The Real Weight Loss Battle: Keeping It Off

You did it! You lost the weight and now you're looking and feeling like a million bucks. Unfortunately, you may soon learn that losing the weight, though difficult, may end up being a much more attainable task compared to the uphill battle that now awaits you in the quest to keep it off. Although recent studies demonstrate that we are getting better at keeping weight off, the statistics are still against you and the chances of you putting the weight back on are high.

How can you win at refusing to regain when so many others have failed? It won't be easy, but with hard work -- and a few tactics you may not have thought of -- you may just beat the odds.

Fat Cells, Diet and Exercise
Old habits may die hard, but you really have to put them in the grave to succeed. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that individuals were most likely to gain small amounts of weight over the years by incorporating three main lifestyle habits: increased consumption of potato chips and sugar sweetened beverages (high in starches); decreased physical activity (associated with increased television viewing time) and getting either too much or too little sleep. Most alarming, researchers found that individuals could start seeing changes in weight within only months of adopting these harmful behaviors. Vegetables, nuts, fruits and whole grains (all foods high in fiber) were associated with less weight gain -- even after consumption of these foods increased. Bottom line: You gave it your all to lose the weight and now is not the time to slack. Going back to some of your old habits is a sure fire way to fit back into your old fat clothes.

Three things are certain in life; death, taxes -- and the never ending battle of the mystifying fat cell. We are all born with a specific amount of fat cells, and we gradually gain more up until our early 20s. After that, the number of fat cells may, in fact, remain consistent throughout life.

Researchers reported their findings in a 2008 study in the journal Nature. If you think that you have "burned" away fat cells through your weight loss endeavors and can take it easy now, think again. The fat cell is tricky and always two steps ahead of you. Losing weight by traditional means shrinking, not losing, the fat cells you have. The fat cell, however, has its own idea -- it wants to be big, it wants to be filled and it's just waiting for you give it some fuel to achieve that.

The next time you wonder why it's so hard to maintain weight loss, remember the fat cells that you've got sitting inside you. You'll need to work harder to keep them tame. Perhaps this is why several researchers and studies have found that individuals who wanted to maintain weight loss had to work out much longer than previously predicted. The old "30 minutes a day" motto may not work once you're in the maintenance phase. You should also keep your exercise routing consistent as studies have found that staying with a routine that you like -- and are used to -- will be more likely to lead to success.

Additionally, you'll need to really watch what you eat as well. A recent study in the journal Cell Metabolism found that insulin, a hormone that regulates the absorption of sugar, stimulated fat cells to take in glucose. Insulin is secreted anytime we eat foods with carbohydrates and acts as a chaperon to take sugar to our cells for use. Any remaining glucose that is not used for energy is stored as fat. Consuming low-fat proteins is a must for weight loss maintenance. Further, although all carbohydrates increase blood sugar and insulin levels, complex carbohydrates -- which have abundant amounts of fiber and nutrients -- help you to stay fuller for longer and avoid the rapid increase of blood sugar that results with consumption of simple carbohydrates.

Chew More
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that obese individuals had a higher ingestion rate and a lower number of chews when eating compared to their lean counterparts. Why does this matter? The obvious reason is that you'll ingest fewer calories, but the less obvious explanation for this has to do with how it affects the hormone ghrelin. Referred to as the "hunger hormone," ghrelin is a hormone secreted by the gut that communicates with your brain that you are hungry. In this particular study, blood tests taken 90 minutes after eating showed that individuals that chewed 40 times (as opposed to 15) had much lower levels of ghrelin and thus, ate less due to decreased appetite. I often ask my patients how they know when to stop eating and the most common answer is "when the food on my plate is gone." Try this: Eat until you are no longer hungry, not when you are full. You may be shocked at how this tactic can affect your weight. Chewing more will help you achieve this.

Become A Yogi
Chewing more has a lot to do with overall mindfulness. Judi Bar, lead yoga therapist for the Cleveland Clinic Lifestyle 180® program has helped many of our participants lose weight, and keep it off, through yoga. How does yoga do this? It evokes breath work and a slowing down of the mind. According to Bar, "Mindfulness and breath is what enable us to make conscious choices about what we eat, what our portion sizes are and when we are satisfied. If we are busy talking, or our mind in on anything else but our food, we can just keep eating."

