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Diet culture makes us ashamed of our bodies, but weight-loss diets dont work long-term or lead to better health. Photo / Getty Images

Question:

I am elderly and after struggling all my life to keep my weight at a reasonable level, I succeeded with the help of a diet company. So I know all about healthy eating, the importance of exercising regularly and my psychology. But successive Covid lockdowns sent my resolutions out the window: Ive put on weight, none of my clothes fit, and I hate how I look. How do I lose weight safely?

Answer:

While many diets produce weight loss in the short term, almost all diets fail long-term, and typically, all lost weight is regained within three to five years. Despite this conspicuous failure rate, the dieter is still blamed for the failure rather than the dieting process itself. It is time we examined our beliefs about weight loss, diets and health.

The desire to lose weight is typically founded on the assumption that this will improve health. This ignores the lack of evidence that intentional weight loss improves health outcomes independently of behaviour changes, such as exercising regularly and eating a more nutritious diet, a 2022 article in Frontiers of Psychiatry noted. It is likely the acts of exercising regularly and eating healthier foods improve health outcomes rather than weight loss as such. Weight loss is neither a prerequisite for improved health nor an appropriate target for treatment, the article noted.

Moreover, being overweight is associated with improved mortality among community-dwelling older adults, a 2022 study published in Gerontology found.

So, why are overweight people encouraged to diet and become skinny? Diet culture is a widespread belief system in Western cultures that equates thinness with health, gives social status to weight loss and exercise behaviours, prioritises control and restriction of foods, moralises food choices, and contributes significantly to body dissatisfaction. Studies since 1985 have reported variously that 69-84% of American women were dissatisfied with their bodies; 93% of 168 female students surveyed at a Spanish university wanted to change at least three areas of their body; and 60% of Austrian women aged 60-70 were dissatisfied with their bodies. Women, no matter their age, are habitually unhappy with their bodies and want to be thinner.

Social scientists have long been aware of this cultural phenomenon. For example, the impact of Western diet culture was profoundly demonstrated in Fiji during the 1990s when broadcasters introduced Western television shows. Until then, bulimia nervosa had been unheard of in the Pacific Island nation.

However, three years after the introduction of Western soap operas and advertisements, Fijian teenage girls reported dissatisfaction with their bodies. Critical indicators of disordered eating were now present, with 11% of Fijian teenage girls inducing vomiting to control their body weight. While 74% reported feeling too big or fat sometimes, 83% stated that television had influenced their feelings or their friends feelings about their body shape or weight.

Diet culture is all around us but is not consciously seen. It shapes how women (and men) think and feel about our bodies and eating habits, whether through newspaper headlines, magazine advertisements for womens shapewear, derogatory jokes about fat bodies, or metaphors like you are what you eat.

You mentioned that you hate how you look, and that is a very telling illustration of diet cultures impact on women. It is unfortunate that even at retirement age, diet culture is still able to make women feel less than worthy because of their body weight.

The problem is not your body weight but instead that our culture has convinced you that losing weight is the only path to good health and looking good. You know about healthy eating, the importance of exercising regularly and understanding your psychology, so focus on those things, not your body weight, and your body will settle into its natural weight range. That weight may not be what diet culture tells you it should be or what you wish to be, but your body is the ultimate authority in this case, and no amount of dieting will permanently downsize your body to a weight it cannot sustain long-term.

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Why weight-loss diets don't work long-term - New Zealand Herald

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Mar 14th, 2024 | Filed under Dieting
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NO SURPRISE HERE:

Embarking on a weight loss journey is akin to a marathon, not a sprint, says Dalia Beydoun, R.D. Each persons weight loss journey is unique, with its own timeline, hurdles, and milestones. But for the majority of people, safe and sustainable weight loss takes time."

In general, though, weight loss can be delineated into three stages: rapid weight loss, gradual weight loss, and maintenance. The length of each stage depends on the individual, Michelle Routhenstein, R.D., preventive cardiology dietitian says. Being able to identify these stages may be a key sign of healthy and sustainable weight loss.

Ahead, dietitians spell out what you should know about the difference stages of weight loss, how much weight you can lose safely, and more.

There are a few.

It's not uncommon to see substantial drops in weight right at the beginning of a weight loss journey, as the body adapts to new habits, expands Tiffany Ma, R.D.N.

[This] rapid weight loss stage is the initial, and typically, the shortest stage. This is the time when diet modifications have just begun and there is a significant drop in body weight within a short period, says Beydoun. During this stage, individuals usually experience a pronounced decrease in water weight, likely due to a reduction in glycogen stores which are used up for energy when the body is in a calorie deficit.

This stage can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on factors such as starting weight, dietary changes, and physical activity levels," she says. "While rapid weight loss can be motivating, much of the initial drop on the scale can be attributed to fluid loss rather than fat loss."

People often incorporate drastic calorie restriction or extreme exercise regimens to hit this rapid weight loss stage quickly, says Routhensteinas you might see wrestlers do right before a weigh-in, or when someone needs to lose a few pounds to fit into a suit for an occasion. This approach can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and potential health risks such as gout attacks and liver issues."

Gradual, or slow weight loss, is the next stage of losing weight. As the body adapts to the changes introduced during the rapid weight loss phase, progress may slow down during the second stage, says Ma. This phase involves a more gradual and sustainable rate of weight loss, typically ranging from 0.5 to two pounds per week.

During this stage, individuals may focus on incorporating healthier eating habits, regular physical activity, and behavior modifications to support long-term weight management. It can last for several months or years, depending on the individual.

The pace of weight loss slows down compared to the initial rapid phase, but it is often more indicative of true fat loss rather than water weight," says Beydoun. You may be losing weight less quickly, but this stage of weight loss is what creates your success for the long haul. It allows for better preservation of muscle mass, reduces the risk of negative health consequences, and promotes long-term weight maintenance.

Once youve reached your goal weight range, your attention shifts to sticking at that weight for the months and years to come. This stage may come unintentionallywhat was once your calorie deficit becomes your maintenance calories as you lose weight.

Weight maintenance refers to the phase following successful weight loss where individuals actively work to sustain their achieved weight through continued adherence to healthy habits and lifestyle changes, says Beydoun. This phase is key for preventing the regaining of weight by anchoring those long term habits. It involves finding a sustainable balance between calorie intake and expenditure without excessive restriction, maintaining regular physical activity, and monitoring progress."

