Stick to Diet is a Hard Job
What are the reasons that most of us are unable to stick to a diet? How to follow a diet plan for your overall well-being? Why are you hungry all the time?
Please keep reading if you are struggling with these questions.
Obesity is a big issue right now. Overweight and obesity are defined as excessive fat accumulation in the body which is harmful to health. To classify overweight and obesity in adults, a simple index called Body Mass Index(BMI) is commonly used. It is the ratio of a person’s weight in kilograms to the square of height in meters (Kg/ square of a meter).
For adults, World Health Organization (WHO) defines,
When BMI is greater than or equal to 25 it’s overweight and
When BMI is greater than or equal to 30 it’s obesity.
Many people are looking for ways to stick to a diet for weight loss. There are plenty of reasons that people struggle to lose weight and stick to a diet.
Let’s see :
Why it’s difficult to follow a diet plan :
Many people believe that being overweight is caused by a lack of self-control when it comes to food. It also can lead to self-esteem issues when they can’t stick to a diet. But lack of control around eating and overeating are not the only factors that contribute to weight gain.
Your body is designed in such a way that you feel hunger when it needs fuel and feel satiety (which means hunger feels satisfied) when it doesn’t. But this cycle malfunctions sometimes.
What is the reason :
The reason for this malfunction is Leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that is mostly made by the fat cells of the body. Leptin tells your brain — particularly an area called Hypothalamus that you have enough fat storage and no need to take meals. When you lose weight your body automatically makes less Leptin. Though keep in mind that losing weight means your fat cells get smaller. People with obesity have very high levels of Leptin as fat cells make Leptin in proportion to their size. Due to the high level of Leptin, the signaling may not work and the brain tells you to eat more to conserve energy. This condition is known as Leptin Resistance which is similar to insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes.
Leptin resistance can cause hunger and makes you burn low calories at rest. It may be one reason that many diet plan fails to achieve long-term weight loss. When you lose fat, your leptin level also goes down — but your brain doesn’t reverse its Leptin resistance. Your brain then gives you a starvation signal so that you regain the lost fat. In this way this cycle is ongoing.
There is no shortcut to eliminating leptin resistance but you can make long-term lifestyle changes that may improve the leptin level.
How to follow a diet plan :
First, consult with a functional medicine doctor to recognize if you have any underlying issue that causes weight gain and what you can do about it.
The other things you can do include :
- Eating nutrient-rich food instead of restricting calories.
- Eat real food like healthy protein, healthy fats, lots of veggies, healthy sweeteners, and healthy carbohydrates.
- Lower your Triglycerides by reducing your carb intake. High triglycerides can avert the transport of leptin from your blood to your brain.
- Getting quality sleep.
- Reducing stress by getting out in nature and spending time with family and friends.
- Doing anaerobic exercise.
Conclusion :
Obesity is usually not caused by overeating, laziness, or lack of self-control. Underlying health issues and deficiency in nutrition are much more likely to be the problem. To improve your Leptin level you have to make healthy eating habits with the necessary changes in your lifestyle. Your ultimate goal should be to stick to a diet to achieve a healthy weight.
EAT HEALTHY. STAY HEALTHY.
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