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Prevention.com

This Is How Often You Should Weigh Yourself If You Want To Lose Weight Prevention.com If you struggle with your weight, the bathroom scale may feel like your worst enemy. And for years, experts supported this notion, claiming that regularly weighing yourself means more burden than benefitnot to mention it's only one number that doesn ...

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This Is How Often You Should Weigh Yourself If You Want To Lose Weight - Prevention.com

Rolling Out

Gabourey Sidibe gets candid about weight-loss surgery: 'I love my body now' Rolling Out Last year the Empire star, 33, opted to undergo laparoscopic bariatric surgery, after a long-term battle with depression, anxiety and bulimia. Now, the actress who recently dropped her memoir, This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare, is getting candid ... What Gabourey Sidibe Gets Right About Bariatric SurgeryRefinery29 'I love my body now!': Empire star Gabourey Sidibe reveals she had weight loss surgery in May after type 2 diabetes ...Daily Mail all 91 news articles »

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Gabourey Sidibe gets candid about weight-loss surgery: 'I love my body now' - Rolling Out

Kevin Helling, M.D., medical director of bariatric surgery, announced that Wyoming Medical Center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Bariatric Center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), a joint program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

I am proud to say that we are nowthe onlyaccreditedcenter for bariatric surgery in the entire state of Wyoming, said Dr. Helling. Our presence as a regional referral center for bariatric surgery and other specialty services continues to grow. That is only possible because of the effort put in by our excellent medical staff.

The MBSAQIP Standards, outlined in the Resources for Optimal Care of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Patient 2014 ensure that bariatric surgical patients receive a multidisciplinary program, not just a surgical procedure, which improves patient outcomes and long-term success. The accredited center offers preoperative and postoperative care designed specifically for their severely obese patients.

The hospitals commitment to quality care begins with appropriately trained staff and the leadership surgeons who participate in meetings throughout the year to review outcomes. They seek continuous improvement to enhance the structure, process and outcomes of the center.

To earn the MBSAQIP designation, WMC met essential criteria for staffing, training and facility infrastructure and protocols for care, ensuring its ability to support patients with severe obesity. The center also participates in a national data registry that yields semiannual reports on the quality of its processes and outcomes, identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement.

After submitting an application, centers seeking MBSAQIP Accreditation undergo an extensive site visit by an experienced bariatric surgeon, who reviews the center's structure, process, and clinical outcomes data. Centers are awarded a specific designation depending on how many patients it serves annually, the type of procedures it provides, and whether it provides care for patients under age 18.

In the United States, around 15.5 million people suffer from severe obesity, according to the National Institutes of Health, and the numbers continue to increase. Obesity increases the risks of morbidity and mortality because of the diseases and conditions that are commonly associated with it, such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, among other health risks. Metabolic and bariatric surgical procedures have proven to be effective in the reduction of comorbid conditions related to severe obesity.* Working with ASMBS, the ACS expanded this quality program for bariatric surgery centers so that it can assist bariatric patients in identifying those centers that provide optimal surgical care.

*Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA. 2004;292(14):1724-1737. DOI:10.1001/jama.292.14.1724.

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Wyoming Medical Center achieves national accreditation for weight-loss surgery - Wyoming Business Report

Women's Health

9 Things That Make It Harder To Lose Weight In Your 20s, 30s, And 40s Women's Health We don't have to tell you that trying to lose weight in your twenties is not the same as it is in your forties. But the reason why isn't as simple as a slowing metabolism. "There are so many reasons we gain weight throughout our lives," says Karen ...

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9 Things That Make It Harder To Lose Weight In Your 20s, 30s, And 40s - Women's Health

March 7, 2017

For people trying to lose weight or maintain a lower body weight, the temptation to overeat is stronger when eating in a social setting, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention / Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health 2017 Scientific Sessions.

