How diet deficient calories make you gain weight

After a diet low in calories, many people gain weight again. And it is not a lack of willpower or poor eating habits. This is because the body tends to return to a given amount of fat.

A predetermined amount of fat - a certain level of adipose tissue in the human body.

This number is strictly individual and depends on genetics, activity level and food habits. But whatever it was, the body will try to keep the number constant.

How the body stores fat

slowing metabolism

The further you move away from its intended amount of fat, the more your body prevents further loss of fat, causing your energy systemBiology's response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain. to work as efficiently as possible. Mitochondria - the energy source of cells - begin to produce more energy from less fuel.

At the same time, the metabolism slows down, decreases the amount of energy you spend on routine cases even reduced thermal effectEffect of circadian variation in energy expenditure, within-subject variation and weight reduction on thermic effect of food.

Food - the number of calories that you spend to digest food.

And the more fat you lose, the more efficient your body becomes. Moreover, the more you expose your body to such a test, the better he learns to conserve energy. That is your fourth attempt to lose weight on a low calorie diet fat will go much slower than in the first three.

hormones hunger

When you lose weight, your fat cells decrease in size, causing the secretion of leptin - a hormone that provides a feeling of fullness.

StudyLeptin signaling, adiposity, and energy balance. It revealed that during calorie deficit fall in leptin levels in the blood plasma exceeds the rate of reduction of fat reserves. Moreover, this level remains low even for some time after weight stabilizes. This means that even after the diet you will be hard enough.

At the same time, calorie deficiency causes increased levels of ghrelin - the hormone responsible for the feeling of hunger. So you constantly feel hungry, food techniques do not bring satiety, while your body conserves energy - ideal conditions for gaining weight.

And when you throw a diet, you will not only return to their old weight, but also to accumulate more.

Why do you gain weight after the diet

A predetermined amount of fat, which we mentioned above, is determined by the number and size of your fat cells. When you quit the diet, curled up fat cells get bigger again. In theory, it should inform the body that the weight restored and calorie deficit is gone, so you can stop saving energy.

However, the experimentWeight regain after sustained weight reduction is accompanied by suppressed oxidation of dietary fat and adipocyte hyperplasia. on mice has shown that rapid weight gain after weight loss stimulates the formation of new fat cells.

The more fat cells you have, the lower their average size. Lack quantities of fat cells, and decreased levels of leptin signals the body that fat is still reduced, so that your body continues to save energy. All of this causes you to accumulate even more fat than before the diet.

So, to really lose weight, you need to avoid a sharp slowdown in metabolism in diet and time correctly return to normal diet after her. Let's look at three strategies that can help to lose weight without slowing down the metabolism, and return to their normal calorie fat without dialing.

Three strategies for effective weight loss

1. Find your calorie deficit

First of all, you need to figure out how many calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates (BZHU) you consume without restriction. For three days just consider the nutritional value of everything that you have eaten, on paper or in a special supplement.

Then determine how many calories you need to consume in order to lose fat, but do not slow down the metabolism. Try the easiest method: take your weight in kilograms, multiply by 26.5. For example, if you weigh 60 kg, you will need to consume 1590 calories to lose weight.

Do not take this value as the absolute truth. This is just a starting point, the approximate number from which to start.

To find your calories, you need to carefully monitor their condition.

If you feel fatigue and constant hunger, so you need to slightly increase the calories, otherwise the deficit would lead to adaptation and a slower metabolism.

If you feel fine and do not feel hungry, you can, on the contrary, reduce calories, but it is advisable to do it gradually, because rapid transition again slow down the metabolism.

2. To exit, use reverse diet

When you reach your goals, time comes to increase the rate of calories. However, the rapid transition to increased calorie can lead to the formation of new fat cells and weight gain. To avoid this, use the reverse diet.

The essence of this diet in a gradual increase in caloric - 80-100 calories a day. Such approach allows to accelerate slightly metabolism, Slowed down after a long deficit of calories, to return to its normal nutrients and does not gain excess weight.

Specific increase depends on how big was your calorie deficit, how you feel and how you afraid to gain weight on a diet end. If you have created a large calorie deficit, you feel weak and are not afraid to get some fat after a diet can make a big jump and quickly add 200-500 kcal.

If you feel good on a diet and do not want to gain a single gram of excess fat, increase the caloric content very carefully. For example, every week, increase the amount of carbohydrates and fats in the diet is 2-10%.

3. There is a small victory, to strengthen their resolve

We have already talked about the fact that the constant jumping from a low-calorie diet to a normal diet only worsen your results. So try to eliminate breakdowns.

Physical discomfort from lack of calories must be replenished mental satisfaction. You can not hold out for long in the simple anticipation of the results - you need small victories every day.

Eliminate the situations that cause you have feelings of guilt and takes away the little joy.

For example, if you consistently go beyond the established norm of carbohydrates, why do not you just improve it?

When you understand that you get a diet and stowed in their normal, and you are feeling well, no weakness and wild hunger, you begin to enjoy the process, and is the key to a long steady diet results.