Conde Nast Digital Studio
Having trouble getting rid of those two (or eight) stubborn pounds? A new study suggests that your hormones fight you when you try to lose weight.
According to the study, published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine, there are several hormones involved in the regulation of body weight and appetite. One year after participants in the study lost weight, their hormone levels were still altered -- suggesting that their hormones were urging them to pack on pounds all over again.
"One year after initial weight reduction, levels of the circulating mediators of appetite that encourage weight regain after diet-induced weight loss do not revert to the levels recorded before weight loss. Long-term strategies to counteract this change may be needed to prevent obesity relapse," the study says.
Willow Jarosh and Stephanie Clarke, contributing editors at SELF and co-founders of C&J Nutrition, concede that losing weight can be challenging -- but they're not sure the study paints a completely accurate picture.
"It's important to note that in the study, the participants followed a very low calorie diet (500-550 calories per day), which we never recommend for sustained weight loss for many reasons. It's been theorized for some time that severely restricting calories can result in increased cravings and a slower metabolism afterward, and this study touches on the hormonal changes that may be at the root of that. More research is needed to determine whether or not the hormonal effects that were seen would still be present in diets that don't restrict calories to such drastic levels," they say.
That said, there's more than just your hormones working against you when you try to shed pounds.
"It's not easy to maintain weight loss because it involves changing habits, i.e. consistently doing things to make sure you're not exceeding your energy intake (calories) for the day," Jarosh and Clarke explain. "It takes a lot of internal strength to stick with healthy habits, in a world where we are constantly surrounded by food. There are also social pressures to eat more/make less healthful choices that come into play, as well as a strong emotional tie to food for many people."
BUT, if you slim down slowly via a combination of diet and exercise, Jarosh and Clarke say it's completely possible to maintain weight loss. Need a little help? Here are three strategies they recommend to their clients:
1. Be real with yourself about what you are willing to do.
2. Have a clear vision of WHY you want to lose weight -- this vision will be your key motivator. Fitting into a dress, running a race, not having painful joints ... everyone has different motivations.
3. Create an environment that makes it much easier to make healthy choices, whether it's by using smaller plates to help automatically control portions, or keeping high-temptation treats out of the house.
Hormones, take that!
More from Self:
• 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
• Yoga Moves for Flat Abs
• 38 Antiaging Foods
• 12 Ways to Think Yourself Slim
• Gwyneth Paltrow’s Arm and Ab Workout