The 12-month study of 150 people (90 percent women) used smartphones and a custom-developed application to capture data as dieters moved through everyday life. The participants were trying to limit calories to a specific number per day. In response to questions, the dieters reported their surroundings, what they were feeling and whether they were tempted to break or broke their eating plan. Temptations were defined as eating a food or amount of a food inconsistent with a weight loss eating plan, for example, having a large serving of a calorie-dense food such as French fries or cheesecake or several pieces of candy at the office.

Researchers found:

One challenge many people who have lost weight face is maintaining the weight loss. "Research into understanding and preventing weight regain is vital for improving the public health. Helping an individual anticipate challenges and problem-solve high-risk situations can empower them to stay on track with their weight loss/weight maintenance plan," said Lora E. Burke, Ph.D., M.P.H., study lead author and professor of nursing in the Department of Health & Community Systems at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania.

These findings can guide experts in providing extra support to individuals who are overweight or obese and struggling to lose or keep off weight, Burke said.

Researchers can also use the data to develop support that can be delivered electronically to dieters in real-time, right when they need it, she added.

Participants' average body-mass index (BMI) was 34.0for instance, a 5-foot-4 woman weighing about 200 pounds, or a 5-foot-9 man weighing 230. In the U.S., more than one-third of adults have a BMI of 30 or more, the level considered obese.

During the study, women weighing less than 200 pounds were given a daily diet target of 1,200 calories, and men at that weight had a target of 1,500 calories. For men and women weighing more than 200 pounds, the goal for women 1,500 calories and 1,800 for men. Dieters aimed to limit fat to about 25 percent of total calories, Burke said.

The technique deployed to survey the dieters, called ecological momentary assessment (EMA), has been used to study topics including addiction, pain, work stress and asthma, EMA is a method of assessing people's emotions and behaviors in real-time and in their natural settings, Burke said, noting that the new study was longer than previous ones done using EMA.

"We know that our interventions lead to successful weight loss. However, our biggest challenge today is long-term maintenance of the weight loss, which requires sustained behavior change," she said.

Explore further: A maintenance program key to keeping off lost weight

A weight loss program that incorporates a maintenance intervention could help participants be more successful at keeping off pounds long term. Researchers found that a primarily telephone-based intervention focused on providing ...

Stepping on the scale is common among dieters but how does the frequency of weigh-ins impact weight? A new study in PLOS ONE showed that the more frequently dieters weighed themselves the more weight they lost, and if participants ...

Analysis of a trial that used the drug canagliflozin found that as people lost weight, their appetite increased proportionately, leading to consumption of more calories and weight loss plateau (leveling off). The findings ...

Dieters sometimes consume extra protein to stave off hunger and prevent loss of muscle tissue that often comes with weight loss.

Being accountable to another person and receiving social support may be vital in motivating some women to lose weight and keep it off, a new study says.

Sticking to a diet is essential to losing weight. So it might follow that letting would-be dieters choose a weight-loss program that seems relatively tasty and palatable would help them lose weight.

People's political leanings and their own weight shape opinions on obesity-related public policies, according to a new study by two University of Kansas researchers.

A new study shows further evidence for the view that spending too much time sitting down is bad for our health and our waistline.

Strong evidence supports the association between obesity and some major types of cancer, consisting mainly of those related to digestive organs and hormone-related malignancies, reveals a large review published by The BMJ ...

A type of herpes virus that infects about half of the U.S. population has been associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease in normal-weight women aged 20 to 49, according to a new UC San Francisco-led ...

Obesity is associated with reduced muscle mass and impaired metabolism. Epigenetic changes that affect the formation of new muscle cells may be a contributing factor, according to new research from Lund University, Sweden.

Around 35-40 per cent of a child's BMI - how fat or thin they are - is inherited from their parents, a new study has found.