If youre noticing that you dont go directly from rapid weight loss to gradual weight loss, youre not alone.

Between the rapid and gradual weight loss stages, its common to experience intermediate phases of weight fluctuations and plateaus. While weight fluctuations are normal, plateaus may often require adjustments to dietary and exercise strategies, says Beydoun. These stages might make your weight loss journey more challenging, but they do show the value of long term lifestyle changes as opposed to rash, short term extreme diets.

Fluctuation between stages happen when individuals encounter obstacles like plateaus, cravings, and social pressures, Routhenstein says. "Successfully navigating this stage involves adapting strategies, building resilience, and seeking support to overcome setbacks and continue progressing towards long-term weight loss goals."

As we touched on above, to ensure sustainable, healthy weight loss, most people dont want to lose more than two pounds a week.

Rapid weight loss is not recommended, as losing more than two pounds in a week can cause muscle loss and increase the risk of gout attacks and liver scarring, says Routhenstein.

Not all weight loss is fat loss.

Fat loss refers to a decrease in body fat mass specifically, while weight loss encompasses any reduction in overall body weight, including water weight and muscle mass, says Routhenstein. Prioritizing fat loss through healthy lifestyle changes is preferred over simple weight loss for improved body composition and overall health."

The key concept here is zooming in on long-term fat loss over weight loss. It's essential to focus on sustainable fat loss rather than simply chasing a lower number on the scale since preserving lean muscle mass will promote overall health, says Ma. To avoid losing muscle mass while losing weight, prioritize strength training and keep up your protein intake.

Maintenance requires ongoing adherence to the healthy eating habits you participated in while you were losing weight and participating in regular physical activity, and whatever other lifestyle modifications you utilizedlike limiting alcohol and avoiding cigarettes and other drugs, Ma says. It's a lifelong commitment to health and well-being and is often considered the hardest part about ones weight loss journey, emphasizing sustainable habits rather than short-term fixes.

Perri is a New York City-born and -based writer; she holds a bachelors in psychology from Columbia University and is also a culinary school graduate of the plant-based Natural Gourmet Institute, which is now the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, Men's Journal, Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Insider.com, Architectural Digest, Southern Living, and more. She's probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she'll never turn down a bloody mary. Learn more at VeganWhenSober.com.

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What Are the Stages of Weight Loss? Dietitians Explain - Men's Health

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Feb 24th, 2024 | Filed under Weight Loss
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Eating well-balanced meals, moving more and increasing your fiber intake are healthy habits that are well-known to support healthy weight loss. And if youre looking to transform into your healthiest self, your best bet is also to keep a watch on the habits that may hinder your progress. Read on to learn about one surprisingand commonmistake people make during weight loss. If it resonates with you, were also here to give you some ideas about how to fix it.

The No. 1 mistake people make is drumroll focusing too much on the number on the scale. Weighing yourself may be a daily ritual, but its easy to fixate on what the scale says, allowing the digits to hold you captive or control your emotions.

No matter what the scale reflects, the truth is, it doesnt give you much information at all about your health. Weight is only one very tiny part of health as a whole. Health really is your whole physical and mental state of well-being, says Melanie Betz, M.S., RD, founder and CEO of The Kidney Dietitian. In our weight-centric culture, it is easy to fall into the trap of doing anything to get the number on the scale lower and ignore what it is doing to your mental or physical health, she says. If your bathroom scale has power, consider why it may not be serving you.

The average scale may not be helpful in measuring weight change. Several components make up your body weight, including fat, lean tissue (muscles and organs), bones and water, according to the National Library of Medicine.

The number on a scale, however, provides unclear information as your weight changes. The scale doesn't differentiate between fat loss, water-weight loss or muscle loss, says Bess Berger, a registered dietitian specializing in PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and menopause at Nutrition by Bess.

If you step on the scale and are 2 pounds higher than yesterday, you didnt gain 2 pounds of fat in 24 hours. Weight can fluctuate on a daily basis, anywhere from 1 to 4 pounds. This can be related to the food you eat, fluid shifts, stress levels and menstrual cycles for women, says Patricia Kolesa, M.S., RDN. Even how often you poop affects your weight.

These fluctuations can cause anxiety, especially if you weigh yourself daily. In one 2023 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, college students who weighed in daily reported having more weight-related stress and lower body satisfaction compared to a control group that took their temperatures daily. If the scale is a source of stress for you, avoid weighing yourself daily due to these natural changes, says Sarah Alsing, M.S., RD, owner of Delightfully Fueled. At most, weigh yourself weekly at the same time of day, she recommends.

Weight loss happens for plenty of reasons, both helpful and harmful. Someone may lose weight when they start eating high-fiber meals or prioritizing protein at breakfast. Another person may be restricting their intake through dangerous dieting methods. Just because the number on the scale is changing doesnt mean its a health-promoting behavior, says Kolesa.

Physical activity matters in this equation, too. For example, strength training can help you build muscle. Thats a great thingmore muscle helps improve blood sugar levels, strengthens bones and encourages fat loss. But there can be disappointment during a weigh-in. People may not see the number on the scale move if they are working to build muscle, says Alyssa Smolen, M.S., RDN, a nutrition content creator. Pound for pound, muscle and fat weigh the same, but they can look different on the body, she says.

Using the scale number as the sole indicator of weight-loss success robs you of celebrating many other benefits of weight loss. For example, you may be better able to manage a chronic disease, which may allow you to take less medication or eliminate it altogether, says Amy Beney, M.S., RD, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and owner of Nutrition Insights. There is a great sense of satisfaction when less medication is needed, and a huge sense of accomplishment when blood pressure or blood sugar is better controlled through diet and lifestyle, she says.

When you let your mind step outside of the scale, youll notice more of these non-scale weight-loss wins that deserve to be celebrated. One of my patients was upset that the scale wasnt moving but claimed she had more vitality, energy and better sleep since changing her habits, says Kierra Brown, M.S., RD, owner of Nutrition with Kie. I asked her if she would exchange all those benefits for the scale to be down 10 pounds. Her answer? No. Non-scale victories are important, if not more important than the number on the scale, she says.

