms they lost will soon return.The fact is that any diet allows you to slightly reduce weight at the initial stage, 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 rebound weight gain, that is, subsequently more weight is gained than lost.When quickly losing kilos, a person’s appetite increases, as a stress reaction of the body to dietary restrictions.
Limited, single-component, unbalanced diets cause real stress to the body, both at the physiological and psychological levels, since for many people prone to obesity, food is a favorite way to avoid problems, and diets deprive them of this opportunity.
Any diet forms connections between the body’s hormonal levels, neurotransmitters and subtle structures of the brain.Thus, a panicky fear of gaining weight due to an extra piece, prohibiting oneself from favorite foods, ignoring the natural cycle “hunger - nutrition - satisfaction” lead to the fact that a person ceases to understand when he is full, the perception of food changes, that is, the opposite effect occurs: food deprivation 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 any effort.This is the so-called “standing point” - a consequence of slowing down metabolism for more economical calorie expenditure.The roots of the problem go back to our cave past, when, due to the constant shortage of food, only those individuals who accumulated fat during well-fed periods could survive in hungry years.Since then, our genetic memory perceives food restriction as a signal to spend fat “reserves” more economically.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 weight loss course longer 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 nutritionist tries, a diet 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 any person prone to obesity is: how to lose weight for a long time without putting the extra pounds back on the stomach, waist or hips.According to doctors, the most important way to prevent a return to your previous weight (and even with an increase) is not to be tempted by express diets that promise a loss of 5-7 kilos in a week.
You should focus on choosing healthy foods (according to the system of proper nutrition - proper nutrition), prefer homemade meals to store-bought and semi-finished products, and gradually reduce the number of calories in your diet.At the initial stage, 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 at the stage of active weight loss there is much more of it than in attempts to maintain slimness and lightness.
Since any diet leads to a slowdown in 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, the normal metabolism is being restored, so now it is easiest to develop a new eating style and consolidate the achieved weight.
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 permissible);
- use the simple “rule of dividing the plate,” 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 holiday, 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 portion for those who are wondering how to lose weight so that the weight does not come back later should fit in cupped palms, while the side dish takes up one handful;
- alcohol consumption must be kept to a minimum; absolute sobriety is not necessary, but it should be remembered that strong drinks greatly increase appetite;
- It is better not to go to a store, as well as to a restaurant/cafe, hungry, so as not to succumb to the 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 the normal metabolism.
Acquiring new life habits
Changing your life habits is hard work on yourself, but the result is worth it, it’s not just about the ability to maintain the lost weight, but about the overall improvement in the quality of life.
Almost the most important condition for remaining at the desired weight for a long time is physical activity.This component of weight loss is often forgotten.However, this new life habit is extremely important for consolidating slimness and a new food metabolism.It doesn’t have to be a gym or a sports section, the main thing is regularity and sufficient (up to 5 hours a week) physical activity: brisk walking, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, swimming.
Pay attention!After starting regular exercise, you can gain 0.5-1 kg, this is not fat, but growing muscle.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 due diligence, will last a lifetime is reducing portion sizes and switching to healthy foods, rather than returning to a “pre-diet” diet.
Periodic consumption of vitamins should also become a habit, since when there is a vitamin deficiency in the body, metabolism is disrupted.
A properly selected diet will help you lose extra pounds, 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 nutrition plan that will promote health and longevity.