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Eating in social settings may be greatest temptation for dieters - Medical Xpress

IDAHO FALLS, ID--(Marketwired - March 07, 2017) - Over 30% of all Americans are overweight or obese individuals, regularly dealing with issues like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. With high body mass index (BMI) levels, and therefore increased health problems, reducing excess body fat and pursuing healthier lifestyles is crucial. Because obesity and excessive weight gain are generally preventable issues, weight loss programs are a great option. However, with the surplus of fad diets available, choosing an ideal diet can be challenging. Popular diets offer "immediate" solutions based on restrictive dietary methods that do not work for everyone. Realistically, lasting weight loss requires consistency, customization and professional health supervision.

According to Dr. Nishant Rao, resident medical expert at Diet Doc, a nationally recognized weight loss center, it is crucial to regulate blood sugar. When it is well-regulated, blood sugar levels have no negative effects on weight loss or health. When blood sugar level elevates too much, however, the body's ability to process glucose is obstructed and it stores the extra glucose as fat. This can ultimately lead to worse issues like diabetes, heart disease, or even obesity. For this reason, blood sugar regulation is a crucial component of any comprehensive diet program, as the experts at Diet Doc like Dr. Rao recognize.

According to Dr. Rao, "Diet Doc uses low carb dietary principles along with the Ketogenic diet to facilitate sizable drops in blood sugar, which can allow for fat loss to occur more effectively." In severe cases, variations of intermittent fasting, or IF, may also be employed in order to "create extended fasting windows which further reduce blood sugar, allowing for fat to get used without storing sugar." At Diet Doc, the unique dietary needs of each individual are considered in order to maximize efficiency, safety and maximal results. For this reason, all patients receive custom-designed weight loss programs and diet consulting. With a safe, doctor-supervised diet plan and guidance for life, Diet Doc patients gain the following benefits within the very first month:

For patients who struggle with portion control or emotional eating, Diet Doc offers solutions like Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and Metwell, which helps balance metabolism and reduce appetite without harmful side effects.. Medical weight loss solutions like these, especially in combination with popular diets like the Ketogenic Diet, have been shown to be effective when doctor-supervised and customized to an individual's dietary needs, according to Dr. Rao.

With a team of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and motivational coaches, Diet Doc products help individuals lose weight fast and keep it off. Patients can get started immediately, with materials shipped directly to their home or office. They can also maintain weight loss in the long-term through weekly consultations, customized diet plans, motivational coaches and a powerful prescription program. With Diet Doc, the doctor is only a short phone call away and a fully dedicated team of qualified professionals is available 6 days per week to answer questions, address concerns and support patients.

Getting started with Diet Doc is very simple and affordable. New patients can easily visit https://www.dietdoc.com to quickly complete a health questionnaire and schedule an immediate, free online consultation.

About the Company:

Diet Doc Weight Loss is the nation's leader in medical, weight loss offering a full line of prescription medication, doctor, nurse and nutritional coaching support. For over a decade, Diet Doc has produced a sophisticated, doctor designed weight loss program that addresses each individual specific health need to promote fast, safe and long term weight loss.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DietDocMedicalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DietDocMedicalWeightLoss/LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/company/diet-doc-weight-loss?trk=biz-brand-tree-co-logo

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Diet Doc Promotes Blood Sugar Reduction and Healthy Weight Loss ... - Marketwired (press release)

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Jayme Smid, Manager 11:04 p.m. CT March 6, 2017

Question: What do you think about meal delivery systems like Blue Apron, Home Chef, and HelloFresh? Are they worthwhile if weight loss is my primary focus?

Answer: These types of programs can be a great option, but it depends on what youre looking for.

Many people like the fact that all the prep work is done for you. Lets face it lack of time and energy to cook is a significant barrier to healthy eating and all the rewards that come with it.

Others like the fact that you can choose a calorie level, and Ive also heard people say that meals have been quite fresh and tasty, which was a bit of a surprise.

The downside, however, is that sometimes these plans can be almost too easy, which makes the transition from the program that much more difficult.

