Why is it so hard to keep weight off?

Many people will lose at least some weight using a variety of weight loss plans, diets and approaches. They might well reach their target weight but keeping the weight off is a different matter! Weight gain after weight loss can be both upsetting and disheartening, but groundbreaking research published this month has shed some light on why it’s so hard to keep weight off after losing it.

Fat cells

Fat cells in people who carry excess weight are different to the fat cells in people who have always been lean. When people carry excess weight both the number of fat cells is greater, and more significantly, the size of the individual fat cells is bigger.   When people lose weight, they don’t lose the number of fat cells they have but the fat cells actually shrink because their content is used as energy. If people, then put weight back on the fat cells that had shrunk get bigger again!

What did the research find?

This study wanted to get a better understanding of what is happening at the fat cell level to try and explain why people experience the ‘yo-yo’ effect that many people face when they lose weight only to put it all back on again.  

The research found that after weight loss, fat cells have a ‘memory’ of the state they used to be in, when they were in the body that carried the excess weight.  This is thought to be due to changes in and around fat cells which affect gene activity and the way the cells function.  After weight loss therefore, those cells respond abnormally and are more likely to exapnd again causing weight regain.

So what does this mean?

The study doesn’t prove that fat cell ‘memory’ is the only reason why people might put weight on ‘more easily’ after losing it.  It does however support the thinking that, the reason why it is so difficult to keep that weight off, is down to complex biological processes and not to willpower alone.  It also strengthens the proposal that people who have lost weight really need to be supported to keep that weight off because as mentioned…it is not simply a lifestyle choice!

Losing weight is difficult and keeping it off can feel impossible.  An understanding that being overweight is a medical condition rather than a lifestyle choice, is crucial in helping people achieve their goals to feel better and healthier.

Contact us now for a free appointment to speak with our doctor about your weight loss journey and what your hopes and goals are.