Many people simply do not believe that they will be able to lose weight, and those who have lost weight either gain it or lose it again, switching from diet to diet in order to keep it off. Over the years, diets become stricter, restrictions become stricter, metabolism becomes slower, health becomes less and less, and inspiration even more so. A nutritionist told VOICE why the extra pounds keep coming back.
According to research, in recent years the percentage of overweight men has relatively stabilized, while that of women is growing. This is a consequence of women’s vulnerability, emotionality and susceptibility to both external and internal factors of influence. Even the slightest provocation can disrupt hormonal and behavioral settings for a long time. Everyone has their own reasons for failure to lose weight – we’ll tell you about the 12 main ones.
Reason #1: Loss of vigilance
As soon as you give in, the body quickly restores the “status quo”. He won’t get used to the new weight in a couple of years, allowing you to live like this automatically, so always keep your eyes open. A lack of fat compared to the abundance of reserves and evolutionary peace that you once provided is discomfort for the body. For some time you will revel in triumph and even happily eat as before, without gaining weight at first, but inertia does not last forever – gain will begin.
After losing weight, you need to maintain your weight. Maintenance is an increase in calorie intake to values that allow you to no longer lose weight, but at the same time not to gain it. The problem is that the body will try to make this happen through trigger foods and pleasant habits that make us overeat slightly but systematically. This way we will gain weight faster and more reliably, and this is exactly what the body needs. Therefore, after losing weight, check your new caloric intake and strictly adhere to it.
Trigger foods can be different – for example, fruits and berries, too much dairy. They are all so correct and low-calorie, you don’t have to count too much, and somehow, unnoticeably, you end up with a kilogram of tangerines. As a result, the appetite increases, the person is drawn further, towards more “criminal” sweets.
Reason #2: Low or no fat diet
If there is not enough fat in your diet, then vitamins and microelements are poorly absorbed, which creates a feeling of constant hunger. In addition, fat is the main hormonal well-being, the raw material for the synthesis of steroid hormones.
Remember: a low fat content in the diet leads to eternal hunger and breakdowns, and breakdowns specifically due to carbohydrates.
Reason #3: There is a lot of “processed” food left in the refrigerator.
Minimize processed foods in your diet: that is, sauces and dressings, bread, crackers, crispbreads, juices, store-bought canned goods. They contain a lot of flavor enhancers, preservatives, salt and chemical agents. Avoiding such products will greatly help those who have problems with the skin, joints, thyroid gland, and autoimmune diseases.
Reason #4: problems with training
It’s bad to skew in any direction: when those losing weight don’t attach any importance to it, and when they “kill themselves” in cardio or strength training. Moreover, the second option is contraindicated for women in principle; stress simply consumes them. The point is not that you won’t succeed, but that you will have to maintain this rhythm always, purposefully destroying the central nervous system. And if you quit, your disgust for the gym will remain for many years.
Strength exercises, of course, should be present in life: toned and active muscles will both take away excess energy and please the eye. But they must be moderate. Adequate training that gives muscle tone is the best remedy against visceral fat and insulin resistance.
Reason No. 5: ignoring the situation with the thyroid gland
Monitor the general condition of the body: get tested for thyroid hormones and check its condition at least once a year. Don’t put yourself in a severe calorie deficit. If you eat 900 kcal daily, then nothing will happen in a month, but in the next six months the thyroid gland may go on strike.
A significant decrease in caloric intake has an extremely negative impact on women’s reproductive health and the endocrine system, so control is required. If, with a daily caloric intake of 1300-1500 kcal, the weight does not come off, this does not mean that you need to cut it down even more – this is a reason to go and deal with the endocrine system. Nutrient deficiency is an extremely dangerous situation for the thyroid gland.
Reason No. 6: the habit of driving yourself into stress with any actions
Being stressed is also an addiction that not everyone can admit to themselves, and dieting is one of the favorite ways to make fun of yourself. As a result, elevated cortisol and insulin overwhelm willpower, leading to chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalance. Stressful weight loss will not achieve a beautiful body – a “cortisol” tummy appears, and the buttocks become sluggish and flat.
