mechanisms that encourage it to put on weight.
Many studies have shown that when overweight
or obese people lose weight, their bodies respond
vigorously by undergoing changes in hormones
that affect hunger and satiety. Leptin, a hormone
produced by fat cells, regulates the appetite, i.e. it
tells you when to stop eating. When the body loses
fat cells, the levels of leptin it produces decrease.
Lowered leptin levels trigger hunger and makes it
harder for an individual to make do with lesser food.
Further, researchers have found that these hormonal
changes may persist and even become permanent.
The nature of the diet followed also makes
a difference. Following fads or going back and
forth on diets also triggers the rebound effect.
Yo-yo dieting lowers your metabolism by 5–10 per
cent, favouring regain. Then there is the issue of
behaviour, or changing habits. Without permanent
changes in usual and unhealthy patterns of eating
and living, it is highly unlikely that weight loss will
stick. For example, the benefits of eating dinner
early will last only until you do. But changing
a habit is not that easy, particularly if there’s no
support from family and friends.
What we, therefore, know is that the
maintaining a diet programme is very difficult.
Its importance and management must be clearly
emphasised in the backdrop of our altered
biology. So those who regain weight must not feel
guilty about their failed efforts, will powers and
challenging food environments.
What needs to be understood is that the effort
and habits must be kept up consistently and
monitored even after you have lost weight. More
importantly, remember that going back and forth on
diets is a recipe to becoming permanently obese. So
stay vigilant and work hard to reap the benefits of
your efforts.Ishi Khosla