Why do so many people lose weight, only to gain it back weeks or months later? There are three main reasons: 1. They restrict their calories so severely that their body’s metabolism essentially slows down. Then, when they cannot sustain the restricted calorie diet and start eating their regular diet, they gain weight more easily because their body has gone into “starvation” mode. 2. They put themselves on a “diet” - eating food they do not enjoy, just because they think it is healthy for them. This leads to binges and the ultimate failure of this “diet”, and they give up and go back to their old eating habits. 3. They engage in “breathless”, or “zone 3” cardio; many people feel they are not working hard enough unless they get to this level of exercise, but what they don’t realize is that they are burning mostly glycogen, while also raising cortisol. It is making them hungrier (especially for carbs), while also ensuring that when they overeat, they will store the majority of their calories as fat.
THE SOLUTION? Find a way of eating that is sustainable, and follow the 80/20 rule (eat healthy 80% of the time, but make room for social events, treats, etc). Get lots of easy movement throughout the day (10,000+steps!) and schedule in 3-4 x/wk strength training. If you run/bike/swim/etc, keep the exercise at a pace that you can still talk. Do not starve yourself! You can go into a slight calorie deficit, but if you do not have a good gauge on this, you may need to track your macros for a while.Need help with a plan? email wild.health.ak@gmail.com
