Is dieting and weight loss easy to rebound

Dieting to lose weight is indeed prone to rebounding. The weight regain after rapid weight loss is mainly caused by factors such as a decrease in basal metabolic rate, muscle loss, unsustainable dietary patterns, hormonal imbalances, and psychological compensation effects.

1. Decreased basal metabolism:

Long term insufficient calorie intake can activate energy-saving mechanisms in the body, reducing basal metabolic rate by 15% -30%. Even if the original food intake is restored, daily calorie consumption is reduced, and excess energy is more easily converted into fat storage. It is recommended to increase muscle mass through strength training, which can burn an additional 13 calories per kilogram of muscle per day.

2. Muscle tissue loss:

During extreme dieting, the human body breaks down muscle protein to provide energy. A decrease in muscle mass directly leads to a decrease in resting metabolism, and studies have found that muscle loss in dieters can account for up to 25% of total weight loss. Insufficient protein intake can accelerate this process, and it is recommended to ensure a daily protein intake of 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.

3. Dietary pattern deficiency:

Short term extremely low calorie diet is difficult to sustain, and it is easy to overeat after returning to normal diet. A survey shows that 83% of dieters exceed their original intake levels after stopping their restrictions. It is recommended to adopt a gradual heat control approach, reducing 300-500 calories per day for greater safety and sustainability.

4. Hormonal level disorder:

leptin levels decrease by more than 50% after dieting, while ghrelin hunger hormone levels increase by 30%. This hormonal change can last for more than a year. The combined effect of increased physiological hunger and delayed satisfaction can increase the risk of loss of appetite by 3-5 times.

5. Psychological compensation effect:

Long term suppression of appetite can easily trigger retaliatory eating, with 60% of dieters experiencing emotional eating. The relaxed mentality after achieving weight loss goals, combined with the activation of the brain's reward mechanism for high calorie foods, forms a vicious cycle of "weight loss overeating".

A sustainable dietary pattern should be established for healthy weight loss, with a daily calorie deficit controlled within 500 calories, ensuring high-quality protein intake, and conducting resistance training three times a week to maintain muscle mass. You can try the Mediterranean diet or the De Shu diet, which have balanced nutrition and strong satisfaction. Keeping a food diary can help identify factors that trigger overeating, and mindfulness based diet training can improve the relationship with food. When the weight fluctuation exceeds 5%, it is necessary to consult a nutritionist in a timely manner to adjust the plan. If necessary, thyroid function, sex hormones and other indicators can be tested to exclude metabolic abnormalities.