Another way to fight scale obsession is to make goals that dont have anything to do with the scaleand write them down. For example, that might be taking a walk after dinner five nights a week or adding fruit to breakfast. Journaling is a powerful tool for tracking your progress. After defining your goal, take a moment to identify potential challenges and outline your plan to overcome them, says nutrition and food communications expert Jasmin Ilkay, M.P.H., RDN.

While you track your non-weight-related goals in your journal, consider adding some of the weight-loss benefits youre experiencing along the way. Rather than chasing a number on the scale, I encourage clients to focus on these wins, says Katie Schimmelpfenning, RD, a sports nutrition expert and owner of Eat Swim Win. For example:

You can find freedom from obsessing over scale numerals whether you choose to toss your scale or keep it. You can also talk to your medical provider about not disclosing your weight to you and avoid looking at the scale during weight checks, or you may ask not to be weighed altogether.

I tell people to throw away their scale all the time. It can be incredibly freeing to completely remove weight from the equation. If you don't even know how much you weigh, it can be easier to focus on more important ways to measure health, such as how your body feels or your lab results, says Betz.

If you weigh yourself daily, it may not be easy to stop cold turkey, so a gradual decrease may help. I have clients that get on the scale one or two times a day. I recommend they start weighing themselves less often by getting on the scale only every other day. After that, we can reassess from there. Its more important for one to feel good in their skin, have a good mental state and have energy than what the number on the scale says, says Berger.

Should everyone toss their home scales into a fiery pit? Not necessarily. The number can be helpful information. However, its important not to hyperfocus on it and instead to concentrate on the outcome you want. Remember that the number on the scale is not an evaluation of your self-worth; its simply data.

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The #1 Mistake People Make When Trying to Lose Weight, According to Dietitians - EatingWell

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Feb 14th, 2024 | Filed under Weight Loss
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The kind of protein youre eating could play an important role in managing a healthy weight.

Now more than ever, people are focused on hitting their protein goals. But its not just the amount of protein you get thats importantwhere it comes from is also key.

Protein is essential for the body to function and can be found in a wide variety of foods, including everything from low-fat dairy to tofu. However, not all sources of protein are created equally.

Generally speaking, people can get protein from animal sourcesthis includes chicken, fish, and eggsor they can get protein from plant-based sources, such as nuts, lentils, beans, or whole grains.

And though many people associate protein with meat, experts say plant-based options may be the healthiest option, particularly for people looking to lose or manage their weight.

The data has started to demonstrate more and more that plant protein is equally efficacious in terms of providing the nourishment needed for the human body, Amanda Velazquez, MD, director of obesity medicine at Cedars-Sinai, told Health. With plant-based protein, theres more benefits as a whole compared to animal protein.

Heres how animal protein and plant-based proteins compare when it comes to weight loss, as well as how to prioritize protein in a well-balanced diet.

Getty Images / FreshSplash

No matter the source, protein is a great way to aid in healthy weight loss or management.

Since protein can improve a persons metabolism, higher protein intake can lead to greater feelings of fullness, Amber Schaefer, MS, RDN, clinical nutrition lead and nutrition instructor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, told Health.

And protein doesnt just help people feel fullit can help people feel full for longer periods of time.

[Each macronutrient] affects the body differently in terms of how long it takes for digestion and processing in the gastrointestinal tract, said Velazquez. For protein, it takes longer to break it down and, as a result, requires more energy.

In addition to protein aiding in weight loss itself, its also a vital part of keeping the body healthy while people cut calories.

Inadvertently, an individual is going to lose some degree of muscle mass when theyre losing weight in combination with fat mass, said Velazquez. So in order to preserve that muscle mass, its critical for one to be taking in adequate amounts of protein for their body.

In terms of where to source protein from, experts agree that plant-based options tend to be healthier for the body as a whole.

For one, plant-based protein sources tend to have more fiber than animal protein.

When it comes to weight loss, its especially important to be not only having high protein in the diet, but also a high fiber diet, said Velazquez. Animal protein is not going to have as high fiber as plant-based proteins.

For example: A cup of black beans has about 42 grams of protein and about 30 grams of fiber. A half filet of yellowtail fish has about 43 grams of protein, but no fiber.

The boost of fiber often associated with plant-based proteins can promote additional aspects of well-being.

Plant-based proteins do incorporate fiber, of course, that also helps us to feel fuller longer and helps with our gut health and promotes regular bowel movements, said Schaefer. That in itself can help in weight management.

Plant-based products also tend to be overall healthier for the body.

It depends on the specific type of protein and how its cooked, but in general, plant-based proteins have fewer saturated fats than animal proteins, Schaefer explained.

We do recommend to stay away from overly processed options, because that can, of course, give extra calories from saturated fat, she said.

And, not only can processed foods be more caloric, but they also take more of a toll on the body.

Lunch meat, Velazquez said, is a good example of thisits often processed with nitrites, which have been associated with colorectal cancer.

More broadly, consuming large amounts of red meatespecially processedhas been linked to higher rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and mortality.

If we overdo our consumption of animal-based productsso say were eating large amounts of steak or porkover time, that can put a lot more stress on the body, Schaefer said.

In general, the amount of protein adults need each day boils down to about 0.8 grams for every kilogram of body weight.

That means someone whos 150 pounds needs about 55 grams of protein each day.

Whether its to lose weight or just to maintain health, people should try to get the right amount of protein for them every day.

Choosing where to get this protein from can be tricky. Products like protein powder can be easy additions to someone's routine that help them hit their protein goals.

Its a processed item, so being very vigilant and reading the nutrition label is key when it comes to protein powders, said Velazquez. If they have not tried one before and are looking to try one, then I would encourage plant-based.

Beyond just increasing protein intake with powders, the best thing to do is add more protein directly to your diet.

Plant-based protein may be the healthiest option, but that doesn't necessarily mean that a person has to go vegetarian or vegan overnight, Schaefer explained. Instead, make swaps whenever possible.

We do recommend at least getting three servings of some form of legume, whether that be lentils or chickpeas, or if you like, beans, said Schaefer. Just switching out maybe the red meat from that week so youre reducing the amount of saturated fat that youre getting.

She emphasized that restricting all animal protein isnt necessary to lose weight or maintain health, either.

