Rebound in Weight

Sixty percent of Americans (not to different from Canadian society) are overweight, and the numbers are getting higher. With all this dieting why are so many people still unsuccessful at controlling their weight? One reason is that although many people manage to lose weight, they usually don't keep it off.

In a period after weight loss, usually about 6 months, the weight starts going back up according to Eva Obarzanek, a nutritionist for the U.S. government's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Even in the best medically supervised programs, nearly two-thirds of participants are back where they started within three years and 80 to 90 percent within five years, says Gary Forster, PhD, clinical director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Why is it so difficult to avoid putting those pounds back on? Biology, environment and pressures of everyday life all play a role.

Biology: The body's metabolism, programmed for survival in times of food shortage, works against dieters. Your metabolism slows down because its trying to conserve energy.

Environment: It's tougher to lose weight and keep it off than it was 20 years ago because there are so many incentives to eat more and move less. Activity is reduced by labor saving devices, sit down entertainment such as television and the growing number of people in desk jobs.

Life pressures: Weight control take a lot of work, hard work says Dr. Foster. If life gets in the way we often go back to old eating and non exercising habits and weight regains. But you can succeed. Here are the specifics you need.

Exercise. People in the weight control registry (NWCR) burn about 2,700 calories a week in physical activity. (about one hour per day).
Self monitoring. People who are successful and weight maintenance weight themselves a lot and record what they eat on a regular basis. This leads to action when the weight starts to creep up.
Sustainable, healthy diet. Successful maintainers watch their portions. They also don't necessarily have forbidden foods, but just are careful how much they have of these calorie dense foods.
Breakfast. You must eat 3 to 4 times per day. You must spread out your calories and not ‘save' them till the later part of the day.
Have support. Enlist family, friends or a health professional in your ongoing work towards long term weight maintenance.
You need ultimately individual vigilance. Maintenance is a very active process. If you go with the tide you will gain weight.