I read this article online last week and expected that everyone would be blogging about it. If any of you have posted about it, mea culpa. If not, please take a few minutes to read it. It addresses why so many people who are obese gain back weight after dieting and goes through the physiological and metabolic things our bodies do to keep us fat. For those who are able to keep the weight off, they have some things in common according to the National Weight Control Registry: THEY MUST EAT FEWER CALORIES AND EXERCISE MORE than a person who maintains the same weight naturally! These people exercise for at least an hour a day- every day-, they weigh themselves- every day- and they don't cheat on weekends and holidays. Even years after losing weight, they are vigilant. The article also discusses how formerly obese people have caloric disadvantages due to post weight loss changes in their bodies. In one example a 190 lb woman needed 2,300 calories to maintain her weight, even though the typical woman in her age and weight category could consume 2,600 and maintain. I can't possibly summarize the entire article and won't bother to try. But please take a look folks. It really shows that losing weight is a lifelong commitment and something that we will always have to focus on. We might have to work out harder or eat healthier than our friends who weigh the same amount, but when we KNOW this, we can't use it as an excuse. "... but we all ate two slices of pizza, I am not doing anything wrong..." and "... Suzy barely exercises, and look how skinny she is..." won't fly for us. That is not our reality!
And my reality is that I still weigh more than the typical obese woman in one of the studies referenced in the article, le sigh.
6 comments:
Oh, that article was just depressing.
I like this line "this is not our reality." I think it's important to face facts. Life is what it is. Perhaps some may see it as punishment for allowing themselves to get to the state they did but it is what it is. Very interesting article. Thanks for posting!
Interesting article. Thanks for sharing. Very daunting, but very enlightening. Definitely something to be aware of in order to be successful long term. I personally think it's helpful to know that it will NEVER be "easy" (even with the band)and we even have to work harder than naturally thin people. Figures!
I can't believe how hard that one woman has to work to maintain 195 lbs though. Jeez.
This...
"they don't cheat on weekends and holidays. Even years after losing weight, they are vigilant."
and this...
"She has also come to accept that she can never stop being “hypervigilant” about what she eats. “Everything has to change,” she says. “I’ve been up and down the scale so many times, always thinking I can go back to ‘normal,’ but I had to establish a new normal. People don’t like hearing that it’s not easy.”
We really have to let go of all our fat-brain habits and become that thin-brained person who constantly and consistenly monitors their calories and exercises regularly FOREVER - even on week-ends and holidays :).
Robyn and I read a book called the secrets of skinny chicks. What it came down to is most people I think are naturally thin really work at keeping their weight off too. Exercising 5-6 days per week and keeping an eye on their calories most days. Just like we do. I think the important thing to realize in this journey is there is no "done". Interesting article. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing. The journey never ends. Some people lose the weight and then lax on the exercise and calorie intake. It's always a continuous battle. Guess that's why it's a lifestyle change.
~ Enyonam
http://transitioningto143.blogspot.com
I cannot deal with reading that right now - I'm having an "I'M GONNA GAIN IT ALL BACK TODAY!" day. But I'm definitely bookmarking.
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