Is Your Mind Playing Tricks On You????

The Truth About Weight Loss & Maintenance

We want your weight management journey to be a success—and that starts with knowing the facts so you can prepare effectively.

Here’s what the evidence says:

• Nearly 50% of weight is regained within 2 years.

• By 5 years, 80% of people have regained what they lost.

• Only about 20% of people sustain their weight loss long-term (Wing & Phelan, 2005).

Why is it so hard? Because biology pushes back--weight loss triggers metabolic adaptation (lower resting metabolic rate, increased hunger hormones like ghrelin, decreased satiety hormones like leptin), making it harder to keep the weight off (Rosenbaum & Leibel, 2010).  Your brain and body fight to restore lost weight by slowing metabolism, ramping up hunger signals, and dialing down satiety. It’s not about willpower—it’s about physiology.

Peter Attia explains this process extremely well in his recent blog exploring how weighted vests might help to maintain weight loss (Check it out). He also flags a study published in Nature where researchers DeLong and colleagues examined if adding a weight vest after weight loss could provide a 'counter-trick' to the brain to preserve the resting metabolic rate. By changing the gravitational load, called the 'gravitostat', the hypothesis is by tricking the brain that the body weight has not been altered that the body would not trigger metabolic and hormone actions to promote regaining weight. While the results are inconclusive, there was some evidence to support this might be somewhat effective. 

There is another theory called the 'lipostat' model that claims the brain tries to maintain a certain body fat mass, rather than gravitational force (or entire body mass). At the end of the day, the body has many interconnected pathways that make it difficult to tease apart what specific theory or model is the largest driver. What has strong evidence is the body wants to maintain status quo. When you aim to change things- there will be a mechanism to counter. Education is the start to ready yourself!

Halo Effect

There are other ways your brain can play tricks on you as you try to alter your nutrition -both what you eat and how much. There is evidence that when the brain sees a 'health' label on food such as organic, low-fat, high-protein, keto, sugar-free, that people tend to underestimate calories and often eat more of them compared to when the same foods are presented without a health label.

A study in 2006 found that if M&Ms or cookies were presented at 'low-fat', people ate more of them compared to when this description was not provided. 

Beliefs & Mindset

Our beliefs, attitudes, and how we think about food can also impact how we eat. There is a bias for many people to believe if something is tasty-it must be indulgent and unhealthy. Conversely, if food is labeled 'healthy' people believe the food will not taste good, or as delightful as an indulgent version.

When food is labeled as a 'treat', people naturally become more mindful, slow down, and end up eating smaller portions with greater satisfaction. Moreover, in one study, when ghrelin (hormone for hunger) was measured, for participants told the food was a treat had lower ghrelin levels after consuming the food whereas, those told it was a sensible snack, had a flat ghrelin response. This is evidence for the mind-body link associated with weight management.

So What?

• Weight Loss come with a counter response. This means you can be aware that your brain is telling you that you are hungry or not full but this may not be true. Understanding your nutritional requirements can help to tease out what is a 'trick' or need.
• Counter Tricks. There are tricks such as walking 5 to 10 minutes after a meal to stabilize glucose and provide a feeling of satiety. Maintaining movement and activity every few hours helps with thermogenesis and energy expenditure.
• Mindset. Consider avoiding 'healthy' versions of processed food not intended to be nutrients such as high-protein brownies and chips. If you want a treat, have a treat. Your brain will slow down and process better, making you feel satisfied more than the alternative (which you will likely also eat more of!).
• Check Yourself. Do you hold an inherit bias that healthy food does not taste as good as junk food? We promise this is NOT true! Your tastebuds and brain have been shaped to believe this. Over time, selecting healthier options you will find you begin to crave these and have less desire for the junk!

Register for our newsletter and information at Join PAUZ. Our virtual communities range from $4.99/month, where you receive access to evidence-based information, expert interviews, webinars, live events, support with health and wellness lifestyle enhancements, and discounts for events, programs, and our marketplace.

Follow us on our socials!