Weight Loss Blog #1: Biology’s a B*tch: The Hard Truths About Weight Loss
According to a 2018 CDC report, 56% of women and 42% of men in the U.S. tried to lose weight within the previous 12 months. Research suggests that approximately 80% of people who shed a significant portion of their body fat will not maintain that degree of weight loss for 12 months - and most dieters regain, on average, more than half of what they lose within two years.
So why is it so hard to lose weight and why do most people fail at keeping it off? Weight loss and maintaining it are not merely a product of eating less and willpower. It's about understanding this complex issue and gaining the information and tools needed to succeed. Below are four reasons why it’s so hard to lose weight and keep it off. In part two of this series on weight loss - we’ll review several treatments that can help your chances of shedding pounds and, ultimately, building a healthier lifestyle.
FOUR HARD TRUTHS ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS
1. WHEN YOU LOSE WEIGHT - YOUR METABOLISM SLOWS DOWN
Metabolism is the chemical reactions in the body's cells that change food into energy, or more simply - burning calories. Essentially, if you take in fewer calories than you burn off, you will lose weight. However, when you lose weight, your metabolism slows down because calorie burn is in some sense proportional to your body weight and muscle mass - smaller bodies require less energy to function than a larger body - just like a smaller house requires less energy to heat than a larger house. Additionally, some experts suggest that certain types of calorie-restrictive diets make metabolic downshifting more likely.
2. YOUR BRAIN AND HORMONES CAN WORK AGAINST YOU
Weight loss and aging alter your hormones and can make weight loss more difficult. A number of hormones are involved in hunger, satiety, and metabolism and can dictate the ease with which you lose weight:
Leptin - Leptin is known as the satiety hormone. Unfortunately, when you restrict calories, leptin initially rises causing increased appetite. Many see this insatiable need to eat as gluttony or a lack of willpower. It’s not. It’s hormones. Leptin is synthesized by fat cells - especially belly fat.
Ghrelin - Ghrelin is the “hunger hormone” - it stimulates appetite, increases food intake, and promotes fat storage. Low-calorie diets tend to increase ghrelin, which might help explain why it’s so difficult to maintain weight loss.
Insulin - Insulin acts as the gatekeeper to weight loss. Frequent eating and a high intake of sugar and simple carbs raise insulin levels. Too much insulin too often leads to more fat accumulation (especially in the mid-section) and difficulty in accessing stored fat. You can read more about this in our Intermittent Fasting blog post.
Cortisol - Cortisol stimulates high levels of insulin which can cause your blood sugar levels to drop, often leading to increased cravings for sugary and high-carb foods. The bottom line:
more stress → more cortisol → more insulin → a higher appetite for junk food and more belly fat
Testosterone - testosterone dictates muscle mass and declines for both men and women as you age. A lower muscle mass means a lower metabolism.
Estradiol - For women, a loss of estradiol around menopause is directly correlated with increased abdominal adiposity. Studies have shown that estradiol impacts DNA and the genetic expression responsible for weight control. In an animal studies where mice were thrust into menopause (i.e. their ovaries were removed), only those whose estradiol was replaced were able to dodge weight loss.
3. IT’S HARD TO “OUT-EXERCISE” A BAD DIET
For years, it was believed that you could sweat off the pounds. And while working out is great for you - regular exercise can help prevent type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure - depending on exercise alone can be a tough road to weight loss. Basically, it’s easier to cut out 190 calories by skipping a latte than jogging for 25 minutes. And then there’s the dangerous habit of “rewarding” ourselves after exercising or overestimating our caloric burn. Some people tend to overdo recovery meals or treat themselves to a few scoops of ice cream because they went to the gym. Basically - it’s hard to “out-exercise” misguided food choices.
4. SUSTAINABLE HABITS ARE A MUST
So many people look for a quick fix when trying to lose weight. But it’s been proven that, though they may show immediate results, quick starvation diets don’t result in sustainable weight loss in the long term. Slow and steady weight loss — or one to two pounds a week — is the easiest to maintain. And while exercise isn’t as important as what you eat, sustainable exercise habits have been proven to keep the pounds off. According to the National Weight Control Registry (a database of people across the U.S. who have lost at least 30 pounds and have kept it off for at least a year), the number one thing these people have in common is a daily exercise routine.
Bottom line - it’s important to develop a lifestyle incorporating sustainable healthy eating and exercise habits that you can maintain for the long haul. Find foods and ways to move your body that you enjoy! And if you feel like you’d like some personalized help with weight loss - please visit our Medical Weight Loss page to learn more about our program.
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