Is trying to lose weight pointless?

I’ve recently got a new job as a bariatric dietitian and part of my role is supporting people to lose weight before and after weight loss surgery.

So many of the people I see have tried countless diets, cleanses, and fads to shed the pounds, but nothing works. After years of endless dieting, and not being able to lose weight, they then decide that weight loss surgery is their final option. 

This got me thinking about the commonly touted weight loss tip of ‘eat less, move more’. 

I think this is incredibly unhelpful and an oversimplified approach to weight loss. 

It doesn't help people see what they should be eating, how much of it they should eat or how to fit more movement into their day. There is also so much more that goes into healthy eating such as cooking ability, meal planning and preparation, financial constraints, and the very important aspect of time.

If 'eat less, move more' was that effective then there wouldn't be a need for my bariatric role.

It also ignores the idea of the set point theory. 

What is set point theory?

Set point theory is the idea that the body has a natural weight range that it tries to maintain. The set point can change during periods of someone’s life such as in illness, or menopause but it generally is within a set range. 

This means that if you try to lose weight, the body will resist this and deploy mechanisms to stop further weight loss, to get you back to your set point weight.

How does your body resist weight loss?

Reducing your metabolism: during weight loss, your body will reduce the amount of energy it needs to keep functioning. This means you’ll use up less energy doing normal bodily processes.

For example, if you need 2000 calories a day to maintain your body weight but are trying to lose weight and are consuming 1700 calories, your body may reduce the calories you need to function to 1500 calories. This means that even with your efforts to reduce your calorie intake to 1700, you’ll still be in a calorie excess, so weight loss is harder. 

Increasing your appetite and your cravings for high energy foods: there’s lots of hormones involved in hunger and fullness and when weight is lost, the body will increase hormones that make you feel hungry, while reducing the amount of fullness hormones. It will also make you want high fat, high sugar foods as these are a good source of energy to help put the weight back on.

And when you do lose weight and so stop your diet/cleanse/fast, you're likely to regain the weight, plus extra, due to your body trying to get back to it's set point.

So, knowing all of this, is trying to lose weight pointless? 

As a dietitian, I want to say that no, it’s not pointless to try and lose weight. I will admit that it is incredibly difficult to lose weight and keep it off. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.

First, you need to make a realistic weight loss goal. 

You may have a number in mind of where you want to be, but is it actually achievable? Aiming for 10% weight loss is a good place to start as this can improve your health by reducing things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. 

A 10% weight loss target looks like, as an example, weighing 90kg, and wanting to lose 9kg, leaving you at a weight of 83kg.

Then, reflect on your current eating habits to help you see areas to improve.

Keeping a food diary can be a useful way to see what you’re currently eating. We can often eat mindlessly e.g. in front of the TV or while on the go and not realise how much we’re consuming.

It might also show that you reach for food out of boredom, stress, or other emotions. Recognising when you eat without being physically hungry can help you make a plan to prepare for other types of hunger.

Finally, consider your activity levels and whether you can increase it. 

You don’t need to do a gruelling workout in the gym for it to count. Finding an exercise that you enjoy means you’re more likely to do it and it won’t feel as much of a chore. 

The recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes a week, but you can start small and build from there. Exercise alone is unlikely to lead to weight loss but together with dietary changes, it’s a recipe for success. 

I’ve written an E-book to support you further with weight loss. The book covers everything from food and exercise to sleep and stress. It’s got practical tips for meal planning, better sleep habits, and exercising more. 

I’ve brought together all my knowledge and experience, to help you lose weight for good. 

You can buy it from Amazon or Etsy. 

I hope you enjoyed this blog post!

Bye for now 👋

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK592402/ 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5497590/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35333446/