Almost weekly when I sit down with a weight management client I hear “I’ve struggled with weight my whole life”, “diets no longer work,” or “I’m barely eating and I can’t lose weight”. Though it isn’t always the case, more often than not, I find clients are not eating enough and I encourage them to eat more. Severe calorie restriction actually makes it harder to lose weight and keep it off – and a new study may have the answer why.
The research, presented at the Annual Conference of the International Society for Psychoneuroendocrinology, showed subjects had an increase in cortisol production when calories were restricted. Cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal glands when we are stressed, is linked to excess belly fat. When a person restricts calories, it stresses the body which signals for cortisol to be released. This in turn leads to weight retention and also increases blood sugar. This may be the reason why many “chronic dieters” have continued to struggle with weight loss and keeping the weight off.
The focus should not be about dieting and restricting calories, but about adopting healthier lifestyle changes. This is something I feel very strongly about specifically when it comes to children and teens. These groups are especially susceptible to fads and crash diets which often result in severely restricting calories and then rebounding with over eating. Patterns such as this will make it much more difficult to manage weight throughout life as well as increasing the risk for diabetes and heart disease. If we instill healthy behavior changes in children, it will help them avoid diet traps as adults.
If you find you are struggling with weight loss, you may consider having an RMR (resting metabolic rate) test. This test measures oxygen consumption to determine how many calories your body burns each day. By comparing the test results with your typical food consumption, I can give you a healthy calorie budget and analyze if you are eating too much or over restricting.
If you would like to schedule an RMR test or have any other questions, please call me at 440-885-9505.
–Nicole Gould, RD LD