To avoid this, get rid of stress factors – do not cut calories to the extreme, introduce comfortable physical activity that does not cause horror and disgust. Don’t indulge your cravings for carbohydrates – they will disappear as soon as you get enough of normal food. Animal proteins in combination with fats and a moderate amount of fiber are ideal.
Reason #7: Taking certain medications
Some medications cause a constant feeling of hunger. Treatment comes first, but weight gain may indicate that it is not a good fit for you. Therefore, draw the doctor’s attention to this if this happens, and ask to adjust the treatment. The sooner you do this, the better.
Reason #8: Concentrating on nutrition and exercise while ignoring sleep
Many people note that quality sleep has a positive effect on weight loss. Lack of rest provokes increased activity of appetite hormones, fat-storing hormones (primarily insulin and cortisol), low levels of the main “fat burners” – growth hormone and testosterone. You need to get enough sleep (at least 7 hours), in suitable conditions, and also not go to bed after midnight.
Reason #9: Using Food to Heal Negative Emotions
Many people relax with alcohol, desserts or a hearty dinner after a hard day. We often replace true feelings with these habits. If you want to relax, we eat. If I want to cry, we eat. If I want to hug, we eat again. And so on. You should always ask yourself the question: “What do I really want now?”
Emotional eating is a major stressor in the long term. Overeating affects not only weight – almost any weight is good, except for obvious obesity – but also health, and enormously.
Reason #10: Too much of the right food
Eating the right foods can also help you gain weight. Lack of control over portion size is the main mistake of many adherents of a healthy lifestyle. And if they are still careful with bread or ice cream, then with avocado, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, cheese, cottage cheese and even butter they do not slow down at all. And even more so with fruits, berries and vegetables. This is also a mistake – moderation is good in everything.
Reason #11: Food allergies and sensitivities
A person cannot maintain shape or lose weight with constant discomfort. Skin, intestines, joints – all this must exist and work calmly, quietly and “on its own”, without distracting the owner. If you regularly allow yourself what is not suitable for your body, then instead of calm, proper functioning, it will forever struggle with chronic inflammation.
“The body demands” is not an excuse, because the pathogenic microflora and the brain corrupted by food connivance demand all sorts of nonsense.
But some, knowing about the consequences, still resist with all their hands and feet: dairy does not suit them – they begin to look for lactose-free versions, take some special enzymes. Free yourself from the “suspects” for a while – it is very likely that life will sparkle with new colors. If it doesn’t play, you can calmly return the tested product to your diet.
Reason No. 12: women do not pay attention to the cyclical nature of their conditions
Men, by their physiology, are more linear in this regard, but in the female body, hormones are constantly rearranging – first one state, then another. Everyone knows the change in state during PMS – endless eating, constant tears, swearing, or even all three. And every time it’s the same circle: PMS – breakdown – despair. Motivation is lost, and a small breakdown develops into a protracted one: for some it lasts a month, for others it lasts a year. Nothing physically provokes you anymore, but during this time you have become convinced of your hopelessness and simply continue to eat.
Any unpleasant condition lasts three days. Whatever happens during this period, clear out of your head what you did during this time and get back into the routine. Otherwise, it will control you – it’s not so much physiology as it is a script. It became bad and difficult, control was lost – give yourself a vacation from one to three days, don’t try to do anything with your diet, don’t count calories and don’t weigh yourself.
Give yourself the mindset that no more than three days is not a failure, but a planned rest. This “nourishing” detoxification of the nervous system will be comfortable and effective. The only condition is not to overeat on sweets and refined foods, because all this pumps up blood glucose and will negatively affect your overall health. After such a “vacation”, you will calmly integrate into the normal rhythm of life and, perhaps, even understand what mistakes led to stress.
Nature has created women as fragile, beautiful and sensitive, so there is no need to “plow” yourself in the gym, “punish” yourself for breakdowns and “sew up your mouth” – throw these terms out of your vocabulary forever. Stay true to yourself and start using what you are really strong at – flexibility, sensitivity and the ability to create a special atmosphere both within yourself and around you.