You still should educate yourself on how to eat healthy for the long-term, and these programs dont necessarily help you do that. They can also be quite expensive, especially if you continue to grocery shop and add other foods as snacks between meals. In the end, you should look at these factors and make the best decision for your situation.

About the author: Jayme Smid is the club manager at Anytime Fitness in Brandon. To submit a question for future articles, please contact the author at brandonsd@anytimefitness.com.

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Learn about healthy eating to reach long-term goals - Sioux Falls Argus Leader

Fasting has been practiced for centuries, and has been popularised as a diet trend over the last few years, with celebrity advocates including, Benedict Cumberbatch and Hugh Jackman. But can it really help you lose weight and get healthier?

Intermittent fasting is a term used for eating patterns that cycle between a fasting and non-fasting period. During the fasting period, you either severely restrict your calorie intake, or don't consume any food at all. The emphasis is on when foods are eaten, and there are several variations to this type of eating regime. Some of the recent popular trends have included:

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The 5:2 diet: Made popular by TV doctor Michael Mosley, this plan involves eating approximately 600kcal on two days of the week and then eating regularly on the other five days.

The 6:1 Diet: This involves either consuming a low-calorie diet for one day of the week, or completely fasting for 24 hours, followed by six days of eating regularly.

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The 16/8 method: This is the plan Hugh Jackman has been reported to follow, and involves fasting for 16 hours each day, and then eating for 8 hours of the day e.g. eating only between 12pm and 8pm.

Eat food every other day: In this plan 'fast' days where individuals consume <25% of baseline energy needs (approximately 500kcal) are alternated with 'feast' days where regular food consumption is permitted.

Eat-stop-eat diet: Once or twice a week individuals do a 24 hour fast (e.g. fast from 6pm one day to 6pm the next day) and then eat regularly on the other days.

The claimed health benefits of fasting go far beyond weight loss. "In animal studies (in mice), there is some evidence that intermittent fasting may prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders," explains Registered Dietitian Junee Sangani. "And in humans, there have been links made to it reducing obesity, hypertension, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis."

However, whilst these findings are very promising, Junee stresses that more large scale clinical trials on humans are needed to assess the longer-term effects (e.g. over a year) of intermittent fasting, to really understand its true benefits and to enable clinical recommendations to be made. There is also not yet enough evidence to determine which 'variation' of fasting may be most effective plan for these health outcomes.

Intermittent fasting can be an effective method of short-term weight loss. "A recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association (2017) reports that there is evidence that both alternate day fasting and periodic fasting may be effective for weight loss," explains Junee. "Changes in body weight from alternative day fasting and periodic fasting showed a 3-8% body weight decrease in all studies after 3 to 24 weeks."

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However, what's lacking is data to show that this weight loss can be sustained in the long-term. The nature of fasting means that long-term compliance for most individuals is likely to be difficult. Beyond not knowing whether fasting will help keep the weight off for good, there are also some other potential pitfalls for using this approach to shed those extra pounds.

1. It focuses on when to eat, not what to eat

Emphasis tends to be on calorie-counting rather than nutrition. "For this eating pattern to work it's really important that on the 'feasting' days, the foods chosen are packed full of nutrients i.e. plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, low fat dairy and lean protein foods," says Junee. "Eating foods high in fat and sugar like cakes, biscuits, chocolate, fried foods and sugary drinks may result in people not gaining the benefits from the fasting days."

2. There can be negative side effects

Anecdotal reports suggest that intermittent fasting may cause difficulty sleeping, bad breath, irritability, anxiety, depression, dehydration and tiredness.

3. It can interfere with your social life

Eating is very much a social activity, and being restricted to only eat in certain time windows may heavily impact on an individual's ability to attend social events and join others in normal mealtimes, etc.

4. Not suitable for all

"Fasting should not be recommended to pregnant women, young children, or anyone with a history of eating disorders as it has the potential to create an unhealthy obsession with food," says Junee.

