Slow Metabolism? Who knew?

[sraebaer]

This week I've been interested in all the studies they have done on the "Biggest Loser" contestants, most who end up gaining back their weight.

Researchers now know that just about anyone who deliberately loses weight will have a slower metabolism when the diet ends. So they were not surprised to see that “The Biggest Loser” contestants had slow metabolisms when the show ended.

What shocked the researchers was what happened next: As the years went by and the numbers on the scale climbed, the contestants’ metabolisms did not recover. They became even slower, and the pounds kept piling on. It was as if their bodies were intensifying their effort to pull the contestants back to their original weight.

In other words, I weigh 145 pounds. I lost a lot of weight to get there. Now my metabolism has slowed down and will stay that way. So I will need to consume a whole lot less food and exercise a whole lot more to maintain my weight, compared who a woman who has always weighed 145 pounds.

Thanks God for our sleeve, at least we physically can't eat that much at one time. So the key is eating healthy, not too much, and exercise. We will never be able to consume the same amount as a normal person without weight issues.

I found this interesting, and makes me think I'm not crazy for finding maintenance difficult!

[Luv49ers19]

I've heard that too!

[chrispygal]

Yes, I read the articles before and it really is mind-boggling but makes sense why those who diet all the time ALWAYS struggle with their weight.

[Ann2]

But remember ... The Biggest Loser people lost weight a helluva lot faster than we ever did. Seriously -- those people lost 5-8 pounds a week, week after week. Did y'all ever actually watch that show?!

I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half. That averages out to 1.28 pounds/week. No way did I or my weight loss program resemble in ANY WAY "The Biggest Loser" participants and how they lost weight.

I'm now averaging 1850-1900 calories/day and still maintaining.

sraebaer, I urge you again to measure your food and count calories long enough (say, for a month -- since everyone's food intake varies considerably over a month's time) to figure out how much you're eating.

[Christie13]

I am sure that our metabolisms are slow. That does not surprise me at all. And people who have been thin their whole lives have no idea what it is like to struggle.

[Christie13]

But remember ... The Biggest Loser people lost weight a helluva lot faster than we ever did. Seriously -- those people lost 5-8 pounds a week, week after week. Did y'all ever actually watch that show?!

I lost 100 pounds over a year and a half. That averages out to 1.28 pounds/week. No way did I or my weight loss program resemble in ANY WAY "The Biggest Loser" participants and how they lost weight.

I'm now averaging 1850-1900 calories/day and still maintaining.

sraebaer, I urge you again to measure your food and count calories long enough (say, for a month -- since everyone's food intake varies considerably over a month's time) to figure out how much you're eating.

That is very true. Those people would even have lots of double digit weeks. Exercising like 8 hours a day while consuming very little. That show was nuts.

[Stacey03]

That show is totally nuts!!!! I think tracking is'nt a bad idea, I've been doing it so far on my fitness pal and might try to keep it up. i don't want to end up being only able to eat 800 calories or something. It can be quite complex can't it?! But then i don't want to be tied to it either, i THINK i might just try to make it part of my routine :-s

[Jeanious]

My doctor told me that I could try all the diets that are out there, I think I have and he said because my stomach has stretched
The diets will never work.
Thus the reason to have this done. My metabolic rate is at a standstill I'm sure.
I lost a lot of weight years ago and that was a strict low carb low fat diet. I felt good when I did it but something inside said you're gonna put
it back on.
Sure enough! Once the pressure of not dieting, I went back to morbidly obese. Again, depression set in and I ate for comfort.

[Jeanious]

Vicious circle.

[Dutchie]

It has to do with set points.
Here's a bariatric surgeon, that explains the whole metabolism thing: https://www.youtube.com/user/DrMatthewWeiner/videos
I found it very interesting.

[sraebaer]

I wonder if the study was done on us if the results would be different. Yes, I realize the "biggest loser" is nuts, those people quit their jobs, have a personal chef, and a trainer to work out all day long. This is not something they could possibly continue for life. With our sleeve we CAN continue our healthy lifestyle indefinitely.

Somehow I do believe my body found a "set point" where it wants to stay. For almost 3 years hit goal and I stayed at 140. Then when I broke my neck and couldn't exercise for 2 months, so I got to 145. My personal goal is 135. I've been at 145 for almost a year now. I eat right, exercise, but stay at the exact same place. I weigh this when I am very careful to eat perfectly, and even on the rare days I don't eat perfectly. (Take Halloween for an example...). I weigh this after 7 days of climbing mountains. I weigh this after taking 4 days off exercise due to sore knees. It's just odd. I wonder if I'm too protein/veggie focused, and should try more fruits and good carbs. I really follow what my nut told me, protein first, then veggie, then carbs if room. So basically my diet is protein with a few veggies thrown in.

Here's my typical day:

coffee with Premier Protein shake as creamer.

Breakfast - 2 eggs

AM snack - the rest of the shake

Lunch - typically dinner leftovers OR that low-fat Bumblee tuna salad kit with crackers (Maybe 120 calories total), a low fat greek yogurt and a low fat string cheese

Snack - protein bar

Dinner - A protein and a veggie

I never eat anything after dinner.

Yesterday was a travel day, so I ate three things, no snacks except water. Not the best choices for sure. Breakfast - coffee with about 1/3 of an omelet and berries at the fancy hotel breakfast (yum!) Lunch - 2 chicken strips off hubby's lunch plate (I did say I was in Mississippi) and Dinner - I piece of pizza as that's where we went for dinner when we got here. But days like this are the exception rather than the rule.

[Dutchie]

With wls surgery this "setpoint" is changed.
Just dieting and exercise, unfortenately, does not do that.
We can change our setpoint by repeatedly eating too much or eating the "wrong" things.
We are in charge of our setpoints right now, and I find that very reassuring.

[SapphireLevaou]

I am sure that our metabolisms are slow. That does not surprise me at all. And people who have been thin their whole lives have no idea what it is like to struggle.

definitely I hate when people who have always been small or healthy weight or have never had any issues losing 20lbs or more theyre like " just eat this way or exercise more with these types of exercise, maybe try drinking more water".....I'm like sure cause its not like I havent tried those things before. My oldest sister who use to be a health nut and still somewhat is she says i'm not disciplined but she gains and loses all over and she's always been a mild/moderate plus size plus we both play sports so we've at least always had a stocky build.

[crazycibertalk]

What did you do to lose so much befire suregy?

[Joyzeegrl2]

Yeah that study on the biggest loser is discouraging. But, it's only one study. I think metabolism does slow down from a long period of dieting. Once we are smaller, it may never go up to a higher metabolism again. I'm just starting this journey so I don't really have any advice for anyone, but you could try mixing it up a bit, with the food choices and also the types of exercise. Some people swear by weight training.