A balanced diet can incorporate both animal and plant-based proteins, she said. My typical recommendation is to get a combination of the two.

In general, people should try leaning towards plant-based proteins, Velazquez said, but leaner proteins such as fish, seafood, chicken, and turkey are also good options if people do want to stick with some animal protein.

The important thing to know is that quality matters, she said.

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Animal vs. Plant-Based Protein For Weight Loss - Health.com

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Feb 14th, 2024 | Filed under Weight Loss
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Question

Dear Savvy Senior,

Does Medicare cover any weight-loss treatments for overweight retirees? I just turned 65 and need to lose about 100 pounds and would like to know if Medicare can help.

Overweight Owen

Dear Owen,

Yes, traditional Medicare does indeed cover some weight-loss treatments like counseling and certain types of surgery for overweight beneficiaries, but unfortunately it doesnt cover weight-loss programs or medications. Heres what you should know.

For beneficiaries to receive available Medicare-covered weight-loss treatments your body mass index (BMI), which is an estimate of your body fat based on your height and weight, must be 30 or higher.

A BMI of 30 or above is considered obese and increases your risk for many health conditions, such as some cancers, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and sleep apnea. To find out your BMI, the National Institutes of Health has a free calculator that you can access online here.

If you find that your BMI is 30 or higher, Medicare Part B will cover up to 12 months of weight-loss counseling conducted by a medical professional in a primary care setting (like a doctors office).

Most counseling sessions entail an initial obesity screening, a dietary assessment and behavioral therapy designed to help you lose weight by focusing on diet and exercise.

Medicare also covers certain types of bariatric and metabolic surgery for morbidly obese beneficiaries who have a BMI of 35 or above and have at least one underlying obesity-related health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease. You must also show that youve tried to lose weight in the past through dieting or exercise and have been unsuccessful.

These procedures make changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight and improve the health of your metabolism.

Some common bariatric surgical procedures covered include Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, which reduces the stomach to a small pouch that makes you feel full even following small meals. And laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, which inserts an inflatable band that creates a gastric pouch encircling the top of the stomach.

Unfortunately, original Medicare does not cover weight-loss programs such as fitness or gym memberships, meal delivery services or popular weight-loss programs such as Jenny Craig, Noom and WW (formerly Weight Watchers).

Medicare also does not cover any weight-loss drugs, but it does cover FDA-approved diabetes drugs that have unintentionally become very popular for weight loss.

Medicare Part D plans cover Ozempic and Mounjaro for diabetes only, not for weight loss! So, your doctor will need to prescribe these medications for diabetes in order to get them covered.

Medicare also does not cover Wegovy or Zepbound because theyre approved only for weight loss.

The reason behind the weight-loss drug omission is the Medicare Modernization Act, which specifically excluded them back when the law was written 20 years ago. They also excluded drugs used for cosmetic purposes, fertility, hair growth and erectile dysfunction.

Without insurance, weight-loss medications are expensive, often costing $1,000 to $1,300 a month. To help curb costs, try websites like GoodRX.com or SingleCare.com to find the best retail prices in your area. Or, if your income is limited, try patient assistance programs through Eli Lilly , which makes Mounjaro and Zepbound, or Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy.

If you happen to be enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan, you may have coverage for gym memberships and some weight loss and healthy food delivery programs. These are considered expanded supplemental benefits and have gradually been added to some plans to provide coverage for nutrition, health and wellness. Contact your plan to see what it provides.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.

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Does Medicare cover weight-loss treatments? - East Idaho News

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Feb 14th, 2024 | Filed under Weight Loss
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Every year, roughly 45 million Americans go on a diet and spend about $33 billion on weight loss products. Todays diets often drive people to limit the amount of calories they consume or eliminate entire food groups. Theres the Atkins diet and the keto diet, along with intermittent fasting, the paleo diet, and Whole30. On TikTok, people promote all kinds of eating plans, including calorie counting, intuitive eating, and vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free diets.[]

While these diets may help people lose weight in the short term, the results gained through fad dieting tend to be short-lived and cause considerable physical and emotional harm, according to a study recently published in Sage Journals.[]

Dieting can snowball into weight cycling, or yo-yo dieting, in which people regularly alter their eating habits and dangerously cycle between losing and regaining weight. As the researchers put it, Weight loss was often achieved at considerable cost, and typically fleeting, as the cycle continued.[]

Dana Ellis Hunnes, Ph.D., MPH, RD, a senior clinical dietitian at UCLA Medical Center, assistant professor at UCLAs Fielding School of Public Health, and author of Recipe For Survival, says that diets may seem like an effective way to lose weight fast with little effort. But the reality is that they're frequently not good for your health and do not have lasting results, which is really what people want but don't get with trendy diets, says Hunnes.

Why fad diets arent effectiveor healthy

These new findings suggest that unless someone needs to medically lose weight due to a health condition, its not recommended they go on a diet. We found that dieting for aesthetic reasons, as most people do, results in so many harmful behaviors, ranging from disordered eating and exercise, [to] all-consuming thoughts about calories and the scale, to low self-esteem and confidence, missed out social opportunities and friendships, and, in general, not being very happy as weight yo-yos up and down, the studys co-author, Lynsey Romo, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Communication at North Carolina State University, tells MDLinx.

In the short term, fad dieting may cause people to become irritable and moody, says Zachary Appenzeller, PsyD, a psychologist and Director of UTHealth Houstons Center for Eating Disorders. In an effort to control what they eat, people may end up thinking excessively about food, he adds, which can lead to disordered eating and binge eating.[]

Certain diets may cause people to become malnourished or lack crucial nutrients that make their bodies strong and healthy. People following the keto diet, for example, tend to restrict calories in a way that slows down their metabolism, explains Hunnes. When they revert to eating the way they did before the diet, their bodies store more fat, especially around the midsection, in an effort to preserve calories.[]

Weight cycling can have a disastrous impact on mental health: evidence has linked it to higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and poor body image. In addition, post-diet weight regain can increase risks of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and hormone-mediated cancers, such as breast cancer, Hunnes adds. In addition, eating excess amounts of meat, as is encouraged with the keto diet, can trigger inflammation and increase the risk of developing various cancers, including colorectal cancer. As a result, many diets shorten peoples lives and make them look and feel worse, Hunnes adds.[]

It is very hard for people to diet without regaining the weight, and then some, and for [the diet not] to take such a negative toll on people, Romo says.

