Interesting Article - Thoughts?
I thought this was a very interesting article.
I'll start off by saying I *hate* the Biggest Loser for the unrealistic ideas it pushes. I don't think people have any idea how unsuccessful contestants are over the long-term and it gives people false hope.
The whole idea of metabolic slowdown is obviously very complex and there's a long way to go as far as further research. Does RNY give a metabolic advantage over people who lose without WLS? The BL group is unique as they exercise a lot (7+ hours a day), I wonder if this has any additional effect on metabolism over losing through diet alone vs diet + moderate exercise vs WLS.
The biggest loser does not teach eating and realistic exercise. It is all show. However as the article says it gave them a look at what happens to people who lose and re-gain.
I find as time passes I have to be more and more careful of sticking to plan. At two years the odd slip was easily lost in the next few days. At four years it is easier to gain and harder to lose.
I would like to lose 10 lbs but I keep slipping and putting the lost pounds back on. I am afraid to 'settle' here for fear it will be another 10 in no time. So I am trying to be more vigilant.
WLS surgery was never the easy way out. It has been a fantastic tool and I am still happy with where I am. I just know going forward it will not get any easier to lose and I will have to be strict to not re-gain.
The first two years after surgery were easy. After that my metabolism gets slower and slower. Every year I must eat less calories to maintain the same weight. Maintenance means weighing daily and always being aware of what I am eating and how much I weigh. Exercise does help, but calorie cutting is the only thing that really works.
The body will always fight to get the weight back. I have to fight harder to keep it off.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
on 5/2/16 9:59 pm
Interesting read. I can say I have gone through a lifetime of my body/ metabolism sabatoging efforts to maintain. Each loss followed a regain that was faster requiring less calories than the time before. Age has been "the" reason for difficulty losing, maintaining or the need for a serious reduction in calories compared to our friends with no issues. This article implies it's more complex than age, calories, exercise. I have no idea if it's true but I can say this exact theory has crossed my mind.
it would be great if they followed this lead to confirm what has been the age old, "yo yo dieting slows your metabolism".
There was a news story on CNN this evening with a Dr studying why people gained a large portion of their weight loss and why those having bariatric surgery so much more successful. One point he mentioned had to do with how those losing large amounts of weight using methods other than surgery did not have the same changes in appetite, cravings etc that surgery patients tend to experience.
Didn't catch it all but was interesting.
Further to the comment above...You are absolutely correct! It was previously thought that WLS produces weight loss due to volume restriction and malabsorption only. However, bariatric surgery has an effect on gut hormones (for example GLP1 ,etc) that will produce weight loss due to reduced appetite, delay in gastric emptying to name a few. Dieting alone does not do the same.