People may choose to fast for various reasons be it health, religion or weight loss, and it may work for some. "In these cases, it's important for professionals to provide a tailored approach to these individuals based on any medical conditions they may have," recommends Junee.

However, the bottom line is that fasting is a form of dieting - and this is why Accredited Practising Dietitian Joel Feren does not tend to recommend it to his clients if weight loss is their goal:

"I practice a non-diet approach, and rather encourage people to recognise signals of hunger and fullness and to eat accordingly. Those looking to lose weight have often tried several diets and are still at square one overweight and in poor health. What these clients often require is a little TLC, not another diet. I find the patients who learn to become intuitive eaters, and who practice a more mindful approach to eating, will often have better long-term outcomes with regards to improvements in health and weight loss."

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Can fasting *ever* be good for you? - Netdoctor

Weight-Loss Win is an original Yahoo series that shares the inspiring stories of people who have shed pounds healthfully.

Mike Harrington is 46 and weighs 194 pounds. In 2014, after experiencing the death of his father and suffering with obesity for many years, he turned his health around by embracing a new lifestyle of mindful eating and physical fitness. This is his weight-loss story.

The Turning Point

I began to struggle with my weight in my early twenties. The pressures of going to college and trying to raise a family were challengingand compounded by my negative self-image, which caused me to turn to food for comfort.

I had attempted to lose weight many times over the years. What was different about my approach this last time was my long-term health mindset as opposed to merely losing the weight.

There were many factors which contributed to my turning point, as so many aspects of my life were being significantly impacted by my weight. Some of the key points were:

Losing my dad due to his poor health habits I was in the room with him when he slipped away and I saw regret in his eyes. He was just 63 years old. That moment was so devastating that I told my mom that we need to learn something from his poor health habits.

Difficulties wiping myself in the bathroom Humiliating as this is to admit, I strained my right shoulder desperately trying to reach behind myself.

Comorbidities Sleep apnea, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, GERD, fungal infections

Frequent thoughts of suicide I had lost my will to live. On one occasion I half-heartedly took a small handful of sleeping pills and washed it down with half a bottle of vodka. I woke up the next morning feeling stupid for what I had done. There were many nights I would go to bed wishing I would just have a heart attack in my sleep and not wake up.

Self-hate and shame Many people tell me that they had no idea I was unhappy or hated myself when I was morbidly obese. It was not merely the weight which caused me to feel this way, but my poor self-image as well.

The Changes

I knew that I had to get a handle around how much and what I was eating. This meant I needed to track my food. So I did some research and discovered an online tool and app called MyFitnessPal. I didnt really change what I ate right away, I just made sure to record every single thing that went into my mouth.

For exercise I initially used my Bodies In Motion 25 minute online aerobics videos five days a week. Eventually I incorporated walking and hiking into my plan.

As I ate healthier food and starting getting more physical activity, I began to feel better mentally. Many things kept me motivated, but the primary factor was a mental association I had created. I thought of my end goal as if I were going to win 10 million dollars. So each day I focused on that mental image, likening the feeling of no longer being obese with the feeling I would have if I won all of that money.

I made my plan public to enlist the support of others and hold myself accountable. I stopped identifying with obesity to reinforce that this wasnt a temporary change. I was willing to try new things and adapt. I was always looking for sustainable changes and always remembered that small changes can add up to big results.

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The After

In many ways my life has changed. Sometimes I forget that I can just go into any store and buy clothes off the rack. I still hesitate when I go to sit in one of those white resin outdoor chairs for fear that I will break it. When I slide into a booth at a restaurant I am still amazed by how much room I have and that I dont have to squish into it.

For the longest time I vacillated between being excited about my new life and being depressed about how I was going to maintain. There were so many stories coming out about people who lose all of their weight and gain it all back. I wasnt going to be that guy again.

Overall I think people treat me different now. I get the feeling that people respect me now more than when I was super morbidly obese. I definitely remember times when people would make disparaging comments about my weight and size. Sometimes I feel like I am invisible now that I dont stand out because of size. And some people who have known me for a long time seem to have negative reactions to my weight loss. What I discovered was that for some people my success was a reflection upon their inability to manage their own health.

