This is sometimes a touchy subject as there is so much talk about diets in the media. I know lots of women who have tried one diet or another, only to be disappointed when the weight creeps back on after a few weeks or months.
Why is that? Why do you initially lose weight BUT then return to your original weight again?
Maybe I can explain…
When you go on a diet, i.e. a calorie-restricted diet or a low-carb or low-fat diet, you will inevitably:
- Lose muscle tissue and water stored in the muscles – muscle burns 70 times more calories than fat so when you lose weight, you lose muscle and fat – when you put the weight back on, it is just fat and this burns 70 times fewer calories than muscle so you need fewer calories to maintain the same weight
- Store body fat – because your brain thinks you are starving
- Lower your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) – because you don’t need as many calories to survive
- Create irregular hormonal responses that drive our feeding behaviour
- When you return to normal eating, you will gain more weight
You can still lose weight but do it the healthy way:
- Reduce or control your portion sizes
- Cut out processed foods
- Avoid added sugar
- Avoid dairy, wheat and gluten – try it for 5 weeks to give your body a chance to eliminate these possible allergen foods
- Cut out or cut down on your alcohol
- Chew your food thoroughly and take time with your meals – don’t rush your food. You may find you will feel fuller more quickly
- Eat wholesome, organic (if possible) one-ingredient foods and make your recipes rather than relying on supermarket recipes
Simple steps eh? It is NOT difficult to take the positive steps to lose weight the natural way and that means NO DIETING.