Anyone who has ever been on a diet to the end knows that insidious excess weight has an unpleasant tendency to return: as a rule, just under 13% of people who have managed to lose weight, gain the kilos back within a year.
Why do people gain weight after losing weight?
The main reason that causes the lost kilograms to return lies in the fact that those who lose weight do not think that they have to constantly reduce the calorie content of their diet.Many people simply look forward to the last day when their diet expires and immediately rush into food, so the lost 4-5 kilograms will soon return.The fact is that any diet allows you to slightly reduce weight at the initial stage, as the calories consumed decrease.
However, this occurs due to the loss of water and glycogen, which are then easily restored.This phenomenon is called rebound weight gain, meaning you subsequently gain more weight than you lost.When pounds are lost rapidly, a person's appetite increases, as a reaction to the body's stress on dietary restrictions.
Restricted, one-component and unbalanced diets cause real stress to the body, both on a physiological and psychological level, since for many people prone to obesity, food is the favorite way to avoid problems, and diets deprive this opportunity.
Any diet creates connections between the body's hormone levels, neurotransmitters and the subtle structures of the brain.Therefore, the panic fear of gaining weight because of an extra piece, banning oneself from favorite foods, ignoring the natural cycle "hunger - nutrition - satisfaction" 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 - 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 planned kilos practically do not go away with any effort.This is the so-called "standstill", a consequence of slowing down the metabolism for more economical calorie expenditure.The roots of the problem go back to our cave past, when, due to constant food shortages, only individuals who accumulated fat during well-fed periods could survive the years of starvation.Since then, our genetic memory perceives food restriction as a signal to spend fat “reserves” more economically.Only 10% of lucky people manage to cope with such a problem as maintaining weight after losing weight through diets.For the rest, to obtain lasting results a longer weight loss program than "weekly programs" is necessary.
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 stop gaining weight again
So, the main question for every person prone to obesity is: how to lose weight for a long time without putting extra pounds back on the stomach, waist or hips.According to doctors, the most important way to avoid returning to the previous weight (and even with an increase) is not to be tempted by quick 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.In the initial phase it is recommended to consume your usual food, but in small portions.
For additional psychological stimulation in maintaining lost weight, you should 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 of it than in attempts to maintain slimness and lightness.
Since any diet leads to a slowdown in the general metabolism, the exit from 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 is restored, so it is now easier to develop a new eating style and consolidate the weight achieved.
For those who decide to follow this advice, nutritionists and psychologists have developed the following recommendations:
- fall in love with your newfound thinness as a permanent part of your new life, stop thinking of yourself as a fat, awkward person;
- pay attention to what goes into your mouth and avoid excesses (sometimes something "tasty but harmful" is allowed);
- use the simple “plate division 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 can eat everything;
- make every meal a small holiday, which is not disturbed by rushing, reading books or watching TV: these 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 wondering how to lose weight so that the weight doesn't return later should fit in the cupped palms of your hands, while the side dish takes up a handful;
- alcohol consumption must be kept to a minimum;absolute sobriety is not necessary, but it should be remembered that strong drinks significantly increase appetite;
- It is better not to go to a shop, but also to a restaurant/bar, hungry, so as not to give in to the temptation to buy or eat more.
Learn more.It is undesirable to consume exotic fruits and vegetables (food in general) in large quantities: they can disrupt normal metabolism.
Acquisition of new lifestyle habits
Changing your lifestyle habits is hard work on yourself, but it's 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 maintaining 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 consolidating thinness and a new food metabolism.It does not necessarily have to be a gym or sports section, the important thing is regularity and sufficient physical activity (up to 5 hours a week): brisk walking, jogging, cycling, skating, swimming.
Be careful!After starting regular physical activity, you can gain 0.5-1 kg, this is not fat, but growing muscles.The healthy habit of leading an active lifestyle will be strengthened by gradually abandoning minibuses in favor of walkways, 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, the 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 nutritional plan that promotes health and longevity.