One of the joys of my job is addressing spontaneous questions that arise after I introduce myself and my business to people.
For example, at a workshop last week, one of the participants was wondering why she always seems to re-gain weight after dieting.
So I asked her, Did you continue watching your eating habits after the weight loss? She looked confused, stating she probably hadn’t. Ah-hah, I thought, the calorie gap strikes again!
Let me explain this concept, then you’ll understand why it is one of the major reasons you must select a weight-loss strategy you can live with forever, not just while dieting.
Although our bodies are not machines, and the numbers don’t work out exactly according to formulas, here’s the idea behind the calorie gap, using an imaginary client, Kelsey:
- 55-year old female
- 5’9”
- 170 lb.
- lightly active (exercises 1 – 3 times/week)
To maintain this weight, Kelsey’s eating approximately 1,967 calories per day. (Use this site to calculate caloric requirements.)
She diets and exercises diligently, and loses 30 lb. (yeah!). Happy with her weight loss, Kelsey abandons her activity regime and returns to her normal eating habits.
And the scale starts moving in the wrong direction!
Now at 140 lb., the problem is that Kelsey’s body simply doesn’t need as many calories each day.
In addition, if she didn’t consume sufficient protein while dieting, and didn’t do any resistance training, her lean body mass has gone down along with her weight. Dilemma: lean body mass (i.e., muscle) is more metabolically active than body fat, and burns more calories all day long. Consequence: it’s now much easier to re-gain the weight.
So let’s look at Kelsey’s calorie gap:
Body Weight Activity level Calories needed Calorie gap
170 lb. lightly active 1,967/day —
140 lb. sedentary 1,553/day <414/day>
So to account for this gap, Kelsey either has to eat less or exercise more (or both). Dropping 414 calories from her food intake on a daily basis could be difficult. But adding activity to the equation makes it a lot more palatable. Thirty minutes of moderate-level exercise burns about 150 calories per half hour. Add that to avoiding one soda per day and eating smaller portions, and Kelsey will have a much better chance of keeping her weight off.
In summary, here are a few guidelines for successful weight maintenance:
- Aim to lose only 10% of your current weight initially, then keep it off for several months before proceeding.
- Choose a diet plan that you can tolerate (with a few minor changes) forever.
- Consume sufficient calories (1200/day) and protein (20 – 30 grams/meal, 10 grams/snack) while dieting–essential for baby boomers and seniors.
- Engage in strength training twice a week to maintain lean body mass.
- Remember that you simply cannot go back to eating the same foods and portion sizes–and expect to maintain your weight loss.
- Move! When it comes to weight loss, exercise is most effective in helping maintain the lost pounds, not in the actual process of losing them.
For a free consultation regarding your weight loss goals, please reach out to me here.