Why is it that weight loss has not worked? Maybe you are using the wrong method!

After dinner, people always talk about obesity, either because they are fat or because someone around them is fat. But if you are a little fat, people will just talk about it briefly and forget about it. They won’t take it too seriously. At most, you will lose weight after a few meals. But for people who are too fat, the topic of obesity is similar to the pressure on older people to get married during the Spring Festival. They have no interest in it and may even get annoyed because if they can lose weight, why bother talking about it? It seems like they deliberately want to be fat.

Why is it so difficult for some people to lose weight? Simply put, it is because the medicine is not suitable for the disease. Weight loss depends on the individual. The "popular weight loss method" may not be suitable for you.

Genes: You can question them but you can’t blame them

In 1950, scientists began to be interested in genetics and obesity. Eventually, they found that the genes related to obesity include ob gene and FTO gene, especially FTO-AA type gene, which can be said to be a "foodie" gene, because people who carry this type of gene have a strong appetite and a weak sense of fullness.

Is there no hope for those who are "born fat"? Do you need to test your genes in order to lose weight? Of course not. Genes are not "force majeure" and you don't need to test your genes specifically to lose weight. You should know that the "probability" can be reduced. The impact of genes on the human body is affected by many factors such as diet, psychology, living habits, and environment. Even if you have an "obesity gene", you just have to work harder. Practice has shown that you can also create achievements by making up for your natural deficiencies. As long as you control your diet longer than others (refuse to consume deeply processed foods and beverages) + gradual exercise (such as jogging), you will definitely lose weight.

Drugs: Just think of it as an "adverse reaction" to the drug

The most well-known drug that can cause obesity is hormones. Many people gain weight after using hormones. The reason is not only that they promote appetite, but also that hormones can reduce lipase, hinder fat decomposition, and cause fat to increase; hormones promote protein decomposition, increase blood sugar, etc. However, after stopping the use of hormones, weight will naturally return to normal.

The second is ovulation-inducing drugs. This is easy to understand because this type of drug also achieves ovulation induction by regulating hormone secretion. In this process, the drug causes weight gain and is accompanied by "edema". However, like hormones, weight will naturally return after stopping the drug.

Then there are hypoglycemic drugs, xanthocyanurides and thiazolidinediones. They may cause obesity by promoting insulin secretion while increasing fat synthesis and water and sodium retention. Antidepressants may cause obesity because they affect the appetite regulation center of the central nervous system while affecting nerves. Because these two drugs involve long-term medication, patients who become obese due to taking these drugs need to discuss with the doctor in charge whether they can change the drug if they want to lose weight.

Gut flora: Certain bacteria are missing

Many people say "you are what you eat", but to be more precise, your intestinal flora is what you eat. There are about 200 kinds of bacteria in the intestine, such as lactic acid bacteria, clostridium, etc., and there are many bacteria that cannot be named at present. The total number exceeds 100 trillion and weighs 1 to 2 kilograms. The relationship between intestinal bacteria and obesity was proposed by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon. After many experiments, it was found that Enterobacter cloacae (B29) is one of the direct culprits of obesity. Its role is like a latent infection in the body. Other studies have shown that the number of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in obese Chinese people is significantly lower than that of people with normal weight. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron produces short-chain fatty acids, which can prevent cells from absorbing fat and inhibit the accumulation of excess fat, thus avoiding obesity. In other words, if there are fewer Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron in the body, it is easy to get fat.

If you suspect that intestinal flora is causing your obesity, how can you solve it? You can "save the country in a roundabout way".

Because the bacteria in the large intestine can secrete short-chain fatty acids, it should be enough to make the bacteria in the large intestine "rich". Studies have shown that if you eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as apples, burdock, lettuce, etc., so that dietary fiber stays in the large intestine, the large intestine bacteria can obtain more "nutrition" and secrete more short-chain fatty acids, which can also help lose weight.

Disease: Polycystic ovary syndrome is indeed a bit troublesome

If you are a woman who has difficulty losing weight, it is recommended that you rule out polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). If it is confirmed, then it is indeed difficult to lose weight. Because this disease is an endocrine metabolic disease, commonly known as "endocrine disorder". The body's affairs are related to the endocrine system, and sometimes we cannot control it, which is the fundamental reason why it is difficult to lose weight.

The "Chinese Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome" (published in January 2018) states that "the cause of PCOS is unknown and there is no effective cure." And "lifestyle intervention is the first choice for basic treatment of PCOS patients, especially for patients with overweight or obesity, and lifestyle intervention should be carried out before and/or during drug treatment." This "lifestyle intervention" includes low-calorie diet and exercise. In terms of low-calorie diet, the guidelines clearly point out that "long-term calorie restriction, low-sugar, high-fiber diet, and unsaturated fatty acids instead of saturated fatty acids. Change bad eating habits, reduce mental stress, quit smoking, and drink less alcohol and coffee."

Here, I want to remind everyone that even if you have this disease, which is clinically recognized to make people fat and difficult to treat, you cannot "stop" losing weight, especially you cannot be anxious about it. Sometimes life seems to be encountering difficulties, but if you look at it from another angle, you will find that along with the difficulties, there are also "good things coming." Think about it carefully, isn't having this disease "forcing" yourself to live a healthier life? If your living habits are good, the disease will naturally get better by half. Is it still difficult to lose weight?

Rebound: The problem of your own basal metabolic rate

Weight loss rebound is like getting excellent grades in the monthly exam but ranking last in the final exam, which is a huge blow to the person.

Why does it rebound? The simplest explanation is that good eating and exercise habits are not maintained. But for many people, this reason is too far-fetched. Then let's talk about another reason - low basal metabolic rate.

The basal metabolic rate of the human body refers to the metabolic level in a resting state. Because even if a person lies still, he or she will consume calories. Usually, the basal metabolic rate of a healthy adult is 1000 to 1200 kcal/day. Of course, each person will have differences due to various reasons. A paper in "Obesity" in 2016 reported on related research, arguing that weight loss will cause the body to deviate from its actual weight, causing the body to change its basal metabolic rate. Weight loss will cause the basal metabolic rate to adapt to the new weight and become lower than before, resulting in fat accumulation and weight gain.

What kind of people have a high basal metabolic rate? People who love sports. People who love sports not only increase their calorie consumption due to exercise, but also consume more calories than those who do not love sports even when they are resting. Therefore, it is easier for them to lose weight and maintain their body shape.

If you lose weight quickly or lose a lot of weight, the probability of your basal metabolic rate decreasing is high, and the probability of rebounding is also high. It is recommended that if this is the case, you should continue to exercise to maintain a high basal metabolic rate and avoid rebounding.

Finally, there is one more thing I want to remind you, which is also the most important. If obesity affects your health and life, then you should actively lose weight, but don't be impatient. If you proceed step by step, you will definitely succeed in losing weight. If obesity does not affect you, but you are afraid of it as a potential disease factor, then find a way to lose weight that suits you and lose weight comfortably, which is also a way to enjoy life.

References:

Yuan Yue. Smart and Stupid Human Body[M]. Beijing. Life. Reading. New Knowledge Sanlian Bookstore. 2021.

Chinese Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2018, 53(1), 2-6.

Zhang Jifeng. Research progress on obesity genes[J]. Progress in Physiological Sciences. 1998 (1): 007.

The article is produced by Science Popularization China-Starry Sky Project (Creation and Cultivation). Please indicate the source when reprinting.

Author: Chen Lan Popular Science Creator

Reviewer: Tao Ning, Associate Researcher, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences