Crash Dieting if Obese is Not a Good Idea
I know I shouldn't lecture as I have never been anywhere near being an obese or severely overweight person but I read something about the metabolic effects a severe calorie-restricted diet has on an obese person that those trying to lose a lot of weight quickly should bear in mind.
Basically, the study found - using subjects who were past participants of recent TV reality shows where weight loss (even with fitness level increase) was the object such as Biggest Loser - that if an obese person quickly looses a lot of weight, the body thinks that it is in famine mode and reduces body metabolic rates severely. Even when the subject regains weight loss, metabolic rate is apparently permanently reduced (it was for the duration of the study), making a second round of weight loss even more difficult. It was a finding that surprised the researchers.
I have a friend, obese as a late teen when I met him, who may have fallen into this trap. In his early 20s, he had a bet going in university that had fellow students pledges a donation to him for however many pounds he lost. Despite their attempts at sabotaging his diet, he was determined enough to carry out this bet, succeeded (losing nearly as much weight as I weigh) and helped fund his tuition and other expenses. Unfortunately he put back on the weight, and more very quickly.
Fast forward nearly two decades later and he tried the same, this time following a Weight Watchers regime. He gave himself 7 points, was eating popcorn (no oil) and Ryvita crackers and again did pretty well. It all came back quickly.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/6-years-after-the-biggest-loser-metabolism-is-slower-and-weight-is-back-up/
Basically, the study found - using subjects who were past participants of recent TV reality shows where weight loss (even with fitness level increase) was the object such as Biggest Loser - that if an obese person quickly looses a lot of weight, the body thinks that it is in famine mode and reduces body metabolic rates severely. Even when the subject regains weight loss, metabolic rate is apparently permanently reduced (it was for the duration of the study), making a second round of weight loss even more difficult. It was a finding that surprised the researchers.
I have a friend, obese as a late teen when I met him, who may have fallen into this trap. In his early 20s, he had a bet going in university that had fellow students pledges a donation to him for however many pounds he lost. Despite their attempts at sabotaging his diet, he was determined enough to carry out this bet, succeeded (losing nearly as much weight as I weigh) and helped fund his tuition and other expenses. Unfortunately he put back on the weight, and more very quickly.
Fast forward nearly two decades later and he tried the same, this time following a Weight Watchers regime. He gave himself 7 points, was eating popcorn (no oil) and Ryvita crackers and again did pretty well. It all came back quickly.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/6-years-after-the-biggest-loser-metabolism-is-slower-and-weight-is-back-up/
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