Ask yourself this next time you want to pick up a food you know is not good for you: Are you body hungry or emotionally hungry? Further, Bar suggests taking three deep breaths before you eat to slow you and your digestive system down. In addition to helping you be more mindful, yoga also builds muscle. Resistance training is key in maintaining weight loss since muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.

Never Underestimate The Power Of The Pen -- Or Keyboard
All the self-monitoring that you did to lose the weight (food diaries, weighing yourself weekly, logging steps or exercise) shouldn't stop now that you're back into your skinny jeans. Over the years, several studies have demonstrated the importance of continued self-monitoring when it comes to weight maintenance.

One particular study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that 50 percent of individuals that were able to maintain weight loss continued to engage in calorie counting, tracking of fat intake -- or both. Many of the participants in the study even reported that maintaining weight loss was easier than losing the weight. A recent review of 22 weight maintenance studies, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, also found a positive relationships between weight maintenance and self-monitoring of diet, physical activity and weight (although the optimal frequency and duration of such monitoring of habits was not covered).

Finally, it's important to remind yourself of all the reasons you lost the weight in the first place and reward yourself for your accomplishments. A recent study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine examined weight loss vs. weight maintenance techniques and found that rewarding yourself for a job well done helped in the overall success of weight loss maintenance.

After all is said and done, the choices you make will determine how likely you are to keep the weight off. Keep advancing in your quest towards optimal health and hopefully, with continued hard work, you'll stay lean, strong -- and above all else -- healthy.

 

Follow Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., L.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EATPRETTYWITHKK

Comments

[Fatal Dose]

08:52 AM on 10/18/2011

I use this motto: Eat less do more.

[FreeDietSource]

04:59 PM on 10/02/2011

Fad diets are all the rage. Some seem to be designed to take your money and some have strong believers in their effectiveness. The best thing you can do is get educated on diet plans before you start. Do what works for you, consult your doctor and above all else keep it healthy.
You can explore many of todays popular diet plans at http://www.freedietsource.com

[babybelle]

04:31 PM on 10/01/2011

I live by Grandmas advice from long ago.
I eat three good meals a day, No snacks.
Sweets on
special occasions , but I don't go overbaord.
I walk everyday.
That's how I maintain my weight of 102 pounds
I am 64 YO ,

[William Anderson LMHC]

08:50 AM on 09/27/2011

Think about this: the goal for obese people is not weight loss. Weight loss is a by-product or side effect. The goal is to establish strong habits that make you lose weight and keep it off, and to make it so these habits are more pleasurable and satisfying than the old ones. Then, permanent weight loss seems to happen by itself.

I lost 140 lbs. after 25 years of weight loss failure when I discovered Therapeutic Psychogenics, a method of Behavioral Medicine I developed as a psychotherapist and addictions counselor. I've been teaching this successfully to clients and other therapists for years now (I've maintained my weight loss for over 25 years, one of the people NWCR studies) and am highly recommended by medical professionals like Dr. Mark Lupo, former President of the Academy of Clinical Thyroidologists.

Please read my blog explaining Behavioral Medicine: http://theandersonmethod.com/what-is-behavioral-medicine-and-behavioral-healthcare/

William Anderson, LMHC
Author of 'The Anderson Method - Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss'
www.TheAndersonMethod.com

[Crowley]

11:41 AM on 09/23/2011

There are several mechanisms that your body relies on to keep your weight at one constant level. It's important to understand these survival and fat-preserving mechanisms when trying to keep the weight off according to Exercise Physiology Expert Ben Greenfield: http://naturalvitalitysports.com/2011/07/fat-loss-how-endurance-athletes-can-stay-trim-and-triumph-over-fat/

[thegrrrr8est]

08:44 AM on 09/06/2011

None of these "tricks"would be necessary if people solved the underlying problem in the first place instead of just using the band-aid of a low calorie diet. Eating refined, processed foods and animal products makes you fat and sick. Eating whole, living raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds makes you vibrant and thin. There is nothing healthy about having to obsess over every calorie and fat gram you put in your mouth for the rest of your life. Just eat what nature intended and the problem solves itself - quickly, easily and deliciously. Got a problem with weight? Watch the Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead documentary. It will change your life.

[richieroo]

11:09 AM on 09/04/2011

Have to say I'm all about keeping a food diary - by far the best method I've found for keeping weight off for good.

