4 reasons why you can't keep that weight off
There are lots of one-size-fits all do-it-yourself ways to drop that excess weight quickly: paleo, keto, low-carb, etc.. As well as branded regimes that advertise heavily on television. Some are phone apps, others involve buying special supplements. Then there are more expensive programs that involve purchasing powders, patches or prepared meals that are sent to your home. Some people claim these regimes and programs hold the “secret formula” to sustained weight loss.
But there are others who have tried many or all of them over the years and have found that all that weight lost at such great effort (and expense) is gained back not long after the supplements, powders, patches or meals are stopped or the program finishes. This is the classic “yo-yo” effect-- and by the way, it’s not good for the body[i].
Why does this happen? There are several possible explanations:
1) The long-term is the only thing that matters
Because there a myriad ways to lose weight in the short-term (e.g. a few months), the focus must be on the long-term. This is a different ballgame. If you have used specially prepared meals, products or supplements, then you may already know that as soon as that stops (sometimes because of the cost), you go back to your previous eating habits, and that weight you worked so hard to lose returns.
A more sustainable solution focuses on our eating habits. We need to re-train our body to be sensitive to signals of hunger and satiation, to recognize appropriate portions, to shift the taste-buds in order to turn down the “craving monster”, to know what a balanced nutritional intake actually is, and to gradually work in regular exercise that we enjoy into our permanent lifestyle. And some people need to dig deeply in order to recognize how they use food in possibly unhealthy ways (“emotional eating”).
As all of this learning evolves, it becomes easier to keep the weight off permanently.
2) Like medicine, your food plan should be personalized
One-size-fits-all approaches to weight loss might be effective for some, but they leave others hungry all the time, unable to deal with their cravings, or just unable to lose the weight in the first place. Just as medicine is moving towards being personalized, so should nutrition.
A personal nutrition plan is geared not only to your height, weight, age and gender, but also to your physiology and current health status.
3) Your metabolism must be balanced
If a weight loss program does not at the same time balance the metabolism, your body’s mechanisms for absorbing, storing or utilizing nutrients will not undergo the permanent shift that is needed in order to keep the weight off. The key to this shift is usually management of insulin, the “mother” endocrine hormone.
You might be thinking, “I’m not diabetic, so I don’t need to worry about insulin.” Turns out Type 2 Diabetes is now thought to be a metabolic process that begins as much as 20 years before it’s typically diagnosed[ii].
A nutrition plan geared towards your individual metabolism can help your body manage insulin levels and prevent diabetes before it can ever emerge (see reason #2). For those currently living with Type 2 Diabetes, you may already know that insulin levels can be managed largely through food[iii].
4) You might need outside help
Some people can lose weight and keep it off on their own. But a coach can provide regular evidence-based guidance and encouragement as you navigate your learning journey. A coach is NOT your partner, sister or best friend, and is therefore in the “judgement-free zone”, able to provide the accountability that can be vital to sustained weight loss.
A good coach is laser-focused on your progress and can share regular evidence-based guidance as you navigate your learning journey. Your coach is also well situated to give you constant encouragement and help keep you positive, because making permanent changes to eating habits and lifestyle may not be easy.
For more information on weight loss, call me or schedule a 15-minute free consultation to discuss how I can help you with Metabolic Balance, the personalized food-based weight management program I am certified to coach that will help you attain and keep a healthy weight.
[i] Strohacker, K, K Carpenter B McFarlin (2009) “Consequences of weight cycling: an increase in disease risk?” International Journal of Exercise Science 2(3): 191-201 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241770/pdf/ijes_02_03_191.pdf
[ii] Hiroyuki Sagesaka; Yuka Sato; Yuki Someya; Yoshifumi Tamura; Masanori Shimodaira; Takahiro Miyakoshi; Kazuko Hirabayashi; Hideo Koike; Koh Yamashita; Hirotaka Watada; Toru Aizawa. “Type 2 Diabetes: When does it Start?” J Endo Soc. 2018;2(5): 476-484. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932476/
[iii] Mohammed Asif. “Management and control of Type-2 Diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary patterns”. J Educ Health Promot. 2014; 3(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3977406/pdf/JEHP-3-1.pdf