Diet Programs End up in the same Familiar Situations, usually

The typical diet

As with most things these days, everyone wants rapid results and when looking to lose weight, we’re no different. The problem is that rapid weight loss is unsustainable, as illustrated in the typical regimen below:

1. Begin diet. Calorie intake cut from 3,000 to 1,000 calories per day or even less.

2. Rapid weight loss occurs. After two weeks, weight loss is approximately 3.5kg (8lb).

3. Weight loss slows. After three weeks, total weight loss is either approaching or static at 3.5kg.

4. Metabolic rate slows. To conserve body resources and because the rapid weight loss has included metabolic rate boosting muscle, the body elicits the ‘starvation response’. (Metabolic rate is the body’s calorie burner; the more muscle you have, the faster you burn calories).

5. Weight loss stagnates. Weight loss halts, motivation plummets.

6. Previous eating patterns resumed. Having achieved some weight loss, original eating plan is resumed.

7. Weight increases. To guard against future ‘famine’, the body stores more food as body fat, effectively laying down more reserves as a self-protection mechanism. This is compounded by a lower metabolic rate due to loss of muscle during the diet phase.

8. Significant weight gain occurs. After a few weeks, not only has the lost weight been put back on, but more weight has also been gained overall, resulting in the dieter ending up heavier than before the diet began.

Circle completed