I don't believe in weighing in daily - once a week, the same time each week, is best I think

[Cuthbert]

10:27 PM on 09/03/2011

Not a single word about leptin or satiety from fat and protein. JAFCICON (Just Another Frikin Calorie In Calorie Out Nut-ritionist). The simple answer is that if you eat Nutritious Food (Animal and Plant) and wash it down with water you will lean out and become healthy unless you have a metabolic issue that prevents your body from acting normally.

[Trish 1]

10:59 PM on 09/02/2011

I don't have a weight problem. I exercise daily.I'm a health freak with one small flaw and I know it's bad. I have a beer now and then. I used to drink every week end. I'll go bar hop-pen that' till I had my kid the I cut that all out. I stopped drinking completely till my husband died and now I have a few. I don't drink in front of my child. I only drink at home and when I send my kid to my parents house. I go to the gym every morning and jog before I go to work. I know how to to defend myself. I have 5 brothers I'm a middle child the only girl in the family. They tought me how to fight and defend myself. I stay very healthy and I do my best to teach my 5 year old to be healthy too.

[Jane Cartelli]

10:30 PM on 09/02/2011

When I started losing weight I knew the real goal was the most elusive: keeping the pounds off. That became the name of the book I am writing and my blog: Keepingthepoundsoff.com
I have lost 210 pounds and I've been maintaining it a few years now. I did it modifying what I eat and how I eat. I exercise moderately. No surgery, no pills, no shots - just natural weight loss. You can lose the weight and even better - you CAN keep it off.

Jane Cartelli
Keepingthepoundsoff.com

[Trish 1]

11:01 PM on 09/02/2011

Good Job.

[Lindalee6276]

09:12 AM on 09/02/2011

I agree that weighing in daily is important, for 2 reasons. #1: you establish a habit, so you do it without thinking, and #2: You realize that your weight fluctuates every day, and that the little "blips" up and down are normal. I only worry when I see a trend of more ups than downs. When I only weighed myself once a week, I sometimes got discouraged if it was very different from the week before.

[pranalisa]

08:19 AM on 09/02/2011

regarding yoga...I love that it was mentioned in this article, however, I would like to add that ANY yoga, even gentle and meditative styles that require less movement, helps the autonomic system to regulate byt calming down the sympathetic system, allowing the adrenals to relax and less cortisol to be released. Less cortisol=less belly fat. Being in a "rest and relaxation" mode instead of the usual "fight or flight" mode so much is so helpful to the endocrine system...it's all so interrelated...balance the hormones and the entire body functions more efficiently and is more likely to gravitate towards one's optimal blueprint of health,..weight is simply an outer reflection of what's going on inside...

[Lucky S7even]

12:02 AM on 09/02/2011

look into crossfit and the paleo diet, but you can start by eating better food/eating less and exercising.

[Mayo Underwood]

09:29 PM on 09/01/2011

Strange as it may seem, the skin and hair care products you use may be making you fat!!

Researchers have learned that phthalates, which are in all kinds of soaps, shampoos, lotions, creams, cosmetics, etc. are absorbed through the skin into the body and disrupt the body’s natural weight control system.

Here's a link to a page that talks about it. http://www.best-mens-skin-care.com/can-skin-care-make-you-fat.html

[Paluxy Moon]

08:33 PM on 09/01/2011

When I was in my early forties and working out 2+ hours a day, I could eat anything. Now that I'm 47 and working 10 hour days at a desk job, its harder to exercise enough to make up for eating whatever I want. However, by purging my house (where I live alone) of all the bad stuff, including pasta and cheese, I am able to maintain a reasonable sense of health and weight, without feeling too deprived as long as I have those things I really crave. Like pesto sauce (over zucchini instead of pasta), and thai coconut shrimp soup (lime leaves, ginger, and lemon grass), and really good salads that I make myself and cannot otherwise be found in the area in which I live (rural Texas), and a once a week fix of sushi. I AM OK, and do not crave all that crappy food they feed us at my workplace and the local fast food restaurants. KNOW WHAT YOU CRAVE AND SETTLE FOR NOTHING LESS.

[quiscut]

07:29 AM on 09/02/2011

Try Shirataki Noodles made from soy. 1 cup=40 cals , 3 g of carbs, 3 g of fibre, 1g pro,no fat or cholesterol.
Just add veggies,spices and sauce . It satisfies my pasta craving.