The Science behind why you regain weight
Giorgos Patsali
I help men and women over 30 boost their confidence, increase their energy and achieve their best physical shape and health with a time efficient process.
Have you ever wondered why shedding those extra pounds seems like an uphill battle? A groundbreaking study delves deep into the psychological mechanisms behind weight loss, revealing that it's more of a mental tug-of-war than we might have realized.
According to research, your brain puts up a formidable fight against weight loss, ramping up your cravings and driving you to consume more calories. It's all part of a survival mechanism ingrained in your brain to maintain fat reserves. Picture it like this: your body thrives on equilibrium. So, when you burn more calories, your body signals you to eat more, creating a constant push-and-pull effect.
To illustrate the potency of this phenomenon, scientists developed a mathematical model showing that for every 2.2 pounds (1 kg) you shed through dieting, your brain urges your body to consume an additional 80 to 100 calories. Even though your metabolism slows down with weight loss due to your reduced body size, it's not enough to account for the plateau in weight loss progress—your brain plays a significant role in this resistance.
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Interestingly, newer weight loss medications like GLP-1s such as Wegovy and Zepound, as well as bariatric surgery, seem to mitigate this brain-induced hunger effect, demanding fewer extra calories for every pound lost. This alteration in brain signaling is a key factor in the effectiveness of these interventions.
When you're on a weight loss journey, these dynamics become all too apparent. For instance, if you manage to shed 10 pounds, your body may signal you to consume an extra 500 calories daily to counteract the loss. This explains why participants in the study aimed to slash 800 calories from their daily intake but found themselves only able to reduce by about 200 calories due to these brain-driven changes.
But don't lose hope just yet. Many people we worked with at Sculpturself have successfully shed significant weight and maintained it with the right approach. It's essential to recognize that weight loss plateaus typically set in after about a year. By staying committed and adopting a gradual approach to calorie reduction, coupled with a diet rich in protein and fiber, you can navigate these brain-induced challenges more effectively, keeping hunger at bay and achieving sustainable results.