For many of us, losing weight is the biggest part of our journey–but for those who have already lost weight, keeping that weight off is just as important.
And now a new study from Karolinska Institutet’s Clinical Epidemiology Unit and Obesity Center in Sweden says there may be two new ways to do it.
“The body has several defence [sic] mechanisms against weight loss, such as increased hunger, lower energy metabolism and relapse back to old habits,” says Dr. Erik Hemmingsson, who helped research the study. “If the problem of rebound weight gain didn’t exist, obesity would be relatively easy to treat. There have been several possible methods to facilitate long-term weight control over the years, and now the database was large enough to make a systematic evaluation of existing studies.”
Analyzing a total of 20 studies involving more than 3,000 patients, researchers at Karolinska Institutet looked at how certain diet behaviors, such as going low-carb or taking anti-obesity drugs, increased the likelihood of minimizing weight gain after dieting. Other protocols, such as exercise and low calorie dieting, defined as consuming fewer than 1,000 calories a day, were also examined.
On a downside, their research showed that weight gain after dieting was hard to prevent–but two strategies helped minimize this risk.
“Anti-obesity drugs unfortunately carry a risk of adverse events, so the most effective drugs were completely withdrawn a few years ago,” says Hemmingsson. “Meal replacement products and high protein diets, on the other hand, are effective and available to everyone.”
On the contrary, other habits experts have previously claimed worked for preventing weight regain, such as exercise, didn’t have any impact.
“Exercise as compared with diet counseling did not improve weight-loss maintenance,” says the researchers of the study in an article published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Exercise as compared with diet counseling did not improve weight-loss maintenance.”
How to Improve Your Weight Loss Odds
So it’s finally revealed: While exercise and diet drugs may help people lose weight, these methods won’t help keep the weight off. However, other strategies will–and here’s what you should follow:
1. If you’re not eating enough protein, now’s the time to start. In the researchers’ meta analysis, those who ate a high-protein diet were the least likely to experience rebound weight– or sudden weight gain following successful weight loss. Your best bet: Eating a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is the best way to keep your protein intake high. For instance, if you weigh 130lbs, it’s best to keep your protein intake around 130 grams per day.
2. Replace one meal with a meal replacement shake. Meal replacement shakes are great for staying in shape on-the-go, as these shakes can be transported anywhere and don’t need to be pre-made. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to sip on Slim Fast to stay skinny though–other companies, such as Nature’s Way and Vega, also specialize in organic, cruelty-free shakes to help keep the poundage off.
Readers: Have you tried any of these diet recommendations before?
Sources:
Study: High Protein Diet, Shakes Prevent Rebound Weight Gain – ajcn.nutrition.org
Press Release: Swedish Researchers Identify Best Ways to Prevent Weight Gain – Ki.se
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