Over 95% of people relapse following weight loss as the diets are generally not sustainable long term. They followed up the participants of The Greatest Loser over a few years and virtually all had regained their weight and more on top. The results are replicated worldwide.
If you look at our biology it’s easy to see why. We are programmed to gain weight as thousands of years ago e had to adapt to times of famine, this was followed by periods of plenty. The fittest and healthiest surviving people were those who could gain weight and get through the famine. They then ate high calorie foods which ensured their survival through the next famine.
We no longer have famine (unless you count dieting which puts your body into a “oh my god it’s famine” mode”).
Equally we no longer have to hunt for our rich high calorie food. We can keapap in the car and go to the shop to buy our chocolate/crisps/cheese/insert food of choice.
And we live in an obesogenic environment,
What’s the answer? We have to replicate that. Hunting by exercise.
Exercise can start with a “something is better than noth8ng” approach. If you never walk anywhere then just adding 5mins if walk8ng a day is going to improve things.
We need to stop being impatient ....weight loss needs to take time. And we need to eat more (ie not diet) and move more, I always tell my DS it’s about choosing smart when it comes to snacks, I get him to look at labels and learn about them. So if he fancies a sausage toll from the shops then he looks at packs and chooses the lowest in fat etc, it’s stilk a. High fat food but he’s chosen more wisely and he exercises. It all helps.