All of us either have experienced diet failure ourselves or known someone who has. Most people lose little to no weight while on a diet. Those who do lose any, gain it right back.
A recent article highlighted the reasons why, for many Americans, diet and exercise will not be enough to attain and maintain desired weight loss. The article focuses on many biological changes that occur in the body once a person has been obese for a sustained period of time (at least 2 years or so). One of these is what I have previously called the “set point” theory of weight. But there are many others. Unless something happens to change the hormones and regulatory systems of the body, a formerly obese person’s body will always be fighting to regain the weight.
This sounds pretty depressing and not helpful on a healthy eating blog. But the article points out that even a 5-10% weight loss can have significant health benefits even if you are obese. I’ve mentioned this in previous posts (here and here). My main hope for this blog is to help you eat healthier, no matter your weight. And the article makes a valid point: if you are obese and can’t lose weight, you should seek medical help. You are not a failure for not making a diet work alone.
So eat healthy, be happy, and get help if you need it!
To read more about the research, click here.
Have any nutrition questions? Need help with meal planning or a special dietary need? Send your questions to me at kimberlykmarsh(at)gmail(dot)com, and I will answer them in upcoming posts!