Why do I keep "rebounding" after dieting?
How many times have you heard "I lost a lot of weight on xyz diet but gained it all back, plus some."
Why does this happen? Is it a simple case of uncontrollable cravings and failure to sustain the lifestyle? The answer is more complicated than that, and is a conversation I've had countless times with people looking for weight loss advice. I am not a nutritionist but feel that everyone should have a basic understanding of the havoc that fad diets can cause inflict on one's body.
If you consumed 2,500-3,000 (the FDA's benchmark for recommended calorie consumption) on average for the past few years and suddenly commit to eating only 1,400 calories (which I don't recommend,) you WILL lose weight. Even without a change in physical activity, your body will respond to that calorie deficit by adapting to the limited calories by working harder, but in turn will "panic" at the harshly restricted amount of calories and re-teach itself to survive on that amount.
Think of some of our very first ancestors having to hunt and gather, never knowing when their next meal may come.
This damage to your metabolism is meant to protect your body from deteriorating too quickly, but in a modern world full of McDonald's and Starbucks on every corner and where food is readily available, it brings a negative impact. Your body learns that it needs to survive at 1,400 calories, and that can cause a few negative things to happen:
1) You hit a plateau in weight loss and must further decrease your calories to continue losing weight
that comes off at a slower and slower pace, and have very little energy as your calories are so low they're hardly conducive to the normal activity of your daily life.
2) You are happy to lose some weight and decide to take on a healthier lifestyle that leaves you less hungry
(let's say 1,900 calories) but find frustration in the fact that you gain weight back anyway because your body has not adapted to the 1,400 calories per day and you are consuming more.
3) Give up at the frustration on such a restricted diet
(perhaps a weekend cheat day that doesn't ever really end) and go back to eating 2,500-3,000 where you find yourself 10 pounds heavier a week later. It isn't possible to gain 10 pounds of fat in a week, but it is entirely possible to pack on water weight and a bloated and uncomfortable belly with a body that is so damaged and confused from such a yo-yo diet lifestyle that it doesn't know how to function properly.
So what's the solution?
Have you heard the term "slow and steady wins the race?" That applies here too. If you currently consume 3,000 calories per day, change those calories into healthful nutritious foods rather than greasy ones. Drink more water! Start slow with physical activity if you don't currently engage in any to prevent overtraining and injury. Lower your calories slowly to get to a healthy, recommended calorie intake. If you are already on a super restricted diet, add those healthy calories back slowly. Your body doesn't get the credit is deserves. It works hard for you 24/7 digesting and regulating and doing the best it can with whatever you supply it with. Make slow, steady changes to achieve a diet (or healthy lifestyle rather) that you can sustain long term and supplies you with the energy to enjoy life while building your best body!
**There is so much more science behind all of these ideas and I welcome any added insight! This is the most basic of interpretations that a person taking steps to achieve weight loss needs to know!