{"id":2689,"date":"2020-02-20T22:09:27","date_gmt":"2020-02-20T22:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/?p=2689"},"modified":"2020-02-20T22:09:27","modified_gmt":"2020-02-20T22:09:27","slug":"the-diabolical-diet-your-drastic-weight-loss-plan-is-probably-working-against-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/the-diabolical-diet-your-drastic-weight-loss-plan-is-probably-working-against-you\/","title":{"rendered":"The Diabolical Diet: Your Drastic Weight Loss Plan is Probably Working Against You"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202003.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-2691 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202003-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202003-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202003-624x415.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202003.jpg 721w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>It\u2019s a vicious cycle:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>diet<\/li>\n<li>lose weight<\/li>\n<li>drop off diet<\/li>\n<li>gain weight back<\/li>\n<li>repeat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If this describes your failed attempts at controlling your weight long-term, you\u2019re not alone. It\u2019s a disheartening sequence that most people have experienced. Would it surprise you to know that it\u2019s those crash diets that can cause weight gain? Restricting calories has a negative effect on metabolism that makes your body want to hold onto stored energy. In fact, your body will fight harder against weight loss than it will against excessive gain. While a stringent diet may be effective for short-term weight loss, it will also be short-lived.<\/p>\n<h4>Your Metabolism Plays a Part<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/01202002.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2692\" src=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/01202002-271x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"271\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/01202002-271x300.jpg 271w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/01202002.jpg 433w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 271px) 100vw, 271px\" \/><\/a>Your metabolism is a process that describes how efficiently your body burns calories. The fact that you burn calories just by being alive is one that largely gets overlooked. Your organs burn calories by functioning, and the amount that\u2019s utilized even if you were to sit inert 24 hours a day is called your basal metabolic rate (BMR). The surprising thing is that your BMR burns anywhere between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2818133\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">60 and 80 percent<\/a> of the total calories your body uses each day, depending on how efficient it is. Naturally, a range of different factors go into determining what each individual\u2019s BMR is, but you can get a pretty good idea of what yours is by using a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.calculator.net\/bmr-calculator.html?ctype=standard&amp;cage=52&amp;csex=f&amp;cheightfeet=5&amp;cheightinch=1&amp;cpound=116&amp;cheightmeter=180&amp;ckg=60&amp;cmop=1&amp;coutunit=c&amp;cformula=m&amp;cfatpct=20&amp;x=68&amp;y=23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BMR calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, you\u2019ll use another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.precisionnutrition.com\/digesting-whole-vs-processed-foods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10 percent<\/a> breaking down, digesting, and absorbing food. So, that\u2019s a total of 70 to 90 percent of your calorie use burned on just \u201cbeing.\u201d Sounds like good news, right? It can be, but remember that in order to avoid weight gain, your metabolism has to burn all the calories you take in and to lose weight, it has to use more calories than you take in. \u00a0The disappointing part is that you don\u2019t have much control over your metabolism. Exercise and some foods can increase your overall calorie burn, but it\u2019s difficult to speed up your BMR.<\/p>\n<h4>\u2026And the Really Bad News<\/h4>\n<div id=\"attachment_2693\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202001.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2693\" class=\"wp-image-2693 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202001-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202001-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202001-624x468.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02202001.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2693\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/winningman\/1332665120\/in\/photolist-32LfUQ-32Liz3-32FJrP-32LgJA-32FJVP-32FGjx-7yuQFL-tLRgh-n79k9-oB7dbG-DcS3W-2ioo2a6-2hMJbHe-oCVoWh-omDzQo-oCVpcY-oCVp2N-2hNBtX3-hy7bQ-oAqeS-5oZqVC-BbiHR-omDfky-oCVoXu-omDfpS-oCVoX9-E8qx1-32LkRU-32LeKq-32LbdY-32Lf95-32Lhcf-32FHbR-32FLrB-ab55fo-32Ldf1-32Lbm9-dgnixn-9PseUA-32Le7L-32Lbtf-32FC2a-32FMez-32FCVz-32LckJ-eyzB7t-32FCsv-32Leqs-32FCLF-32FEtR\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pete Thomas\/Flickr<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It can be hard to speed up your metabolism, but researchers have found that things like hormone imbalances and aging can <em>slow<\/em> it down. Plus, severe calorie restriction tends to slow it down, too. Scientists from the National Institutes of Health interviewed contestants from <em>The Biggest Loser<\/em> immediately after they completed their challenge and again 6 years later. The goal was to see how their drastic weight loss had affected their metabolisms and if they\u2019d been able to keep the weight off. The <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/oby.21538\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">research findings<\/a> showed that most of the contestants (13 out of 14) re-gained a considerable amount of weight after their dramatic losses. Plus, four of them ended up weighing more than they had before appearing on the show. &#x2639;<\/p>\n<p>Neuroscientists believe the phenomenon is due to our bodies having a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.ted.com\/why-your-brain-doesnt-want-you-to-lose-weight-sandra-aamodt-at-tedglobal-2013\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">set point<\/a>,\u201d a comfort zone that your body believes your weight should fall into, no matter what you\u2019d like to weigh. If you cut your caloric intake drastically, your body will slow down the metabolism to keep you near that set point and to prevent you from dropping too much weight.<\/p>\n<h4>A Glimmer of a Silver Lining<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02020204.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-2694\" src=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02020204-300x162.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02020204-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02020204-768x415.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02020204-624x337.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/02020204.jpg 889w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Keep in mind that it\u2019s when you lose weight with a crash diet or extremely low-calorie eating plan that you are more likely to kick your body into that \u201cset point\u201d mode. A modest reduction in calories coupled with an increase in physical activity (yes, we mean exercise) doesn\u2019t tend to make your BMR drop. That means <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/healthyweight\/losing_weight\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">gradual weight loss<\/a> (dropping 1 to 2 pounds per month) is a better plan that will stick long-term. The goal is to ease your body toward burning a moderate amount of calories more than it takes in so that it has a chance to get comfortable with a new set point.<\/p>\n<p>Yep, admittedly that\u2019s a bummer for those of us who want it all off <em>now<\/em>. But an uncomfortable truth for most is that successful long-term weight loss means making lifestyle changes. Things like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>adjusting portion sizes\u2014pay attention to how you feel after eating half your dinner, for instance. You might be surprised to find that you feel sated and don\u2019t need to clean your plate. It\u2019s a way to cut calories without actually counting them.<\/li>\n<li>weigh yourself weekly\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1038\/oby.2007.368\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">frequent weighing<\/a> has been proven to help with weight loss because having an actual number acts as an incentive to keep going.<\/li>\n<li>exercise often\u2014even walking daily counts toward physical activity. But remember: the more intense the activity, the more calories you will burn.<\/li>\n<li>don\u2019t skip breakfast\u2014breaking the fast has shown to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/11836452\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">help keep weight off<\/a> because it reassures your body you aren\u2019t going to starve it away from its set point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Commit to cultivating just these few good weight loss habits for\u2026well, forever. They\u2019re all fairly small, simple changes anyone can make. None are life-altering in themselves but, over time, they can affect your weight and your health in better ways than a crash diet can.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s a vicious cycle: diet lose weight drop off diet gain weight back repeat If this describes your failed attempts at controlling your weight long-term, you\u2019re not alone. It\u2019s a disheartening sequence that most people have experienced. Would it surprise you to know that it\u2019s those crash diets that can cause weight gain? Restricting calories [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2689","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2689"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2689\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2697,"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2689\/revisions\/2697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.targitfit.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}