I was surprised by how easy it was to lose the first 200 pounds compared to the last 10. Losing 200 pounds when you already weigh 400 pounds is much easier than me trying to skim off some of these remaining pounds now that I am near normal. I realized I had to stop chasing the scale. I was developing a new eating disorder, weighing myself several times a day, pushing my body to shed those remaining pounds. Eventually in my journey I met some people from Health At Every Size who taught me about emphasizing health instead of weight.

The Maintenance

Right now I am eating a mostly vegan/plant-based diet, but I am flexible. I try to eat clean 80-90% of the time, and I am learning not to stress about it. That wiggle room allows me to enjoy other things that may not be so good for me nutritionally. I dont eat a lot of sugar other than from fruit.

I dont believe in cheat days per se, nor being too rigid either. If I feel like eating something, I do. Deprivation leads to more issues, like resentment. Ironically when I gave myself the permission to eat what I wanted, I began to crave healthier foods more.

I like to plan ahead and set daily goals to keep me on track. My current exercise routine is:

I find that walking has many more benefits than the physical aspects. It has an amazing effect for improving your mental state.

Each day I think about the healthy choices I make. I am far from perfect, but I can say that today the choices I am making are far better than ever before in my life. I want to live a long life in the best health my body can be for my age.

The Struggles

One thing thing that I found challenging after losing weight was living a lifestyle much different from my wife. We had to have many discussions about the changes I was making in my life and how they would impact us. We have also learned to meet halfway on some of these things.

Today, I sometimes struggle with balance. It is hard to know how much eating clean and staying active is healthy versus overkill. At one time in my journey I was exercising in all of my free time because I was so afraid that I would slip back. I have learned the importance of getting more rest to allow my body to recuperate from the physical activity as well as making more time with family and friends. I no longer track all of my food intake nor weigh myself as I want to learn to manage those things on my own. The tracking served a purpose at the time and now I am free to enjoy a little more wiggle room in my daily life.

Advice

My number one piece of advice is dont focus on weight. Try to focus more on establishing a routine for improving and maintaining your overall health rather than what the scale says. During my journey I have learned that weight is not an accurate measurement of health.

You will likely feel discouraged, unmotivated, tired, and fail many times. The key is not avoiding failure, but how you deal with it. When you fail, try again. I made (and still make) many mistakes during my journey, but never gave up hope. Being healthy shouldnt be a chore nor does it mean you will be deprived. Youre going to discover new things about yourself, new foods, and new activities. It is imperative to believe in yourself.

And remember, stay awesome!

All photos courtesy Mike Harrington. Read more about Mike on hisblog.

Need more inspiration? Read about our other weight-loss winners! Weight-Loss Win is authored by Andie Mitchell, who underwent a transformative, 135-pound weight loss of her own.

Have a weight-loss win or beauty story to share? We want to hear it! Tell us at YStyleBeauty@yahoo.com.

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Mike Harrington Lost 209 Pounds: Sometimes I forget that I can just go into any store and buy clothes off the rack! - Yahoo Health

THE BIGGEST LOSER -- "Season 5 Live Finale"NBC NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

For decades, weight loss advice could be summed up in a sentence: burn more calories than you consume. This equation, based on the 3500 rule, in which a calorie deficit of 3500 translates into weight loss of one pound, was intuitive and comforting in its simplicity.

It also made generations of dieters feel terrible about themselves, essentially conflating excess fat with a failure of willpower. If the 69% of Americans who are overweight or obese could simply eat less and move more, this line of thinking went, we wouldnt have a national epidemic on our hands. While researchers have been questioning the validity of the 3500 calorie rule for years, it still informs much of the popular understanding on weight and metabolism.