Why so many people fall for trendy diets

According to the new study, while many people start dieting to get healthy and lose weight, people also do so to get thinner and to sculpt their bodies to cultural beauty standards. Past research has shown that people associate weight loss with a better life.[]

We live in a society that largely overvalues the importance of physical appearance, and currently, the trend is to idealize unrealistically thin, lean, and/or muscular bodies, says Dr. Appenzeller. In addition, social media apps allow people to alter their body shape and appearance in photos. Other people may compare themselves to what they see in the images circulating on social media and experience dissatisfaction with their own bodies, evidence suggests.[]

This, in turn, can lead to low self-esteem and disordered eating habits, including fad dieting. When we look good in the short term, it makes us feel better about ourselves, and people are constantly chasing that good feeling, says Hunnes. This approach isnt sustainable. Many people burn out and end up reverting to their old eating habits, causing them to quickly regain the weight they lostand, in some cases, more. We have yet to find a magic bullet diet that helps people long-term to suppress their weight. [Fad diets] almost always come along with an array of negative psychological consequences that can range from mildly uncomfortable to severely impairing, says Dr. Appenzeller.[]

How to lose weightand keep it off

The most effective way to maintain a healthy weight is by adhering to long-term healthy lifestyle behaviors, says Hunnes. Quick fixes are rarely the answer, she adds. She recommends eating a high-fiber, whole-food, plant-based diet. For those wanting to work with a nutritionist, she recommends looking for someone who promotes real, whole foods over supplements or prepackaged meal plans. Listen to your body: Eat only as much as your body needs and wants. Don't overstuff yourself, Hunnes says.

Dr. Appenzeller believes that fad diets are one of the biggest scams out there: Diet companies make billions of dollars a year off of this lie that we can somehow, [in the] long term, have the ability to suppress our weight below where our body would naturally like to be. [These companies] disregard the scientific literature that speaks to the contrary.. Diets operate on the misguided premise that you can change your body if you try harder, eat less, and work out more. They ignore the fact that there is a general weight and size that our bodies are largely biologically predetermined to be, Dr. Appenzeller says.

His advice: Live your life by attending to the things you can change, like relationships, connections with others, and hobbies that bring you joy. There is so much that life has to offer us, and peoples worth comes from so much more than their ability to control the size and shape of their organs, Dr. Appenzeller says.

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Study shocker: Diets might hurt more than they help, says new research - MD Linx

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Feb 14th, 2024 | Filed under Dieting
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No matter how much work you do to unlearn diet cultures brainwashing or feel comfortable in your skin, there are going to be days when you feel bad about your body. Think about it: We live in a society that constantly tells us smaller is better, and that getting as close as possible to the thin ideal will earn you love, acceptance, and dignified treatment.

Humans are deeply relational and need to feel a secure sense of belonging, Amber Stevens, PsyD, clinical director of Galia Collaborative in Cincinnati, Ohio, tells SELF. The constant pursuit of shrinking our bodies through dieting has historically been one of the more effective ways to reduce the threat of judgment from others.

But the reality is that dieting rarely leads to long-term weight loss (in fact, it tends to cause weight gain, research shows). In my experience as a dietitian who helps people recover from eating disorders, Ive seen firsthand how food restriction tends to do far more harm than good. Ive also seen how easy it is for folks to fall for the big promises of every new weight-loss fad and dive in headfirst, forgetting about all the ways diets have failed (and hurt) them in the pastor believing that this time will be different.

Thats where a little self-reflection can help: Remembering your past experiences is a powerful tool for resisting the (understandable) temptation to follow food rulesand working toward the food and body peace you deserve. The next time youre feeling like crap about your body and thinking a diet might be the answer, try the exercise below to see the full picture of how this same scenario has played out in the past.

Reflect on your previous experiences with diets to remind yourself that they ultimately didnt deliver on their promises. Maybe you went on a low-carb plan that left you dreaming of baguettes every nightand eventually binging on chocolate chip cookies every weekend. Maybe you had some success with calorie counting for a couple of months several years ago, only to find yourself obsessed with your tracking app, turning down dinner invitations with friends, and back at your starting weight a few months later.

The more we look at the evidence that diets have failed us, the more we can come to terms with the fact that theyre a money-making ruse, Dr. Stevens says. We have been sold a bill of lies that eventually dieting will work, and that if it doesnt result in permanent weight loss, its our fault rather than the fact diets are designed to fail. The shame that this creates can be incredibly difficult to climb out of. Use your list of the ways diets have failed you as proof that theyre to blame, not you.

Equally important is thinking about all the things you could gain from unlearning diet cultures BS, which can be hard to imagine if youve never actually given yourself a chance to experience them. So heres another quick exercise to try:

Think about what youd do differently in your day-to-day life if you werent worried about what would (or wouldnt) happen to your body as a result. If people have spent countless hours trying to adhere to strict eating or exercise rules, they realize they have a lot more free time when they give these things up, Abby Chan, RD, co-owner of Evolve Flagstaff in Flagstaff, Arizona tells SELF.

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Try This 5-Minute Mental Exercise the Next Time You Feel Crappy About Your Body - Self

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Feb 14th, 2024 | Filed under Dieting
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WE'VE ALL BEEN thereyou've been working your butt off both in the

It's reasonable to feel defeated when this happens. You've put in a lot of work to get to a weight you're happy with, and you're pretty sure you haven't done anything different to constitute the weight gain. Why does sudden weight gain happen, anyway?

Don't be discouragedweight fluctuations are actually totally normal (more on that here). It's not uncommon to see your weight raise and lower a few pounds. It's even likely that you don't weigh the same at night as you did in the morning. Weight fluctuates between one to six pounds based on a bunch of factors, including hydration, salt intake, and fluid retention. If you're seeing weight gain in the double digits overnight, though, that might be a reason to consult your doctor.

