Why are you always unsuccessful in losing weight? If you don’t understand this, it will be difficult to lose weight no matter how hard you try.

Why are you always unsuccessful in losing weight? If you don’t understand this, it will be difficult to lose weight no matter how hard you try.

Social media is full of enviable perfect bodies, which undoubtedly brings psychological pressure to many people. Many people desire to have an ideal body, but often encounter setbacks in the process of losing weight. Despite people's efforts to exercise and diet, the number on the scale may not change, which makes many people confused and frustrated.

Energy compensation: the "invisible stumbling block" on the road to weight loss

A key factor in the difficulty of losing weight is energy compensation. The energy compensation mechanism was formed during human evolution. In ancient times, when food was scarce, this mechanism helped the human body store energy to survive. However, in modern society, this mechanism has become an obstacle to weight loss. A study published in the journal Contemporary Biology by a joint international research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed that energy compensation is an important reason for the poor weight loss effect.

What is energy compensation?

Energy compensation can be understood as a "energy-saving mechanism" of the human body. When the human body increases the amount of exercise, the body will automatically reduce the basal metabolic rate to compensate for the energy consumed by exercise. For example, you may think that you have consumed 500 kcal of calories through exercise, but in fact, the body will save energy in other ways, and the actual calories consumed in the end may be only about 360 kcal.

Relationship between energy compensation and BMI

BMI (body mass index) is an important indicator to measure the ratio of weight to height. The calculation formula is weight (kilograms) divided by the square of height (meters).

The study found that the higher the BMI, the greater the proportion of energy compensation. People with a lower BMI have an energy compensation of about 27.7%, while people with a higher BMI have an energy compensation of up to 49.2%. This means that overweight people need to work harder when losing weight.

Common Misconceptions About Weight Loss

At present, various weight loss punch-in challenges and Internet celebrity weight loss recipes are widely circulated on the Internet. Many people try them, but the results are often not good. The reason is that these methods do not take into account the important factor of energy compensation. Everyone's body energy compensation mechanism is different, so the weight loss method that suits others may not be suitable for you.

Blindly following the trend of weight loss punch-in challenge: Many people see others lose weight successfully through a certain method, and then blindly try it, but ignore individual differences. For example, someone loses weight successfully through high-intensity exercise, but they may find it difficult to stick to it due to their physical fitness or work pace, and the final effect is not good.

Internet celebrity weight loss recipes: These recipes are often too simple and cannot meet the nutritional needs of the human body. Long-term use may lead to malnutrition or even rapid weight rebound after resuming a normal diet.

How to deal with energy compensation

Facing the challenge of energy compensation, we are not helpless. Studies have shown that increasing the amount of exercise can effectively break through the limit of energy compensation. A study in the United States divided overweight adults into two groups, one group consumed 1500 kcal per week, and the other group consumed 3000 kcal. The results showed that the group that consumed 3000 kcal successfully broke through the limit of energy compensation and achieved fat loss.

How to break through energy compensation?

Increase the amount of exercise: Increase calorie consumption by increasing exercise intensity or extending exercise time. For example, perform aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes each time, combined with strength training to increase basal metabolic rate.

Adjust your diet strategy: Australian research shows that intermittent energy restriction is more effective than continuous dieting. This method refers to reducing food intake during specific periods of time and eating normally at other times. For example, adopting the "5+2" model, that is, eating normally for 5 days a week and restricting calorie intake for 2 days (about 500 kcal for women and about 600 kcal for men). This diet pattern can break the body's "energy-saving defense mechanism" and thus improve weight loss results.

Develop a personalized weight loss plan

Most importantly, it is crucial to develop a personalized weight loss plan. Everyone's lifestyle, work pace and physical condition are different, so you need to arrange your diet and exercise according to your own situation. It is recommended to develop a scientific weight loss plan under the guidance of a professional nutritionist or fitness coach, combined with your BMI and physical condition.

Long-term strategies for weight loss

Losing weight is a long-term process, and you cannot expect significant results in a short period of time. Maintaining a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and learning to relieve stress, and incorporating these healthy lifestyles into your daily life, can help you achieve your weight loss goals and maintain your ideal body shape for a long time, and embrace a more confident and healthier self.

References:

Chinese Academy of Sciences and international research team. The impact of energy compensation mechanism on weight loss. Contemporary Biology, 2023. 2. Flack KD, et al. Exercise for Weight Loss: Further Evaluating Energy Compensation with Exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2002.

3.Jamshed H, et al. Effectiveness of Early Time-Restricted Eating for Weight Loss. JAMA Intern Med, 2022.

4. Professional nutritionist and fitness coach. Development and implementation of personalized weight loss plan. Healthy Life Magazine, 2023.