Why Does the Weight Come Back?

Before many Australians recently, a devastating story unfolded on a popular current affairs program.

We watched with compassion as the fattest man in Australia told of his most recent, serious attempt to lose weight. Approximately 12 months earlier and weighing close to 300 kilos, he under went surgery and had his stomach stapled.

I doubt there would have been one person watching not moved by this man's depression and plight. Despite undergoing the surgery, today he could barely get through each day, both physically and mentally. He shared with us his sense of hopelessness and wanting to end it all.

It was not only his size that was causing his depression. He had to deal with a heart broken by disappointment.

You see, the stomach stapling had been a success.

He soon lost well over 50 kilos post operation and he and his family rejoiced. But then the unthinkable happened.

The weight came back. Today he weighs well over 300 kilos - more than before the stomach stapling.

This is an extreme case, but nonetheless raises a question that so many people continue to battle with.

After a diet, why does the weight come back so quickly?

To answer this we need to understand how much energy a body requires. For each pound you weigh, each day you need 12 calories to maintain your body weight. If you weigh 120 pounds you will need 120 x 12 calories, that is, 1440 calories per day to maintain that body weight. If you eat or drink more calories than your body requires, the excess energy is stored as fat. It takes 3,600 excess calories to make one pound of fat.

In this example, if your typical daily calorific intake is 2000 calories, in around 30 days you would put on between 4-5 pounds of fat!

Let's say, you then decide to go on a restrictive diet and halve your calorific consumption to 1,000 calories per day. You stay on this diet for around a month and lose 10 pounds and now weigh 110 pounds. You feel fantastic about losing the weight but can't keep up such a restrictive regime because you are irritable and have no energy.

So you go off your diet and go back to your usual routine of 2,000 calories a day. Remember you are lighter now and your body requires less energy to maintain its new weight. You would now require 110 x 12, that is, 1320 calories per day.

In this instance, by consuming 2000 calories daily, because you are lighter than before, you would put the weight back on in just 24-25 days!

If you want to keep the weight off you must develop a consistent change in eating habits to ensure you do not consume more than your body requires. You cannot continue to eat the same quantities and/or combinations of foods that caused you to be overweight in the first place. This will require developing an understanding of the nutritional content of food and raising your body's metabolism through increased muscle mass and exercise.

(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore

Are you interested in earning money from home? We're looking for individuals who have basic phone and internet skills to join our team of work-at-home-ers. If you're serious about earning money from home and are willing to work (this isn't 'get rich quick'), then we'd like to help you grow a profitable business. We offer complete training, online and offline resources and a partnership for success. http://free2liv.com/?refid=why-567883382

---

New Weight Loss Plan -- Resistance Training

My last article, Make Diets Work, concluded that dieting the... Read More

Diet Plans for a Low Carb Diet

One of the most popular diets is the low carb... Read More

Easy Weight Loss

A really easy, fast way to weight loss is walking... Read More

Were Cave Dwellers Ever Fat?

In our mind's eye, we see our ancient ancestors as... Read More

Weight Loss Superfecta

If you are a fan of horse racing, you are... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #13

Life is great, isn't it? Stop and just look around... Read More

Spring Forage

Thankfully, winter does not last forever! In the spring there... Read More

Are You Overweight Because Youre Not Sleeping Enough?

If you're like me, you probably wish that there was... Read More

Weight Loss - Its in Your Head

When you truly consider the weight-loss process, the battle waged... Read More

The Mental Game Of Weight Loss

Many of us have tried losing weight in the past... Read More

Plan Your Way to Weight Loss Success

Like millions of men and women, I started resolving to... Read More

The Psychology of Weight Loss: Part 5 ? Perspectives Toward Food!

Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More

Slimming Solutions

Here are 5 solutions to slimming:1. Set Mini-Goals: Try setting... Read More

Of Super Mice and Supermen- and the Magic Apples of Avalon

Recently, a Japanese study showed dramatic results of organ fat... Read More

Can You Attain Weight Loss While Fasting?

Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #8

Life is extraordinary filled with wonderful people to show up... Read More

7 Tips to Help You Beat Your Sugar Habit

Are you often overcome with an urge to splurge on... Read More

Weight Loss Can Be Achieved In As Little As 5 Days By Increasing Your Metabolism

One-size-fits-all diets don't work....but then you probably know that already.... Read More

Reduce And Lose Your Weight With Fats

REDUCE YOUR WEIGHTNow you are not very far from losing... Read More

The Miracle of a Cheat Meal

One of the greatest tricks that I use to stick... Read More

Child Obesity ? Who is to Blame?

As we look around at the current generation of children,... Read More

A Startling Fact About Losing Dangerous Belly Fat -- Without Exercise

The story broke in the international press on October 4th,... Read More

I Think I Have an Eating Disorder and Want to Stop

An eating disorder is a life threatening condition that often... Read More

BMI: Between Meal Intrigue Hits the Highway

If you've been pursuing a lighter, healthier version of yourself,... Read More

Weight Loss Myths Exposed

As a weight loss coach I speak will people regularly... Read More

The Answer to Combining Diet & Exercise for Maximum Weight Loss

Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More

Savoring Moments Through Mindful Eating

We all eat. But how mindful are we of every... Read More

Unearth the Weight Loss Values in an Egg

At the University of Illinois, a new research found that... Read More

Compulsive Eating Signs

Compulsive eating is characterized mainly by periods of impulsive bingeing... Read More

How to Eat Out and Lose Weight

Diners have become more health-conscious the last few years, and... Read More

Coris Creations - Salmon Burger Atop Veggies

There's nothing more fun then being creative with food and... Read More

Carb Crazed

Low Carb diets have become as popular as apple pie... Read More

Cycle Your Way To Weight Loss

Of all the possible exercises there are to help you... Read More