Why rapid weight loss diets don’t work

Lorn Healthy Options weekly health tip

We’ve all seen the before and after shots of someone who has lost a huge amount of weight by following a particularly low calorie, commercial weight loss programme.

I should say that my intention here is not to belittle their efforts, more to highlight the longer-term effects and perhaps the pictures you never see a little further down the line. Sometimes these advertisements will have small print stating that the person’s weight loss is not typical and this is the real issue as what is typical is their rebound and subsequent weight gain in the months and years to come.

Anyone who has tried to lose weight will know that it’s a tough process and requires a sustainable investment and high levels of will power. We recognise that mental health is a contributing factor and we will explore this in future health tips. A slow and steady weight loss programme through a common sense approach to nutrition, activity and other lifestyle factors is something we promote at Healthy Options. Rapid weight loss strategies will fail for the vast majority, with nine out of 10 dieters returning to their original weight or heavier within five years.

The diet industry is well aware of these statistics but let’s face it, what a great business plan to have their clients experience short-term success followed by an almost inevitable relapse and subsequent return in the future to pay for another crack using the same method.

The human body tries to maintain its weight within a range of 10-15lbs known as a set point or defendable range and this is a job carried out by part of our brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus acts like a kind of thermostat. If weight is gained it will try to bring it down and if weight is reduced it will do the opposite.

These processes are controlled by a range of hormones and neurotransmitters and the crux of the problem is that the brain will reduce weight half-heartedly but will try to correct rapid weight loss relentlessly. This appears to stem back to our evolution as hunter gatherers, for who gaining excess weight was very unlikely, but starvation was a real possibility.

We are hard wired to avoid starvation as a survival strategy even though it’s very unlikely to happen in our modern environment. Rapid weight loss kicks our brain into survival mode regardless of the starting weight of the individual. Seriously restrictive diets will also lead to severe fatigue which means less activity and subsequent muscle wastage. So the overall outcome is a body that may be lighter but with a vastly reduced metabolism and when a more normal calorific intake is resumed weight gain is rapid and more than often exceeds the starting point.

For the majority of people the best way to maintain a healthy weight body and mind is through a common sense approach to nutrition, regular physical activity, better sleep patterns and reducing dangerous habits such as smoking or consuming higher than recommended amounts of alcohol.

The odds are stacked against those trying to manage their weight through diet alone and we should see the process as a long-term project involving a broader range of lifestyle improvements.

For the full message go to the free resource section on the lornhealthyoptions.co.uk website.