“For decades, we’ve been told that weight management is a matter of willpower and discipline, and that regaining weight is a result of a lack of self-control; while modern science proves this is incorrect, and that our brains, with their powerful mechanisms for defending body weight, control the entire process.”
Research indicates that parental feeding patterns, infant feeding methods, and lifestyle habits in the early years of life play a pivotal role in shaping the brain’s mechanisms for controlling appetite and fat storage. These effects can persist for many years in later stages of life.
The article concludes by emphasizing that “if you struggle to lose weight, know that you are not alone, and it is not your fault; the brain is a formidable opponent, but with science, we can change the rules of the game.”
Our Bodies Are Designed to Resist Weight Loss
The article explains that in a world where our movement is minimal and access to high-calorie foods is easy, losing weight is difficult. As soon as a person starts a program to achieve this, “the body mobilizes as if it were a threat to its existence,” hunger hormones rise, food cravings increase, and energy expenditure decreases.
Research shows that our brains possess strong mechanisms to defend body weight and are capable of “remembering” a previous weight and treating it as the “normal state” to be maintained. This explains why many people regain their weight after following diets.
Science shows that weight regain is not due to a lack of discipline or weak willpower. The truth is that our bodies function exactly as they are designed to: defending against weight loss.
Even regarding weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, which represented a new hope for many, the response varies from person to person. For some, side effects make continuing treatment difficult, while for others, they do not seem to cause significant weight loss. Often, the body reasserts its balance and regains lost weight once treatment stops.
Research shows that “exercise, good sleep, balanced nutrition, and mental health are all factors that improve heart and metabolic health, ‘even if the number on the scale is very low.'”
Losing Weight Is Not Easy, But It Is Possible
For example, “208 million Americans suffer from obesity or are overweight,” according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal in 2024. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that “more than 160 million Americans follow a diet, spending over $70 billion annually on weight loss methods,” it turns out that “about 80% of them regain the weight they lost through special diets within 5 years.”
This indicates that “losing weight is not easy.” However, “weight loss is entirely possible when done correctly,” through two keys to success:
- The first is finding an approach that specifically suits you, makes you feel comfortable, and motivates you. (Research indicates that medical reasons, fear of weight getting out of control, and the reflection of results on a person’s self-image are among the top motivating factors that contributed to the success of people who maintain their weight long-term).
- The second is taking your time and realizing that sustainable weight loss happens slowly but steadily.
Therefore, before you begin your journey, make sure of 3 things:
- Know exactly what you aim to achieve and how much weight you need to lose to be healthy.
- Set achievable personal goals and implement lifestyle changes to lose weight gradually and maintain it.
- Be prepared to adjust your lifestyle as needed to increase your chances of success.
There Is No Substitute for Committing to a Healthy Diet Forever
Most people look for magic solutions when they want to lose weight, but people who lost weight and maintained it succeeded because they permanently shifted towards healthy eating habits. They did not just follow a diet for a period until weight was lost, then return to eating the food
