Saw this article on Twitter and found it interesting:
It discussed some of the science behind why long-term weight loss is difficult and why most people eventually gain the weight back.
Hormone activity is disrupted by weight loss. Hormones that would signal fullness may be decreased and ones that signal hunger may be increased. In other words, your body fights to get you back to your pre-weight loss weight. Your brain may induce food cravings in order to promote weight regain. That is crazy!
With all these factors working against some people, it seems like weight loss would be close to impossible. However the article takes a look at some who have been successful. It basically states that the successful people have to make weight loss their full-time job forever. Their focus is completely on eating less calories and exercising 1-2 hours/day in an attempt to burn more calories.
In my own day-to-day experience, I find that many people ultimately fail with weight loss when their total focus is on counting calories, eating less calories, and trying to burn a crap-load of calories with tons of exercise. They just can’t keep up, and the minute they hit a roadblock, it’s over.
I have found that some people do really well when they forget about calories, and instead work on enhancing the quality of those calories. I try to remind folks every day that it’s not about starving the body, it’s about feeding the body and giving the body what it needs. Your body doesn’t only need calories, it needs nutrition. It needs protein, vitamins, and minerals. Give your body what it needs and it may be more likely to do what you want it to do.
We see people every day that get enough calories, but it doesn’t mean that they aren’t malnourished. Give your body more real foods (meats, eggs, veggies, fruits, starchy veggies) in place of processed foods, and forget about calories. Eat when you are hungry and quit when you are full. Again, it isn’t about starving the body, it is about feeding and nourishing the body.
And when it comes to exercise, forget about spending more and more time on that elliptical torture device. Find activities you actually enjoy. Try to do some type of resistance training in place of some of that never-ending marathoning on the treadmill. Also, take days off so your body can actually rebuild. Again, work with your body, not against it. Remember if you exercise smart you don’t have to necessarily exercise more and more.
Yes, some people will have a harder time losing weight and will have an easier time gaining weight. The cause of the weight gain (namely crappy low-quality food) is likely the same in most people, but the effect that food has on different people may be a biological/gene thing. In other words, some people get a bit more wiggle room than others. Still, the fix is probably the same for all: eat better quality food and don’t starve the body!
Ok, I got sidetracked. These are just a few thoughts that sprung in to my head after reading this article. Give it a read and let me hear your thoughts.
