Why People Regain Weight and How You Can Maintain Weight Loss

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According to one study reported by Healthline, only 20% of dieters are successful at maintaining weight loss for at least one year. For the rest of the 80%, maintaining weight loss is a massive struggle.

There are many reasons why most dieters fail and regain weight or give up. These are the most common reasons why:

You restrict yourself – Diets based on calorie restriction only work for the short-term. You’ll lose weight fast but you’ll also plateau hard.

Several studies have shown that a restrictive diet program can lead to a slower metabolism and a decrease in the number of calories burned by 23%. Even worse, this lowered metabolism persists even after you stop your low-calorie diet. So not only will you regain much of the weight back but you’ll gain even more weight.

You can’t sustain your diet plan – Most diet plans rely on your willpower to stick to a calorie-controlled plan or a workout regimen. What happens then when your motivation wanes? You fall off the wagon and you give up.

Your approach to weight loss is all wrong – The right mindset can spell the difference between success and failure. Most dieters see weight loss as something they have to do until they reach their target weight. After that, they go back to old unhealthy habits. That shouldn’t be the case. Maintaining your weight loss should become a lifestyle and attitude change.

Why Low-Calorie Diets Do More Harm Than Good

A study conducted by the University of Copenhagen of more than 2,000 participants with pre-diabetes found that women’s bodies respond differently to a low-calorie diet than men. After 8 weeks on a low-calorie and high-protein diet, the women in the study lost less body fat compared to the men. Additionally, women experienced negative effects with their weight loss. They had decreased levels of HDL (the good cholesterol), lean body mass and bone-mineral density.

Another study also highlighted the negative effects of low-calorie diets. A 2018 study found that patients on a low-calorie diet (600 – 800 calories per day) lost weight and improved their blood sugar and blood pressure but surprisingly their heart fat levels rose by 44%. The researchers noted that this may be due to fat being released into the blood and being taken up by the heart.

Rapid weight loss through low-calorie restrictive diets can have negative long-term effects. It is why the CDC recommends consuming 1200 to 1500 calories per day and a healthy weight loss of 1 or 2 pounds per week as the safest route to weight loss.

Tips to Combat Weight Gain

The key to long-term weight loss is to incorporate lifelong lifestyle changes and commitment.

Here are ways you can maintain weight loss:

Stay active – physical activity and exercise is vital to maintaining weight loss. Studies have shown that even 30 minutes of physical activity per day can have significant benefits to your overall health. The January issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter lists these benefits:

Lower blood pressure – people may experience a decrease of 5 to 10 mmHg in their blood pressure
Improve cholesterol – exercise increase the concentration of good cholesterol in the body. It also helps decrease triglyceride levels
Lower blood sugar levels – exercise can help prevent and manage type 2 diabetes
Prevent bone mass decline – exercise (especially strength training exercises) strengthens bone mass and helps build strong bones
Maintains mental health – exercise has been shown to help with mild-to-moderate depression. Plus, it can boost mood and improve sleep

Have a support system in place – You are more likely to stick to your weight loss plan if you have people cheering you on. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 55% of the participants who maintained their weight used “some type of program to achieve their weight loss”.

Manage your stress levels – In our article “The Link Between Stress and Weight Gain”, we talked about how stress can lead to weight gain through the activation and proliferation of the body’s “stress hormones”. Chronic stress can cause molecular changes in the body that contribute to health problems down the line. Try yoga or mindful meditation to distress and relieve anxiety or seek therapy to learn better coping mechanisms to fight stress.

Make sustainable changes to your eating habits – the key is balance. You can opt to replace unhealthy foods with healthier versions of your favorite foods or choose healthier fast food options. Its ok to give in once in a while and treat yourself.

Address any mental health issues – depression, anxiety and other mental issues sometimes lead to compensatory behaviors like overeating. It’s important to deal with these issues in a healthy manner. Seek help from a psychiatrist or psychologist to address depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses that can sabotage your weight loss.

Summary

The key to long-term weight loss is to incorporate lifelong lifestyle changes and commitment. Here are ways you can maintain weight loss:

Stay active – physical activity and exercise is vital to maintaining weight loss. Studies have shown that even 30 minutes of physical activity per day can have significant benefits to your overall health. Have a support system in place – You are more likely to stick to your weight loss plan if you have people cheering you on. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 55% of the participants who maintained their weight used “some type of program to achieve their weight loss”.
Manage your stress levels – Chronic stress can cause molecular changes in the body that contribute to health problems down the line. Use yoga, mindful meditation or therapy to help you deal with stress.
Make sustainable changes to your eating habits – the key is balance. You can opt to replace unhealthy foods with healthier versions of your favorite foods or choose healthier fast food options.
Address any mental health issues – depression, anxiety and other mental issues sometimes lead to compensatory behaviors like overeating. It’s important to deal with these issues in a healthy manner. Seek help from a psychiatrist or psychologist to address these issues.

References

"5 Ways Restricting Calories Can Be Harmful" - Healthline, January 30, 2017

"Long-term weight loss maintenance." - PubMed, July, 2005

"The 17 Best Ways to Maintain Weight Loss" - Healthline, January 16, 2017

"Low-calorie diets affect men's and women's bodies differently, study shows" - August 9, 2018

"How do crash diets affect your heart? Study investigates" - Medical News Today, February 2, 2018

"Moderate Exercise Yields Big Benefits" - Science Daily, January 4, 2008

"Maintaining Weight Loss" - Johns Hopkins