Variable weights and even weight gain can be normal, especially during the last two months of the year when candy (from Halloween), and major holidays and holiday parties are frequent, says Dana Ellis Hunnes Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., a senior clinical dietitian at UCLA medical center and author of Recipe For Survival. However, if you are gaining weight at other times of the year, and you have not changed your diet, this can be a cause for concern; as it can be an indication of underlying disease, such as congestive heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease.

A handful of things that can cause sudden weight gain, below.

Sodium consumption causes your body to retain water. Water has weight and volume. So if you eat a lot of salty food several days in a row, you may suddenly gain weight, he says.

Restaurant foodand especially fast foodtends to be loaded with sodium. So if you've recently filled your days with takeout and restaurant meals, that could account for your abrupt influx of pounds.

Keep in mind, however, that plenty of foods you eat at home are sodium-heavy as well. Bread, sandwiches, cold cuts and cured meats are some of the top sources of sodium in the American diet.

Yes, limiting your intake of sodium is important, but it's not the only important nutrient when it comes to water weight.

Potassium is like a sodium counter-weight. While sodium helps maintain the fluid around your cells, potassium helps your muscles work and regulates blood pressure. The two go hand-in-hand, and if one is out of whack, overall hydration suffers.

While there's no recommended daily amount for potassium intake, experts seem to indicate that 3,400 milligrams is a good daily amount to target in men ages 19 and older.

There are many medications that may cause weight gain, says W. Scott Butsch, M.D., director of obesity medicine in the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.

In fact, medication may cause up to 15 percent of obesity cases, he says.

Two common culprits: Depression medications (including SSRIs) and heart disease drugs (beta blockers), says Butsch. But prescription sleep aids, painkillers, and even some allergy-blocking antihistamines can cause a bump in weight, he says.

Add steroids and testosterone-boosting drugs or supplements to that list, too, Cheskin says. These drugs act on your hormones, which could certainly spur a sudden weight increase. That includes OTC or internet-order supplements, he adds. It doesn't have to come from your PCP's prescription pad in order to be a pounds-adding culprit.

If the weight gain is concerning, go back to the doctor who prescribed the medication to you to assess continued use or if any adjustments need to be made. And if it's OTC or online supplement that you're taking and you haven't told your primary care doc that you've been taking it, well, it's probably time that you do.

As Ellis Hunnes points out, if you are on diuretics for medical reasons, and then they are changed, or you stop taking them, fluid weight gain can result.

In most of these cases, this is not true weight, says Ellis Hunnes. True weight gain would be related to change in diet, change in exercise pattern, change in metabolic rate (thyroid dysfunction), etc.

Of course, talk with your doctor to make sure this is whats happening to you if you recently stopped diuretics or changed the amount of these medicines that you take.

This one may seem obvious. But people don't realize how quickly it can happen. If you've been boosting your calorie count consistently for a month or two, you could even see a five or ten-pound increase in weight, Cheskin says.

Its important to recognize that these changes can be subtle. Maybe youve started doing weekly happy hours. Or maybe you bought new dishes or bowls, and so your portion sizes have increased without you realizing it. If youre eating just 500 calories more a week, over time that can add up, he says.

Consider keeping a diet journal, using a calorie-counting app, or just nixing out the dietary habit that you feeling like might be the offender to see if you begin to lose weight.

If you move from an extremely low-carb plan, like keto, to a diet that contains more grains and starches, you'll immediately notice a difference on the scale. That's because carbs are stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. Each gram of glycogen contains about three grams of water, meaning that a plate of pasta will store extra water in your tissues.

Carbohydrates are important, both in terms of exercise (glycogen is a powerful source of workout fuel) and general health (fiber is a carbohydrate!).

It would be really, really nice if lost weight stayed lost. But often just the opposite is true.

Our body weight and body fat are tightly regulated, and [our system] will act to maintain balance, Butsch says. Put another way, any pounds you manage to drop are likely to returneven if you keep up your weight-loss routines, he adds.

So if you recently dropped some weight, its very likely that youll put some of it back on regardless of how much youre eating or exercisingand that's completely normal.

Smoking is an appetite suppressant, so when you stop smoking, youre likely to eat more and thus gain weight. Dont worry too much though, those who gain weight after stopping dont typically gain a significant amount, according to a 2019 JAMA Network study.

Roughly one in five adults has an under-active thyroidalso known as hypothyroidismaccording to the National Institutes of Health. While this condition is much more common in women, Cheskin says plenty of men experience hypothyroidism, which can cause sudden and significant weight gain.

While less typical, some other hormone disordersnamely, Cushings diseasecan also cause weight gain, Butsch says. If you have one of these endocrine disorders, weight gain probably wont be your only symptom, he adds. Fatigue, weakness, headaches, problems thinking, and depression or irritability are all signs of these hormone disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In addition to improper function of the endocrine system, other chronic conditions or diseases can be the culprit when it comes to sudden weight gain. If you notice you are gaining one-to-two pounds every few days (or even every day), see your doctor ASAP, says Ellis Hunnes, adding that this is likely fluid weight, and can be an indication that your kidneys aren't releasing enough liquid from your body.

This can be because your kidneys are failing, or you have liver disease that is causing you to leak fluid into your extracellular space (this can be called third spacing, edema, or ascites, depending on where it is or how it manifests)," Ellis Hunnes says.

According to a 2022 study in JAMA Internal Medicine, those who sleep less are likely to eat more, and crave higher-calorie foods. So, if youve undergone some lifestyle changes that may prevent you from sleeping, such as having a baby, you may put on a few pounds.

Sudden weight gain can be an early symptom of heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. Weight gain of more than two or three pounds within a 24 hour period may be a sign your body is retaining fluids, which happens when our heart is not functioning properly.

A good way to tell if your weight gain may be heart related is if you're finding an increase in swelling in your lower limbs. This fluid often collects in the ankles, lower legs, and feet. Other symptoms, such as an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and confusion, may also occur.

If your weight gain is hitting double digits overnight, is compounded with other symptoms, or you're slowly gaining more and more weight every day, see your doctor as soon as possible. You likely don't need to pay a visit if your weight is fluctuating a bit, but talk to your doctor next time you see them to ensure that's normal for you.

Melissa Matthews is the Health Writer at Men's Health, covering the latest in food, nutrition, and health.

