Anyone who has been on a diet until the end knows that insidious excess weight has an unpleasant tendency to come back: As a rule, just under 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 causes the recovery of lost kilograms lies in the fact that those who lose weight do not believe that they should reduce the calorie content of their diet continuously.Many people simply look forward to the last day when their diet expires and immediately pounce on food, then the lost 4-5 kilograms will soon return.The fact is that any diet allows you to lose weight slightly in the initial stage, since the calories consumed are reduced.
However, this occurs due to the loss of water and glycogen, which are then easily replenished.This phenomenon is called rebound weight gain, meaning you subsequently gain more weight than you lose.When a person loses kilos quickly, appetite increases, as the body's stress reaction to dietary restrictions.
Limited, monocomponent and unbalanced diets cause real stress in 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 them of this opportunity.
Any diet forms connections between the body's hormone levels, neurotransmitters, and subtle brain structures.Therefore, the panic fear of gaining weight due to an extra piece, prohibiting yourself from eating your favorite foods, ignoring the natural cycle "hunger - nutrition - satisfaction" leads to the fact that a person stops understanding 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 face the fact that the last planned kilos practically do not disappear with any effort.This is the so-called "balance point", a consequence of slowing down the metabolism to achieve more economical caloric expenditure.The roots of the problem go back to our caveman past, when, due to constant food shortages, only those individuals who accumulated fat during periods of good nutrition could survive in the years of hunger.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 weight maintenance after losing weight on diets.Otherwise, a longer weight loss course than “weekly programs” is needed to achieve long-lasting results.
Important!Doctors testify that repeated cycles of weight loss and gain negatively affect the state of the cardiovascular system, provoke strokes, diabetes, gallstones and kidney stones, gout and immunological 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 anyone prone to obesity is: how to lose weight for a long time without returning extra pounds to 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 express diets that promise a loss of 5 to 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 semi-finished and store-bought products, and gradually reduce the number of calories in your diet.In the initial stage it is recommended to consume the usual food, but in reduced portions.
For additional psychological stimulation to maintain lost weight, it is necessary to weigh yourself periodically and record the results.Nutritionists find 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 than in attempts to maintain thinness and lightness.
Since any diet leads to a slowdown in the 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 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 new thinness as a permanent part of your new life, stop thinking of yourself as a fat and clumsy person;
- be careful with what you put in your mouth and avoid excesses (sometimes something “tasty but harmful” is allowed);
- use the simple "rule of dividing the plate", which allows you to smoothly 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 little party, not disturbed by rushing, reading books or watching television;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 them;
- The ideal portion for those wondering how to lose weight so that they don't gain weight again should fit in the cupped palms of their hands, while the side dish takes up a handful;
- alcohol consumption should be reduced to a minimum;Absolute sobriety is not necessary, but it is worth remembering that strong drinks considerably increase appetite;
- It is better not to go to the store, as well as to the restaurant/cafe, hungry, so as not to succumb to the temptation to buy or eat more.
Additional information.It is not desirable to consume exotic vegetables and fruits (foods in general) in large quantities, as they can alter normal metabolism.
Acquire new lifestyle habits.
Changing your lifestyle habits is hard work for you, but the result is worth it, it is not just about the ability to maintain the weight lost, but the overall improvement in 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 is extremely important to consolidate thinness and a new food metabolism.It doesn't have to be a gym or a sports section, the main thing is regularity and sufficient physical activity (up to 5 hours per week): brisk walking, jogging, cycling, skating, swimming.
Pay attention!After starting regular exercise, you can gain 0.5-1 kg, this is not fat, but growing muscle.The healthy habit of leading an active lifestyle will be reinforced 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 to reduce portion sizes and switch 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 deficiency of vitamins in the body, the metabolism is altered.
A correctly 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 an optimal and reasonable long-term nutrition plan that promotes health and longevity.