Thats beginning to change, though. Ironically, a major recent revelation came courtesy of the Biggest Loser , an NBC reality series that, perhaps more than anything else on TV, reduces weight loss to a matter of willpower (contestants on the show compete to lose the largest percentage of their body weight over the span of 30 weeks.)

But new research suggests the real narrative is likely far more complex. In the study, published last May, researchers tracked 14 of the shows contestants, measuring their weight, metabolism, fitness schedule and diet before they were officially selected for the series eighth season, at various points throughout filming, and then six years after the season ended.

Unsurprisingly, all 14 participants were significantly overweight before their stint on The Biggest Loser and all lost a significant amount of weight during filming. More surprising was that, but for a single participant, theyd all regained some of this weight by the studys end, with four participants actually weighing more than they did before going on the show.

The real jaw-dropper? The researchers found that during and after the initial weight loss, participants bodies fought to return to their original weights: across the board, after losing weight on the show, participants metabolism slowed dramatically, meaning their bodies burned fewer calories than is typical for someone their size. This wasnt a temporary change, either as the years passed, not only did their metabolisms not recover but, in many cases, they continued to slow down. At the studys close, season 8 winner Danny Cahill, who lost 239 pounds on the show and regained 100 of them over the subsequent six years, burned 800 fewer calories per day while at rest than is typical for someone his size.

The results are a strong indicator that weight loss shouldnt be reduced to a matter of willpower, says lead author Kevin Hall. Instead, when you cut your calories and increase your physical activity, your body resists that change, he says. Think of it like a string. If you arent trying to lose weight, the string remains slack. But as you cut calories and add exercise, it grows increasingly taut. The more intense your diet and workout gets, the tighter the spring pulls in an effort to return you body to its resting weight.

You will experience a proportional pullback, says Hall, which, if you want to successfully keep weight off, you must resist indefinitely . Its a Catch-22 of sorts. The more successful you are at losing weight, the harder your body will fight to regain it indeed, participants who lost the most weight on the show experienced the largest slowing in metabolic adaption.

If this sounds like a giant bummer, well in some ways, it is. Weight loss, the study suggests, is more difficult than simply moving more and eating less. But Hall feels that by focusing on the pounds participant regained, subsequent coverage pushed an overly negative message. Following high-profile write ups, including this one in The New York Times , he noticed a discouraging trend: Readers were interpreting the study as a reason to give up on weight loss efforts, full-stop. If they couldnt keep it up, the thinking went, that whats the point of even trying?

But this ignores an important detail: at the end of the study, participants, on average, were down 12% from their pre- Biggest Loser weights, a not insignificant amount. Studies have shown that for overweight and obese individuals, even small weight losses can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.

In lieu of despair, Hall hopes the study will make people to rethink weight loss. More specifically, he wants to separate its cosmetic draw from its ability to improve health. The former, which typically requires a radical reduction of body weight, is nearly impossible to achieve long term (drop below a certain set weight, and the bodys internal spring begins its vicious tugging). But the latter, which requires individuals to lose a far manageable amount of weight, is attainable through gradual, sustainable lifestyle changes.

Shows like the Biggest Loser help perpetuate that idea that you really need to lose enormous quantities of weight to be healthy and be normal, says Hall. But you dont have to have this rapid or dramatic weight loss to have health benefits. As an increasing body of research suggests, a low BMI and health are not always correlated. Thin people can have heart attacks, and obese people who exercise, dont smoke, and maintain a healthy diet are no more likely to die prematurely than normal-weight individuals who fall into the same categories.

Despite the mounting evidence, however, this isnt a message we hear enough, says Hall. The diet industry, the magazine covers of people shedding half their body weight, an American obsession with rebirth and beauty all have worked together to turn diet and exercise into magical tools that, if we only work hard enough, will make us thin and worthy.

What if we rebranded exercise and diet not as means to a more attractive-looking end, but as tools for improving our overall fitness and health? Hall believes it's time we started.

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Why We're Thinking About Weight Loss All Wrong - Fortune

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