Most people have usually tried multiple weight loss programs and diets before. The story is the same every time. They lose weight when they start the diet. Gradually they hit a wall and the weight loss plateaus. They persist with the diet for some more time. Eventually, they get demotivated and stop the diet. The weight comes rushing back, sometimes more than what they have lost. The entire exercise leads to very pronounced feelings of guilt, demotivation and self-blame. Unfortunately, this cycle gets repeated multiple times in the weight loss journeys of people living with obesity leading to extreme frustration and disappointment.
Obesity related to an inflammatory state that can affect the taste buds on the tongue. People with obesity tend to have less sensitivity to sweet taste and may consume a lot sweeter to get the same taste perception. There is a close interaction between energy balance, taste, and smell signals.
Gut hormones like GLP 1 and PYY affect appetite suppression, satiety, hunger, blood glucose regulation and so on. Weight loss diets lead to a decrease in the levels of GLP1 and PYY leading to lesser satiety, increased hunger and cravings. Obesity is also associated with insulin and leptin resistance. These hormones are involved in energy balance and weight regulation.
Neural response to food is altered in people with obesity. The reward pathway or the hedonic pathway is a neurological pathway controlled by the hypothalamus in the human brain. Stimulation of the central hedonic pathway can alter the eating behaviour in people with obesity and may sometimes override the signals of hunger and satiety and tend to defeat weight loss diets.
Getting out of the “diet mindset”
The “diet mindset” is believing in external rules about what you should and shouldn’t eat. It can create feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety, and deprivation, and make it harder to listen to your body’s internal signals of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction.
Try some of these strategies for getting out of the “diet mindset”:
Instead of classifying foods as “good” and “bad”: Think of foods as neutral. Eating a certain way does not make you a better or worse person, and there is no reason to feel shame or guilt for eating foods that you enjoy.
Instead of following rules about what you “can” and “can’t” eat: Learn how your body responds to different foods, and understand why you’re better off avoiding certain foods. Instead of telling yourself “I can’t eat this,” think “my blood glucose doesn’t respond as well to this food.”
Instead of counting calories: Let your body’s hunger and fullness cues guide how much you eat. Eat slowly and savour your food. Pause mid-meal to check your hunger level. Eat until you are comfortably satisfied, not until you are uncomfortably full.
References
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/this-is-why-weight-loss-diets-dont-work-for-everyone/articleshow/93759397.cms
- https://www.diabetesfoodhub.org/articles/managing-diabetes-without-dieting.html?fbclid=IwAR3rZnj3yUc-q5I58hqUW9–FSBCYl9MttqbeZKBjq_LjFvjnkaUfXZ_bcg