Perri is a New York City-born and -based writer; she holds a bachelors in psychology from Columbia University and is also a culinary school graduate of the plant-based Natural Gourmet Institute, which is now the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, Men's Journal, Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Insider.com, Architectural Digest, Southern Living, and more. She's probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she'll never turn down a bloody mary. Learn more at VeganWhenSober.com.

Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men's Health and a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.

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Feb 6th, 2024 | Filed under How to Lose Weight Fast
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If youre one of the one in three Australians whose New Years resolution involved losing weight, its likely youre now contemplating what weight-loss goal you should actually be working towards.

But type setting a weight loss goal into any online search engine and youll likely be left with more questions than answers.

Sure, the many weight-loss apps and calculators available will make setting this goal seem easy. Theyll typically use a body mass index (BMI) calculator to confirm a healthy weight and provide a goal weight based on this range.

Your screen will fill with trim-looking influencers touting diets that will help you drop ten kilos in a month, or ads for diets, pills and exercise regimens promising to help you effortlessly and rapidly lose weight.

Most sales pitches will suggest you need to lose substantial amounts of weight to be healthy making weight loss seem an impossible task. But the research shows you dont need to lose a lot of weight to achieve health benefits.

Read more: Can you be overweight and healthy?

Were a society fixated on numbers. So its no surprise we use measurements and equations to score our weight. The most popular is BMI, a measure of our body weight-to-height ratio.

BMI classifies bodies as underweight, normal (healthy) weight, overweight or obese and can be a useful tool for weight and health screening.

But it shouldnt be used as the single measure of what it means to be a healthy weight when we set our weight-loss goals. This is because it:

fails to consider two critical factors related to body weight and health body fat percentage and distribution

does not account for significant differences in body composition based on gender, ethnicity and age.

Losing just 510% of our body weight between 6 and 12kg for someone weighing 120kg can significantly improve our health in four key ways.

1. Reducing cholesterol

Obesity increases the chances of having too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol also known as bad cholesterol because carrying excess weight changes how our bodies produce and manage lipoproteins and triglycerides, another fat molecule we use for energy.

Having too much bad cholesterol and high triglyceride levels is not good, narrowing our arteries and limiting blood flow, which increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

But research shows improvements in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels are evident with just 5% weight loss.

2. Lowering blood pressure

Our blood pressure is considered high if it reads more than 140/90 on at least two occasions.

Excess weight is linked to high blood pressure in several ways, including changing how our sympathetic nervous system, blood vessels and hormones regulate our blood pressure.

Essentially, high blood pressure makes our heart and blood vessels work harder and less efficiently, damaging our arteries over time and increasing our risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

Like the improvements in cholesterol, a 5% weight loss improves both systolic blood pressure (the first number in the reading) and diastolic blood pressure (the second number).

A meta-analysis of 25 trials on the influence of weight reduction on blood pressure also found every kilo of weight loss improved blood pressure by one point.

3. Reducing risk for type 2 diabetes

Excess body weight is the primary manageable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, particularly for people carrying a lot of visceral fat around the abdomen (belly fat).

Carrying this excess weight can cause fat cells to release pro-inflammatory chemicals that disrupt how our bodies regulate and use the insulin produced by our pancreas, leading to high blood sugar levels.

Read more: Can I actually target areas to lose fat, like my belly?

Type 2 diabetes can lead to serious medical conditions if its not carefully managed, including damaging our heart, blood vessels, major organs, eyes and nervous system.

Research shows just 7% weight loss reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%.

4. Reducing joint pain and the risk of osteoarthritis

Carrying excess weight can cause our joints to become inflamed and damaged, making us more prone to osteoarthritis.

Observational studies show being overweight doubles a persons risk of developing osteoarthritis, while obesity increases the risk fourfold.

Small amounts of weight loss alleviate this stress on our joints. In one study each kilogram of weight loss resulted in a fourfold decrease in the load exerted on the knee in each step taken during daily activities.

If youve ever tried to lose weight but found the kilos return almost as quickly as they left, youre not alone.

An analysis of 29 long-term weight-loss studies found participants regained more than half of the weight lost within two years. Within five years, they regained more than 80%.

When we lose weight, we take our body out of its comfort zone and trigger its survival response. It then counteracts weight loss, triggering several physiological responses to defend our body weight and survive starvation.

Read more: What's the 'weight set point', and why does it make it so hard to keep weight off?

Just as the problem is evolutionary, the solution is evolutionary too. Successfully losing weight long-term comes down to:

losing weight in small manageable chunks you can sustain, specifically periods of weight loss, followed by periods of weight maintenance, and so on, until you achieve your goal weight

making gradual changes to your lifestyle to ensure you form habits that last a lifetime.

Setting a goal to reach a healthy weight can feel daunting. But it doesnt have to be a pre-defined weight according to a healthy BMI range. Losing 510% of our body weight will result in immediate health benefits.

At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can register here to express your interest.

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How much weight do you actually need to lose? It might be a lot less than you think - The Conversation

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Feb 6th, 2024 | Filed under Weight Loss
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Cycling is well known for its health benefits. It can boost mental health and increase the performance of the cardiovascular system. It is also seen as a great method for losing weight but how true is that and whats the right way to go about it? In this video, Ollie helps us understand it.

The relationship between cyclists and weight has forever been complicated. It is simple physics that if you lose some excess weight and retain your power, you will ride faster especially as the road points upwards. It is also no secret that the overwhelming majority of riders could drop a kilo or two without experiencing any issues, however, how this is done is where the problems really come into play.

Disordered eating is an affliction that is not reserved for professional riders looking to squeeze out every performance gain they can on the hunt for the lightest possible physique. Any performance-based rider who keeps an eye on the scales can find themselves at risk of developing an unhealthy relationship with food.

This statement sounds like complete rubbish on the face of it. We have long been told that exercise is one of the key components of weight loss and that without a fair amount of physical activity, it would be a hard ask to shed some pounds.

A recent study looked at something called the constrained energy model that was devised by a scientist called Ponser. The research looked at the behaviour around exercise and found that people who participated in physical activities, such as long bike rides, would conserve energy elsewhere in the day. This is something we can all relate to after getting in from a long tough ride. The sofa is all too inviting and more often than not, where we find ourselves for the rest of the day.

