Anyone who has experienced weight loss has the same experience. When the weight loss plan is implemented for a period of time, it seems that the effect is getting worse and worse, and it enters a bottleneck period. There will even be a slight rebound. When no obvious effect can be seen, it is also the point where the psychological defense line is most likely to collapse. In the end, all previous efforts may be lost. Recently, multiple studies have found that a key factor in weight loss failure is metabolic adaptation. What’s going on here? Let’s take a look at the conclusions of the scientific research.
Recently, a paper was published in the journal Obesity. In this study, a total of 65 women participated, their average body mass index BMI was 28.6, and the weight loss goal was to reduce the BMI to 25 through a low-calorie diet of 800 kcal per day. The food composition of the participants was 21% fat, 21% protein, 58% carbohydrate. 64% of the participants, who followed the diet, lost an average of 16% of their weight and lost 12.5kg in 155 days. Overall, the weight loss effect is quite satisfactory.
Scholars continued to analyze the data and found that the actual resting metabolic rate of the participants after weight loss was 46 kcal lower than the predicted value. These people developed metabolic adaptation, and the body launched a physiological counterattack against weight loss. The result is a drop in metabolic rate. In this way, the time to achieve the target weight will be longer, and if the relevant measures are missing in the middle, the weight loss plan will be abandoned halfway. The study found that those with stronger metabolic adaptations needed to adjust their diets for more than 70 days to reach their pre-set weight loss goals.
Metabolic adaptation means that when calorie intake is lower than calorie consumption, the body’s metabolism slows down due to calorie shortage. In essence, it is a self-protection mechanism when food is deficient. Because the low-calorie state will cause a decrease in the secretion levels of leptin, insulin, testosterone, and thyroid hormones, as well as an increase in the secretion levels of ghrelin and cortisol, resulting in an increase in hunger and a decrease in the metabolic rate. In this way, it will increase the difficulty of losing weight. Moreover, with the implementation of the weight loss plan, the degree of metabolic adaptation will increase accordingly, and weight loss will enter a bottleneck period, and you will feel that your efforts are getting worse and worse. Studies have shown that metabolic adaptation may last for several months, and the effect of the metabolic adaptation mechanism can only weaken or disappear when the body weight stabilizes and a new energy balance is established. Therefore, when you find that the weight loss effect is getting worse, you can’t give up. Only by persevering can you achieve the ultimate weight loss goal.
Recent studies have found that intermittent fasting, focusing on diet control and focusing on eating time, can achieve better results. A University of California study found that restricting eating to 10 hours a day resulted in a 3% to 4% reduction in body weight, a 4% reduction in waist circumference, a 3% reduction in body fat, and a drop in blood pressure of approximately 6mmHg after 12 weeks. Indicators such as total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glycosylated hemoglobin were reduced, and sleep quality was also improved. This approach is also helpful in overcoming metabolic adaptation.
Relevant studies have found that the earlier the dinner time is, the earlier the last bite of the meal is eaten, the higher the success rate of weight loss. The conclusions of these studies are similar to our traditional view of not eating after noon. The study also found that people who ate a larger percentage of breakfast had more significant weight loss when eating the same amount throughout the day. Eating a good breakfast and a small dinner is a life experience supported by scientific conclusions.
Intermittent eating and limiting eating time are, in fact, effective regulation of metabolic rhythms, which can accelerate energy consumption, regulate appetite, and improve insulin sensitivity. Studies have found that rodents and humans, keep out of sync with circadian rhythmsSynchronized eating habits, such as eating at night, can lead to weight gain and metabolic dysfunction, and eating habits that are synchronized with circadian rhythms can help with weight loss. Scholars believe that insulin sensitivity, and the food thermic effect of increased energy expenditure caused by eating, usually peaks in the morning or noon. Eating late at dinner and eating too much will affect the metabolic process, reduce the thermic effect of food, and lower levels of hormones that produce satiety, which will lead to more calorie intake and sabotage the execution of weight loss plans. Friends who have failed to lose weight, seriously review their eating habits, starting from today, according to the conclusions of scientific research, arrange meal time.
To whomever you love, pass on your health.
Your health is my concern. Professionals observe health from a scientific and humanistic perspective, including series of bulletins, details, reminders, doubts, observations, viewpoints, historical stories, etc. The content is the original work of author Wei Hongling and his team. All forms of misappropriation and reprinting without permission are refused, otherwise they will be investigated in accordance with relevant laws.