The saying goes, You cant out-exercise a bad diet and that is exactly what Ollie focuses on here. The solution for losing weight is not to ride your bike for more hours per week, instead, it is to be aware of how you are fueling your body.

The number one thing to avoid if you are looking to lose weight and keep it off is any fad diet. It is possible to find some level of success with these diets however it is typically short-lived, difficult to maintain and will ultimately end in a blowout. More often than not that results in weight gain rather than weight loss.

Wherever you turn online youll likely be bombarded with influencers promoting their diet surrounded by bold claims that make it sound like exactly what you have been looking for. If you dig a little deeper most of these diets are based on zero scientific research.

Fad diets tend to draw you in by offering fast results or making it sound incredibly easy by allowing you to eat your favourite foods. The harsh reality is that there are no shortcuts to sustainable and manageable weight loss. To go about things properly the process should be slow with small changes made over a larger period.

Consuming fruits and vegetables is a great way of eating plenty of food to feel full, without cramming the calories in. When compared to processed foods, fruits and vegetables contain far fewer calories per gram consumed as well as providing vital micronutrients for good gut health along with a generous helping of fibre.

It comes as quite a shock to find out that around 75% of the world's food comes from just 12 plants and five animals. This lack of diversity in our diets is far from beneficial for our health as it can leave massive gaps in the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that we need. As a rough guideline aim to consume 30 different plants a week. This can come from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and spices.

At the other end of the spectrum, we have ultra-processed foods. These are often nutritionally lacking but calorically dense. These foods are also far more easily absorbed into the body meaning that they can cause far greater spikes in blood sugar levels, contribute to weight gain and reduce the diversity of your microbiome. As the name suggests these foods have a combination of hard-to-pronounce chemicals in the absence of fibre, further reducing the benefit of consuming these foods.

It might not come as a great surprise to find out that the more research that is carried out on the chemicals used in ultra-processed foods the more it appears that these could harm health.

But how exactly can you spot an ultra-processed food? There are plenty of foods out there that have some level of processing so how can we identify the ones that are ultra processed? The easiest way is to use a method devised by Brazilian scientist Carlos Montero which is to ask yourself the following questions. Does it come in plastic packaging? Does it contain one or more ingredients that you wouldnt typically expect to find in the kitchen?

With this in mind, it becomes a rather shocking statistic that for Brits and Americans more than half of our calories come in the form of ultra-processed foods. When you realise that things such as breakfast cereals, premade sandwiches, bread and yoghurts all fall under the umbrella of ultra-processed it becomes clear just how much of an issue it really is.

On long endurance rides having a source of fuel that is calorie-dense and quickly absorbed by the body can be a benefit. Fuelling purely on natural foods such as fruits and nuts is great however these can take a long time to get absorbed into the body and can offer a slow and steady release of energy.

Sometimes this is not what is needed and being able to get valuable glycogen to your muscles as fast as possible is required. This is where specific ultra-processed nutritional products come in and serve a valid purpose.

This is another counterintuitive step. We are often told the best way to lose weight is to count your calories so you can form a slight calorie deficit to allow body fat to be used to fill in the gap. We have to eat a bit of humble pie here and admit that some of our advice in the past has been to count calories; however, fresh research has shown that this is simply not an effective way to go about sustainable weight loss.

Although this is a method we are all familiar with, it might surprise you to find out that there have been zero long-term studies that have shown that calorie restriction has led to weight loss beyond the initial few weeks. From a simple thermodynamics approach, the logic behind calorie restriction checks out, the issue is the human body is not a machine. When the amount of calories coming in is reduced the body simply adapts to this by altering your metabolic rate. This means that if you restrict calories, your body will adjust the rate at which it burns the food to match.

The issue with calorie counting is that it massively simplifies what is actually a very complex process. Calorie counting is incredibly hard to do with any level of accuracy as foods can differ in their caloric content with the regulations only stipulating that labels have to be correct +/- 20%.

Firstly the unit of a calorie is as far removed from how we use them in our bodies as it is possible to be. One calorie is a measure of the amount of energy it takes to warm 1cm^3 of water by one degree Celsius. Then there is how food caloric values are calculated which has remained largely unchanged since the 1800s which involves incinerating the food to see how much energy is released.

The issue with this is humans are not incinerators and although we refer to the energy of food being burnt off we dont actually have a furnace inside us. This means that the calorie data we see is heavily caveated all the way from the unit through to what the caloric value of food actually means for us.

One of the easiest ways for weight loss to become unsustainable is to make it too rigid and difficult to follow. Trying to stick to whole foods religiously or exclude food groups can make it incredibly difficult to follow and can have you fighting an eternal battle for cravings and tastes that you enjoy.

Instead, everything should be in moderation and being aware of what you eat and having some broad guidelines to follow on what you are looking to consume is the best way to take a holistic and sustainable approach.

Consistency is the biggest component of weight loss so having a treat once in a while will not throw everything out of the window. Equally, stress has been associated with weight gain so adding stress in the form of a restrictive diet could have counterproductive results.

Blood sugar spikes are when easily absorbed foods are consumed rapidly causing the level of sugar in the blood to increase very quickly. They are attributed to numerous negative health outcomes when spikes are commonly repeated day after day.

Something that a lot of us can all benefit from is spending a little bit longer chewing our food. Not only does it allow us to enjoy the taste and texture of the food more but it also slows down the rate at which the components of the food are absorbed, including sugars.

As cyclists, we typically consume more carbohydrates than the general population which can lead to blood sugar spikes. The best time to consume a lot of these carbohydrates is whilst we are exercising as our body is in a different metabolic state that is more adept at processing and using carbohydrates than when sedentary.

Sleep is one of the other vital components attributed to weight loss, with poor sleep linked to health issues such as type two diabetes and heart disease. It goes one step further than this with studies showing that people who consistently get insufficient sleep are at greater risk of obesity and weight gain.

The hormones present in your body after a poor night's sleep can leave you feeling hungrier and have you reaching for sweet foods more so than if you had a restorative sleep. So putting in the effort to establish an evening and morning routine that facilitates adequate sleep can seriously help your weight loss ambitions.

Do you have any experience with weight loss, we would love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments section below. For even more fitness features like this one head over to the fitness section of the website.

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The truth behind cycling and the science of weight loss - Global Cycling Network

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